Stardust (Spoilers)

[Mort]

I've come to the conclusion that I found DeNiro's character offensive. Why can't a gay man be masculine? Or a fierce Capt.? Why did he have to be a cross-dressing sissy? With a lisp no less... It's so nice to see that we are planted so firmly in the 1950's...

Overall I really liked the movie, but this part didn't sit well with me either; not the crossdressing part, but the fact that he suddenly became a sissy (when confronting Septimus) - despite his obvious earlier competence. What should have happened was septimus busting in on him, looking startled, and then having to run for his life when Shakespeare whups him with the handheld fan - now that would have been satisfying.

 

[Fast Learner]

Overall I really liked the movie, but this part didn't sit well with me either; not the crossdressing part, but the fact that he suddenly became a sissy (when confronting Septimus) - despite his obvious earlier competence.

A feminine/flamboyant mannerism doesn't make someone incompetent.

 

[Hammerhead]

A feminine/flamboyant mannerism doesn't make someone incompetent.

No, but he did get his ass kicked by Septimus. On the other hand, in the book, Primus described his youngest brother as the "most dangerous man you will ever meet." And he's stuck in a closet without any weapons or armor. I think losing is a pretty reasonable expectation in that situation, with that opponent.

 

[Shayuri]

I have to ask...is there anyone else who felt that whole DeNiro/air pirate thing was just awfully contrived? I felt like the screenplay author was jumping up and down, waving his arms, screaming, "Hey! Hey! Pay no attention to the lackluster story! This is CLEVER and WITTY and FUNNY. It flies in the face of convention to have a gay effeminate pirate! That makes it ironic and amusing!"

I also felt it was a copout to say that the crew knew all along.

:\

 

[GSHamster]

Overall I really liked the movie, but this part didn't sit well with me either; not the crossdressing part, but the fact that he suddenly became a sissy (when confronting Septimus) - despite his obvious earlier competence. What should have happened was septimus busting in on him, looking startled, and then having to run for his life when Shakespeare whups him with the handheld fan - now that would have been satisfying.

I read it more that he had been flustered by being discovered. He wasn't paralyzed by Septimus, he was paralyzed by the thought of his reputation being destroyed. After all, he went to a great deal of trouble to keep it a secret and maintain a fearsome reputation, and the vision of being "outed" was what broke him, rather than anything Septimus did.

Seems reasonable enough to me.

 

[Tetsubo]

I read it more that he had been flustered by being discovered. He wasn't paralyzed by Septimus, he was paralyzed by the thought of his reputation being destroyed. After all, he went to a great deal of trouble to keep it a secret and maintain a fearsome reputation, and the vision of being "outed" was what broke him, rather than anything Septimus did.

Seems reasonable enough to me.

Which is such a lovely message to send to any child viewing this film. Deny who you really are, or the world will hate you... healthy attitude there...

 

[Brown Jenkin]

Which is such a lovely message to send to any child viewing this film. Deny who you really are, or the world will hate you... healthy attitude there...

But the message at the end with was even if you deny it your friends will still know and they won't care when you do admit who you are.

 

[Tetsubo]

But the message at the end with was even if you deny it your friends will still know and they won't care when you do admit who you are.

They couldn't just, you know, *tell* you? You still ended up living a lie...

I had a female acquaintance come out to me once. It was really hard for her. I looked at her and said, "I knew you were a lesbian twenty seconds after I met you." This stunned her. If we had been friends I would have broached the topic sooner...

I would love to see a major studio release with a gay character that is just perfectly normal and well adjusted. Not a walking stereotype. But expecting a major studio to do that is sort of futile on my part...

One positive note for Stardust though. It gave me two sketch ideas...