Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton 2013
Distributed by Big Joy, P.O. Box 2003, Vashon, WA 98070
Produced by Stephen Silha, Eric Slade
Directed by Stephen Silha, Eric Slade
DVD , color, 82 min.
Sr. High - General Adult
Bisexuality, Biography, Experimental Film, Poetry, Popular Culture, Humor, Social Movements, Gay and Lesbian Liberation Movement
Date Entered: 06/26/2014
Reviewed by Brad Eden, Ph.D., Dean of Library Services, Valparaiso UniversityThis DVD chronicles the life of James Broughton, experimental filmmaker and poet, whose films were well ahead of their time. Broughton was a leader of the San Francisco artistic renaissance in the late 1940s, and helped to launch the Beat movement in the late 1950s. His films celebrated sexuality and the body, and were highly influential during the 1960s. Broughton's bisexuality is documented in the film as well, including two marriages with children, as well as a number of gay relationships. The film is a wonderful expression of Broughton's life, his influence on the major liberation movements in the San Francisco area, and his experimental films and humor. Highly recommended for classes discussing innovators and leaders of the gay and lesbian liberation movement in America.