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QDoc Friday film review: ‘The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye’

Nothing says I love you, like surgically adopting your lover's face.

The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye is a film by Marie Losier chronicling the relationship of Genesis P-Orridge and his wife Lady Jaye. Genesis took part in forming Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV, and kickstarting the industrial movement. Lady Jaye was his love and collaborator. Epic romance and art were among their accomplishments… so was looking alike. Man, if you think you and your partner are codependent, check these two out! They met in a fetish dungeon, and spent years having plastic surgery to look more like one another. Basically, their one-ification was their gay baby.

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QDoc Friday night film review: ‘Hit So Hard: The Life and Near Death Story of Patty Schemel’

Patty Schemel with Hole, for Rolling Stone in the 1995 issue where she came out. From L Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson, Schemel, Melissa Auf der Maur

For any rock fan who was a teen of the 90s Seattle grunge reigned supreme and Hole was its seat of feminine power. The seminal grrl grunge group was fronted but the unmistakable, if not always likeable, Courtney Love, wife and baby momma to the most well known grunge persoanlity of all time,, the late Kurt Cobain, frontman for Nirvana. But as big a personality as Love was, all the little baby dykes had eyes only for the lady behind the drums. Patty Schemel was a kick ass ginger drummer with heart, and she was gay.

She was also a drug addict, alcoholic, friend, and now wife and mother. Five years ago, at the beginning of her new sober life, she came across archival footage taken during Hole’s 1995 world tour and thought to digitize the memories. Instead, it became, Hit So Hard: The Life and Near Death Story of Patty Schemel a documentary of her amazing journey.

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Super sonic weekend of Joey Arias, dirtbags, sweet tea, little art, big causes, and some butt plug double trouble

Butt Plug Klub welcomes Kaj-Anne Pepper back to PDSex

What else do you really need to do this weekend but ensconce yourself in QDoc? OK, fine. Here’s a bunch of other cool stuff, but I’m tired, so commentary is short.

Thursday

Dirtbag! – No less a fabulous femme kickass DJ than she ever was, Gutter Glamour has reemerged from the chrysalis as Bruce la Bruiser. Joined by guest Freddie Fagula the DJ duo will get you on the floor and make you weep all in one. It’s a free party in the heart of Alberta that will slyly introduce new wave to the pop laden queer scene and I, for one, embrace the infiltration.

Sweet Tea at the Fixin’ To – I think it’s awesome that there’s a neighborhood queer night up in St Johns. And really I’ve been meaning to go. But when there’s so much awesome Thursday action in inner NoPo it’s hard to truck out to the 8000 block. Still, I hear it’s awesome. Let me know?

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QDoc opening night film review: ‘Arias with a Twist: The Docufantasy’

Scene from the stage production of 'Arias with a Twist'

The dream of the 80s is alive in Joey Arias, or so it seems from the waxing nostalgic at the beginning of Arias with a Twist:The Docufantasy, Q Doc’s opening night documentary that follows Arias in his latest performance, a collaboration with classically trained puppeteer Basil Twist.

The first 20 minutes of interviews with Arias’ 80s hipster pals is  tender, and I certainly sympathize with the sadness over the commodification of performance art, queerness and weirdness that has come about with the likes of Lady Gaga etc. Indeed, Joey Arias was already a brilliant Gaga-esque diva before Stephanie Germanotta was a glint in her parents eyes.

But as cute and tender as it is, it starts to get a bit tiresome. Luckily, the film moves on pretty quickly to its introduction of collaborator Basil Twist.

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Switchblade Sisters

This cover is tame compared to its contents.

Switchblade Sisters is possibly the most epic girl gang movie of all time. Made in 1975 by exploitation director, Jack Hill, it pulls no punches. This movie is trashy, politically incorrect, overdramatic, and almost perfect. I attempted to write a plot summary a few times, and failed. Either, I like this movie too much to cut anything out, or it really is infinitely crazy. I’m going to do my very best to give you the lowdown, without writing a novella.

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QDoc: Queer Documentary Film Festival starts this Thursday

Joey Arias appearing in 'Arias with a Twist'

QDoc, the only Queer Documentary Film Festival in the US starts in P-Town this Thursday. For its 5th anniversary the fest will feature 11 screenings and an opening party with opening night film star and drag and performance art sensation Joey Arias accompanied by local musical genius Thomas Lauderdale of Pink Martini. After seeing opening film Arias with a Twist I can safely say that you don’t want to miss Arias in the flesh. And in addition to the live performances the Mother’s Bistro (212 SW Stark) party will also have delicious, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages.

Just Out has a great overview of the fest, including an interview with Joey Arias and a check-in with the organizers. We’ll have reviews of most films posted daily as well as an interview with former Hole drummer Patty Schemel, who’s film Hit So Hard screens Friday.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Equity Foundation, QDoc is offering 20 FREE tickets for EACH QDoc film for youth ages 23 and under.  Youth can reserve FREE tickets in advance by emailing QDocYouth@gmail.com.  Also, a limited number of FREE youth tickets will be available at the door for each film on a last-minute basis.

You can also get an idea of what to expect from QDoc’s 2011 trailer.

So stay tuned and check out the entire lineup below:

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Put Your Hydra in my Ray Harryhausen… aka Jason and the Argonauts!

A charming threesome

There will be a boat with a talking figurehead that looks like a drag queen. It will be manned by muscley and sweaty Greek men that resemble fit Portland dudes. And they will go on the hunt of a lifetime, to find the most magical garment in all the land… the Golden Fleece. Besides looking good with almost any type of sandal, it has miracle powers. It holds the power to restore your lost kingdom. You just have to defeat a horde of Ray Harryhausen’s claymation monsters.   

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Q Doc Queer Documentary Film Festival is on its way (video trailer)

Q Doc is coming up quickly. The only queer documentary film fest in the US and only the second in the world, Portland has played host to Q Doc for 5 years now. There will be a whopping 16 films shown in only 3 days this June 2-5…quite a kickoff to Pride Season. And you can get a taste of what’s to come with the official 2011 trailer below.

There’s lots of exciting tidbits to look forward to in the complete list of films,  including a look into the work of art porn auteur Bruce La Bruce, another into legendary Hole drummer Patty Schemel, a set of 5 shorts by, for and about youth, and the biggest celebrity trans documentary of our time, Becoming Chaz. The crowning glory, however, will be the opening night’s Arias with a Twist: The Docufantasy, with director Joey Arias in attendance as well as performing at the after party with Pink Martini’s Thomas Lauderdale.

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Captain Blood! Errol Flynn was a douchebag

How can you not become a pirate when your last name is Blood?

I originally titled this blog, Captain Blood! A Pirate Love Fest! However, on researching the lead actor, Errol Flynn, I realized I had to change directions..

Wow, I have to say I was daunted when I noticed this movie was 120 minutes long, but by the end, I was wishing it would go on and on. Captain Blood, made in 1935, was Erol Flynn’s first major role. He plays a dashing doctor in England during the revolt against King James during the 17th century. He’s woken in the middle of night, and led to some very injured rebels. He treats them, and wakes up to find himself convicted of treason. He really embraced the Hippocratic Oath.  I always want to say Hippogryphic Oath (a magic creature that’s part Griffon, and part pony).

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Cinco de Mayo, Dirtbag and clothes with baggage, Homo’s Got Talent, Bulimianne’s last Butt Plug Klub & 8 1/2 DJs

2010 Homo's Got Talent winner Kaj-Anne Pepper

Thursday

These Clothes have Baggage art opening – Q Center hosts a photographic show by Geoff Watland examining the role that clothing and personal keepsakes have on our memories of love, gender identity and expression and more.

Cindo de Mayo party at the Flipside – Salem seems to take advantage of all the right drinkers holidays at their pop gay club the Flipside. So get Latin/American and celebrate this weird holiday that doesn’t really mean anything in Mexico. But here it means latin pride and drink specials so hey…

Dirtbag! A stellar dance party – The only night that culminated with a 1AM Smiths dance climax. And besides this is how last month’s free party was described “…kinda totally awesome and dreamy and everyone was making out and feeling fucking free and stuff…”

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