Dr. T: The Gaymer & Film PhD Podcast - Episode 4: Talking Movies w. Bil Antoniou of Bad Gay Movies

Hello! And welcome to episode 4 of my podcast - Dr.T: The Gaymer & Film PhD. On this week's episode, I talk all things movies with Bil Antoniou. Bill co-runs the "Bad Gay Movies" (BGM) and Riviera Rats podcasts. He also writes for That Shelf and has his own Substack! Bil is a prolific cineaste, and you can access the links to all his work here: https://linktr.ee/bilantoniou In this episode, Bil and I meander through the vast, overlapping terrains of cinema and gayness. Topics include, but are not limited to: journeys through the closet; queer childhood; stereotypes; queerbaiting; what makes a good gay movie; what makes a bad gay movie; film education; gay shame; sex and eroticism; voyeurism; transgressive cinema; indie gay films; the HIV/AIDS epidemic; The Wizard of Oz (1939); Howard's End (1992); Showgirls (1995); Beautiful Thing (1995); Stranger by the Lake (2013); Pillion (2025); Pedro Almodovar; Paul Verhoeven; JC Calciano; Jim Fall, Tori Spelling & Trick (1999); and of course Heated Rivalry. Who would have thought a chance encounter on Grindr and summer of fun would have produced a fun podcast episode a decade later? Please do check out Bil's podcasts and writing, and feel free to check out audio-only versions of this interview and more on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon. Links in bio! Content Breakdown: 0:00 - Introducing Bill 1:01 - Rediscovering cinema and old passions 5:04 - Bill's origin story: pursuing acting and birthing BMG (bad gay movies) 8:22 - Why bad gay movies instead of good gay movies? 10:44 - Early childhood gay shame and queer cinephilia 13:54 - A cinephile is born: Bill's favourite movies growing up 16:36 - Bill's IMDB and his soothing voice 19:28 - Bill's favourite gay movies 21:41 - The requisite need for male flesh in gay cinema 23:05 - Sanitizing gay representation and the need for transgressive cinema 25:02 - The AIDS epidemic, stereotypes, and the need for "good gays" 30:51 - Bill's least favourite gay movies (featuring: JC Calciano) 35:07 - Gay representation and saving face in front of conservatives 37:18 - Bill's thoughts on Heated Rivalry 40:59 - The return of (transgressive) queer cinema in 2026 and the mid-level movie 44:00 - Coming out movies as gay ethnography and queer didacticism 48:00 - Queer romance and the teen coming out movies of the mid-90s 50:55 - My chance encounter with Tori Spelling and the status of Trick 2 (TBD) 52:51 - Where people can find Bill 54:42 - Goodbye and until next time! #podcast #gaypodcaster #moviepodcast #queercinema #filmcritic #filmcritique #drtthegaymerphd #cinephile