301. Gods and Monsters directed by Bill Condon

“Don’t you love being famous?” Halloween on the podcast has arrived, and we’re starting things off with a tribute to the LGBT horror icon James Whale. As the subject of the 1998 Bill Condon film Gods and Monsters, a partially fictional take on the last days of his life. The small moving film won Condon an Oscar for adapted screenplay and nominated its star Ian McKellen and a scene-stealing Lynn Redgrave as his housekeeper.  Oscars they probably both should have won; don’t worry, we get into it! The movie also brought Brendan Fraser’s career to the next level as a hunky gardener who develops an unlikely friendship with Whale when he agrees to sit for the director to sketch. We talk about the queer people that helped build the horror genre and Whale’s contributions with films like Frankenstein. “To a new world, of Gods and Monsters!”  Thank you for listening, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna

“Tell me about it, stud.” How have we made it to 300 episodes of the podcast without talking about Grease is beyond us, but here we are! We are joined by our fellow MTMUG superstar guest, Jackson Cooper, to talk about one of the most beloved movie musicals of all time. Truly, the dent that Randal Kleiser’s musical put in the cultural landscape (a box office worth over a billion dollars worldwide with inflation) can’t be denied, and musicals were never the same! We talk about the translation from stage to screenplay by its larger-than-life producer Allan Carr, and how music of the film eclipses its original stage material. What we’ve come to know about Grease primarily comes from what’s on screen in 1978. We also talk about its iconic cast, led by megastar John Travolta and the diva doll herself, Olivia Newton-John, as well as the cast of character actors that fill out its supporting roles. Can we ever escape the monster that Grease has unleashed upon the world with Summer Nights as your basic bitch choice at any karaoke night? Put on your satin Pink Ladies jacket, and your bad girl high-heels because Grease is the word!  Thank you for listening, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social   Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna

“I’m here, just taking a stroll, stretching my legs. These, uh, 300 men are my personal bodyguard.” We watched “300,” directed by Zack Snyder, and we need to hit the gym. A lot has been said of Snyder’s hyperfixation on the male form, and we’re here to add to that conversation. While this movie may be 117 minutes of fit men strutting around in leather briefs, it’s also a pretty fun adaptation of the 1998 graphic novel by Frank Miller— author of Sin City.  Gerard Butler and Lena Headey play a fierce power couple, King and Queen of Sparta, Leonidas and Gorgo. Gerry is giving us manic Brian Blessed in “Flash Gordon” realness, and Lena is serving proto-Cersei Lannister, and she’s really holding her own as one of the only female speaking roles in the male-dominated movie. We also get some body beautiful from David Wenham, Michael Fassbender, and Rodrigo Santoro as the diva herself— Xerxes, the mad god-king of Persia with permanent makeup and one too many body piercings. We had our reading glasses on the entire time on patrol for any slip-ups in those banana hammocks, but as far as we could tell, there were no wardrobe malfunctions to speak of. Oh well.  www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna

“The course of true love never did run smooth.” We watched “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with our friends Michael and Callum from “Once Upon a VHS - 80s and 90s Fantasy,” and we need a dictionary. This star-studded adaptation was riding high on the wave of late 90’s Shakespeare craze, and we’re digging the queerness this cast is bringing. Rupert Everett and Stanley Tucci are giving us body for days as Oberon - King of the Faeries - and Puck - a mischievous sprite, respectively. Aside from the faeries strutting around the forest in the buff, we also have some human characters that are easy on the eyes. Christian Bale and Dominic West play lovelorn Demetrius and Lysander and feature some forest frolicking after Puck hits them with the old Love Potion. We would be remiss if we left out the diva herself, one-miss Michelle Pfeiffer as Titania, Queen of the Faeries. Listen, this movie may be style over substance, but it sure is fun to watch. We also talk about our introductions to the Bard, be they cable television Animated Tales or clandestine passing of Broadway musical cassette tapes.  Thank you for listening, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Instagram @peterlasagna

“Jim, Jack, Johnny Red, Johnny Black, and Jose; all my favorite men. You can have it any way you like it, as long as it's in a shot glass.” We watched “Coyote Ugly” with our friend Blake Knight, and we’ve got some choreography to learn.  It was a lot of fun revisiting these gals jumping and jiving all over that bar, but we have to wonder about this business model. When we think about the amount of revenue those Coyotes are literally pouring down the drain, it makes our heads spin. Don’t even get us started on the health and safety code violations! All that aside, we’re really here for this cast, who all really deliver. Maria Bello, Piper Perabo, Bridget Moynahan, Izabella Milo, and The Original Tyra (Banks) all make us wish we were cool enough to be hired as Coyotes. Adam Garcia charms the pants off of us with that Aussie accent, and speaking of accents, Melanie Lynskey is really out here doing the Lord’s accent work. We would be remiss if we left out LeAnn Rimes singing her Dianne Warren-penned hit “Can’t Fight the Moonlight.” We also have a Diane Warren “Name That Mega Hit” quiz.  Thank you for listening, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Instagram @peterlasagna

“You get a bunch of competitors together, and you’re addicted to winning.” We watched “Everybody Wants Some!!” Directed by Richard Linklater, and we were definitely born in the wrong era. This movie is a vibe, and that vibe is athletic college dudes in short shorts, sleeveless muscle shirts, and mustaches— so many mustaches. To be real, the look is very reminiscent of a summer beer bust at your local gay bar, but that may not be what director Linklater was going for. When we say “vibe,” this movie really is one— set in 1980, over the couple of days before class, stars at an unnamed Texas University. We follow the studly baseball team as they break each other’s balls, cruise for ladies, and show off their baseball skills. The slice of life gives us a very real look at straight male friendship— constant smack talk, ridiculous one-upmanship, but also an ease of camaraderie when meeting new members of the group. The plot takes its time to unfold, and the movie may not pass the Bechtel Test, but the guys are fun to watch, and it really does feel like a spiritual sequel to Linklater’s beloved “Dazed and Confused.” Thank you for listening, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna

“Fair is fair! We didn't start this, we didn't mean it to happen, but we're not giving up until you pay. FAIR IS FAIR!” We watched “The Legend of Billie Jean” with Jesse Krempel, the wonderful host of “Cult Cinema Circle,” and we need to make an appointment with our hairstylist. This often overlooked gem from the 1980s chronicles outlaw teens on the run from the cops, their parents, and a sleazy businessman while going “viral” in a pre-social media world. Billie Jean, played by a drop-dead gorgeous Helen Slater, and her brother Binx (teeny-teen Christian Slater - no relation) run afoul of some local dirtbags who then steal and trash Binx’s prize Honda Elite scooter. The stakes are actually sort of low - but it’s the principle of the matter which makes Billie Jean and company local folk heroes. In a key moment, Billie Jean chops off her hair after being inspired by Joan of Arc; she is giving us some Vidal Sassoon, Sally Hershberger realness that would make Miss Tyra Banks herself proud. The kids in this movie are so ‘80s it would make the costumers on “Stranger Things” heads spin, and the soundtrack features the absolute BANGER “Invincible” by the legendary Pat Benatar. Stay tuned for the latest Weekly Rewind at the end of the episode! Thank you for listening, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna  

“I was surprised to learn lesbians accessorized. I didn’t know that.” We watched “Kissing Jessica Stein” with the insightful Samantha Mann, author of “Dyke Delusions: Essays & Observations.”  Sitting with Sam talking about this touchstone of queer/lesbian cinema really hammers home that the two of us are just a couple of dumb boys. This movie harkens back to a pre-9/11 New York as well as the cinema landscape. This was a time when, yes, representation did matter, but so did a quirky downtown apartment with exposed brick that you could afford to live in without multiple roommates. We all talk about the quality of “gay” movies in the 90’s and early aughts, but the lesbian movies were practically nonexistent - so the representation we got in this movie was a total necessity - not to mention the entire “lipstick” element of it all. Jennifer Westfeldt (Jessica) and Heather Juergensen (Helen) co-wrote this screenplay based on their play “Lipschtick,” and the labor put into it really pays off. The screenplay is tight, funny, and holds up (to mild scrutiny) 24 years later. We talk about Jessica’s choices and the somewhat controversial place she ends up, of course.  We’re still L.A. girlies at heart, but this indie comedy does make us love that magical New York from the movies.   Thank you for listening, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna  

“They're gonna keep calling us 'cutters.' To them, it's just a dirty word. To me, it's just something else I never got a chance to be.” How has it taken this long to get to a good old-fashioned sports movie on the podcast?  We watched the Peter Yates film "Breaking Away" with our good friend Joshua Clement. Dennis Christopher plays Dave Stohler, a working-class Midwest teen, passionate about Italian cycling, navigating life with his  ragtag group of friends. Nominated for a handful of Oscars, including best picture, director, and a win for original screenplay, "Breaking Away" was a sleeper hit when it came out the summer of 1979. The most 70s cast of cute young men to fill a back issue of Tiger Beat Magazine. We have our lanky lead, Dennis Christopher, who’s giving us 70s Timothée Chalamet, there's Dennis Quaid with his six-pack on full display, a post- "Bad News Bears" heartthrob Jackie Earle Haley, and the screen debut of Daniel Stern!  Thank you for listening, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna

“Here's what's going on, buddy: the day we get married is the day I ship those brats off to Switzerland, get the picture? It's me, or them. Take your pick.” We watched “The Parent Trap” (1998) with our friend Donovan Marcotte, and we’re seeing double! This movie really is a touchstone for an entire generation out there, and we totally get it.  Lindsay Lohan… and Lindsay Lohan - stepping in for the icon that is Hayley Mills - are really making us believe they are two separate kids. Gone are the days of Vaseline down the middle of the camera lens and static shots. Lindsay is waltzing around her cabin, and the camera is following both of them. It’s some real Kermit the Frog riding a bicycle-level stuff. Trick shots aside, the rest of the cast really shines here - Lisa Ann Walter, Simon Kunz, and the Diva herself - Elaine Hendrix - are worth the price of admission. Break out your old clamshell VHS - it’s time for the Lohan-aissance! Thank you for listening, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! www.patreon.com/moviesthatmadeusgay Facebook/Instagram: @moviesthatmadeusgay Bluesky: @MTMUGPod.bsky.social Scott Youngbauer: Twitter @oscarscott / Instagram @scottyoungballer Peter Lozano: Twitter/Instagram @peterlasagna