HBO's 'The Normal Heart': Your Thoughts

[FindingNamo]

I'm thinking you might want to design said course.

[PalJoey]

Crossed out addresses for my friend Reed. The last one was never crossed out:


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55 Perry St. Apt. 3C

3340 South Arbor Dr. West Linn OR

118-16 Chandler Blvd. #7, N. Hwd CA

Sherman Oaks Comm. Hospital, Rm. 310
4929 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks CA 91403

[SNAFU]

This thread is living history. There are just so many stories of bravery in the face of terror, of a community coming together when no one else would help. Can't tell you how many Mom's I took out to coffee after their visits with their dying sons who they never knew were gay or what fabulous friends they had. Even took a couple to AA meetings.

[FindingNamo]

What the gay men and their allies did was unprecedented in the history of medical disasters.

PJ, my (occasionally faulty) memory tells me the first Rolodex we see in the film was a Perry Street address.

[jimmycurry01]

I found the film to be quite powerful and very moving. I think it serves as a very important reminder to us all of a very dark and frightening time in our history. I thought the cast did an outstanding job. I have to say that I did not find Mark Ruffalo's character to be too likeable. I thought he did a great job embodying Ned Weeks. I also think I liked Julia Roberts performance a bit more than Joanna Gleason's performance in the 2004 revival, though I admit I did not see the latter performance by legitimate means. I truly hope that this reaches the huge audience that deserves and needs to see it.

[PalJoey]

It was. But the movie uses a fake address--Perry Street only goes to 160 or 170 something and the address in the movie was 200 something, which would have been beyond the piers and into the Hudson.

Reed was at 55 Perry, at the corner of West 4th.

[dramamama611]

First, a humbling thank you to all that have shared their personal rememberances in this thread.

I thought there was much to appreiciate in this telling of The Normal Heart. I wonder, if Ruffalo's tamed down Ned was more of a directorial thing. I could see Ryan Murphy wanting to make Ned more likeable and more misunderstood/wronged. Of course, that's one of the beautiful things about the play, Kramer doesn't seem to mind showing his less than pleasant side.

I was much more moved, however, by the revival. That, too, may be because that was my first experience SEEING the play performed.

[SNAFU]

Dramamama, I think The Normal Heart does play better on stage. It is very didactic with long monologues which do not always work on film. I went to the Public's revival about 6 times and brought younger gay friends with me. Friends who were born after the onslaught. Think of Krammer, what you will, yes he is an overbearing assh*le and he will be the very first to admit it. With The Normal Heart he has given us a Gay History lesson that hopefully reach those discovering their sexuality today.
Was it Edmund White who lamented the fact that young gays tend not to have a sense of Gay history? I think it the upmost importance for Gay men and women to learn of our shared past.

[FindingNamo]

I will always think of Kramer what I will and I will be grateful to whomever had enough control in the making of the film to shoot the sex scenes and cruising scenes beautifully and without the theme from Jaws or Psycho aim the background, which I think would be Kramer's preference.

[SNAFU]

Ha, yeah! point taken!

[Idiot]

I came out exactly then and exactly there and this film devastated me for many reasons. I love a good cry -- I'm good for the next couple of years now.

[madbrian]

In addition to the story and the emotional impact of the movie, I appreciate the historical lesson for my daughters (ages 27, 23, 1. They've grown up with gay friends, and to them marriage equality was always a matter of 'when'. So, it's shocking for them to see how this country acted only thirty years ago.

[east side story]

Nothing could ever match the intense reaction I had to the last revival.

It is a fine film, and is sure to rack up plenty of Emmy nominations soon enough. Second only to Murphy's direction, I was most worried about Julia. While she was wildly out of her depth in August: Osage County, I found her to be quite good here. Some of her line readings can make me cringe, but this was her best performance since Erin Brockovich.

[songanddanceman2]

I love the play and I loved the film. I think everyone involved has handled it with fantastic integrity to the play and the subject matter. All the cast did a stunning job, Matt Bomer and Jim Parsons stood out for me, it was nice to see Parsons role beefed up a bit as well. Very impressed and whilst I don't live in the US it sure hit home about the impact here in the UK and how so many in my circle of friends are positive. It's strange to say but I'm thankful they are living with HIV today rather than back then (of course I would rather they did not have it all)

[DramaTeach]

So interesting to hear everyone's takes on the play vs. the movie and their own personal connections to it. Personally, I thought they did a beautiful job and Matt Bomer was heartbreaking. Has anyone heard anything about ratings? Wondering how it did and hoping people were tuned in.

[CurtainsUpat8]

I moved to NYC in 1981. I came here to be an actor and a singer. Like many others, I had several friends pass away quickly. I still have the address books with the names and addresses. I personally went into a deep depression for several years. I was sexually a prude, and that probably saved my life. But I was scared. Really scared. Frozen for many years because of AIDS. I saw Angels in America on Broadway, the first half. I could never bring myself to see the second half. Years later I watched Angels on HBO. I still couldn't bring myself to watch the second half. I have never seen The Normal Heart on stage. I didn't think I could sit through it. Last night I was alone and decided to watch The Normal Heart. I sobbed throughout. I was shattered all over again, and like Harvey F. I felt the ghosts of tens of people in the room with me. I did get through it though, and I am glad I watched. I thought the performances were wonderful. I loved Mark Ruffalo, I loved Jim Parsons and Joe Mantello. And everyone in the cast. I loved Julia Roberts. I don't have any stage performance to compare it with. I can imagine what it was like in the theatre, but I am grateful this movie was made. I think it was important. Jim Parsons speech at the funeral was perhaps what hit home for me. His character was me, only instead of being paralyzed with fear like I was, he was doing something. I wish I had been stronger... And smarter for 22 years old.

[Kad]

When my roommate and I saw the revival on Easter Sunday, we were both so devastated we could not speak to each other. We just went home and went to bed. Not a word was spoken until the next day.

I thought the film was very good. I was not devastated. But I was moved greatly.

I have to say, Kramer did an extremely good job at adapting his script for the screen.

But the material is visceral and, I think, loses something when it is not seen live.

[PalJoey]

CurtainsUpat8--don't beat yourself up for having survived a plague. We were all frozen with fear. Paul Rudnick wrote his play Jeffrey about it.

You survived.

But what you have to do now is watch the second half of Angels in America. The second half is what it's all about. Here's a spoiler but watch it NOW:

http://youtu.be/cwnzBCH68FE

[CurtainsUpat8]

Thanks Pal Joey. I know "Jeffery". It takes a humorous look at the subject matter.

I appreciate the advice, and I know you are right, but I don't think I could ever be the same as I was before AIDS. I'm much better that's for sure. I don't want to give you the impression I am a basket case walking around. But the movie did bring back a lot of those emotions.

Thank you again. I am so glad there is finally a thread on this board where people are kind to each other. lol.

[FindingNamo]

^^ We had similar experiences at similar ages.

And I too hope you get the chance to see a really good production of Perestroika someday. It is totally worth it.

I am so glad there is finally a thread on this board where people are kind to each other.

Historically speaking, it happens a lot around here, more than people notice. PARTICULARLY when the topic of the AIDS epidemic is brought up.

I've been thinking about the movie all day. I think the changes in the script and the Ned character make for a better and more satisfying drama. It pushes the needle more toward the artistic and away from the jeremiad.

[Play Esq.]

Just watched the film, and loved it.

I do understand the narrative structure would have been easier to understand had the viewer seen the play first.

[uncageg]

Since I don't have HBO I didn't see it.

I did see it on Broadway. I was devastated to the point of collapsing in tears across the street from the Golden Theater. I left the theater feeling sad, proud and uplifted at the same time. I lived through it all. I got my best friend in the world the best care available at the time when he was diagnosed. He passed away in 1993. The play just hit me very hard and I am not sure the movie will impact me the same way. But I will see it at some point.

[adamgreer]

Just watched the film, and overall I enjoyed it greatly.

Of course, it doesn't pack the same punch as seeing it live onstage, but I expected that. The most recent revival remains (for me) the most visceral, cathartic, experience I've ever had in a theater. Never before, and not since, have I left a theater in such a mixed state of shock, rage, and anger, while at the same time being profoundly moved by the performances of Joe Mantello, Ellen Barkin, John Benjamin Hickey, Lee Pace, and Jim Parsons.

I thought the film cast did a fine job overall, though nothing will be able to top my memories of seeing those actors onstage. Ruffalo gives an admirable performance as Ned, though I agree he seemed too likeable. I don't think he was angry enough or showed enough rage. He wasn't able to take the character to the places Mantello did, but again, I enjoyed him overall.

Speaking of Mantello, you can see flashes of his brilliant Ned in his scenes in this film. Likewise, I think Jim Parsons only got better since the revival.

If there was a misstep I thought it came from Julia Roberts, who I was enjoying up until her "big scene." I don't think she got angry enough. That's the scene where Emma's frustration finally boils over and she loses it. I got none of that from Julia Roberts. The "you are all idiots!" line, which was such an important finish to Barkin's speech, is little more than a throwaway here.

But these are quibbles. Overall, I remained profoundly moved by the piece and am proud of HBO for getting it made. I was a very young child when all of this was happening in the 80's, so I don't have the same personal connection that PalJoey and others do, but this piece has always been profoundly important to me. It made me proud to be a part of this community, and it's certainly helped me understand the struggle the gay community has undergone for recognition.

[FindingNamo]

Seriously, that is not the finish line.

But that's a quibble too.

[ucjrdude902]

Anyone know where I can catch it if I don't have HBO? Or if there are plans for it to be available online?

[FindingNamo]

Maybe you could ask somebody you know who has HBO to let you have their HBO TO GO pass info?