Why There Are So Many Lesbian Period Pieces

Get a full month of MUBI FOR FREE: mubi.com/thetake (With the support of Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union)
Lesbian period pieces seem to be everywhere these days. Since the release of 2015’s beloved Carol, there have been at least 15 other lesbian period films and several television shows; including The Handmaiden (2016), Colette (2018), Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), and Summerland (2020). Many of these films are appealing to viewers because they’re shot with an arthouse aesthetic, and offer a sense of empowerment to queer audiences who are not often represented on-screen. Yet Lesbian period pieces frequently cast straight, white actresses and often end tragically to fit the formulaic queer film narrative. Here’s our take on exactly why there are so many lesbian period pieces, and why it’s important not to get too stuck on any formula.
Support The Take:
Shop our Limited Edition Merch: www.the-take.com/shop
Support our channel and look great doing it with Take t-shirts, hoodies, and more!
If you like this video, subscribe to our channel and support us by:
Joining our Patreon: / thetake vote on the topic we cover next, gain early access to videos and much more!
Follow The Take:
Facebook: / thisisthetake
Instagram: / thisisthetake
Snap: / 6898188394
Twitter: / thisisthetake
Website: the-take.com/
We are The Take (formerly ScreenPrism).

[@thetake]

Get a full month of MUBI FOR FREE: mubi.com/thetake (With the support of Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union)

[@barbaraformiga650]

Girls, I think the only thing missing from your channel is the possibility to put subtitles. You'd reach a greater amount of people. I always find myself eager to share your videos with my friends but I can't share with those that do not speak English fluently. Wish you the best!

[@loturzelrestaurant]

@@barbaraformiga650 Nah, its still improveworthy. Good but i-worthy.

[@tia4337]

Lesbian period drama is literally their own genre lmao

[@edithputhy4948]

I want a gay period drama 😤

[@MsHermyGranger]

I want something lesbian without the lesbians suffering!

[@redstar7292]

It annoys me when they relegate historical gay lovers to being cousins or friends ..or historical gay lovers who only hug each other incase straight men get upset. But they show them having having gratuitous sex with women in glorious technicolor.

[@ningningwonderpets4773]

i love lesbian period drama but all of them is just too stragic! Lesbians deserve light hearted dramas too!

[@sba6796]

The answer is obviously "Because of Keira Knightley, that's why."

[@thinkfirst1989]

*Swoon*

[@LoneWulf278]

Basically 😂

[@guygrove5123]

They should have asked you to make this video 😂😉

[@Tatiana_Palii]

I'm a lesbian, love period films, but I just can't stand KK in period films😝

[@fijardim7]

Yes 😂😂

[@leiajiang7877]

I wanna see an asian woman and a black woman where the asian woman is more masculine and black woman is more feminine. I know i know they don't always have that kinda traditional dynamic but i just wanna see stereotype roles flipped.

[@malenadraper8805]

We just don’t see that too often in media, but it exists. So, yeah, I’d sign on the petition to make this happen.

[@rikimaru700]

hmmmmmm I think I have an idea. Thanks!

[@CocoComplex]

HoYeon Jung would kill a role like this

[@lockandloadlikehell]

Go see the Maori- big massive Asian units

[@no-sw8ry]

Not Asian in general, East Asian. South Asian and West Asian (Middle Eastern) women are masculinized. As a South Asian I have experienced this myself.

[@lilil9752]

I mean, i get it 80% of women (me included) like period pieces, so the logic would be : what is better than a woman in a love story in a period piece? TWO women in a period piece love story

[@benedictifye]

“The only thing better than meat and potatoes, is meat and meat.”

[@noneyabusiness6504]

I wish more of them had a happy ending.

[@bread2951]

@@benedictifye I like both meat and potato but I am not complaining with meat and meat.

[@edithputhy4948]

except straight cis women prefer watching cishet relationships they can live through vicariously with a hot male lead to lust after

[@edithputhy4948]

@Madama Belladonna I don't I need at least one male or better two gay males to care about a love story

[@ferahgotheassasin]

This is why I love The Handmaiden, which is set on colonial-era Korea and features two main Asian actresses (and cast). It breaks so many of the aforementioned molds and is really subversive.

[@AxxLAfriku]

I am thinking about dropping out of school to focus on my career as a star on KZbin. I already make a lot of money on KZbin. School bores me so much. I need more opinions and since I don't have any friends, I gotta ask you, fer

[@harusicornelio5334]

Ironically it was inspired in a all white victorian era novel, named fingersmith.

[@akacentric7354]

That movie was absolutely stunning!

[@ferahgotheassasin]

@@harusicornelio5334 Funny enough Park Chan-wook was originally going to set it in Victorian England as he wanted to shoot another English-language film after Stoker but once he found out there was a BBC adaptation already his producer suggested to change it to Korea. In interview with Hollywood Reporter Park said: "There were two vital conditions that I believed were necessary for adapting the novel. The first was the existence of a class system and the other was the Western institution of the mental hospital. It would have been pointless to remake the story if I lost one or the other, so my only choice was the Japanese colonial era, when Korea was undergoing modernization and Westernization."

[@isaacgray2909]

I just finished The Handmaiden and yes, it's fantastic!

[@oberonyronwood5657]

Portrait of a lady on fire is an absolutely MASTERPIECE

[@rhythmoriented]

Already, this film has become the high water mark for this subgenre. Impeccable cinematography, perfectly minimalist score, a screenplay which plays out in real-time, and direction that procures incredibly heartfelt performances. Of all of the award winning films (Carol, Blue is the Warmest Color, The Favourite, and the others mentioned in this video), only “portrait” can be classified imho as a perfectly executed film.

[@thinkfirst1989]

I need to see thiiiis

[@dannygillespie6614]

@@rhythmoriented One can argue it's become the high water mark for twenty-first century drama. Certainly for dramas made since 2010. There are few others in the mix, but it's really exceptional as a movie, far beyond its niche genre considerations.

[@Kelser0ni]

Also, the actresses are actual lesbians and directed by one too.

[@insertsomethingcreativeher7949]

"white straight actresses" literally most movies about lesbians

[@trinaq]

True, with "The Kids are alright" being a prime contender!

[@suzannax]

I want to see more butches too

[@insertsomethingcreativeher7949]

@@suzannax yes, there's not a lot of masc representation in pop culture

[@Firespawnable]

Because most actresses are white and straight 😂😂😂

[@PhoenixRising87]

@@suzannax Literally the only butch lesbian rep I can think of in any movie is Queen Latifah's character in *Set It Off.*

[@trinaq]

I really appreciate that neither of the leads are killed off in these movies, subverting the "Bury your Gays" cliché, or leave things open ended, a la "Carol."

[@laete2536]

There is this book (and movie) which was written and set in 1914 called Maurice. It's about a gay man and his internalised homophobia. It has a full-on happy ending which was revolutionary then and still sort of is now.

[@AllieOk]

But most of the endings are still sad :/ I still think we need more light-hearted representation

[@PhoenixRising87]

My kind of lesbian period piece: a Black single mom gets involved in community activism in early '90s Los Angeles after the Riots, where she meets a (college; both women are in their early 20's) student activist who's lived in the area for years, and they form a bond, and eventually a romance. (BONUS: the story is told in modern-day by their daughter, who's now a high school teacher and community activist in her own right)

[@neigeepierrot4694]

That would make a great movie

[@samiam2088]

If this movie exists, I would love the title and if it doesn't you have my full enthusiasm for you to write it one day...

[@EternitysSlave]

This is perfect.

[@sinnsage]

give this person a film budget!

[@maddyh1231]

I would watch the shit out of that movie

[@colinjtm9605]

Please do a video on Neurodivergent Representations in the media (ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Communication Disorders, Learning Disabilities, etc.). There is a goldmine of social commentary, interesting history, and media analyses that can be done. Also, neurodivergent individuals are a marginalized group by every definition whose struggles have gone ignored by the general public for too long. It is time for that to change.

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

Also the quite kid trope

[@lunar686]

So you’re saying you can have hyperactive adhd without being an aggressive 8 year old boy? Or that neurodivergent women may not all be introverted or social outcasts?....or that discontinuing “big Pharma” conspiracy meds and therapy, and simply believing in yourself is how neurodivergent individuals “cure” their illness? Sorry but I definitely appreciated your comment and took the opportunity to have a good laugh 😊 Thank you for highlighting this that would be lovely to see

[@colinjtm9605]

@@lunar686 LMAO, Thank You

[@lunar686]

@@colinjtm9605 lol no worries 😊 I’m starting to think that the only true stereotype amongst neuro divergents (diversity is after all, in the very title itself) , is it they’re all confused by how frequently they’re asked the question “...but you don’t look like you have X?” 😹🌸😹

[@ShaolinShadowStroke]

Thing is there are only five movies I can think of that typify that genre: Niagara Niagara, Punch Drunk Love, The Accountant, Ruby Sparks, and Napoleon Dynamite. I'm a little iffy about Ruby Sparks, though, because the protagonist in that movie was moreso jaded and lost than he was on the spectrum.

[@Apillis124]

There's a reason why my favorite lesbian movie is "Imagine Me & You", it's because it is literally a very simplistic and classic formula of your typical generic Romantic Comedy genre movie. And because of its simplicity and being like every Romantic Comedy with a happy ending, it really causes it to utterly stand apart and be one of the most most UNIQUE lesbian movies out there as a result by not falling into all the other troupes and pitfalls most other queer movies are pigeon-holed into as described in the video here. It doesn't do anything outside of the norms of your typical Romantic Comedy, while having no actual villains, there's a couple characters who are "jerks", but the three main characters are each sympathetic and engaging (at least to me) to watch--no one is an enemy of the other, and it ends happily like you'd expect going into any other RomCom', which again amongst the vast majority of other queer movies out there its being so generic is what makes it so much more unique.

[@LoneWulf278]

I LOVE that movie. 😁

[@stefannyferreira2455]

This movie is so underrated. Sometimes I just wanna see a cliche romcom with queer characters with happy ending and no one dead. Plus, I like how they didn't include some homophobic drama.

[@nina5drioli]

I’ve only watched Elisa and Marcela so I wouldn’t know wich one is my favorite

[@jazzjewel1]

@@redstar7292 That movie is called The Hunger...it stars Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon. It is vampire movie eye candy for sure.

[@jang7675]

That film is good. But there is something so amazing about the spy comedy D.E.B.S. that I just love to go back to time and time again.

[@sapphic.flower]

omg I've been saying this but I want light hearted sapphic rom coms! The period pieces are pretty but I also wanna watch a lesbian couple just have fun with no high stakes. also as an ace lesbian, I really want to watch a lesbian movie without the sex or sexual tension.

[@devilinred3319]

I think, the sexual tension its often use, even in heterosexual stories, cause the oversexualized media and a lot storytellers still cant get over the "s e x in romantic stories its necesary cause sells".

[@scp--297]

Yessss!!! Show me girls riding a roller coaster while holding on to each other or playing a board game while giggling and having idle chit-chat. Show me woman trash talking a moive or a book they love while also eating snacks. Make me wish I was their friends or be one of them.

[@nihalnihal9356]

lily fever is cute but has an open ending bc those pitches decided to cancel it

[@tananario]

More girls braiding each other’s hair? Hard pass.

[@dorothymontrose6371]

@@tananario literally like sorry we want women to be sexually attractive to other women

[@nachtschimmen]

You shouldn't forget "Desert Hearts" which has a happy ending but certainly belongs to the other categories. It is beautiful, arty, long, exquisite. Yes, the problem is that it has two thin white females; but it is hopeful and it should certainly not be overlooked. I loved this film.

[@ahumanbeingfromtheearth1502]

They did show a clip at 11:55

[@nachtschimmen]

@@ahumanbeingfromtheearth1502 Thanks! I'll go back and check it; so glad to hear this amazing film got included. I can't remember them mentioning it, which seems a pity because it had such a great female director who went out of her way NOT to fetishize the male gaze. That's what I liked about it anyway. But then again, if it isn't mentioned much then I suppose that means not many people ended up seeing it.

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

Directed by a lesbian who never made the A list.

[@nachtschimmen]

@@ahumanbeingfromtheearth1502 I checked... And so they did show it. Wow that went by quickly; but you noticed it so that must mean something! And I loved the 5 seconds of it they did show. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed this film.

[@TheAmazingPommeDePin]

Actually the problem is not that one movie in particular (in this case "Desert Hearts") has white leads, the real problem is that scripts with non-white leads, or from non-white screenwriters, are less likely to be produced - and so, it is the movie industry as a whole that needs to be more inclusive. We certainly can address the fact that queer stories with white characters are predominant, but we can't blame a director or a screenwriter for choosing white leads for their own movie, since that's part of their artistic freedom (except if they are telling a story based on real events and they are whitewashing non-white people, this is never okay). Furthermore, considering the director of "Desert Hearts" barely got enough money at that time to make her movie (mainly because it was one of the first mainstream movies to be so unapologetic about women falling in love), I can only imagine that it wouldn't have been produced at all if it didn't have white or feminine leads. But then again, the real problem is the global lack of inclusivity rather than the movies themselves.

[@konraddygudaj257]

"The beauty of standing up for your rights is others see you standing and stand up as well." - Cassandra Duffy

[@trinaq]

Such a poignant quote, it really fits the topic well!

[@Igorcastrochucre]

The formula seems to be Forbidden Love + Olden Aesthetic = Profit.

[@daftbanna7202]

+ white

[@deerinheadlights7179]

yeah, if you can put some rivals feeling at the start for example it is even better... these are just loved tropes for one reason or another. And as any other trope they can be done well, and they can be done fuking bad... It lays more in the details i believe. Portrait of lady on fire is great... Amonite... it was just boring and kind of plain.

[@melodyclark1944]

It's connected to how forbidden love stories are common in period pieces. It feels like there can't even be a period drama with out someone cheating on a spouse or fiance.

[@mysteriiis]

Which is really wonky because lesbians couples, at least by the nineteenth century, had it much easier then gay men. Women were assumed to be less/or uninterested in sex, and close, intense friendships with other women were common. Many people didn't even know that lesbians were a thing. After all, how can a woman have sex without a man? Two 'spinsters' spending their lives as 'roommates' was a totally viable way to live.

[@catsrule1343]

Honestly I think it's fine if a straight actress plays a lesbian just so long as it doesn't happen all the time and it's done in a respectable way

[@loturzelrestaurant]

KZbin, as i have often criticized and fought, is massively fetishizing female Homosexuals. But what really worried me is not youtube reportbutton to be useless against Kiss-compilations and variations of that: Kissing and/or Groping (!!) before the Camera has become normalized to show 'Gay Pride', but its not.

[@TryinaD]

@@loturzelrestaurant so do you dislike gay people or not?? Sexuality in general shouldn’t be stigmatized.

[@loturzelrestaurant]

@@TryinaD I'm fine with Homosexuals.

[@shyannevasquez5257]

I really like the show gentleman Jack. It is a period piece about two rich white women but it does have a happy ending and I felt like the relationship develops in a healthy and natural way with a focus on the romance. It also focuses on the characters business ventures and mental health struggles. I think the problem with most lesbian movies, as a lesbian myself, is that I don’t feel like they were written or made for me. I feel like they were written and made for men to enjoy. It makes me feel uncomfortable and like I am participating in the objectification of women while watching these movies but it is also amazing to see representation and beautiful love stories between women. So you find yourself at this very awkward crossroads where in you don’t want to watch these movies or shows, but you feel the need to because of what they symbolize.

[@jp9707]

I wouldn't say the relationship develops in a healthy way, or is a beautiful love story. Gentleman Jack/Anne Lister is a womaniser who is after the emotionally vulnerable Anne (can't remember her surname) for her money, then happens to fall in love. The narration makes it clear she thinks Anne is gullible and easily seduced. Anne Lister remains quite obnoxious throughout, and treats Anne like a prize, not a person. I suspect a relationship like that would end up being very controlling, with Anne waiting at home while Anne Lister is out seducing other women. I still loved the show though, I just don't think it should be glorified as a healthy relationship...

[@Senate300]

@@jp9707 But compelling none the less. The other Anne's surname is Walker. It started off with Lister courting Walker for superficial reasons but gradually fell in love with her as time went on all the while struggling to move on from her past heartbreak over an ex lover who got married to someone else. All of this was as compelling as Anne struggling to keep her business ventures(namely her coal mining business) afloat and out of reach of her misogynistic opponents who sought to tear her down. Anne Lister was ahead of her time and partially flawed at the same time which is what makes Suranne Jones portrayal of her so authentic.

[@jp9707]

@@Senate300 oh, for sure, it was very compelling! Flawed characters make for interesting viewing. Suranne Jones did a fantastic job of portraying such a complex character! And I suppose there was definitely romance involved - it just isn't the sort of relationship dynamic that I think should be held up as an exemplar for others to emulate? The show definitely DIDN'T do that, they made it very clear that there was a power imbalance in the relationship and that Anne Lister was a bit of an anti-hero. It's just that I've seen people online putting the Anne/Anne relationship on a pedestal and saying "I want something like this! So romantic!!"... which is a bit worrying because it quite obviously seems like a controlling relationship that could easily become abusive over time :/

[@Senate300]

@@jp9707 Wouldn't the refreshing bit be that the drama wasn't asking us to put Lister & Walker on a pedestal? I find it quite ironic. In her younger days Anne Lister was quite a player. I'm amazed that films like If these walls could talk 2 and one off dramas like Fingersmith and Tipping the Velvet which all came out in the 2000s could be overlooked in this video.

[@kkelseym]

I'm glad someone else has noticed this. I feel like every year there's a new period piece with white women in Victorian clothing and lesbian undertones being nominated for an Oscar. They all look the same to me.

[@thinkfirst1989]

Hey you put truffles in front of me- I will keep eating them and they will all be delicious.

[@thinkfirst1989]

@bangtan trash OK technically yes, but who eats truffles all at once anyway? If you gave me a truffle a day (a better analogy I think) I wouldn't get tired of them. But they're not all the same anyway. Just watched "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" last night which is quite different than say, "Wild Nights with Emily"- which is comedy that delights in its unglamorous realism. 'Portrait' plays more like a minimalist poem, haunting but not entirely tragic. Sciamma's film reminded me a lot more of Andrea Arnold's 2011 interpretation of "Wuthering Heights" where sparse dialogue and a minimal plot rely heavily on scenery, costume and the language of film to convey the film's narrative as well. I'm not sure what films you like but I'd def recommend checking out Andrea Arnold's films, her "American Honey" is absolutely one of my fav films of all time.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

In the South Asian context, we had ‘Fire’ which was not a ‘Lesbian’ Story with Straight but a more broader queerness (although it stars two cis-het women).

[@radioactivedetective6876]

Oh, the characters were so much more fleshed out in Fire. And neither of the women were only defined by their lesbian-ness i.e. not pegion-holed. Also alienation in sham marriages and patriarchal hierarchy were explored. Not a "formula" movie at all

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@radioactivedetective6876 Exactly.

[@reborncurious6532]

I wish we could get more movies in our country which explored different spectrum of queer relations and also didn't compromise on the story ....Like we need some which aren't tragic but also not too comic.

[@poisonedpeanutbutter9475]

"Carol walked so Lesbian Period Pieces could run" excuse-moi but y'all sleeping on Fingersmith

[@mhawang8204]

Say it louder for the lesbians in the back!

[@thunderbird3304]

Don't forget the Korean remake of it as well (The Handmaiden)

[@Senate300]

Let's not forget Tipping the Velvet.

[@shbbylttlshbdn7895]

The Children's Hour: hey besties don't sleep on me lol

[@willvandom5105]

The best way to find sapphic stories actually targeted to queer people is through books. Fortunately a lot more- and more diverse- wlw people are given the chance to tell their stories in books, especially the self published ones

[@Emxo333]

What makes a story "targeted towards queer people" vs… targeted towards not queer? Bisexual asking.

[@willvandom5105]

@@Emxo333 for example, a lot of lesbian stories are target to straight men, making the priority in those movies, anime, whatever, the sex scenes, to be sexy in the male gaze standards

[@Emxo333]

@@willvandom5105 so your saying straight men like to see sex scenes but lesbians do not?

[@willvandom5105]

@@Emxo333 definitely not what i said.

[@Emxo333]

@@willvandom5105 what are you saying then? I'm fr just wanting to know / have discourse, not trying to troll ya or anything.

[@denisefreitas6727]

Portrait of a lady on fire is a masterpiece. Love Carol too.

[@loturzelrestaurant]

Heck, KZbin, as i have often criticized and fought, is massively fetishizing female Homosexuals. But what really worried me is not youtube reportbutton to be useless against Kiss-compilations and variations of that: Kissing and/or Groping before the Camera has become normalized to show Gay-Pride, but its not. IT IS JUST NOT.

[@xiaoelsie]

my absolute favorite is Handmaiden cause it has everything: characters, setting, plot and good ending (for girls) but we need more simple modern stories as well

[@willvandom5105]

i know! It's so good, I watched it this week and I can't stop thinking about it

[@oanaalexia]

@Will Vandom Nice, give a watch to Parasite if you haven't yet. Handmaiden was great, one of my favourite movies of all time.

[@belle-ashton2167]

I suggest anyone who loved The Handmaiden to watch Mr. Sunshine on Netflix with Kim Taeri too, she was so empowering in it!

[@natnat8393]

I really enjoyed it too. Its the Korean version of the 2002 book "The Fingersmith". A mini series of the same name was made in 2005 (and it was also great).

[@jhoang861]

Imagine Me & You, Lovesong, and Half Of It are a few good movies I would recommend.

[@baechulgi]

Carol walked so these other period piece films could run lol

[@thornyback]

These movies pave the road for Bollywood to make lesbian movies for Indian women and Nollywood makes lesbian pictures for black women. I don't get why people act like it's the duty of white people to tell the story of other races as if they don't have the ability themselves to tell their own stories. I don't want some white guy to tell a black lesbian story, I'm sure a black lesbian filmmaker can do that job pretty well.

[@RK-ep8qy]

@@thornyback which I can't wait for, hopefully it'll be a short wait but I'm not sure if south Asia and most of Africa is that swept up in gay rights to greenlight any mainstream LGBT movie

[@tyrionlannister521]

“Far From Heaven” is a great movie that includes POC and LGTB+ storylines. Dennis Quaid and Julianne Moore play a married couple in the 1950’s and seem “perfect” because they’re living in Suburbia but he is gay and can’t live a lie anymore. She’s dealing with him stepping out on her and befriends a black man (played by Dennis Haysbert) who does the gardening and owns his own small business; plus he’s college educated and is a single father of a little girl. It’s a great movie that ends kind of sad but realistically. (No one dies or anything) “Far From Heaven” came out in 2002 but it’s really good!

[@EldergodUK]

Thank you....this sounds very interesting ☺️

[@AnnetteWarren]

This is one of the movies I always wanted to watch but somehow never got around to doing.

[@KW-vy1rf]

Far From Heaven is by the same director as Carol as well!

[@orionjenkins6974]

Kinda surprised I didn’t see Fried Green Tomatoes at any point. It’s earliest period lesbian drama I can think of. I’d love to see a “Take” on why America loved that movie and thought it was about two best friends 🤣

[@catofthecastle1681]

The Children’s Hour!

[@mhawang8204]

The book the movie was based on was clear about the lesbian relationship, but the movie toned it down to become subtext only. This is my guess why The Take didn’t include it in the video.

[@thatbee3585]

Wonderful movie!!! Fried green tomato will always be my favorite

[@merrillsunderland8662]

This! This! This! This! Also a fantastic take on the toxicity towards women of Southern culture

[@agnessofiacastrocarvalho774]

The movie Fried green tomatoes has no canon gay couple whatsoever

[@hi-meraki]

Carol and Portrait of a lady on fire are THE PERIOD PIECE MOVIES

[@trinaq]

Preach, they are the best movies of this genre!

[@Andyatl2002]

But the Handmaiden though...

[@andiman44]

@@Andyatl2002 The Handmaiden is in a category all its own let’s be honest.

[@anngan5045]

Ah, you mean it's above being "just a lesbian movie". Since it's something shameful and not worthy of attention I suppose.

[@nothing5283]

@@Andyatl2002 trash, not even close to worst, that movie is asian

[@annem4655]

The lesbian period drama is kind of like all the mythology with gay undertone (sometimes explicit), two young men (who are usually considered 'best friends') with a beautiful tragic ending. That's like a thousand of years ago. It's not an agenda, but as a modern audience with wider access to information, it is more intriguing to see more diversity in our storytelling and representations.

[@JulieCapulet008]

Am I the only one that starts every “the take” video with a pen and paper, taking notes of every movie or serie mentioned that I’m gonna want to watch?? Loooove it!!

[@loturzelrestaurant]

KZbin, as i have often criticized and fought, is massively fetishizing female Homosexuals. But what really worried me is not youtube reportbutton to be useless against Kiss-compilations and variations of that: Kissing and/or Groping before the Camera has become normalized to show Gay-Pride, but its not. IT IS JUST NOT!!

[@Sophie-ot4hs]

I think this branch has found comfort in isolating certain lesbians like poc and non cus lesbians as it's usually 2 rich white womrn. There's also romanticisation of the closet which is awful bc it's sucks

[@Andyatl2002]

There are more exceptions then you think for these three rules, especially the rich white women rule (One of them might be a rich woman, or they both might not be at all), I don’t think most of these movies romanticize the closet at all, as for POC actors deserving more roles in period dramas I agree (There are several great examples of POC a actors though in period drama)

[@Sophie-ot4hs]

@@Andyatl2002 yes but it's rubbish for it to be our only mainstream rep . And Ik they had hard expectations of course but it's very tired to have the same story . And this rep is of the closet in the 1950s so yes kinda . Also the lack of poc is due to this genre as they like this formula of two rich yt women holding hands and starring . Lesbianism has come a long way since the past!!! It should be celebrated , there's not enough post stonewall lesbian films

[@etherjumper]

I want a gay movie where men get to be boring. That would be refreshing.

[@sakisaki1140]

i think that’s just mpdg movies?

[@etherjumper]

@@sakisaki1140 lol, how??

[@melodyclark1944]

Is Brokeback Mountain too exciting?

[@alejandrocervantes3624]

an interesting movie staring boring characters is basically how id label "Behavis & Butthead do america" 🦆🐙👾

[@etherjumper]

@@alejandrocervantes3624 and I loved that movie

[@gemma2915]

Most of these actors have been phenomenal in their movies. Cate Blanchett as Carol is one of my favourite film performances ever. It doesn't bother me that most of them are straight women. It's just acting.

[@sterlingdennett]

Why are there so many lesbian period pieces? 1. Men like watching two women get sexy with each other. 2. Women like watching two people fall in love when it's socially discouraged, and try to beat the odds and end up together. (like Romeo and Juliet TRIED to do) 3. LGBTQ persons want to normalize the idea that homosexuality has always been part of the Human Condition. (it is, and has sometimes been widespread, like with the Greeks and Romans) That covers almost everyone.

[@Senate300]

You hit the nail on the head here. Yet the 1st is what the last 2 are scared to death of for fetishization reasons. I often feel like queer cinema is torn between cult exclusively and universal appeal.

[@lockandloadlikehell]

Every girl I've dated ALSO liked watching two women get sexy with each other. It's hard to find anyone who doesn't.

[@deerinheadlights7179]

@@lockandloadlikehell yeah... but kind of depends in what way. I can go for anything from just slight touch to bdsm as long as it is human and not sex focused... and some prefer the opposite

[@fatmehawarin]

carol, portrait of a lady on fire, ammonite on the take omg i loveee

[@Jrr592]

Portrait of a lady on fire is probably my favorite movie of all time

[@Lahiwe]

I’ve been thinking about this so much recently, especially given the well-documented queerness of historical people of color, let alone covering contemporary queer people of color.

[@MadameTamma]

Hey so I was watching the new Pixar movie 'Luca' and one of the characters has only one arm. He casually explains that he was just born that way and it got me thinking about how people with physical disabilities are usually portrayed in movies and on tv and I thought that would be a perfect subject for 'The take' to go into.

[@pymthmetabaron]

We don't need to dig very deep to find a lot of lesbian movies/series with happy ending, even period ones: Tipping the Velvet, Fingersmith, Cloudburst, But I'm a Cheerleader, Nina's Heavenly Delights, When the Night is Falling, If these walls could talk 2, etc... Those are just the ones I thought off from the top of my head.

[@anngan5045]

Most of those movies were either made by lesbians or based on books written by lesbian by the way...

[@bluegreenglue6565]

I appreciate representation, and that this can be done on a big budget film, but when a thing becomes "popular" it gets homogenized (as we all know) and loses its depth. I'm sure there are many women who like these perfectly-sculpted neato-costumes-on-perfect-women films, but to me they will never feel real. More like fantasy with a deep genuflection to the male gaze.

[@toomuchinformation]

It seems that the filmmakers self consciously "sexualise" it in order to attract a wider (read: male) audience. Because two female leads who aren't lovers are boring right?

[@bluegreenglue6565]

@@toomuchinformation It does seem that way. Although, when it comes to t.v. and cinema, most stories have to include a couple or people who should be a couple or people who were a couple and are broken now because they're not coupled... No wonder the general population have a fear of being single! : D

[@lottereker1700]

We get one a year! So we line up even when they are bad

[@3PiD3MiCGX]

We who?

[@lottereker1700]

Lesbians

[@crazyunicorn16]

we really do!!

[@loturzelrestaurant]

Heck, KZbin, as i have often criticized and fought, is massively fetishizing female Homosexuals. But what really worried me is not youtube reportbutton to be useless against Kiss-compilations and variations of that: Kissing and/or Groping before the Camera has become normalized to show Gay-Pride, but its not. IT IS JUST NOT.

[@emilyrugburn9167]

😆

[@witchplease9695]

Can y’all do a take on the Bully trope? Stereotypical types as well as the “reformed” Bully and redemption arc for antagonistic characters in media and how their “change” of heart is rarely done well or realistically. Redemption arcs in general would be a good video because I feel like they’re so common yet so poorly executed in media.

[@loturzelrestaurant]

...Heck, KZbin, as i have often criticized and fought, is massively fetishizing female Homosexuals. But what really worried me is not youtube reportbutton to be useless against Kiss-compilations and variations of that: Kissing and/or Groping before the Camera has become normalized to show Gay-Pride, but its not. IT IS JUST NOT!!

[@vypanchy]

Lexa's death in The 100 still haunts us Clexa shippers 😭😭

[@lereloleloshakirashakira7710]

I can confirm. Fanfiction is the best for giving me comfort though edit: in one I read Lexa's aunt stole her dead body and treated her for a long time, Lexa woke up on the day praimfaya's second wave hit and ofc survived. Then she finds Clarke and they stay together the whole 6 years isn't that cute?

[@vypanchy]

@@lereloleloshakirashakira7710 I die!!!!! If only there were spin offs based on Clexa😭

[@anna-wf3yy]

I swear to god I can not take even one more sapphic period drama omg I do love some few, like portrait of a lady on fire, but I would really love to see more of other genres being produced

[@stooph]

The editing on this one is so good! Nice work

[@sxwriter8569]

Well it’s clear there needs to be more stories that address other queer/LGBTQ experiences, glad there’s at least a start. Plus we need more unique stories in general.

[@Xxgracejordanxx]

Hey guys remember to drink water today 🥰🥰

[@mpendamziki477]

thank you!

[@ellebee4112]

I was surprised that Tipping The Velvet wasn’t mentioned here. Based on the book by Sarah Waters, it was also adapted into a BBC drama. It’s a great story in either form and a great example of a lesbian story with a happy ending, although it does lack more diverse representation.

[@redstar7292]

Plus they aren't rich either and it's about theatricals. The Anna Chancellor scenes were very much made with men in mind though..I mean there had to be a hyper glorified symbol of a man, worshipped by these women, without a man being there and a load of abuse in it.

[@beatricefox937]

I haven’t watched this video yet but I’m already excited

[@frankenviews4069]

The lesbian centered Black Mirror episode "San Junipero" is considered one of the best of the award wining series. It is mainly set in the 80's but I don't know if that makes it a "period piece". It also has (spoiler) a happy ending.

[@aarond9563]

Mad! I didn't even think about this. But you guys actually broke it down so well. I haven't watched that SNL skit but now I will because the short clips in here were hilarious!

[@isaacgray2909]

The Favourite is probably, ahem, my favorite of this genre cause it presents more than just a sad lesbian piece as the love story is part of a larger structure of the themes of love and politics. Additionally the lesbian aspects has some basis in real life, albeit rumours but still stay to the authentic nature of the time period.

[@thinkfirst1989]

Honestly one of my fav films ever maybe. The comic and the tragic play side by side and it's just so merciless and absurd- I loved it.

[@mgdkns6678]

The Favorite? With Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone you mean?

[@joyroychowdhury3402]

This is one of your finest videos made. Loved the analysis!

[@camilaoca]

Thank you so much for this video. It's absolutely perfect!

[@wangray9456]

I love Carol so much not because it is a lesbian movie. It is a coming of age story of finding oneself, where sexuality is just one part of it.

[@thatbee3585]

Love this. I love this channel and how give a more in depth look at everything

[@Advent3546]

Does anyone else think this subgenre may have peaked early? Carol and Portrait of a Lady on Fire were absolutely amazing but everything else just pales in comparison.

[@l.bibian6519]

The Handmaiden is amazing too ! So many twists and the photography is spectacular !

[@Advent3546]

@@l.bibian6519 True!

[@Stauderhorse]

You should watch Colette, it's based on a true story and the narrative goes beyond 'the women are in love but can't be together bc homophobia'

[@meb1982]

The sad ending is why I don't watch gay films.

[@willvandom5105]

I recommend The haindmaiden then!

[@thunderbird3304]

@@willvandom5105 I recommend this as well

[@Asummersdaydreamer14]

Though the story is not as romantic or thrilling as The Haidmaiden, I found “The Half of it” on Netflix to be a sweet teen romcom that is predictable but a fun journey. Also, the power of friendship makes up for the obvious angst of the romances.

[@KW-vy1rf]

God's Own Country has a happy ending.

[@catarinaverduro2966]

i don’t get why people think it’s problematic to put straight actors in gay roles... kissing people you’re not attracted to is part of the profession. why the bitterness? lmao

[@vicenteortegarubilar9418]

Why wouldn't It be? If you put period piece in the description of a Movie I am interested.

[@loturzelrestaurant]

Heck, KZbin, as i have often criticized and fought, is massively fetishizing female Homosexuals. But what really worried me is not youtube reportbutton to be useless against Kiss-compilations and variations of that: Kissing and/or Groping before the Camera has become normalized to show Gay-Pride, but its not.

[@marianneshepherd6286]

I recommend Jessica Kellgren-Fozards KZbin channel her content includes historical profiles on LGBTQ+ people and/or disabled historical people as well x

[@xForgottenSorrows]

Still waiting for the Take to do a series on Twilight Saga/Kristen Stewart's acting career and her public persona but I will take these crumbs

[@elizaott8160]

I just wanted to highlight that Adel Hennel (portrait of the lady on fire) is NOT straight, she is lesbien (maybe even a lesbien icon is France)

[@gabrielleduplessis7388]

I love the movie summer land. I love that the couple was able to be reunite and be happy in the end. I feel bad that frank’s dad died, bit I am glad he, Alice, and his mom could be a happy family in the end.

[@loturzelrestaurant]

Seen my comment? I wonder...

[@OfficialAndies]

Deepa Mehta's Fire (1996), highly recommend

[@ladyofavalon]

I loved the movie Carmilla it's on Shudder. It's a tragic yet beautiful movie between two young women.

[@kaciehawkins9775]

Oop, need to see that. Good lookin out 😁

[@ladyofavalon]

@@mindoablues I will look it up. Thank you 🥰

[@fortune_roses]

The modern French version "Blue is the warmest color" (2013) is socio-economically varied and shows some of the diversity of Paris

[@thinkfirst1989]

I know it was problematic but I've never seen any romance on film pull so few punches. "Blue..." is a masterpiece IMO

[@Starkardur]

That movie did not take place in Paris

[@user-by1df8ok3l]

while there are some period lesbian movies w gnc lesbian rep, elise y marcela is not a good example. marcela literally had to dress up as man in order to live freely with her wife and not be hatecrimed. that's not gender expression, it's just sad.

[@saanasalonen8684]

slowly but surely you have become my fav channel. you can also make the video essees longer, i promise i wont mind :)

[@inescastellano7960]

The SNL skit was so funny and on point! Please make a video about Peaky Blinders. There's so many to analyze there.

[@ActressSarah]

So sad you didn't say more about the subversive and empowering end of "The Handmaiden", it would be great to touch on in the future especially since it features WOC.

[@seanmaddex4104]

I don’t watch a lot of period pieces but my understanding is that the are usually a bit dreary so I don’t think the complainant about unhappy endings is fully warranted. Still great thought provoking video

[@GleekOff]

The Take never disappoints 👏🏽

[@morganleanderblake678]

Weirdly I recommend checking out the first Fear Street installment. It has a gay WOC and is shockingly progressive while also... Being a slasher flick. I'm so confused.

[@jordanloux3883]

Slasher flicks have always been progressive. Black Christmas, arguably the first slasher, had a the main survivor be a sorority girl who got an abortion and the villain is a murderous pervert. This came out in the 1970s!

[@jang7675]

Those characters are involved in all 3 films. So refreshing to see.

[@gabbyvelasquez3767]

as a woman, i LOVE period pieces in general...as a woman who loves women, a lesbian period piece is literally MADE for me and i will continue to watch them.

[@laolsaouce]

"Since the release of 2015's beloved Carol, there have been at least 15 other lesbian period films and several television shows" Omg there's been that many?? Portrait Of A Lady On Fire is hands down the best one of the bunch but I've gotta catch up on the other half of the list lol

[@sim0nlewis]

i love how they roasted ammonite, that movie was such a waste of time

[@nigelasipa4150]

This analysis taught me the value in our culture’s need for unique perspectives. More so about how the media depict certain subgroups/corners of the world honestly and accurately. I feel studios are still underestimating people about the kind of stories we yearn for nowadays, like Scorsese was arguing before, that not enough risks are involved to surprise people and therefore change the way we see ourselves in stories.

[@gigigrass6050]

i think we collectively agree that portrait of a lady on fire is the best one. it’s just an amazing film overall, it’s about lesbians yes, but it’s about the idea of the gaze and the relation between the painter and the subject. it does what it does well because it has purpose.

[@bobsondugnutt5435]

Not a period piece, but I just watched Kajillionaire, which features two openly bisexual actresses, one of whom is a woman of color and the other plays a very non-fem character. Nobody dies and they get to be together. I definitely enjoyed it.

[@drtfx7]

Saving Face breaks almost every aspects of the mold mentioned.

[@benedictifye]

Because if the lesbians are in another time, then we don’t have to think about them being in our time. Or, lesbian stories are being told in different settings they haven’t been portrayed in, to reflect the lesbians that were already in those settings.

[@MrStrawberryPucca]

Ive seen a lot of other sapphic women talk about this as well but i think the handmaiden is a rare case of male directors showing great care when it comes to sapphic films directed by men. Ive skimmed through a couple interviews with the director and he seems like he had a lot of respect towards the female actresses and their comfort on set while doing the sex scenes, asking eveyrone else to leave the set as they were filming it. He has talked about his own flaws in writing female characters in the past such as oldboy. Maybe its bare minimum but i applaud him for it, i wish more directors would openly talk about the nuances of writing female characters as a man like hes done. Just seeing male directors genuinly wanting to grow as writers gives me some kind of hope

[@birgitteandersen5886]

My favorite lesbian movie is The Handmaiden. It's Korean and the twists were perfect.

[@TheMPExperience]

I think the only think you might have left out of this Take, is that making lesbian period pieces allows studio's to keep PG-13 ratings. Modern lesbian relationships would have sex scenes that would always get an R rating because its 2 women. Setting a film in 1800's lets studios avoid much PDA. Thank you for this video!

[@petalchild]

Eh, idk. Sex isn't exactly a modern invention. Lesbians in the 1800s had sex too.

[@user-ki1xj5fl1i]

@@petalchild I think you missed their point

[@ringmybel]

There is a kdrama lately entitled "Mine" and one of the main character is gay, she has is a great character with a great storyline and a happy ending, I think it's the best lgbtq+ represented character in the modern times. (And the actress is middle aged as well)

[@milesfolley6840]

I think its great that to represent or highlight different markets outside of Europe and America, Because the Handmaiden, a South Korean film, is very popular in its country.

[@mclarissa371]

I am always touched by how thoughtful, kind, and still beautifully subversive these takes are. They draw attention & question concepts that desperately need the focus y'all give❤️

[@_Sakidora_]

Really? Mostly I see nitpicking and fuzzy thinking.

[@mclarissa371]

@@_Sakidora_ really? Would you be so kind and expound?

[@_Sakidora_]

@@mclarissa371 I'll give you one example, not so much from this video, but of their general approach. In all their videos whatever women do it's as a result of their oppression by the 'patriarchy', so even school bullies or puppy killers are given a soft ride, they're victims, whereas anything a man does cannot similarly be explained by his ill treatment and is all down to is 'toxic masculinity'. There can be no excuse for his behaviour, no matter what has happened to him in his life and even minor transgressions are a sign of his 'toxicity'. He is never a victim, always a perpetrator. The double standard is so blatant it's comical.

[@mclarissa371]

@@_Sakidora_ cld you give me specific examples so I can go back to episodes and rewatch

[@_Sakidora_]

@@mclarissa371 Simple. Watch any video they discuss a male trope and compare it with the female ones, especially the more negative ones of both, so bad boy vs mean girl or crazy woman.

[@leohunt75]

You guys have awesome content. I would love to see your "Take" on Marilyn Monroe. and maybe her impact on the blond bombshell trope in Movies

[@jayjaybee]

I'm surprised there aren't any clips from the adaptations done of Sarah Waters' Victorian novels or that The Handmaiden was in fact an adaptation of one.

[@victorrodrigueesoficial]

In "Reaching for the Moon" or "Flores Raras" a brazilian film that stars Miranda Otto as Elizabeth Bishop and Glória Pires (one of most acclaimed actresses of my country) playing Lota de Macedo Moraes. Their love story ends with Lota suicide and Elizabeth return to the USA. Brutal? Yet, it was true.

Aaaaand another one is coming out this week, Benedetta (no pun intended)

[@matildemazzucchelli9531]

Amazing video as always! I hope that one you woud talk about the italian stereotype "pizza pasta mafia e mandolino" I hate that americans think that my country and my people is always view that way

[@tracybryant6285]

I always felt very uncomfortable about the large amount of period films. It always felt like an excuse for Hollywood to leave POC, Gay and Trans out of the story. Why is Hollywood still making period stories? It’s like we are glorifying a violent, racist, sexist, homophobic and transphobic past. It’s like Germans continually making films about the “good” of nazi Germany period.

[@isaacgray2909]

As someone who's into history and enjoy historical period dramas, but also a POC and part of LGBTQ, I will offer you my perspective that while the past may have icky parts to study and read about, I can ensure you not everything in history is all that. I enjoy Jane Austen works because I'm interest in reading a woman's work from the 1800s and reflecting upon the Regency era society. Likewise, queer people has existed in the past and were able to be successful despite their sexuality and identity. I will also point out that the present isn't much different from the past tbh. I mean mass shootings and overturn of the Roe W Wade in the US, Russia and Ukraine war, etc... There's a lot of racism I experienced but don't get much coverage in regards the overall structure problems

[@willvandom5105]

The Handmaiden is so good and yes it has a happy ending

[@dannygillespie6614]

As always great video. A couple thoughts to add to the discussion. 1. Part of what I think makes Portrait OALOF so incredible is that you can, and i would argue should, read class divides as just as meaningful to their inability to be together as gender. Even if the painter (name escapes me at the moment) were male, their difference in class would most likely doom the relationship as Adele's character is very much locked into the other plan for her life. 2. Props for including The Handmaiden. Amazing and under-acknowledged film. I did notice you didn't talk about it much, probably because it subverts a lot of these ideas. The ending is happy and anyone says they knew what to expect from that movie based on it being a lesbian period drama, i'm calling them a liar. I'd even read the book it's based on and that movie still held many delicious surprises. 3. Really great points as always about the good and bad things of a genre/trope. I especially like the point that period dramas risk suggesting LGBTQ+ hardships are mostly in the past. It will be interesting to see what Sciamma's next big project is as POALOF got a lot more mainstream traction than the typical French drama (especially one not nominated for the Oscar). Her past films like Tomboy and Girlhood suggest she has the chops to take queer filmmaking to exciting new territory.

[@marydarko3380]

I made a whole meme about it on twitter, calling this 'the lesbian period drama universe' cause it's a genre in of itself

[@Senate300]

It's criminal how Mini Series like Tipping the Velvet(2000) or Fingersmith(2005) and films like It these walls could talk 2(2000) don't even get a mentionor But I'm a Cheerleader(1999) put in the groundwork for the Lesbian Period Drama before it became a mainstay in popular culture. Plus they had happy endings. The whole shame of Blue is the Warmest Colour is the only debate surrounding it is in regards to the sex scenes(and how inauthentic, pornograthic and exploitative they were) rather than a well acted depictions of the beginning, middle and end of a long term relationship which is a universal theme that late teens and adults of all ages can identify with regardless of sexual orientation. With the current crop of LPD's Portrait of a Lady on Fire and HBO Mini series Gentleman Jack mop the floor with them because the former focuses on the gaze and forbidden love which blossomed after the artist subjects reluctance to be painted for fear of being objectified. The latter blessed us with a modern yet flawed Anti-heroine who was ahead of her time. Ammonite was well received for it's performances by the leads, Ronan & Winslet but considering the fact that there was no evidence of any actual affair between Mary & Charlotte, the film chose to tell a fictional story involving historical figures. The very fact that Ammonite's been parodied into submission says it's not only that even the LGBT Community can have their fantasies to but the Lesbian Period Drama has cemented its place in public consensus. Or in the worst case it's become a shill game. Since we're hung up on the skin colour and sexual orientation of the actresses involved in this sub genre of TV and Cinema, for the former my guess is no filmakers bother to create fictional or seek out homosexual people of colour in history to make shows and movies about. As for the sexual orientation part, some LGBT actors fear coming out simply for the possibility of being typecast and not taken seriously for roles not related to their sexuality regardless of their talents which is also a slippery slope but shouldn't be the case in this generation. On a sidenote, the use of modern music in the period setting is what Sofia Coppola did with Mary Antoinette. So Dickinson is a chip off the old block.

[@jascrandom9855]

Can't someone make an epic Lesbian Shonen Anime?

[@colinfrederick2603]

Let’s play a game. Name a gay movie with a positive ending! There are not many. -The Handmaiden -Love Simon -Another Gay Movie -Alex Strangelove Ummmm

[@doriot543]

God's own country has a hopeful ending

[@andiman44]

Carol.

[@aaronclift]

Not a movie, but the “San Junipero” episode of “Black Mirror.”

[@jobibby1678]

But I'm A Cheerleader has a happy ending... also I know it's a TV show but Schitt's Creek has a delightful gay romance that ends happily.

[@colinfrederick2603]

@@jobibby1678 both great!