In celebration of Pride Month 2024, Dr. Alfred Martin, associate professor in the Department of Cinematic Arts, shares four must-watch LGBTQ films and shows. Dr. Martin, a scholar of Media Studies, has authored several books including The Generic Closet: Black Gayness and the Black-Cast Sitcom as well as Rolling: Blackness and Mediated Comedy. His course, Queer Media Studies, equips students with a comprehensive understanding of the history and development of U.S. LGBTQ media by focusing on media production, sociocultural context, media reception, and texts.

In curating his list, Dr. Martin emphasized the importance of media that go beyond mere representation. “LGBTQ representation is not enough,” he explained. “I want to highlight work that has queerness running through its DNA.” For Dr. Martin, it’s not solely about LGBTQ characters being seen, but rather, spotlighting media in which “queer actors, writers, and directors are being paid for their work.” His watchlist is designed to engage, educate, and empower viewers throughout Pride Month and beyond.

Tongues Untied (1989)

“Tongues Untied” (1989), Frameline California Newsreel

Dr. Martin’s first recommendation is “Tongues Untied” by queer filmmaker Marlon Riggs. He explains, “This roughly hour-long film is beautiful in that it forcefully calls Black gay men up from invisibility. The film centers the experiences of Black gay men throughout using a combination of music, poetry, and movement.” Dr. Martin also notes that this film “unintentionally served as a cultural flashpoint” during the convergence of national conversations on arts funding, Blackness, queerness, politics, and the AIDS epidemic.

Jackie’s Back! (1999)

“Jackie’s Back!” (1999), Lifetime

Mockumentary film “Jackie’s Back!” is Dr. Martin’s next recommendation. Co-written by queer writer Mark Alton Brown and Dee LaDuke, the film featuring original music from gay composer Marc Shaiman. Lead actress, Jenifer Lewis, described by Dr. Martin as “the Mother of Black Hollywood,” plays a washed-up diva who is followed by a documentarian capturing her comeback and career. The film features cameo appearances by Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Griffin, and Charles Barkley. Highlighting its impact, he notes “the film is a 90-minute laugh riot that has become a classic in Black queer communities.”

Fellow Travelers (2023)

“Fellow Travelers” (2023), Showtime

Originally a novel by gay author Thomas Mallon, “Fellow Travelers” was created and adapted by gay screenwriter and director Ron Nyswaner. The limited series stars gay actors Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey who meet during the height of McCarthyism and the “Red Scare” of the 1950’s, and follows their decades-long romance. “It’s an engrossing tale that is both beautifully shot and acted. It covers not only the difficulties LGBTQ folks encountered in a pre-Stonewall era, but also engages with the rising specter of AIDS that would go on to kill 100,000 people before the end of the 1980’s,” explains Dr. Martin. “This one is not an ‘easy’ watch, but it is an enjoyable one.”

Red, White, and Royal Blue (2023)

“Red, White, and Royal Blue” (2023), Amazon Prime Video

Dr. Martin describes his final recommendation as, “a fun romp” directed by out, gay director Matthew López. “I love this film because it is something queers don’t often get: romance. The history of LGBTQ representation has traditionally been that folks that are depicted as jokes and unserious humans.” Dr. Martin elaborates that while shows like “Modern Family” and “Will & Grace” signal little about a character’s queerness, “Red, White & Royal Blue” strikes a representational “middle ground.” He shares, “Watching their love blossom on screen (even if it’s two straight actors playing gay) is a lovely thing to behold and I may or may not have shed a few tears while watching.”

 

Dr. Alfred L. Martin Jr. is an Associate Professor of Media Studies at University of Miami. His research is concerned with the interplay between media industry studies and audience/fandom studies as related to television and film studies, critical black studies, sexuality, and gender studies. He teaches courses in the Department of Cinematic Arts including Queer Media Studies, TV and American Culture, and Blackness and American Television.