The first 4 photos are just a taste of the off the wall costumes that the infamous Topp Twins wear on stage for their nothing but anti-normative performances. At first I had mixed feelings about this movie, I liked it but at the same time I didn't. Though once I thought more about the impact, intent, and path this movie took my opinion changed and i came to enjoy it.
The Topp Twins are a pair of Twins (Jools & Lynda) from New Zealand raised as just your everyday farm girls. As they aged they both identified as lesbians, and used their music to start a revolution in New Zealand and help promote same-sex couples rights [specifying on including lesbians with homosexual men in any rights, laws, etc that get written]. They're big break was back in the 1980's and the movie shows that without them, gay AND LESBIAN rights in New Zealand wouldn't have been recognized as soon as they were; who knows how long it would've taken the parliment to start recognizing the problems.
Though due to their serious efforts in fighting for their rights along with their outrageous outfits and typically comedic material they stretched outside the island of New Zealand and became internationally known. When they started they didn't really dress out of the ordinary [during the 80's] but then later decided to make their musical performances more than just any typical performance, so they then added in characters; that's right CHARACTERS, not just costumes. The twins didn't just have crazy costumes but funny characters each with a different personality to go with the costume.
These women will go down in history because of what they did for their, present, and future LGBTQ generations. And the best thing about them is they didn't JUST fight the man hand in hand with their music, they added in costumes and turned their movement into a comedy act while still getting their general point made.
*first photo http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/93040508.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D0F9A4C7BC9FC3D81B87CF30FFDE87024E7C84E4F3FE7D276CE30A760B0D811297
*second photo http://www.odt.co.nz/files/story/2009/04/jools_left_and_linda_topp_s_well_loved_cast_of_cha_1637841086.JPG
*third photo http://www.yourmovies.com.au/static/media/x300/250496_249887_2009_topp_twins_002_1_.jpg
*fourth photo http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2009/11/19/1225799/773335-the-topp-twins.jpg
*fifth photo http://www.christchurchmusic.org.nz/files/u776/Picture_2_3.png
I loved this movie. When I headed to see it, I had no idea how much I was going to enjoy it. Needless to say, I was pleased by the outcome and feel blessed to know who these two women are. I am a somewhat activist for a few different things, but these two put me to shame. I hope their power and impact continues for generations to come.
ReplyDeleteYeah when I saw it I wasn't really a fan of it, but then I thought about the movie more and realized they're some epic ass women and that their story is actually really great. Like I don't know exactly how to explain why I didn't like it at the time I saw the movie, but I just wasn't feelin it. But once I was thinking about what to write in my blog and doing more background research on them, I realized that I actually did like the movie. Haha :]
ReplyDeleteI didn't get a chance to see this movie. I didn't really realize from the trailer that they actually helped change gay and lesbian rights in parliament in New Zealand through their talents. I think it shows how much of an impact media and entertainment really have on people. So much that they were able to get their point of equal rights out through media and enmtertainment.
ReplyDeleteNick -
ReplyDeleteI am glad that the film made you think after you watched it. I wish that you would have tied this blog to the readings and course concepts a little more. There was a lot in this film about fighting unilaterally against oppression. There was also a lot about using camp as a tool of critique.
- Ruth