100 Years of Men in Love: The Accidental Collection

100 Years Of Men In Love

This was a documentary on photographic evidence, over the last hundred years, of gay couples amassed by two enthusiastic collectors of such things. On the face of it all appears a little unnecessary as we all know gay people existed for all time and historical validation is irrelevant. However is was still a story that needed telling!

As a celebration it did work in spades, so much was extrapolated beyond the photo that is was very self-indulgent, but we can forgive these enthusiastists a little latitude.

I think it didn't need the narration or the quasi-romantic music, but it was okay!

Overall it was a really great and as they concluded it amounts to a love letter to the world. I'm giving it an 8 outta 10.

Although it's clear the men in these photos loved each other, not all of them demonstrate they were IN love with each other.

It's really easy to project our own values and identity on history. One of the collectors commented that as they looked at a photo it was like it was looking back at him, Most of these pics happen from a time when homosexuality was seen as an illness, not an orientation.

We don't know the stories of most of these men -whether they be cousins, best friends, guys horsing around, comrades-in-arms, or -yes -lovers. It's pretty clear in some cases (it's hard to explain away the kissing and ones in bed!), while others -not so much. Some of these are from Europe, which have many cultures that are more tactiles than ours.

Whatever the relationship of the subjects, it's refreshing to see true affection men can show for each other (sorry ladies, it's always been less taboo for you!).

So, yes, the pictures are lovely (though I wish they didn't try to gild the lily by adding special effects to them), and the score is haunting. It's a good film and it deserves at least a nomination. Just bear in mind that the items in the collection were taken at a time before what we recognize as 'gay' (in the sense of 'who I am') existed.