Search - Gypsy 83 on DVD

Night Of 1000 Stevies

Clarissa | Ontario, California | 06/12/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tired of living in Sandusky, Ohio, and having to deal with being freakish outcasts to the small-town hicks there, teenage photographer Clive (Kett Turton) and aspiring singer Gypsy (Sara Rue) decide to book it and drive to New York City to compete in the annually held "Night Of 1000 Stevies". "Gypsy 83" isn't really about whether or not she wins the competetion, though. The central focus is on the incredible and oftentimes heartfelt bond between Gypsy and Clive, as well as the conflicts/issues they come across along the way. They're constantly having to defend themselves for being "different" while Clive struggles with his own sexuality and Gypsy tries to understand why her mother abandoned her and her father (a fellow musician) when she was only a little girl...

I found the performances by Kett and Sara to be absolutely spellbinding (these two have real potential in my eyes!). I also thought the guest appearance of Karen Black, who plays a lounge soulstress, rather interesting. I, however, wouldn't go so far as to say this is poetry in motion, but I won't stoop so low as to say this is lame either, as two separate reviewers have claimed. It is simply an average movie, plot wise, yet thoroughly enjoyable--especially for anyone who appreciates the dark, lavish beauty of Gothic culture. The clothes/make-up is fabulous, and the music is killer (get the soundtrack)! Some of my favorite scenes are the ones when Gypsy and Clive are photographing each other in black and white, dancing with their flowy gowns and capes on--or when they're in the cemetery. I particularly loved the shots they did at night with all the candles lit around the tombstones and when Clive was all dressed up like Robert Smith of The Cure, singing and dancing to "Doing The Unstuck".

All in all this is definitely a film at least worth renting. But to me it deems an honerable spot in my DVD collection."

A great flick for girls and their bois

Edge Morbid | Burlington, VT | 12/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How apropos is it that me and my friends happened into a videostore on a blustery night in the middle of a winter storm and picked up this movie. Right of the bat we were expecting a schlocky horrible film but we wanted some gothic eye candy, to go with our pizza and picked it up. Within the first few minuts of the film we were hooked!

Gay boys, sassy dancing, fabulous faghags, fun costumes and of course the iconographic shadow of Stevie Nicks make this a fun movie. We laughed, we felt tense, we got teary it was grand. Some key elements of loving this film are: A love of Gothy goodness,being able to relate to the sacred bond between a gay boy and his girl and all the trials and tribulations that go with it, having ever been labeled the social deviant in a community and striving onwards despite the diversity and a healthy love of drag, Divas, cabaret or just dressing up to party. Every faghag must make their gay boy watch this film with them. Its Fierce!"

A sweet forlorn tale..!

Raven Digitalis | Missoula, MT United States | 11/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I saw this movie the day it got released on DVD. What a great work of art! The acting is good; I wish the actors could have ad-libbed a bit more to make it even more believable.. SO MANY parts of this movie are synonymous with my life; it hit so close to home it's unbelievable. A good message of friendship, love and life.
This film portrays the Gothic scene more accurately than ANY movie out there, in my opinion. It's true to the Scene for the most part, and shows that even Goths are fun-loving, compassionate (and sometimes bitter) people.. It shows a full spectrum.
The film got a bit confusing during the rest stop scene.. None of the viewers knew where everyone was at until watching it a second time; it seems as though a scene was skipped, almost. The HOT gay sex scene most definitely made up for the confusion, though.
This is a beautiful and inspiring movie (and I love Stevie Nicks!), and I would recommend it to anyone! Blessed Be.
~Raven~"

Intelligent, funny and all round entertaining

Mr. James A. Newton | London | 10/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all what a fantastic music score, so brilliant it made me dig out all my old Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac albums - and I can very close to going Goth again for the first time in nearly 15 years!

Essentially the film is about two teenage misfits in small town USA who run off to New York to the 'Night of a 1000 Stevie's'. Where the girl intends to compete in the soundalike competition. On the way they make contact with a variety of other misfits that add some interesting twists to the overal storyline.

The film explores ideas of individuality very accurately - in my opinion. it seems to ask the questions about how far people conform and more importantly why they choose to do so. Neither does the film shy away from recognising that in some situations being different is a conformity in itself - keenly portrayed towards the end of the film during an exchange with two other young men attending the 'Night of 1000 Stevie's'. Importantly it looks at how this sort of non-conformity can be as harsh and excluding as general conformity.

I don't see this as a 'gay film', one of the characters happens to be gay and explores this and what it means to him during the film. What is really good is to see a gay young man not conforming to certain 'idealised' types so prevalent in gay cinema. Kett Turton who plays Clive is somewhat geekish and skinny and is much more represenative of young gay men than the toned, tanned, pretty boys we so often see (see my review of 'Like It Is').

My favourite scene of the film is Sara Rue's rendition of the Stevie Nicks' song 'Talk to Me'. This young woman has a fantastic voice and I hope both her and Kett do very well for themselves. A great film! I so wish British 'gay themed' cinema was as good as this.

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