This documentary,part of Queer Film Fest is a gem,so enjoyable and informative and Director Jennifer J Kroot has captured the Tales and Times of Armistead Maupin beautifully and nostalgically.
If you visited a straight club or bar and asked who Armistead Maupin is I doubt many people would know of him but for us in the GLBTQI Community he represents the vital years of Gay Liberation from the late 1970's ,1980's and on , not because he was a rampant anarchist or demonstrator but because he introduced us to the beloved characters of his Tales of the City and his beloved city of San Francisco and gave us stories of friendship love and adventure that we could relate to.
The documentary shows his early years and family history before coming out and the times he has lived through the Stonewall Riots , AIDS at its height that wiped out many of the Gay population of San Francisco and many of his friends .
It's great to see the original cast members such as the now world renowned actress Laura Linney , who played Mary- Anne Singleton and Olympia Dukakis who was the magical mysterious transgendered Anna Madrigal recall their experiences of the series and their affection for Armistead.
I recalled a treasured San Francisco moment in 1995 on our first trip when we were at Fisherman's Wharf and a double decker bus pulled up and out popped a chorus of glittery glamorous drag queens .
They alighted from their bus and proceeded to a brilliantly lit Carousel did a few sparkly rounds then got back on the bus and took off into the night.
I remember thinking this was an Armistead Maupin Tales of the City moment and it made me smile to think that San Francisco is Sydney's sister city.
7 Reviews
Absorbing backstory of author Maupin
sobaok-211-46693 November 2017
This documentary has all the pluses. Excellent use is made of original footage from the 70's onward. A good cross-section of interviews with Maupin's friends, family and acquaintances bring the man "to life" and confirm the positive impact he has on so many different levels worldwide.
The challenges of a gay man raised in a conservative, Southern household with Confederate roots, was a real eye-opener. I was surprised to learn that Maupin (in trying to please his parents and family tradition)ended up being invited to the White House during the Vietnam war, where he shook hands with none other than Nixon. Maupin's complete about-turn afterward, is fascinating to absorb. His friendship with Rock Hudson was another stunner. Footage from PBS Tales of the City is also interwoven to good effect (as well as the most welcome presence of Laura Linney reflecting on those times and her sustained friendship with Maupin). Don't miss this!
The challenges of a gay man raised in a conservative, Southern household with Confederate roots, was a real eye-opener. I was surprised to learn that Maupin (in trying to please his parents and family tradition)ended up being invited to the White House during the Vietnam war, where he shook hands with none other than Nixon. Maupin's complete about-turn afterward, is fascinating to absorb. His friendship with Rock Hudson was another stunner. Footage from PBS Tales of the City is also interwoven to good effect (as well as the most welcome presence of Laura Linney reflecting on those times and her sustained friendship with Maupin). Don't miss this!
Amazing Life Story and..
arena-368872 November 2017
Not only was I amazed by Armistead Maupin's life story, his charming candor, and the characters he's created; I also loved the portrait of San Francisco through time. The historical footage, and the recent footage came together in a way that told an authentic and beautiful story of the city I grew up near and now call home. It was especially amazing to see this film on the big screen at the Castro Theatre---I hope they screen it again because I would go see it again!
A story-teller through and through
bettycjung14 January 2018
1/11/18. Maupin shares his life on paper and his southern roots and how they were influenced by his life as a gay man. You can tell he has made peace with himself during a time when being gay was not so acceptable while he was growing up. Being a literary icon made his story-telling interesting to listen to.
Personal for me
arch-327279 January 2020
I was clicking through the LGBTQ titles on Netflix yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to see that a documentary was available about Armistead Maupin.
Of course, I had to watch it immediately! I've read almost all of his books and loved the original Tales of the City on PBS.
It was excellent, I enjoyed this documentary very much, I highly recommend it.
It was very personal for me because I briefly dated Armistead Maupin before he met his current husband.
If you love a good documentary, you love San Francisco and you are a fan of Armistead Maupin, get comfy on your sofa with a cup of tea and enjoy this wonderful film.
Of course, I had to watch it immediately! I've read almost all of his books and loved the original Tales of the City on PBS.
It was excellent, I enjoyed this documentary very much, I highly recommend it.
It was very personal for me because I briefly dated Armistead Maupin before he met his current husband.
If you love a good documentary, you love San Francisco and you are a fan of Armistead Maupin, get comfy on your sofa with a cup of tea and enjoy this wonderful film.
Nostalgic, touching, enjoyable, but...
Davalon-Davalon21 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I am 10 years younger than Mr. Maupin. I was born in Los Angeles and certainly visited San Francisco during the time he was popular. I did not have his exact experience, but there were certainly enough moments that were similar that I could relate well to all the memories he shared.
There is a lot of beautiful, personal, and powerful insights from Mr. Maupin, as well as other individuals closely connected to either that particular time (late 1970s) or to the production of his "Tales of the City" (i.e. Laura Linney). It was a walk down nostalgia lane to hear some of the great observations and comments that people made about the world that Mr. Maupin lived in and the world he created ("Tales of the City").
That said: Mr. Maupin shared intimate details of his quasi-relationship with movie star Rock Hudson. He also decided that it was acceptable to "out" Mr. Hudson as he (Hudson) was dying of AIDS.
I did not, and do not understand the value of having done that.
A person's decision to "come out" is a very personal one. It is not up to others to politically force them out of the closet. If, as another individual interviewed in this documentary said, the (closeted gay) person was homophobic or queer-baiting, then, yes, they deserve to be outed. But that was not the case with Rock Hudson. Nor was it ever the case with Lily Tomlin, who Mr. Maupin also felt should be "outed."
His decision to out Hudson bothered me all the more because he himself could not "come out" to his own parents except via his newspaper column, as a fictional (but transparent) character. Why was that acceptable, where as Rock Hudson's decision to stay in the closet was not?
This bothered me, but I don't feel that Mr. Maupin sees it any differently, despite the fact that he does seem to be a very intelligent, observant, sympathetic human being.
There are wonderful, insightful, moving moments in this documentary, especially for anyone who lost a friend/partner/relative to AIDS, and there is definitely the sense (through archival footage) that San Francisco was a magical fantasyland the likes of which will never be seen again.
But, still... sometimes too much is shared publicly, when it is not up to the individual to share. That was my sense of Mr. Maupin's comments on Rock Hudson at the time he was dying.
There is a lot of beautiful, personal, and powerful insights from Mr. Maupin, as well as other individuals closely connected to either that particular time (late 1970s) or to the production of his "Tales of the City" (i.e. Laura Linney). It was a walk down nostalgia lane to hear some of the great observations and comments that people made about the world that Mr. Maupin lived in and the world he created ("Tales of the City").
That said: Mr. Maupin shared intimate details of his quasi-relationship with movie star Rock Hudson. He also decided that it was acceptable to "out" Mr. Hudson as he (Hudson) was dying of AIDS.
I did not, and do not understand the value of having done that.
A person's decision to "come out" is a very personal one. It is not up to others to politically force them out of the closet. If, as another individual interviewed in this documentary said, the (closeted gay) person was homophobic or queer-baiting, then, yes, they deserve to be outed. But that was not the case with Rock Hudson. Nor was it ever the case with Lily Tomlin, who Mr. Maupin also felt should be "outed."
His decision to out Hudson bothered me all the more because he himself could not "come out" to his own parents except via his newspaper column, as a fictional (but transparent) character. Why was that acceptable, where as Rock Hudson's decision to stay in the closet was not?
This bothered me, but I don't feel that Mr. Maupin sees it any differently, despite the fact that he does seem to be a very intelligent, observant, sympathetic human being.
There are wonderful, insightful, moving moments in this documentary, especially for anyone who lost a friend/partner/relative to AIDS, and there is definitely the sense (through archival footage) that San Francisco was a magical fantasyland the likes of which will never be seen again.
But, still... sometimes too much is shared publicly, when it is not up to the individual to share. That was my sense of Mr. Maupin's comments on Rock Hudson at the time he was dying.
The best documentary in a while, for me
ersbel4 March 2021
Never heard of Maupin before. NetFlix suggested it to me and I said why not. It starts as a regular documentary. Boring. I was about to close the window and it started to give more about Maupin. The guy is fun! Amusing. So, once more, I said why not. And it turned out to be quite a pleasant experience. A nice story with a nicely done arc. And if I had seen it back in 2018, I would have said 8 out of 10 stars is enough for a well polished biography. But I have seen it in 2021, after the Governments of the world started the Covid measures. 10/10. Thank you for examining that San Francisco!
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