This thesis will deal with the term New Queer Cinema, its history, and how the "new wave" is different, as well as discussing where "queerness" occurs in non-queer television shows. Furthermore, it will analyze New Wave Queer Cinema in the examples of "Weekend" and "Looking" with a look on film aesthetics and the issues that arise in their plots. Moreover, an analysis on the coming out stories of some of the characters in both Weekend and Looking will help to display the significance in bringing issues to the viewer in the form of New Wave Queer Cinema. Covering articles by scholars, critics and writers like B. Ruby Rich, James Morrison, Monica B. Pearl, and Helen Hok-Sze Leung, among others, a light will be shed on New Queer Cinema as well as New Wave Queer Cinema.
New Wave Queer Cinema, as the name already suggests, derives from New Queer Cinema; a movement prevalent in the very late 1980s and the 1990s. What it tries to do is to portray its characters not in a comical light, like the gap between the two movements seems to suggest, but in an authentic and realistic light. What makes Looking furthermore special is that it is one of its kind. There are no other television shows that have featured gay main characters in a realistic setting before. There might be "Queer as Folk" (2000-2005) or "Will & Grace" (1998-2006), but neither can be described as New Wave Queer Cinema.
However, still not being the norm in media or beyond, New Wave Queer Cinema tries to overlook that specific detail and tries to handle the stories it tells in a way that does not solely highlight the "queerness", but tries to be about the people it talks about. But where there is "queer", it is easy for a general audience to dismiss it. It seems that it will take much more time for people to realize that queer films, literature, and even lifestyle are nothing to frown upon and that they are here to stay.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 What else is Queer?: A Look at Queer Characters in Non-Queer Television Shows and a Brief History on New Queer Cinema
3 New Wave Queer Cinema in the Example of Weekend and Looking
3.1 Weekend
3.2 Looking
4 Coming Out in Weekend and Looking
4.1 Weekend
4.2 Looking
5 Conclusion: The Contemporary State and the Future of Queer Cinema
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines the evolution from "New Queer Cinema" to "New Wave Queer Cinema," focusing on how contemporary media depicts gay characters and themes in a more authentic, realistic, and less stereotypical light. It investigates the shift in cinematic and narrative aesthetics, focusing on how "New Wave" works move away from camp and defiance toward portraying gay life as a universal human experience. Through the analysis of Andrew Haigh’s film Weekend and the HBO series Looking, the work explores the psychological depth of characters, their daily challenges, and the evolving nature of the "coming out" narrative.
- The transition from the confrontational "New Queer Cinema" of the 1990s to the "New Wave" approach.
- Representation of queer characters and themes in both queer-centric and non-queer-oriented media.
- The role of "coming out" narratives in modern storytelling, focusing on off-screen development and internal conflict.
- The influence of class, social norms, and HIV/AIDS awareness on the depiction of modern gay identity.
- Aesthetic choices in film and television that prioritize naturalism over sensationalism.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Weekend
Weekend, a British production written and directed by Andrew Haigh, follows Russell (Tom Cullen) and depicts the things that happen in his life over a weekend. From the production value alone, it seems like a slickly produced independent low budget feature. Everything is naturally kept. There are no outrageous color palettes in the cinematography of the movie. Even looking at the sound it is evident that there is no score but only cleverly placed sound effects of the environment that gives the movie a very natural touch. The mostly calm hand-held camera shots give the viewer the feeling of really being allowed to have a glimpse at Russell’s life. It is the story of the mundane without flashy colors or flashbacks or chronologically out-of-order told stories. The images live by showing the audience big spaces, be it the pool area, the high rise buildings with the evening sky or the bus stop and the streets and trees around it; or by stepping close to the film’s players in order to create intimacy.
We follow Russell to a gay club where he meets Glen (Chris New) and who he has a hook-up with the same night. The two young men feel an attraction for each other that goes beyond sex and fall in love. The movie feels like a glance into the lives of these two people that have just met. They go to work, meet their friends, wake up together in bed and spend a big chunk of the day in it. There are no graphic or overly dramatic scenes to remind the viewer that this is a movie. It does not try to be a documentary; however, it does try to give the audience an once-over into the life of this particular gay man, as realistically as possible. Therein lies the importance of New Wave Queer Cinema: it tries to depict today’s life of homosexuals without spending too much time to educate the masses.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the core subject, New Wave Queer Cinema, and establishes the research focus on Weekend and Looking as key examples of realistic and authentic queer storytelling.
2 What else is Queer?: A Look at Queer Characters in Non-Queer Television Shows and a Brief History on New Queer Cinema: This section provides historical context on New Queer Cinema and discusses how queer identity and stereotypes are handled in broader, non-queer-oriented television media.
3 New Wave Queer Cinema in the Example of Weekend and Looking: This chapter analyzes the stylistic and narrative shift toward "New Wave" aesthetics, comparing the relationship dynamics and artistic documentation of life in the film Weekend and the series Looking.
4 Coming Out in Weekend and Looking: This chapter explores the significance of "coming out" stories in these projects, highlighting how they are treated as necessary parts of character development, even when occurring off-screen.
5 Conclusion: The Contemporary State and the Future of Queer Cinema: The final chapter reflects on the cancellation of Looking, the challenges of marketing niche queer media to a mainstream audience, and the future potential for realistic queer storytelling on television.
Keywords
New Wave Queer Cinema, New Queer Cinema, Weekend, Looking, Andrew Haigh, LGBTQ representation, realism, coming out, narrative aesthetics, queer identity, gay cinema, television studies, media representation, social norms, identity construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
This thesis investigates "New Wave Queer Cinema," a modern movement in film and television that depicts gay lives in an authentic, realistic, and psychologically grounded manner, moving away from the campy stereotypes of the past.
Which projects are analyzed as case studies?
The work primarily analyzes the film Weekend (2011) and the HBO television series Looking (2014-2015), both directed or created by Andrew Haigh and Michael Lannan.
What is the core difference between New Queer Cinema and New Wave Queer Cinema?
While the earlier New Queer Cinema of the 1980s and 90s was often confrontational and focused on political defiance or AIDS activism, New Wave Queer Cinema focuses on the day-to-day lives of gay characters, prioritizing their personal experiences over overtly political or educational statements.
How is the "coming out" narrative treated in these works?
In New Wave Queer Cinema, the coming out moment is often handled realistically—frequently occurring off-screen or being discussed in hindsight—to emphasize the character’s present reality rather than just their journey to acceptance.
What scientific methods are applied in this analysis?
The thesis utilizes film and media analysis, focusing on aesthetics, cinematography, narrative structure, and the exploration of character psychology to compare modern queer storytelling with established historical precedents.
Which themes characterize this media movement?
The movement is characterized by realism, naturalistic sound and camerawork, a rejection of stereotypical "clichés," and a focus on "psychological specificity" that resonates with both queer and broader audiences.
Why did the series Looking struggle to maintain a high viewership?
The author suggests that the show’s niche subject matter, its refusal to rely on dramatic, campy tropes, and its position on a cable network made it a challenging fit for the mainstream television landscape of its time.
How does the character of Glen in Weekend illustrate the transition between these two cinematic eras?
Glen represents the older, confrontational style of the New Queer Cinema movement through his aggressive art projects and vocal defiance, whereas his partner Russell embodies the newer, calmer, and more personal approach of New Wave Queer Cinema.
What is the significance of the "bottom-shaming" discussion within the show Looking?
The discussion highlights the intersection of internal and external stigmas regarding gender roles in the gay community, linking these outdated perceptions to both psychological insecurity and actual health concerns like HIV transmission.
- Quote paper
- Denis Memedoski (Author), 2015, New Wave Queer Cinema, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/463598
