Pride and Musicals : A Study of Queer Musical Films

Abstract

This thesis explores the queer representation in musical movies. The study analyzes six musical movies: Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), Rocketman (2019), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), The Big Gay Musical (2009), Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2021), and Were the World Mine (2008). The movies are grouped under three themes which form the chapters: queer rock icons, symbolism, and the life of queer students. The first theme, queer rock icons, examines how Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman represent queer musicians Freddie Mercury and Elton John. The analysis explores how these movies present the musicians' queer identities and how their queerness informed their music. The second theme is symbolism in queer musical movies and it focuses on Hedwig and the Angry Inch and The Big Gay Musical. These movies use symbolism to explore queer identity and the challenges faced by the queer community. The thesis examines how these movies use music and other symbols to convey their messages. The final theme, the life of queer students, analyzes Everybody's Talking About Jamie and Were the World Mine. These movies explore the experiences of queer students in high school and college. The study examines how these movies represent the challenges and opportunities faced by queer students, as well as the role of music in their lives. Overall, this thesis contributes to the understanding of queer representation in musical movies. The study shows how these movies use music, symbolism, and narrative to explore the experiences of queer individuals and communities. By analyzing these movies under different themes, the thesis tries to contribute to the literature on how musical films contribute to queer pride and representation