David Drake Movies
- 2008
Intrigued by the transformation his country went through following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., American filmmaker Roland Tec ponders what became of "The Land of the Free" through telling the stories of a country still stuck in a state of post-catastrophic anxiety. Comprised of 13 vignettes (each set in a different state of the republic), We Pedal Uphill explores the common threads that tie us together, as well as the divisive factors that drive us apart. From the Mississippi mother who fears that her outspoken son will meet the same grim end as his later father to the man who drives 12 hours to thank another for saving his life and the librarian who returns for work following a mysterious three-month absence, Tec's stories draw inspiration from actual headlines in order to offer a contemplative snapshot of a country at odds with itself. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Richard Bell directed this short independent drama about two brothers trying to patch up the holes in their relationship, while coming to terms with their personal differences. One brother has moved away from home rather than confront his family with the fact that he's gay; he eventually has a reunion with his older brother, who ran away from home years before, with no explanation regarding where he went and why. Two Brothers has been released on home video as part of a compilation called Two Brothers and Two Others, in which the film is paired up with two gay-themed short subjects, Birthday Time and Cruise Control. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2001
A diamond dealer is kidnapped in broad daylight, with the assailants leaving two dead men -- a jeweler and a banker -- in their wake. The detectives' subsequent investigation leads to a family-controlled "diamond dynasty," which in turn is linked with a civil war in a faraway country. Originally scheduled to air October 17, 2001, this episode was moved forward to October 24. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
- Add The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me to QueueAdd The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me to top of Queue
Tim Kirkman updates David Drake's seminal early '90s one man show about AIDS and growing up gay. Drake, who hasn't staged his work for seven years previous to this release, reprises his role. This film was screened at the 2000 Outfest Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Drake
In this independent comedy, David Searching (Anthony Rapp) is a would-be documentary filmmaker trying to get a project off the ground. In the meantime, David (who is gay) is looking for love, willing to settle for sex, and searching for some sort of answers in life. He shares his apartment with his good friend Gwen (Camryn Manheim), who doesn't see any reason why her weight problem should prevent her from attracting good-looking men. David and Gwen both go through a number of blind dates and chance meetings as they hope to find the man of their dreams, while David, looking at the world through his video camera, tries to deal with the complexities of funding his latest project and the labyrinth that is PBS. Playwrights John Cameron Mitchell and David Drake appear in supporting roles. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
At the time of its release, Jonathan Demme's Philadelphia was the first big-budget Hollywood film to tackle the medical, political, and social issues of AIDS. Tom Hanks, in his first Academy Award-winning performance, plays Andrew Beckett, a talented lawyer at a stodgy Philadelphia law firm. The homosexual Andrew has contracted AIDS but fears informing his firm about the disease. The firm's senior partner, Charles Wheeler (Jason Robards), assigns Andrew a case involving their most important client. Andrew begins diligently working on the case, but soon the lesions associated with AIDS are visible on his face. Wheeler abruptly removes Andrew from the case and fires him from the firm. Andrew believes he has been fired because of his illness and plans to fight the firm in court. But because of the firm's reputation, no lawyer in Philadelphia will risk handling his case. In desperation, Andrew hires Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), a black lawyer who advertises on television, mainly handling personal injury cases. Miller dislikes homosexuals but agrees to take the case for the money and exposure. As Miller prepares for the courtroom battle against one of the law firm's key litigators, Belinda Conine (Mary Steenburgen), Miller begins to realize the discrimination practiced against Andrew is no different from the discrimination Miller himself has to battle against. The cast also includes Antonio Banderas as Andrew's partner, Joanne Woodward as Andrew's mother, and Stephanie Roth as Joe's wife. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, (more)
- 1992
Lucy Neven (Blanche Baker), a popular TV soap-opera actress, is nearly beaten to death. The main suspect is Jesse Unger (Bradley White), Neven's obsessive "biggest fan." Unger's defense attorney tries to get his client off the hook with a plea of temporary insanity -- and, much to the dismay of assistant D.A. Stone, it looks as though the strategy will succeed. Future West Wing co-star Allison Janney can be seen in the supporting role of Nora. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
At the time of Longtime Companion's release in 1990, the devastating disease of AIDS was seen as a mysterious and deadly scourge, replete with rumors, lies, and panic. As the first narrative film to examine the AIDS epidemic, screenwriter Craig Lucas and director Norman René place the disease in an historical context, dramatizing the impact of the disease through time in a series of vignettes involving seven gay men. AIDS first made its presence felt surreptitiously, as an article in The New York Times reported on a rare cancer attacking gay men called Karposi's syndrome. Then the Village Voice began a series of in-depth articles concerning a "gay plague" which later became known as AIDS. The film follows the AIDS crisis through the lives of the seven main characters so that they are only aware of AIDS in the historical framework of each episode. The characters include former gay couple Willy (Campbell Scott) and John (Dermot Mulroney), first seen partying at a Fire Island club, who don't pay much attention to the mysterious article in The New York Times but become intimately effected by the disease. There is also Sean (Mark Lamos), a soap opera writer whose mind is slowly deteriorating because of the disease, and his supportive friend David (Bruce Davidson). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruce Davison, Campbell Scott, (more)
A '55 Chevy takes on a '70 GTO in a race across the Southwest in Monte Hellman's cult favorite. The Driver (James Taylor) and the Mechanic (Dennis Wilson) phlegmatically slouch from race to race, pitting their gray Chevy against any and all gearheads in order to make money for gas and food. They and the tag-along Girl (Laurie Bird) meet their match in "Oh Maybelline" fan GTO (Warren Oates), and they all set off on a cross-country race to Washington D.C., with the winner getting the loser's car. But it isn't the end that really counts; it is the process of getting there, as the Girl's fickleness forces the Driver to decide what matters more: endless races or her. Shot on location from a spare script by Rudolph Wurlitzer and Will Corry, Two-Lane Blacktop was trumpeted as the "film of the year" in Esquire magazine before its release. It bombed, and disputes over music rights kept it from home video until 1999, but repertory and TV screenings have gained it an avid following for its automotive detail, flashes of authentic idiosyncrasy, and artfully abstract examination of the urge to forge ahead, whether or not there is anywhere to go. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Taylor, Warren Oates, (more)
