Author:
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Audience Rating:
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Sales of movies or anything else at Amazon after reaching their site from a link here earn BC about 6%.
I've seen or own the movies above, except for Hilfe! and they're pretty good.
There's also an English-dubbed version of Hilfe! called Help! I'm a Boy! in the BookStore. The language in the dubbed version is not only translated but also slightly sanitized, according to the comments. :) The German version has English subtitles with more accurate and somewhat more risque vocabulary. I'm almost curious enough to order both of them. :)
It's a Boy/Girl Thing is a teen comedy with body swapping and is very well done. The acting is especially good and the dialog has some snap to it. the plot, well, the plot is straight out of lots of BC-type stories, innit?
TransAmerica is a fine movie and even got an Oscar nomination. Felicity Huffman is convincing as a post-op transsexual and maybe she should have won, how many women would even tackle such a role? Honest, this is a 4 or 5 star movie.
Zerophilia I own but haven't got to see yet. The trailers look good and I've heard good things about the movie. The plot is more manga than BC but that's a good thing since it isn't quite the same-old, same-old.
If you buy one of these or something else at Amazon, try to come back here or the item's bookstore page and leave a comment to tell everyone how much you liked it. Thanks.
Link here for: TransGender Movies at the BigCloset Amazon BookStore.
Hugs,
Erin
Comments
Amazon DVDs
Although not sold directly by Amazon, one might also think about Dating the Enemy, an Australian film out on DVD, but only in PAL format.
It's Region 0, so should play anywhere, and most modern computers have no trouble playing PAL DVDs.
I do it all the time on my Mac, and have several DVD players hooked up to make things easier.
It's only available from other sellers on Amazon, but they have a new copy for US$25+ and shipping.
Cheers,
Puddin'
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Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
I didn't list that one ...
... because of it only being available in PAL. There's also a version with a different Region out there.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
It's available on VHS...
But for at least some of us, that's actually more difficult to deal with than PAL. I'd have to empty a closet or two, and I'm not sure which ones, to find where I stuffed my various video tape machines.
If you have a digital TV that can accept HDTV broadcasts, take a look at the manual. Quite a few of them are agile, and can decode several frame rates and formats as inputs, because it's cheaper for manufacturers to produce a single model in a given screen size than to offer different models in every market. These days, TVs are driven by software running on an internal processor, so it's extremely cheap to make them agile, and a pain in the neck to load different software on every machine out the door.
Many computers don't care, because the translation of the video signal to whatever the computer screen prefers is handled by software, not hardware, so it's a simple matter to include all the codecs (coder/decoders) on the installation disc rather than to make a different disc for each market.
Cheers,
Puddin'
-
Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
Solving PAL/NTSC & Region Issues
Oppo Digital has excellent DVD players that will play both PAL and NTSC DVD's pushing out the signal your TV needs (PAL, NTSC, or a high quality up-conversion to HD). There is a very well known "secret" menu setting for the Oppo Players that converts them to region free so they will play anything.
Like Puddintane, all my computers play PAL and NTSC DVD's just fine. Unfortunately most comercial DVD's are region assigned, and you can only change the region on your DVD drive 5 times. There are hack firmware solutions to make your DVD drive region free (a bit of a risk & bye bye to any warranty) and software solutions that fool your computer into thinking all discs are region free. The software solution that I'm aware of is AnyDVD (from Slysoft). It works very well, but is unfortunately not free.
External DVDs
I found a source (some years ago -- and not BluRay) that sold external DVD drives with a FireWire cable for US$37, and bought several. I put their Region number on them and treat them as (literal) plug-compatible replacements. Works just fine for me. Your mileage (and cost) may vary, but it's a permanent solution. I have a region-free player as well, and it works *mostly*, but not always, so my solution is both simpler and doesn't make me worry when I purchase a European (mostly British or French), Australian, or South American DVD. I haven't felt the need to buy a Bollywood DVD, but I still have the option available, since one of my DVD players is still in the box.
To be perfectly fair, I've been interested in films not readily available in local shops for a long time, and have a multimode CRT television as well, but it mostly gathers dust, as the computer is handier for me. I can do things on a second screen while I watch TV with one eye.
Cheers,
Puddin'
-
Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
Yes, That Would Work Fine Too
I too like unusual movies or ones that have just gone out of print in the US, but are still available elsewhere. I'll admit that I never thought of buying multiple external drives, but I'm sure, like you say, that they work just fine. I have an Oppo Digital stand alone DVD player set to region free. So far it has played everything I've put in it.
Only problem is
... I am not a fan of body-switch stories. The idea of somebody else crawling around in my body *shudder* - gives me a whomping case of the creepy crawlies, the heebie jeebies and a awful chaser of the nervous whim whams.
Kim
Hedwig and the angry inch...
Might be a good addition.
The Legendary Lost Ninja
Hedwig added
Honestly thought it was already in the store. I've seen it, too, and it's pretty good. Not for everyone though, funny but also angry, like the title.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Zerophilia
Zerophilia is totally worth it. I love the plot, and it led to lots and lots of wishful thinking ^_^
-Christelle
"Fun-loving geek-chick looking for someone who doesn't give a damn about her past"
-Christelle
"Fun-loving geek-chick who's addicted to sunlight!"
Different for Girls
Not in the BC Amazon Store and unfortunately discontinued by the manufacturer, but still available new and used from Amazon 3rd party sellers.
I always thought it was a good movie.
Others
The classic "Some like it hot" though I would be very surprised if anybody does NOT have it.
Tootsie, To Wong Foo With Love, Julie Newmar.
Kim
additions
I'd recommend adding Breakfast on Pluto, and maybe Crying Game.
More DVDs added
I added several more DVDs tonight, although some of the ones mentioned above were already in the store. :)
If anyone else has some suggestions, I'd be happy to add them. Same for books, manga and anime. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
movies
Region 4 down here so a lot of stuff is tricky. But I have a basic LG player that I was able to change the region to 0 using the remote. Very easy and I've had occasion to play local reg 4, China/Hong Kong reg 6, UK reg 2 and US reg 1, all played just fine, also most tele's here handle Pal/NTSC automatically. Not sure how that might work in the US. Search the net for a 'crack' code on your player, chances are.... Recorders are good deal trickier in many cases but can be done.
Saw Kinky Boots a few weeks back late one night, good fun. It is a drag/CD part theme, but nicely done and the acting is great. Transamerica I enjoyed, though I was a bit peeved with the prissyness of the heroine, but that might be just me. Overall I did think it was good and she loosened up a bit toward the end, part of the journey and all that. Priscilla is good fun too as is To Wong Foo, pretty similar story. Different for Girls I've had recommended to me by a couple of people whose taste I trust and it does look good. Not really a fan of body swap things but Switch and Dating the Enemy aren't bad, if a pinch cliche. I rather like some of the Almodavar stuff too, tends to the gritty side though. No doubt there's plenty more out there.
Kristina
Girls Will Be Girls!
You simply MUST add this movie! Girls Will Be Girls is not only one of my personal favorites, but people I have recommended it to have enjoyed it a lot.
It's almost indescribable, but here's my best effort. It's a modern passion-play, somewhat campy, but played "straight" by three drag performers. That is, the performers are playing women characters, not drag performers. The extras on the DVD are more than worth the price of the movie alone. You meet the performers and watch them get made up for the movie.
Here's the blurb from Amazon's website:
P.S. Erin, there's some kind of paragraph center command in the html of this page that I can't overcome in this message with a left alignment command. I think it's in your last message, above.
What I thought of films?
It's a Boy/Girl Thing
Really liked this one and have watched 3 times and as Erin has pointed out the dialogue is very good.
TG element is dealt with in a humourous way and rather well played out to, especially liked the role where 'she' has to deal with being the school jock.
TF element not Mako style and is very poor considering how well produced the film is.
My score 8/10 the comedy aspect of the film is what appealed to me most.
Zerophilia
Another good film, but some of the dialogue is bad, but other than that I liked it.
Tg element is dealt with in a serious way and the struggle between changing sex was dealt with rather well, however the disapointing part was when he decided that he should give his female persona a good try, they tried to make it look as though it was a struggle for him, but the next thing he was a she and was trying to talk to the mechanic dressed in hockey outfit and the acting protrayed at rather 'Yeah I like this so I'm going for it' attitude.
TF element Brilliant as filming goes and without giving too much away of the story there is a great F to M scene.
My score 7/10 Confusing reasons as to what made him a zero and a film I will watch again.
TransAmerica
Well produced and filmed, however certain aspects of the film could have been delivered better, as with the scene among other Transexauls at a social meeting, it looked very awkward and dealt with condescendingly.
No TF of TG elements
My Score 4/10 not a film I'd watch again as it did appear to skirt around the issues of transgenderism by tying to angle it in a very homosexual way, in other words her son being gay was a very adequate way of dealing with the shock of what his father was and although it did anger him it seemd a mish mash of trying to make the hetro veiwer see Transgenderism as a gay problem by placing it in a more acceptable circle, but hey that's just my opinion sorry.
Hilfe!
Have not seen this film so until I have cannot comment!
Keshara
I just checked the Amazon site...
...and found yet another DVD which, discontinued by the manufacturer, is listed as available through links from their site, although the prices are rather steep. The film is "Dr. Jekyll And Sister Hyde", a rather interesting twist on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic wherein the doctor's formula transforms him into a woman. The film was made by Hammer Studios and stars Ralph Bates, Martine Beswick, Gerald Sim, and Lewis Fiander. What really made the film work well is the strong resemblance that Bates and Ms. Beswick bear to each other. As I said, the prices are rather steep, with used copies starting at $44.95 US Dollars and new copies starting at $149.95.
I managed to get a copy of it from another site, DeepDiscount.com, a few years ago for considerably less (about $13.00). A check today showed that they no longer carry it, unfortunately.
Jenny
Jenny
Sister Hyde
I just checked Mininova and found a torrent that is buzzing right along.
Thanks for Posting This Erin
I'll admit that I hadn't looked at the BC Amazon Store before. I bought a couple of the movies and was able to borrow a couple of others through Netflix. The movies I bought were from third party Amazon sellers rather than directly from Amazon. Do you still get a piece of the sales transaction as long as I linked to Amazon from your site?
Yes
As long as you reach Amazon through a link on BC, I get my 6% or so. Handful of things I don't get a percentage on but they still count as sales for figuring out sales bonuses.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Why Erin why?!
Would you support censorship by buying the edited version of "Hilfe!"?! shakes head.
Oh and as to "Hedwig and the Angry Inch". GREAT movie. This movie is a complete mindscrew. I'm not so much referring to the TG part but the twist and the way the movie is handled in general at some parts. It's too bad it won't become a cult legend like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". I mean I can also imagine people watching "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" after smoking a bowl or taking a hit of Acid. I mean as much as it can be a Rocky Horror it can also be a drug movie too.
I don't mean any offense in all this. If anything this movie is so much more then most people should peg it. Frankly if more gave it a chance then I think have this movie would have a large swath of all sorts of people seeing it, GLBT, straight, etc.
Oh and by the way, "Transamerica" is hitting Blu-ray soon I believe so I'd wait on it to hit that instead. Why waste your money buying the inferior version when a Blu version is coming?
I didn't buy either version
I simply reported what some other reviewers said.
And depending what the language actually is, I can see why someone might want the milder version. No accounting for taste, I'd rather have the dubbed one in any case.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Hilfe...
This may be the "unedited" Hilfe, as the runtime is 98 minutes rather than 95.
http://www.amazon.com/HILFE/dp/B001BXRSEG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8...
Cheers,
Puddin'
-
Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
A Saintly Switch
IMDB recommended this movie when I looked up HILFE! in their listings.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164683/
It sounds decent, but I've never enjoyed body swap movies or stories, especially not of the 'Freaky Friday' variety that so many of these kinds of things fall into.
Melanie E.
Yet another
Yet another film that, so far, no one has mentioned is "Switch", starring Ellen Barkin and Jimmy Smits. In this fantasy tale, a sexist womanizer (played by Perry King) is killed by three of his present/former lovers. God and the Devil wage their own little battle to see whether he should go to Heaven or Hell; and he is brought back to life as a woman (Barkin), who has to somehow not only learn to live as the woman she has become, but also to find one female who loves her unconditionally before God will allow her soul into Heaven!
Jenny
It's Listed in the Store
You are right. It is a good movie.