When UK director Oliver Parker directed a film version of Oscar Wilde’s famous (and only) novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, he made sure to add some extra scenes of gay kissing and sex between Dorian and his portrait painter Basil Hallward. The Harvard University Press has basically followed suit by publishing a new edition of Wilde’s novel that restores all the good homogay parts that originally got edited out by Wilde’s delicate Victorian editor. But just how steamy does this un-bowdlerized version get?
While the original version published in 1891 had Basil express his affection for young Dorian thus—”From the moment I met you, your personality had the most extraordinary influence over me.”—the new version restores Basil’s full-on declaration of love in all its loquacious gayness:
It is quite true I have worshipped you with far more romance of feeling than a man should ever give to a friend. Somehow I have never loved a woman…. From the moment I met you, your personality had the most extraordinary influence over me…. I adored you madly, extravagantly, absurdly. I was jealous of everyone to whom you spoke. I wanted to have you all to myself. I was only happy when I was with you.
The new version also restores a line where Dorian totally gets cruised by some random piece of street meat:
A man with curious eyes had suddenly peered into his face, and then dogged him with stealthy footsteps, passing and repassing him many times.
In its previous censored form, the book was already pretty gay (something it could hardly help by virtue of being written by a rentboy-loving theater queen). In it, three faggy men basically hang out all the time discussing art and theater. Dorian’s satanic mentor Lord Henry takes great delight in corrupting Dorian’s moral fiber by exposing him to theater, carousing, and other sensual delights. At the end, Dorian is said to have defiled many boys and girls and his portrait bears hints of syphilitic carbuncles. Why Dorian, you filthy slut. We can’t wait to see what you look like with your Victorian clothes removed!
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Vatican Lokey
As far as Oscar Wilde is concerned, I am happy to see his original manuscript reproduced as he intended. Bravo to Harvard University Press for publishing Wilde’s original manuscript.
greybat
Hear, hear!
NativeNYker
Wilde’s literature is genius & the remake is gay but gaye still it could’ve been given whats is addressed in the novel.