Buddies (film)
Encyclopedia
Buddies is a 1985
American
drama film
. It is the first film to deal with the AIDS
pandemic, preceding the television movie An Early Frost
(also released in 1985). Directed by Arthur J. Bressan Jr.
, who would die of complications from AIDS two years after the film was released, the film follows a New York City
gay man in a monogamous relationship becoming a "buddy" or a volunteer friend to another gay man dying of AIDS
and the friendship that develops. The film stars Geoff Edholm, David Schachter, Billy Lux, and David Rose
.
in 1990. While news reports about the pandemic began to appear in the New York Times as early as 1981, the fact that many of the initial victims were gay
or bisexual men, contributed to how Hollywood and society responded. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12856549/ The long standing taboo within Hollywood about depicting homosexuality played a large role in the refusal of the industry to cinematically deal with the pandemic when it was initially treated as a "gay disease." See also The Celluloid Closet
book and documentary film.
In response to the pandemic, and Hollywood timidness, Bressan wrote and directed the film "Buddies" in 1985, and it was shown in a handful of urban, art house movie theaters.
1985 in film
-Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
. It is the first film to deal with the AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
pandemic, preceding the television movie An Early Frost
An Early Frost
An Early Frost was a 1985 TV movie, and the first major film to deal with the topic of HIV/AIDS. It was first broadcast on the NBC television network on November 11, 1985...
(also released in 1985). Directed by Arthur J. Bressan Jr.
Arthur J. Bressan Jr.
- Life :Although the bulk of his output was in the gay pornography genre, he also wrote and directed Buddies. Released in 1985, Buddies was the first American feature film on the subject of the AIDS pandemic...
, who would die of complications from AIDS two years after the film was released, the film follows a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
gay man in a monogamous relationship becoming a "buddy" or a volunteer friend to another gay man dying of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
and the friendship that develops. The film stars Geoff Edholm, David Schachter, Billy Lux, and David Rose
David Rose
David Rose was a British-born American songwriter, composer, arranger, pianist, and orchestra leader. His most famous compositions were "The Stripper", "Holiday for Strings", and "Calypso Melody"...
.
History
The first widely released Hollywood film to deal with the HIV/AIDS pandemic within the United States would be Longtime CompanionLongtime Companion
Longtime Companion is a 1989 film with Bruce Davison, Campbell Scott, Patrick Cassidy, and Mary-Louise Parker. The first wide-release theatrical film to deal with the subject of AIDS, the film takes its title from the words The New York Times used to describe the surviving same-sex partner of...
in 1990. While news reports about the pandemic began to appear in the New York Times as early as 1981, the fact that many of the initial victims were gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
or bisexual men, contributed to how Hollywood and society responded. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12856549/ The long standing taboo within Hollywood about depicting homosexuality played a large role in the refusal of the industry to cinematically deal with the pandemic when it was initially treated as a "gay disease." See also The Celluloid Closet
The Celluloid Closet
The Celluloid Closet is a 1996 American documentary film directed and written by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. The film is based on the 1981 book of the same name written by Vito Russo, and on previous lecture and film clip presentations given in person by Russo 1972–82.Russo researched the...
book and documentary film.
In response to the pandemic, and Hollywood timidness, Bressan wrote and directed the film "Buddies" in 1985, and it was shown in a handful of urban, art house movie theaters.