Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: But I'm a Cheerleader

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Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 12-02-2003, 01:53 PM:

Watched Friday, November 28, 2003

This is a rather strange movie. A high school girl (who is a cheerleader and has a boyfriend) gets suspected of being a homosexual and her parents put her in a camp called "True Directions" whose purpose is to convert homosexuals into heterosexuals. Of course, she gets attracted to one of the other girls in the camp, and the girl she's attracted to knows that the camp can't really change anyone.

This is one of the stranger movies I've seen in a while. The gay characters are shallow and are portrayed using the common stereotypes -- to an extreme. The movie is humorous, silly, and bizarre at the same time. Watch it if you're in a stange mood.

I couldn't really determine who the target audience was for this movie. The movie would have been better if a target audience had been picked (gay, straight) and had tried to please one or the other.

(edited since I had the day of month wrong by 1 day)

[ 12-02-2003, 04:10 PM: Message edited by: Evans A Criswell ]

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 12-11-2003, 04:36 PM:

Where have you been, Evans? But I'm a Cheerleader has been out on video for over 3 years! I saw it in the summer of 2000 at the AMC Empire in Times Square.

Our heroine is in a bind: She's a teenager, she's a vegetarian, she's into Melissa Etheridge. Ergo, she's a lesbian. A lesbian! Ohmygod, we have to save her!

This is a dead-on parody of Christian fundamentalist stuff like True Love Waits. Cathy Moriarty was perfect -- she played the leader of True Directions to the hilt, pink dress, painted nails and all. She deserved an Oscar nomination but "Film Snobs" hate comedy and (worse yet) satire. Then again "Film Snobs" prefer that Oscar noms be bought and paid for.

The opening credits scene is also great -- a cheerleader routine in slow motion backed by a 60's-style yeh-yeh song.

But I'm a Cheerleader was good in its own way although it wimped out in the final reel. Lions Gate had to cut a line about muff-diving for the theatrical run, otherwise this movie would have been rated NC-17. The video may be hard to come by; it was released when Lions Gate had an output deal with Universal. Lions Gate now distributes its own videos.

Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 12-11-2003, 04:55 PM:

I'd never heard of the movie until that night when I saw it. Appropriately, I was visiting two lesbian friends in Atlanta at the time.

The DVD is available, since I was able to get it in Huntsville.

Posted by Don Anderson (Member # 397) on 12-11-2003, 11:59 PM:

I laughed my ballz off!!!!!!!!!
This movie had me in tears. So John Waterish.....campy, kewl sets, great bright choice of colors. Ya gotta go out and see it or by the dvd. Anyone know who has the rights to this? It would make a great midnight movie. [Wink]

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 12-12-2003, 11:22 AM:

Very campy and very funny. Available on Netflix.

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 01-01-2004, 12:05 PM:

I hated this movie. I was offended by the "overdone" stereotypes. I guess I just didn't get it....

I also watched w/two lesbian friends who thought the movie was just the next best thing to sliced bread.