Valentine’s of 1999.
by Donalevan Maines
Love was in the air when OutSmart contributor Steven Foster played Cupid, counting off 15 all-time sexy gay movies, eight for women (Desert Hearts, Go Fish, Fire, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love, The Hunger, Bound, Henry & June, and Wild Things) and seven for men (Maurice, The Living End, Beautiful Thing, Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss, Making Love, Interview with the Vampire, and The Crying Game).
OutSmart also gave readers a Valentine’s Day “making love mix tape,” divided by (1) foreplay (Etta James’ “Embraceable You,” Erykah Badu’s “Next Lifetime,” Rufus Wainwright’s “Barcelona,” Suzanne Vega’s “Caramel,” k.d. lang’s “You’re OK,” Mazzy Star’s “Fade into You,” Eels’ “Efils’ God,” Neil Finn’s “Sinner,” Jeff Buckley’s “Mojo Pin”); (2) the act (“Nothing Lies Still” by Pell Mell, “Lying” by Sam Phillips, “Not an Addict” by K’s Choice, “Kiss” by Lovemongers, “I Just Want Affection” by Toni Childs, “Candy Perfume Girl” by Madonna, “Headache” by Liz Phair, “Dirty High” by Curve, “Sour Times” by Portishead, “Planet Telex” by Radiohead, “Parakeet” by R.E.M., “If You Love Me” by Brownstone, “Anyone Could Happen to Me” by Nation of Abel, “Flowers Become Screens” by Delerium, “Touched” by Vast), then 60 seconds of silence (to catch your breath); and (3) afterglow (Annie Lennox crooning “Stay by Me”).
Just in time for the month of love, artist Michael Petry unveiled a Valentine video, “The History of the World,” projected on frozen sand at Rice University Art Gallery. Each of three couplets were bathed in a singular hue: tender green for a pair of teenage boys, ripe red for two women ages 35 to 40, and heavenly, almost spiritual blue for a heterosexual couple in their 70s.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Community Church of the Resurrection offered a free series on relationships called “Loving,” subtitled “It Takes Heart,” with the Rev. Dwayne Johnson, Rev. Carolyn Mobley, and Rev. Ralph Lasher focusing attendees on relationship foundations, making a commitment, and ground rules for a long-term relationship.
Donalevan Maines also interviews Brad Fraser and Clifford Pugh in this issue of OutSmart.
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