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.
