Matthew Shepard became a symbol of the damage caused by hatred and homophobia when his brutal murder became a front page headline across the U.S. This movie, based on a play about the incident and adapted for the screen by one of the play's authors, revisits the tragic events of Shepard's murder and the impact it had on the .. Read more
| Starring | Dylan Baker, Steve Buscemi, Peter Fonda, Janeane Garofalo |
|---|---|
| Director | Moises Kaufman |
| Genres | Drama, Gay/Lesbian |
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Matthew Shepard became a symbol of the damage caused by hatred and homophobia when his brutal murder became a front page headline across the U.S. This movie, based on a play about the incident and adapted for the screen by one of the play's authors, revisits the tragic events of Shepard's murder and the impact it had on the small-town community of Laramie, Wyoming. Writer/director Moises Kaufman employs a gripping documentary style that intersperses real new reports with actors portraying local residents horrified by the murderers' actions--as well as those who are more opposed to homosexuality--to create a harrowing and important emotional experience. The star-studded cast includes Christina Ricci, Steve Buscemi, Dylan Baker, Peter Fonda, Jeremy Davis, Jeneane Garofalo, and many others.
| Starring | Dylan Baker, Steve Buscemi, Peter Fonda, Janeane Garofalo, Amy Madigan, Christina Ricci |
|---|---|
| Director | Moises Kaufman |
| Studio | UCA |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 31 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama, Gay/Lesbian |
| Language | English |
| Subtitles | English |
| Released | DVD: 17 Mar 2008 Production year: 2001 |
| Format | DVD |
Adapted by director Moises Kaufman from his own play, which was itself based on testimony from the citizens of Laramie, Wyoming, this is a sobering account of the savage murder of HIV-positive student Matthew Shepard in 1998. However, Kaufman dissipates the impact of his exposure of homophobia in small-town America by studding the flashbacking action with cameos from well-meaning stars like Christina Ricci, Laura Linney and Steve Buscemi, whose presence punctures the film's already strained veneer of stylised realism, as members of the Tectonic Theater troupe glean information from interviews with locals of diverging backgrounds and beliefs. Worthy, but flawed.
This HBO version of a Tectonic Theater Project piece sifts reactions to the shocking homophobic murder of Matthew... read more on Time Out
At the time of Mathew Shepards death I saw the odd news clip regarding the matter, but really didn't pay much attention to the incident.
This film (documentary) takes witness statements regarding what happened leading up to his death and after, while looking at the character which was Matt, as well as the place he lived.
This is a very moving film which show the deprevity some "yokles" will go to when something different is in their environment.
Well worth a watch.
Mathew Shepherd's death coincided with my own coming out and had he have lived we would be the same age. I followed the news reports at the time and I remember his murder made me deeply sad and scared. I wanted to watch the film to find out more about him and the town he came from but I don't feel that I learned anything that I didn't already know. The film features some good performances and some sequences will wring tears from those with the hardest of hearts but on the whole I was pretty disappointed.