DIVINE DORIS THE DORIS DAY COLLECTION
Pillow Talk/Lover Come BackyThe Thrill of it All/T hat Touch of Minmroung at Heart/ Send Me No Flowers (Universal Pictures DVD Retail)
Doris Day is now 80, living in retirement in Carmel, California. Yet she remains the stuff of legend. Her blonde hair, perfect teeth and perky, bubbly persona gave her iconic status. Before she became a Hollywood heartthrob she was a dancer, then a singer, and these six films show her at the height of her powers.
Five of them are 605 sex comedies, groundbreaking at the time with Doris as a proto- feminist, but now they’re rather dated. No longer daring
and sophisticated, they are all about couples in single beds, with poor dialogue masquerading as sophistication. Doris is either a career woman or wife, torn between independence and her quest for love. Set in perfect interiors, they show her battling her wills against Hollywood he-men like Rock Hudson, Cary
Grant and James Garner.
For gay viewers, the most interesting movies are the three she made between 1959 and 1964 with Rock Hudson, beginning with Pillow Talk, in which she is appalled by Hudson’s womanising, to Lover Come Back, set in the cut throat world of advertising, and finally that classic farce of hypochondria and misdiagnosis - Send Me No Flowers. Knowing that Hudson would be the first celebrity victim of AIDS 20 years later gives these comedies an added poignancy. And the scenes in which Hudson pretends to be gay in order to win Doris are a treat. The chemistry between them is palpable, and it was as an ill guest on Doris’ TV series in 1985 that the world realised Hudson was ill.
The best film by far, however, is Young At Heart about three blonde Connecticut sisters setting out on their journey in life. Never have locations been more artificially shot, or craw sticking Americana been served up with such sweetness. Doris falls for the wrong man - self-destructive saloon singer Frank Sinatra. They are an odd couple - skinny, wasted, chain-smoking Frankie, pure, wholesome Doris - but she invests their scenes with such sincerity that it carries the whole movie. Both stars sing and that is their gift. Day has a measured, controlled singing voice, but she brings such emotional truth to the song that the listener suddenly understands the world better. That’s why Doris is the greatest. (John Binnie)
Events are listed by city, date, then type. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to glasgow@list.co.uk, by post or by fax on 0141 353 2803. Listings are compiled by Jane Hamilton.
Glasgow Thursdays
Cinema
Don’t Worry, It’s Just a Phase (il’l‘. 12 Rose Street. 332 8128. Wed 10 & Thu 1 1 Mar. Wed 3.15pm; Thu 6.10pm. £3—£5 (£2- £4). Lesbian filmmaker (‘ecilia Neant-Falk uses the video diaries of three teenage women to re-examine the process of coming to terms with her own sexuality.
Dance Oh My Goddess Theatre Royal. 282 Hope St. 332 9000. Thu 4 Mar. 7.30pm.
£6~£l6. Iixhilarating stuff as .Michael (‘Iark and his dancers visit (ilasgow for the Scottish premiere of this piece.
Glasgow Fridays
Clubs
Girls on Top Bennets. 90 (ilassford Street. 552 5761. Fri 5 Mar. 1 lpm ~3.30am. £3—£6 (£2—£5). Monthly. Long running women only club.
Glasgow Sundays
Poetry Frolics Without Bollocks Tchai-
()vna. 42 ()tago Lane. 357 4524. Sun 7 Mar. 8' 10pm. £4 (£3) recommended donation. Iiveryone is welcome at this night of hoetry featuring an all female line- up to celebrate International Women's Day.
Glasgow Mondays
Events
International Women’s Day Bytes 8; P(‘s. Pollok Shopping Centre. 270 l 177. Mon 8 Mar. 9am 6pm. Free. Day of events including Holistic Therapies. treatments. demonstrations and advice to celebrate International Women‘s Day.
Glasgow Tuesdays
Clubs
Pink Penelope’s Penelope's Niteclub. 18 Jamaica Street. 847 0820. I lpm—3am. Free. Weekly. ()pen after a long hiatus. Penelope's has resurrected its weekly gay night.
Glasgow Wednesdays
Cinema Don’t Worry, lt’s Just a Phase Wed 10 8; Thu 1 1 Mar. See Thu.
Clubs
Fourplay linvy. 26 (‘ambridge Street. 332 3437. llpm—3am. £4 (£2 with IIyer). Weekly. New gay club.
Allure The Tunnel. 84 Mitchell Street. 204 1000. 1 1.30pm“ 3am. £3. Weekly. New gay club frotn the people behind
Passionality promising happy. cheesy pop in the company of DJ Darren.
Comedy
CDT The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. Wed 10 Mar. 9pm. £6 (£5). Monthly. The Stand’s monthly dose of camp comedy with Bruce Devlin introducing among others Julia Morris.
Edinburgh Thursdays
Courses
Salsa and yoga classes LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing. 9 Howe Street. 523 I 100. 8.15pm. A recommended donation will be requested for each class. Weekly. Booking is essential to join in either of these ten-week programmes for lesbian. bisexual and transgender women.
Theatre
Taboo Festival Theatre. 1329 Nicolson Street. 529 6000. Thu 4~Sat 6 Mar. 8pm: 4pm Sat matinee. £15.50 £25.50. Boy George's hit musical starring .\'eiglilmurs‘ old hand Mark Little and featuring songs including Do You Really Him! 7}) Hurt Me and Karma ( 'ltumelvrm.
Edinburgh Fridays
Bars
Polysuper-Camp Newlown Bar. 26b Dublin Street. 538 7775. l()pm-2am. Free. Weekly. DJs Polysuper Pete. Ali and guests whip tip a storm of camp classics and disco hits.
Clubs
Blaze Iigo. Picardy Place. 478 7434. Fri 5 Mar. 1 lpm—3am. £3 before midnight; £4 alter. Fortnightly. DJ James Longworth spins a chart and commercial/ funky house soundtrack.
Theatre Taboo Thu 4 Sat 6 Mar. See Thu.
Events
National LGBT Youth Gathering (‘ontact 622 2266 for further information and booking details. Fri 5- Sun 7 Mar. £30 residential: £10 non-residential. Fri
5- I lpm; Sat 8am—5.30pm; Sun
8am 2.30pm. A lull programme of events. workshops and discussions for Scotland‘s LGBT young people. youth groups and their workers.
' Edinburgh Saturdays
Cinema
Sound of Music Filmhouse. 88 Lothian Road. 228 2688. Sat 13 Mar. 9.30pm. £10 (£9). Nun-related singalong organised by the Thebans. Edinburgh's gay and bisexual rugby club.
Clubs
Bearscots (‘laremonL 133-135 Iiast (‘laremont Street. 556 5662. Sat 6 Mar. 8pm. Free. Monthly. The Bears organise the men only night for bearded. hairy guys and their admirers.
Polysuper-Mix Up Newtown Bar. 26h Dublin Street. 538 7775. 10pm 2am. Free. Weekly. New night of cheezee disco pop and charty hits for boys and girls with DJs Polysuper Pete. Ali and guests.
Velvet The (‘ommplex. 39~40 (‘ommercial Street. 555 5622. Sat 6 Mar. l()pm- 2am. £6 (2 for 1 before l0.30pm-—£5). .\-lonthly. A new venue for the club night for gay girlies and their invited gay boy friends this month hosting a special International Women's Day party.
Luvely The Liquid Room. 9c Victoria Street. 225 2564. Sat 6 Mar. 10pm—3am. £12 (£10 members). Monthly. Residents Tommy K. GP. Newton & Stone and Jared serve tip a slice of full on. driving house. Eye Candy Massa. 36—39 Market Street. 226 4224. Sat 6 Mar. 1 lpm—3am. £10 (£6 if outrageously dressed—£8). Fortnightly. Residents (iracme Popstar. Nejat Barton and Neil (‘rookston host their infamous. glam house party.
listings Gay
Events
National LGBT Youth Gathering Fri 5—Sun 7 Mar. See Fri.
Theatre Taboo Thu 4—Sat 6 Mar. See Thu.
Edinburgh Sundays
Cinema
Don’t Worry, it’s Just a Phase Filmhouse. 88 Lothian Road. 228 2688. Sun l4—Tue 16 Mar. £3.50—£5.50 (£2—£4). Sun 3.15pm; Mon 5.45pm; Tue 9pm. Sec Glasgow Thu.
Clubs
Taste The Liquid Room. 9c Victoria Street. 225 2564. l lpm-3am. £5 before
1 1.30pm; £8 (£6 members) after; £10 non- members on guest DJ nights. Weekly. Tasty brew of house and garage. BootyLUSHous Medina Nightclub. Lothian Street. Sun 14 Mar. l()pm—3am. £3. Fortnightly. New venue for the gay/ mixed night which features DJ Dale Lush and residents Simmone Black and Pirnpster & Gee all playing a masterful blend of R118. soul and funk and more.
Events
National LGBT Youth Gathering Fri 5—Sun 7 Mar. See Fri.
Edinburgh Monday
Cinema Don’t Worry, It’s Just a Phase Sun l4—Tue 16 Mar. See Sun.
Clubs
Polysuper-Ghee: Mood Club. ()mni Centre. (ireenside. 07788 474 414. l()pm—3am. £1 before 12.30am; £3 after. Weekly. New cheezy assortment in the company of DJs Polysuper Pete and guests.
Edinburgh Tuesdays
Cinema Don’t Worry, It’s Just a Phase Sun 14—Tue 16 Mar. See Sun.
Clubs Vibe Iigo. Picardy Place. 478 7434. l lpm—3am. £3 (£2 members). Weekly.
Comedy OOT Tue 9 Mar. See (ilasgow Wed. Courses
Tai Chi LGBT (‘entrc for Health and Wellbeing. 9 Howe Street. 523 1100. 7.30pm. A recommended donation will be requested for each class. Weekly. Ten-week programme for lesbian. bisexual and transgender women.
qayinterest
Diana Ross One of the world's great divas shows the rest how it's done. See Music.
Suddenly Last Summer Tennessee William's intense gothic drama starring Diana Rigg (pictured). See Theatre.
4—18 Mar 2004 THE LIST 79