DOXA 2017 review: The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin

USA

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      Bright and breezy like his writing, this documentary is as much about Armistead Maupin as it is about the LGBT community of his dearly beloved San Francisco.

      He and other interviewees reveal what went on behind the scenes in the development of what would become his Tales of the City novel series, from his newspaper-column beginnings to the groundbreaking, controversial TV series that dared to show—gasp!—men kissing.

      Filmmaker Jennifer M. Kroot illustrates how this champion of the marginalized connected to readers through his humanist approach to portraying small people, gay, lesbian, transgender, and other minority characters—but how that also made him a prime target of right-wingers.

      Despite Maupin facing resistance from politicians and struggling to overcome his own internalized prejudices, and enduring the darkest times of the AIDS crisis, a colourful cast of celebrities—comedians Selene Luna and Margaret Cho; authors Neil Gaiman and Amy Tan; actors Laura Linney, Ian McKellan, and Olympia Dukakis; and more—rounds out the chorus in singing what proves to be a celebratory love song, not just about sex and romance but about humanity.

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