Buy Before Stonewall on DVD

Before Stonewall

DVD

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Synopsis

In 1969, the police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City's Greenwich Village - leading to three nights of rioting by the city's gay community. With this outpouring of courage and unity, the Gay Liberation Movement had begun.

Before Stonewall pries open the closet door - setting free the dramatic story of the sometimes horrifying public and private existences experienced by gay and lesbian Americans since the 1920s. Revealing and often humorous, this widely acclaimed film relives the emotionally-charged sparking of today's gay rights movement - from the events that led to the fevered 1969 riots to many other milestones in the brave fight for acceptance.

Experience the unforgettable, decade-by-decade history of homosexuality in America through eye-opening historical footage and amazing interviews with those who lived through an often brutal closeted history. You owe it to yourself to see Before Stonewall.

Review

This extraordinary recollection/documentary traces the evolution of the gay movement in the U.S. from the 1920s to the '60s and touches on the major milestones in the development of gay-lesbian consciousness. Narrated by Rita Mae Brown and aided by archival footage and memorable interviews, Before Stonewall vividly paints a picture of what it was like to be "in the life" during this period of repression. The pioneers of the liberation recall their experiences -- from the lesbian bars in 1920s Harlem to the gay soldier's experiences in WWII to what it was like for gay blacks and Native Americans. The unwritten history of the fight for gay rights comes alive in this entertaining tribute to the forces that shaped a fledgling community.

-- Scott Cranin