THE BI CANON (or What I Learned from My Trip to the Video Store)

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By Michael Vokins

“Hi, i’m looking for a bisexual movie”
“The porn’s right over there”
“No, i mean a film that has bisexual characters in it”
“Oh. like Basic Instinct?”
“No...I mean something more realistic”
“How ‘bout Lesbian Vampires?”
“No.”
“Threesome?”
“No. Don’t you have anything that deals with bisexuality more realistically?”
[pause]
“The porn’s right over there”

THE HUNGER
It should all be so simple. With the millions of movies that are out there, you’d think that there would be at least a few good films about bi people. Unfortunately, these movies are as rare as a deep thought from Paris Hilton.

I became a man with a mission. I bugged my friends, checked out queer festivals and harassed the counter staff at my local video stores . Where were the movies that highlighted bi characters? And were there any that portrayed more honest depictions of bisexuality?

My first obstacle was figuring out what makes a “bi movie. Upon asking my friends their favourite bi flicks I got a number of surprising responses. Personal Best? Farewell My Concubine? Hedwig? Films that people suggested I never thought of as bisexual. Similarly, ones I thought of as bisexual others didn’t feel represented a “true” bi experience (“Chasing Amy? Kissing Jessica Stein? Ugh!”)

Furthermore, it’s hard to classify a character’s sexuality when they don’t classify themselves. In most movies up until the 1970s, there was only one dominant sexuality. Everything else was a glimmer of a different life, something quintessentially queer—a gay subtext could just as easily be interpreted as a bi subtext. So I looked for films that had characters who identified as “bisexual” or films that alluded to characters being involved with both men and women.

While there has been a proliferation of bisexual characters in the past decade, let’s face it—a lot of these films suck (and not in a good way). Bi characters are often small roles and fall prey to a lot of common stereotypes and clichés. Let’s have a look at what most films teach us about bisexuality, shall we?:

RULES OF ATTRACTION
1. Bisexuals are women, never men.
It appears that only women like being bisexual, particularly when they are about to have a threesome with a straight man. This is usually accompanied by lots of naked woman-on-woman action and—if you’re lucky—a good “catfight” to boot. Movies like Two Girls and a Guy or Spike Lee’s She Hate Me highlight the industry is still run by straight men and their fantasies of lesbian sex.

2. Bisexuals are evil nymphos.
Due to their love for more than one gender, bi people also have an innate desire to sleep with everything they see. They especially love sex where they break up an innocent couple or ruin families—that’s the best. (Example: When Will I Be Loved, Basic Instinct, Love in Thoughts)

3. Bisexuals are murderous criminals.
Apparently it’s not enough that bisexuals want to sleep with everyone, they also want to kill them as well. Whether it’s petty theft, rape or an old-fashioned murder with an ice pick, bisexuals love to wreak havoc on anyone who doesn’t let them get their sexual way. (Basic Instinct, Wild Things, Femme Fatale)

4. Bisexuals are vampires.
Yes, the thirst for blood and bi sex go hand in hand. These evil creatures prey on innocent straight victims and, of course, must be killed in the end. (Lesbian Vampyres, The Hunger, Interview with the Vampire)

5. Bisexuality = polyamory
The majority of bisexuals will never be able to hold down any relationship due to their uncontainable loins. Never mind the fact that infidelity runs rampant amongst their straight and gay counterparts—bisexuals are not to be trusted. (When Will I Be Loved, Dodgeball or most other frat boy movies)

The more and more I watched depictions like these, I became hungry for more honest or challenging depictions of bisexuality. Where are the characters who aren’t hung up on their sexuality? Where are the roles that challenge our worldviews or misconceptions?

Finally, I did find some movies that stand out. While they still conform to some of the above stereotypes, I think the characters are more identifiable (or at least not as silly or fucked up) and point to some hope for bi roles in the future.

THE OPPOSITE OF SEX
My first bi movie memory was with The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). We see one scene where Tim Curry’s character seduces Janet at night in her bedroom. Shortly thereafter, he goes to Brad’s bedroom and does exactly the same thing. I remember there wasn’t anything creepy about it—one was supposed to delight in his sexual indiscrimination.

We’ve come a long way. There are several films that foreground characters who end up having no bones about their sexuality. The best one for me was Kali’s Vibe (2002), an independent American film from the festival circuit (and soon out on DVD I believe). Kali is an African-American bisexual woman in a lesbian relationship that’s going downhill. Enter Rees, a straight womanizer who ends up being an unexpected match for Kali. Their relationship causes clamour amongst their straight and gay friends but their delightful romance lets Kali finds balance with her sexuality. The film takes its lead from one of its character’s refreshing thoughts, “sometimes paths change.”

Prey For Rock n Roll (2003) has another main character, Jacki (Gina Gershon) that is comfortable in her bisexual skin. An aging band singer, Jacki takes jibes from her band mates about liking boys and girls—yet she is unphased and dishes it back to them. Her real struggle is not her sexuality, but rather keeping the band together and figuring out her future. Although the music is pretty cheesy and the plot a little outlandish, Gershon’s character remains a sexy breath of fresh air in the movie.

In Sunday, Bloody, Sunday (1971), Daniel (Peter Finch) and Alex (Glenda Jackson) are both dating Bob (Murry Head) at the same time. Bob is quite sure of his need for both relationships and it’s the other characters who struggle to keep things working.

Laurel Canyon (2002, from High Art director Lisa Cholodenko) depicts hippy record producer Jane (Frances McDormand) who is visited by her conservative son Sam (Christian Bale) and his new wife, Alex (Kate Beckinsale). Alex is drawn to Jane’s world and eventually has sex with her and her boyfriend. However, the affair doesn’t make out Jane to be a shallow character. She exhibits regret not over her sexuality but more about her family relationships and subsequently makes amends.

In When Night Is Falling (1995), Camille is a Christian academic in a lacklustre relationship. Enter Petra, a lesbian circus performer who shatters Camille’s worldview. Torn between her stable life with her male partner and the enticing world of Petra, Camille makes some bold decisions to change her life and never looks back.

Goldfish Memory (2003) is a light-hearted romantic comedy from where straight, gay and bi singles date openly and unabashedly in Ireland. While I found it a little sappy, I must admit the bi characters in this movie go through the same ups and downs as the other characters and receive a much-deserved ending of being happy and well-adjusted. (hooray!)

Other movies of note that present fuller depictions of bi people are Henry and June, Gia, Frida and Y Tu Mama Tambien.

CONFUSION DES GENRES
While a threesome is a trope that is definitely overused in bi films, more recent films are reinventing this relationship with a positive spin.

In A Home at End of the World (2004, based on the Michael Cunningham novel), Jonathan (Dallas Roberts) and Bobby (Colin Farrell) share a funny and touching teenage relationship. Years later, the two are reunited in New York, where Jonathan is an out gay man living with a straight female roommate, Clare (Robin Wright Penn). When Clare and Bobby begin a relationship, Jonathan struggles but the three eventually come together and create a complex and caring family unit.

A unique Korean film, Bizarre Love Triangle (2003), shows a threesome that overcomes obstacles to create something far from “bizarre.” Doo-chan’s life as a stand-up comedian is upended when he discovers his wife, Eun-hee, having an affair with another woman. When whiny Eun-hee gets pregnant, the three eventually work out an arrangement that is amenable to all.

There are also a couple of comedies that, while being humourous, also challenge mainstream notions of bisexuality.

Director Spike Jonez’s hysterical Being John Malkovich (2000) finds Maxine (Catherine Keener) in love with both Craig (John Cusack) and Lottie (Cameron Diaz) through the body of actor John Malkovich. Her realization of her love for Lottie offers an insightful hint of love transcending gender.

Another film that provides comic food for thought is Robert Altman’s Beyond Therapy (1987). A send-up of psychiatry and the French Farce, Jeff Goldbulm plays a bisexual man who falls for a woman much to the chagrin of his gay boyfriend (Christopher Guest).

Other more “arthouse” films break from traditional narrative forms in their depiction of bisexual relationships. Water Drops On Burning Rocks (2000, director Francois Ozon) and Fassbinder’s The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kent (1972) both present highly stylized and offbeat worlds of its bi characters to indicate the absurdity of traditional sexuality.

Two documentaries that offer a more rounded depiction of bi people are Three of Hearts: A Postmodern Family (2004), a movie about a threesome failing to survive as a family unit, and Pick Up the Mic (2005), a documentary about queer rap artists.

SPLENDOR
See? It’s not that bad after all. I share the hopes of crtic Shauna Swartz: “films that only exploit bisexuality for cheap thrills will hopefully become just another shrugged-off relic of the last century.” It’s only a matter of time before bi characters in films reach their true complexity and humanity.

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LINKS:
http://www.afterellen.com/Movies/2005/10/bisexual.html
http://www.queerhorror.com/Qvamp/movies.html
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(c) Copryight 2006 Michael Vokins

Mike Vokins is a writer and videomaker by night, film
and tv pee-on by day. He writes for Xtra!, Trade,
hipstatic and resides in Toronto.

I had never heard of the documentary "Three of Hearts: A Postmodern Family" before, which Mike describes as "a movie about a threesome failing to survive as a family unit". It sounds very interesting. I belong to one of those DVD-by-mail rental services that are great for renting stuff you can't get in your local video store (http://www.zip.ca for those of you in Canada), and I see they have it. So I've arranged to rent it. Looking forward to checking it out.

Great article! Thanks Mike!

- Drew :paw:

Interesting. All I can say, is I clearly have a lot of visioning to do!

It does not surprise me to find that there is very little films that target or just feature Bi men. Of the quotes I have heard in my circle, well they were married but now he "turned gay" on her. Not that there is anything wrong with that! ;)

I believe that there is a deep rooted misunderstanding of bisexuality. Both male and female. A bisexual women is almost always seen as a fantasy for boys. Did you ever see a movie where a women could have a relationship (ie. not just sex) with another women then move on to a more hetero one to swing back to bisexual relationship? Although my palette, heavily tinted by my wife's addiction to "chick Flicks", my not be as varied as Michael V., I can't recall one.

I remember seeing a Sex in the City episode where Carrie was dating this guy and, if my memory serves me well, she found out he had a previous relationship with a man during a spin the bottle game. Anyone remembers? Maybe you can fill in the details. I just about died laughing when the people in the room said "gross"! I guess, I'll stay in the closet a bit longer. The road ahead for bisexual recognition is still a very long one. Alas, some of us find it a little lonely pedalling our "bicycle" on it.

You would think that gay men would have a more open mind about it! OK, I'm being unfair, I know for a fact they do, but, I remember gettinig remarks like well at least he is know putting his "tool" to good use. I admit to having laughing to that comment. But, what disspointed was the underlining failure of recognizing that maybe this person in particular can actually be Bi. Like Maybe!

I think that we still live in a world heavily colored by our black and white taboos.

Great article,

DM

Michael forgot to mention one recent film that had a very strong bisexual subtext and it was a biopic about a real person--the film was "Frida" that starred Selma Hayek playing famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

There were several scenes in the movie that reflected Kahlo's bisexual side.

Kahlo was known to have taken many women lovers in spite of her deep love for her husband, Diego Rivera.

I'd like to add <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085852/">Liquid Sky</a>, a small-budget film from 1983 - the kind of thing that used to turn up at cult movie festivals. The main character is a bi woman, which, as you can see from the article, was much rarer at the time - I saw it years after it came out, and it was still only the second film I'd seen with a bi character. (RHPS was first.)

A long-overdue article, Michael. Well done! All this time I thought I was Bisexual, but apparently I'm really a Psycho Sexually-Confused Vampire with Homicidal Tendencies! Whoodathunk? Thanks for the education, Hollywood!

Drew, it seems to me we have a veritable cornucopia of creative people here. Why not have our own movie pitch/screenplay contest? Surely we can do better...

Btw, Driver--Liquid Sky is indeed a classic. Way ahead of its time.

Bravo!!!
Finally thanks to your article i can rent my bi films on film night.Normally film was reserve for my husband sci-fi fetish and my best-bud gay films leaving only once in a blue moon seeing rocky horror , gia, or hedwig. Now I can finally feel more opening to my bi ness not only in real life but in film life too! Thanks a million thanks! :female:

Thanks for a brilliant article, it sure leaves you with some food for tought, and there were several movies listed that I've not even heard about, so I got some checking out to do

Cabaret with Liza Minnelli

Liza Minnelli .... Sally Bowles
Michael York .... Brian Roberts
Helmut Griem.... Maximilian von Heune

Brian: Screw Maximilian!
Sally: I do.
Brian: So do I.
Sally: You two bastards!
Brian: Two? Two? Shouldn't that be three?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068327/quotes

Great article Michael, thanks! As a former member of the artistic community, like you, I find it disheartening when I am unable to find something worthy of my time and "effort" (as there is a definate effort in looking).

I have found Netflix to be a good resource for any type of film, but still hoping that someday I'll run across something that has not only merit, but is an accurate portrayal as I know it.

I was very excited when I had heard that a bisexual character was being added to "Nip/Tuck" last year, and even more excited that he was to be played by Bruno Campos. Alas, it turned out to not only be barely touched on until a deus ex machina was needed, but an uneven, poorly conceived and executed season as well.

The best portrayal I have run across was not on film or TV, but (no surprise) in Felice Picano's book, "The Lure"--dealing openly and honestly about a man's personal struggle with discovering his bisexuality while helping to solve a bizarre series of murders whose victims he resembles. Grab it if you get the chance. What a GREAT film it would make!

Thanks for the insight, Michael. Will look forward to more from you.

Its funny, my video store has a Gay/Lesbian movie section, which I hope contains some of these movies, but it doesn't have any bi porn. Strange, eh?

Could "The crying game" maybe be considered a bi movie?
Im not sure. :rotate:

I noticed that about 90% of the movies you mentioned were still about bisexual women. I am just starved for anything with a good depiction of a bisexual man in it.
I think Brokeback Mountain deserves special recognition. I have no reason to think that Ennis wasn't bisexual. He seemed perfectly happy in both relationships. For that matter I don't think Jack is quite as gay as everyone likes to think he was.
Thanks for the article. It's fantastic to hear someone feels the same way I do about bi's in film. :flag2:

THANKS SOOOO MUCH MICHAEL!!!! IT IS SOOOO VERRRRY APPRECIATED!! great work!

redheadedwench :smilies15 :bowdown:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by switch22

I noticed that about 90% of the movies you mentioned were still about bisexual women. I am just starved for anything with a good depiction of a bisexual man in it.

---

Another film that wasn't on the list was Making Love, from 1982. I was too young when it came out to see it, but I read all the reviews (I was thirteen when it came out and just figuring out I was bi.) What I've heard, though, is that although the main character has been described as bisexual, lots of people
interpreted him as gay, and it doesn't seem to be a very good movie anyway.

Seems to me that bi women in movies are predators, really straight, or really lesbians. Bi men just aren't in movies. :2cents:

Okay, so I might be way off the subject here, but 1994's Threesome with Lara Flynn Boyle and Stephen Baldwin was the first movie I ever saw that dealt with such a subject. However initially all 3 main characters start out straight, through the movie the men only start to question their sexuality. It's more about a guy who likes a guy who likes a girl, but while still in high school I found it quite interesting, perplexing and entertaining at the same time.

I really enjoyed this article. I love seeing bi-themed movies. They are often termed incorrectly as 'gay' though, so you have to look hard to find them. I just wanted to add in regards to Brokeback Mountain, I too feel like this movie is a bi film, instead of the 'gay cowboy' flick it has so lovingly been dubbed. Both Ennis and Jack loved each other, but that doesn't mean they were gay. There is a part in the film where Jack yells at Ennis not to fault him for seeking something he needs so badly but is denied (in reference to sex with men). I think that stresses the bisexuality aspect. I'm certainly not straight, but I'm not gay either. I love my husband, but I was in love with a female for years and could certainly love a woman again. I love straight sex, but sometimes I crave the touch of a woman. That's what being bi is - both sexes.

Some really excellent points. Bi sex is still stigmatized as a perversion or a lack of sexual committment -- to all those who have yet to understand the wonderful mix if confusion and contridiction we all live with. Very insightful, thanks.

R

I would recommend the film "The Velocity of Gary" very nice film in my opinion, and I fell for the bi character of Valentino, played by Vincent D'Onofrio. Very good movie and shows how love can come in all forms. Very moving too. The only reference to anything pornographic: Valentino is an ex-porn star. The movie also has one of the best male on male kisses I have ever seen. Anyway I would highly recommend this movie for anyone looking for a good "bi" pic.

i can highly recommend bi nurse its avaiable in most adult stores and has some very good 3 some scenes in fact its all 3 somes :bigrin:

I got Goldfish Memory from Netflix and watched it last night. It was fun and I liked how there were so many different pairings and behaviors. However, the only person in the film to actually says they are a biseuxal is a woman and she says to justify cheating on her girlfriend. That kind of pissed me off.

A bi male friend of mine recommends The Velvet Goldmine, which is about the glam rock era and loosely based around David Bowie's life; I still haven't seen it. I believe there are several bi male characters in it, though.

I saw that! That was a great film!! Not nearly as butch as Brokeback Mountain but still a great flick. I love the soundtrack too. It's one of my favorite soundtracks ever!

I think Goldfish Memory sums up bisexual visibility in film perfectly: You have many characters engaging in bisexual behavior but only one who claims a bisexual identity and that character panders to the negative steretypes. And is a female.
I have to applaud the film, however, for including not only the behavior but at least one character using the term. The only other film that springs to mind where a character identifies as bisexual is Velvet Goldmine. And I'm not sure if they acutally use the term, I'm just going on memory.
I am very grateful you wrote this article. I have constantly complained to my wife about the lack of bisexual identities in film or the misrepresentation of same.
The other pet peeve I have is the disproportionate number of bisexual female characters in the media. It angers me on several levels, both as a feminist, as a bisexual, and as a man. It would seem that I would applaud the presence of any bisexual character on screen, yet I don't feel that I am represented by a female bisexual. And I think more is to be gained by challenging the stereotype of "bichix" which in my opinion is just another form of Lesbian Chic. I think Patriarchy is less threatened by a woman crossing gender and sexual boundaries than a man, which is insulting to women (to say thier identity is not significant to the threaten the status quo) and men (to say thier identity is so easily threatened and so rigidly defined).
I appreciate the film suggestions people are making. Keep 'em coming!
Which reminds me, has anyone seen Alexander? Is it worth sitting through? :flag3:

Great article Michael. So what you are saying is that the movies do not give me a realistic view on bisexuality? I am really confused now. I thought that I had to be a social misfit to be bisexual. Now the whole bisexual thing seems boring to me. I mean what is the point if I cannot be filled with self-loathing over it? LOL seriously though...
I have seen some of the movies here including A Home at End of the World and Being John Malcovich. I am going to see some of the others. A movie I saw on cable (not sure of the channel) was Kinsey. It is a movie about the life of Alfred Kinsey, the guy that gave us the rating scale used on this site. I enjoyed the movie. It had some bisexual characters in it :). I think everyone can get something different out of any movie but I enjoyed Kinsey because it showed a variety of aspects of sexuality some good and some bad. It did not paint a picture of bisexuals being a lot of crazed vampire types. It even had a passionate M/M kiss in it. I do not know if the movie applies here since it was a documentary but I saw it and enjoyed it and just wanted to pass it on.

There's a movie called, A Gaudy Afternoon which I enjoyed. It's a mystery dark comedy and does have some intereting characters in it, including a bi man. Check it out.

Moonflower

I'm surprised no one has mentioned De-Lovely, with Kevin Klein and Ashley Judd. I truly enjoyed this movie and it includes Cole Porter's bisexuality simply as part of who he was. Very well done, and of course the music was de-lovely :bigrin:

I watched "A Home at the End of the World" the other night. My wife didn't understand my frustration with the movie. For me, the movie was "bisexual enough". At first my wife thought I was commenting on the characters, that I was attacking Bobby's claim to bisexual statis. My point was, and is, that Bobby never made a cliaim to biseuxal identity. In fact, the world bisexual wasn't even mentioned in the movie. Bobby displayed behavior, and yes, there is a difference. I don't appreciate the claim that anyone who has any hetero experience is automatically bisexual anymore than I apprecaite the claim that one must have same sex experience to be considered gay or bisexual. It is up to the individual to self identify for only the individual knows who they are and who they want to be.
And my irritation with the lack of Bi Identity in this film extends beyond the fact that Bobby never claimed an identity (which isn't so much a criticism of the film or the character as it is a frustration at not having a strong, clear bi identity on screen) to the point that the subject was never even brought up. Once again Bi Indentity is supplanted by Bi Invisibility so that bisexual isnt' even introduced as a topic of discussion or as an idea or meme. It simply isn't there. The only comment made about Bobby's sexual orientation, that it might be other than heterosexual, was that it was nebulous to the point of being nonexistent. "I don't know what Bobby is, he's just Bobby".
Ideally I see the merit in having a society free from label where one's sexual identity is allowed to be fluid and unrestrained, even by as accomodating a word as bisexual, but I feel even more strongly, at least at this juncture in history, in having a clearly defined identity and I want that identity represented in the culture, especially in queer culture.

A couple of years ago I do recall a movie I saw on the cable channel Starz Cinema. The plot dealt with the five senses:hearing, touching, sight, taste and smell. It was composed of 5 different stories, all sexy, dramatic and etertaining. The one with the sense of smell did feature a very bisexual male.

He was very open about his love for men and women. He had divorced, stayed friends with his ex-wife. He reunited with an old girlfriend who now was married. To his surprise her husband had a huge crush on him. After some conversations he stayed with them and they lived happyly ever after. I think there was some minor nudity, but I'm not sure, I saw this about 4 years ago and remembered it after reading this article.

I wish I could remember this movie's title. I believe the film was Canadian or made by an independent US studio, or a subdivision of a big one. This was one of those artistic films that hardly has any recognition at the box office. :male:

Try Sugar Rush, although it's not a film.