Milk

I have recently returned from a quick and delightful trip to San Francisco, to visit my daughter. She lives on Haight Street, three blocks from the once epicenter of the hippie movement, the intersection of Haight and Asbury. In this “gig” economy, among other temp-jobs she has held, was driving an old VW camper, painted in the hippie-style, conducting tours of SF. In the process, she was able to learn the city’s geography and history well. I was thoroughly impressed with her knowledge, and her willingness to provide a most informative tour.First stop, not far from Haight: the Castro. Alas, I had never heard of it, nor knew of its significance, even though it is a “mecca” of sorts. For Gays. Today the “rainbow flag” of the Gays is festooned all along the street light poles, and the largest such flag in the world marks the entrance to the area (see the pictures). Embedded in the sidewalk are bronze plaques commemorating the lives of prominent gays, from Jane Addams to Yukio Mishima. My daughter pointed out the shop that was “Harvey’s,” still an activist center, and said “Milk” was an excellent movie. And she is quite correct.Sean Penn is a brilliant actor, of the caliber of Tom Hanks and Dustin Hoffman, who undertake character studies prior to acting a given role. Penn is heterosexual yet managed the portrayal of the homosexual role of Harvey Milk with true excellence. The movie commences much like Robert Altman’s Secret Honor about Nixon, with the main character talking to a tape recorder, knowing that death could be imminent, and there are a few things that need to be set down for the record. In the background are film clips of police action on gays in Miami, in 1978. Similar film clips from the ‘70’s are woven throughout the movie.Flashback to 1970, Milk is in NYC, playing the “corporate game,” in “the closet” in terms of his sexuality, and says that he has accomplished nothing in his first 40 years of life. The movie includes his prediction that he would not live to see 50. Milk decides to bail from the corporate life, and he and his lover move to SF. “The Castro” is not receptive to their arrival, but he is persistent, buoyed by the many gays who have suddenly decided this is a “mecca.” An earlier, and unlikely political victory occurred with the Gay’s alliance with the Teamsters, in boycotting a prominent beer company. The Teamsters would allow the hiring of openly gay truck drivers. Milk would run for a position on the SF city council, first starting in 1973. He would lose three times, but with incredible persistence, won the fourth time, in 1978. The first openly gay elected official in the United States. At one level, that very simple statement seems so unbelievable today.Milk would be murdered by fellow city councilman Dan White, who also murdered the mayor, which underscores that Milk was murdered not so much because he was gay, but because White felt humiliated in the political in-fighting of city government. He was murdered on November 27, 1978, a couple of weeks before I left for a decade-long “foreign adventure,” and thus I missed much of the infamous “Twinkie defense” (White was not responsible for his actions because he ate so much junk food!), his very light sentence for manslaughter, and his subsequent suicide.During the period Milk lived in SF, I lived in a very unrealistic “bubble” in Inman Park, in Atlanta, another “mecca” of sorts, for gays. I thought much of the social turmoil of the ‘60’s had led to positive and permanent social change, with only a bit of “mopping up” to do. Atlanta had elected its first Black mayor in ‘72. Women were now mainly “liberated,” and the ERA would soon be passed (remember that one?). Inman Park was half and half, hetreo/gay, and we lived in harmony. And of course, the Vietnam War’s demise ensured that America would never undertake another disastrous and elective foreign war. (Hum!) Wrong on so many accounts, underestimating by a couple magnitudes the countervailing forces.The movie “Milk” helped fill-in a large lacuna in my understanding of my own country’s history. 5-stars, plus.

I needed to have this movie in my collection. It is hard-hitting, and tells the very early story of visible LGBTQ+ rights!

In a sense, I need to break this review into 2 parts: the story and the blu-ray features. Firstly, the story. As an Aussie who has gone to some gay clubs in Sydney, like Stonewall, I was vaguely aware of some of the issues gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, trans-gender people had to go through to get to where things are today: still not perfect, still some prejudice, but no where near as bad as it was pre-1980. Some 18 year olds today have no idea that actually going to a gay bar in 1973 could wind you up in gaol, arrested and branded a freak, unGodly, a sinner and perverted. On that level, Milk was an exceptional film which explores just how unjust these opinions were, so NOT long ago, and that sometimes all it takes is one man, with the help of other brave souls, to fight injustice and strive for change. And so, as a civil rights film this is great: the subject matter is less significant in a way. I would have loved seeing a film about black rights, women's rights, etc. But the gay thing was fascinating, because even today, people/church/governments are so obsessed with gayness that this film's messages still resonate today. I don't understand it, because, as I've said to many gay and straight friends, 'the lifestyle people choose is their own choice. I don't care which orientation people gravitate to. It really is instinctual, it can't be helped. I don't think the family is in any danger yet! Most people still live the straight lifestyle and have families.' And what can I say about Sean Penn...WOW! What a performance. As the actors state in the commentary, he just becomes 'Harvey Milk'. That's how committed he is to the role. An excellent performance from someone who I thought/heard was a little aggressively homophobic himself. I don't really know if he is, but here, he shows us just he is capable of. A truly inspired performance. I'd love to act with him. I'd learn so much.As a blu-ray experience, what do you get. Thankfully, with Milk, you get to see this story played out in crystal clear picture and sound. Blu-ray...well, it just enhances the experience totally. I never owned the DVD, so I'm not sure what features were on them, but with the blu-ray, you get some really intriguing background features on the reality behind the screenplay...how they tried to remain faithful to what actually happened with the demand for gay rights in the 1970's...the era of protest marches against governments still stuck in the 1950's ideologically speaking. The features are great: 'Remembering Harvey'; 'Hollywood Comes to San Francisco' and 'Marching for Equality' all enhance the visuals/story presented in the film. As this is a biographical piece, it's good to see the real-life people interviewed about the experiences of knowing Harvey Milk. The 1080P hi-def, DTS HD 5.1 audio is great. As I said, it just adds to the experience! Director, Gus Van Sant, worked (chose, in part) his cast well. I don't want to ramble much, but Emile Hirsch, James Franco, James Brolin and Diego Luna all worked so hard to faithfully portray their 'real-life' characters. The the blu-ray aspects, get this film. This technology really enhances the story marvelously! Buy it for the story. I knew little about what it was like for homosexuals in the 1970's. I now feel, in part, literate about the struggle they endured - a struggle which still continues to this day. I bought this blu-ray on a whim, because I heard it was good, but hadn't seen it. Now I'm glad I did.

Everything was perfect

Super film ,super acting,2 straight guy playing gay guySpecially Seanpen is doing superbly .Is not the guy you expect playing that Caracter at all.Normally straight actor are not good playing gay character but there are very good.James franco one of my favourite actor,love him.James is very open minded, Sean Pen ???The movis is great ,the end very moving

lo he puesto para verlo y me pone que no hay disco. esta vacío. el disco está vacio

Il film e gli attori sono notevoli. Le tematiche trattate sono molto delicate e importanti. Impegnativo ma al tempo stesso coinvolgente, ne consiglio la visione a tutti coloro i quali vogliano avere un'idea di alcuni eventi del passato legati alle rivendicazioni civili degli omosessuali.

Everything about this order can be placed in 1 word: PERFECT!