Seemingly just another movie about homosexual cross dressers, Torch Song Trilogy is a movie that tends to be forgotten in all circles for such movies as RHPC and Priscilla. However, people need to search out this movie, as it can be truthfully said that this was one of the movies to come out of the 1980�s, in competition with The Break club and Shock Treatment. Unfortunately, I believe that this movie has been out of print for a number of years, due to lack of interest. I plan on changing that, beginning with this piece.

TST details the life of an effeminate man, marvelously played by Harvey Fierstein, maybe best remembered for his guest starring on the Simpsons as Carl, Homer�s assistant. The title of the movie refers to the style of song sang by Harvey when he is performing in full stage attire. We follow Harvey through his life, even as he goes to a gay bar, while maintaining the haughty attitude his stage persona requires. In following with the title of the movie, the movie itself is divided into different parts. Each part is clear-cut, different from one another, as he first falls in love with Ed, then secondly with a young admirer, and finally adopts a child and makes some major revelations with his mother. I realize that that synopsis is spotty at best, but I don�t want to give all of the movie away.

Aside from the sheer excellence of the movie, there is a campy brilliance that shines through. Go to a video store, maybe even a blockbuster, and rent out this movie. Hell, if this isn�t your bag, just watch it for the chance to see the young (and cute) Matthew Broderick, fresh from his smash hit "Ferris Bueller�s Day Off."Emotion is high throughout the whole movie, all focusing around this diva of a main star, who is oblivious of how much he is like his mother, both in style of argument and ideosyncracies. While some of the conventions of the movie are a little trite, they can be stomached by the viewing audience in order to finish the movie.