The film Philadelphia marked a turning point in Hollywood history–the moment when mainstream movies could finally tackle the proverbial elephant in the room: AIDS. Said beast had long cast a shadow over Tinseltown when the movie finally hit cinemas in 1993. Celebrities like Rock Hudson had already died of the disease, and the Reagan & Bush White Houses had done their best to ignore the epidemic. It was the crime of the century, writing HIV/AIDS off as a “behavior-based” condition, which allowed it to become an international pandemic which actually hit many more straight people than gay men.
With Philadelphia, Hollywood joined the cry of the LGBTQ community for empathy, with major stars like Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks (who won his first Oscar) appearing in the movie, which became a major hit with audiences and changed the way many people thought about the disease.
Now Coca-Cola has partnered with the noted anti-AIDS charity (Red) to produce a new video recalling that pre-Philadelphia world, the impact of the film, and how American progress since Reagan (yes, even President George W. Bush became a champion in the fight) has helped stem the spread of HIV, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
Featuring interviews with Hanks, Washington and co-star Mary Steenburgen, the emotional short film reminds viewers of one powerful truth: even in the most desperate of times, we can still find hope.
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.
MacAdvisor
Been there, don’t really want to see it again. Having lived through that time, losing friends and colleagues left and right, I am fine with letting it recede into the past for me.
surreal33
Yes I will agree AIDS is not the immediate death sentence it once was. Unfortunately because the disease is now treatable gay men have become complacent. There is a false narrative that because Truvada exists gay men are free to engage in reckless unprotected sex.
Bob LaBlah
What I would like to see is a documentary on the kids who were born with HIV and are now adults. How did they fare during their adolescence? How many of those kids born with HIV are gay? How did they deal with the rejection and such, not being able to play football and such things. Now that would be a change of pace regarding the HIV plague of the 1980’s.
YasherL
Very good questions. I’d watch that.