Swan Song

Swan Song (II) (2021) was written and directed by Todd Stephens. It's a narrative film, but the protagonist, Pat Pitsenbarger was a well-known flamboyant gay hairdresser in Sandusky. When director Stephens was young, he knew Pitsenbarger. Also, Stephens gathered anecdotes about Pitsenbarger from other people who had known him.

Pitsenbarger is portrayed by Udo Kier, who is a brilliant actor. The movie rises or falls on the talent of the protagonist, and in this case it rises.

Pitsenbarger has retired from hairdressing, but he has been called from retirement to dress the hair of a wealthy woman who has died.

This is, indeed, a road movie, but the road leads from Pitsenbarger's nursing home to the funeral home, both of which are in Sandusky. The plot consists of his encounters as he walks out of the facility and heads towards the funeral home.

This may sound like a pretty feeble premise, but it's just the opposite. The movie was overlooked when it was released. In fact, I'm just the second person to review it. That's too bad, because it's really good film. The movie has an excellent IMDb rating of 7.6. However, that's based on the ratings of just 44 IMDb members. I though it was much better than that, and rated it 9.

P. S. See if you can recognize the dead woman, named Rita Parker Sloan. (She appears in flashbacks and in Pitsenbarger's memories.) She's almost 80 years old, and she still looks great.

SXSW 2021 Greetings again from the darkness. It's never too late. We've all heard the phrase, but is it accurate ... at least mostly? Writer-director Todd Stephens met the real life Pat Pitsenbarger in a small town gay bar, and he turned that person into this engaging story by casting the great Udo Kier in the lead. When we first meet Pat, he's living a life of daily drudgery in a nursing home. He's a curmudgeon whose hobbies are folding (perfectly) the paper napkins he takes from the cafeteria, and sneaking a smoke when no one is looking. We also see how tenderly he treats an incapacitated neighbor. It's not the last time we see his two sides.

Pat was once a renowned hairdresser in Sandusky, Ohio. When he is informed that a long-time former (wealthy) client has passed away, and her dying wish was for Pat to do her hair for the funeral, he sneaks out of the home and begins a road trip down memory lane. Despite Pat spending the time on foot, the film has the feel of a true road trip movie as he crosses paths with many folks - some new and some with ties to his previous life. One of his first stops is the graveyard to visit his life partner who died of AIDS. We realize Pat still grieves.

There is a hilarious stop at a convenience store as he tries to knock off the items on his shopping list for the project. Since he has no money, Pat depends on the kindness of others ... and his own sticky fingers. As he makes his way through town, some folks remember him, while others remind him of how long he's been gone and how much has changed. His house and business may be gone, but his memories remain.

Two folks from his past generate tremendous scenes. Pat confronts Dee Dee Dale (a reserved Jennifer Coolidge) who gets to tell her side of the story of their unpleasant business split so many years ago. Even better is a "conversation" in the park with his old friend Eunice (a superb Ira Hawkins). The two old friends toast the bygone days of their gay club, while also acknowledging the new world of the gay community. It's a touching sequence.

But the most surprising portion of the film occurs at the funeral home, where Pat imagines a final chat with that recently deceased client, Rita Parker-Sloan. What a pleasant surprise (actually shock!) to see Linda Evans back on screen. She is terrific in her brief appearance and we've really missed her over the last 23 years. But this film belongs to Udo Kier, and he kills. Pat is known as "The Liberace of Sandusky" and Kier embraces all that entails. This is a sentimental story punctuated by a spirited performance - and a Shirley Bassey song!

Former small town hairstylist, Pat (Kier), has been spending his days in a retirement home recovering from a stroke. When he receives news that his friend and client, Rita (Evans), has passed away and wanted him to do her hair for her funeral, he gathers up enough strength for one last hurrah, meeting all sorts of interesting characters and resolving past drama on the way.

Swan Song is one of the few films to feature a lead performance by veteran character actor, Udo Kier, and he proves himself to be more than up for the challenge. His character of Pat is will probably be reminiscent of many small town hairdressers who were, unfortunately, born at the wrong time and had to deal with so much more oppression than many of the LGBT people of today.

Jennifer Coolidge turns in an equally great performance as Kier's former student/rival and she's not borrowing from her usual bag of comedy tricks. She creates a fully lifelike and moving character for the few minutes that she's on screen.

Swan Song might be a little too episodic at times, but it all wraps up in a moving and heartfelt way and it's one that's worthy of being seen by wider audience.

An eldergay has fallen on hard times in Sandusky, Ohio. His partner died of AIDS before SSM, and he had no legal rights to the home he had built with him. His partner's death caused him to lose the toney customers at his hair salon. And, as one of the few survivors of the AIDS pandemic, he is alone and lonely in a nursing home. He waits for death with the other elderly outcasts in his town.

A kind and compassionate Todd Stephens listened to one man's sad story and gave Udo Kier the role of a lifetime. It would have been easy to play this movie as broad comedy, making all the characters black and white. But the movie isn't drawn in broad strokes. Every detail, down to the Vivante shampoo and migrating hat flowers, is perfectly considered.

Watch it with your favorite frenemy,

I really loved this movie. I rarely watch any GL movie, but today i just happened to click on this movie and i shed tears at the end. Thank Mr Stephens. The movie has brought me back to many many many memories. I have gone through the AIDS crisis where many of my friends had died. We are the survivor and in death or near death we start forgiving. Udo Kier.is really really a good actor. I love Jennifer Coolidge. And Linda Evans all portrayed how old age is like and i am getting to be in the twilight of my age and i feel for all of them walking on the same steps. Again, my life started have its meaning after watching this movie. And I need to thank all of the people who made this movie possible. Thanks!