Michael Douglas to portray Liberace

WHAT???

Oh come on, this is a joke, right? We're being "Punk'd", right?

Where's Ashton???

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by: Louise @ Fri Sep 12, 2008 at 19:05:12 PM CDT

'50s cool Liberace vs. '80s hot pants Liberace

I would rather see a movie about Liberace at his peak in the 1950s.

I used to live very close to his former penthouse home on Beverly Blvd. in Los Angeles (a few blocks from CBS). In fact, I could see the terrace from my apartment's rear windows.

My landlady lived in the building in the '50s and she told stories about watching Frank Sinatra and other major stars performing on the that terrace during lavish parties.

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Fri Sep 12, 2008 at 19:22:00 PM CDT

Eh

whenever all the old ladies that were his fans thought he was straight, which apparently until the end.

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by: onthesea @ Sat Sep 13, 2008 at 01:53:18 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

3 words

direct to video

"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner

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by: peteyPornpig @ Fri Sep 12, 2008 at 19:35:02 PM CDT

yes, because his fans...

Aren't able to get out of the nursing homes to a theater.

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Sat Sep 13, 2008 at 09:44:47 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Cool

"Why does he dress that way?" "That is Hollywood"
"Why does he talk that way?"  "That is Hollywood"
"Why does he wink that way?"  "That is Hollywood"
"He is flamboyant"
Words of wisdom to a child asking questions while watching the Liberace show on B&W TV in the 1950's

Pam,
J'aime ma Peau

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by: Blonde Pam @ Sat Sep 13, 2008 at 00:19:30 AM CDT

Does not get cooler than this...

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Sat Sep 13, 2008 at 01:34:09 AM CDT

I imagine this could be a very interesting story.

Liberace was the great-uncle of a friend of mine. So I've heard a few family stories about him. Although, in general, they're all pretty protective. So I don't know how much info would come from his family.

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by: LesGS @ Sat Sep 13, 2008 at 03:17:47 AM CDT

Liberace was the gay eqivalent

to a tap dancing minstral show.
He was exactly what straight people wanted their gays to be, simpering, sexless, talented, and no threat.

"race, taste. and History finally overcome....and you ain't there"
by Tony Kushner

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by: peteyPornpig @ Sat Sep 13, 2008 at 09:59:35 AM CDT

... and he was closeted to the end ...

... but in his defense, he was a product of his times.  And within the constraints of the culture he lived in during his prime years, he lived a more public, and MUCH gayer life, than most of his contemporaries dared.  And finally, for what it's worth, at least he didn't beat the drum for the loony right like the people we love to hate.  I'm inclined to cut him some slack.

As a Las Vegan, I've been to the Liberace Museum.  It's worth the admission, and from the physical costumes and props he left behind, you get a real sense of just how publicly flamboyant (if not openly gay) he was.  He was definitely daring for the times he lived in.

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by: ExHack @ Sun Sep 14, 2008 at 00:35:54 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Back in 1955, 20 gay men were sentenced to a state mental hospital...

... in northwest Iowa.  The charges which they were convicted were basically "sodomy" or "conspiracy to commit sodomy". The prosecutor had the court declare each of them to be a "criminal sexual psychopath."  They were sentenced to be held "until cured".

At any rate, part of the evidence police used to smoke out suspects was the allegation that a suspect was a "Liberace lover."

If you want allies, you have to be an ally.

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by: dale @ Sun Sep 14, 2008 at 12:14:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Liberace was already the subject of a biopic

It was made for TV, starred Victor Garber and was written by Gavin Lambert.

Michael Douglas is not the first actor who comes to mind when I think of Liberace. Not by a longshot.

Kevin Spacey, definitely, but not Michael Douglas.

Matt Damon has reportedly been tagged to play Scott Thorsen for the film. A much better match-up. Soderbergh's an interesting, if uneven, filmmaker. But I have no idea why he wants to make a Liberace biopic.

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by: David Ehrenstein @ Sat Sep 13, 2008 at 10:54:06 AM CDT

Kevin Spacey

Ah! You're so right.

Spacey would be much better as Liberace than as Bobby Darin (what was he thinking?)

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Sat Sep 13, 2008 at 12:49:10 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Cassius Clay rapping...

...over Liberace's piano playing?  How can you NOT make a movie about that?

I thought someone already made this movie for TV?

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by: AdmNaismith @ Sat Sep 13, 2008 at 20:24:05 PM CDT

They did

It starred Victor Garber and was writtn by Gavin Lambert.  

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by: David Ehrenstein @ Sun Sep 14, 2008 at 09:49:20 AM CDT