Desert Hearts (1985)

As promised, we drop a second pride episode to close out what we hope dear listener, was a festive and fortuitous month of June. We hope all of you found your people, and maybe even a little romance as the red hot summer rolls on. Set in 1959 Reno, Nevada, the film unfolds beautifully like a surprisingly compelling paperback romance amidst the backdrop of a desert dude ranch. Cinematographer Robert Elswit pierces the haze of dust and casino smoke that reveals character as the player’s faces become clearer, and screenwriter Natalie Cooper’s dialogue resonates as well-worn, determined, and true. A modest success at the box office, Desert Hearts would find a wider fan base thanks to VHS and home video stores of the 80s. In fact, one could argue that the film’s success, is a big reason for modern lgbtq+ classics that we enjoy today (see our previous episode on “Bros”). Despite many hurdles both artistic and financial, Deitch was committed to telling a story that had never been shown before on film —a positive queer love story, where the characters were no different than people you know in your everyday life, who want the same chance at the brass ring —they want a love of their own. For the right person, that is a gamble worth taking. Episode links: “Desert Hearts at 40” https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/desert-hearts-oral-history-director-cast-lesbian-classic-1235200305/ TBT: Desert Hearts (1985) https://frockflicks.com/tbt-desert-hearts-1985/ Desert Hearts playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4XeiIdZHwk5vabs9h7M223?si=-n-Cn_MbTQq1IFFEbh1eHw&pi=lzyicFMORFKDn More about Google/A24 https://www.indiewire.com/news/analysis/a24-ai-backlash-analysis-1235202507/ Luca Guadagnino’s film “Artificial” and Amazon https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/luca-guadagnino-not-surprised-amazon-dropped-openai-movie-1236632083/