Soderbergh's new film "too gay" for Hollywood!

[Dax]

Steven Soderbergh's new film, Behind the Candelabra, starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, is set to hit HBO this spring, and according to Soderbergh, speaking at the Television Critics Association press tour over the weekend, the only reason it's not getting a theatrical release is that every studio in town told him it was "too gay"! This despite it costing only $5 million to make, having an Oscar-winning director, and starring two fellow Academy Award-winners, Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. Consider all the recent gay stuff studios release – Milk, Brokeback Mountain, Pitch Perfect, Fast and Furious – and how hot gay-themed projects are generally considered to be these days.

Soderbergh told reporters that he took Candelabra to HBO only after he failed to find studio backing, in spite of the involvement of two major stars and a small $5 million budget. "They said it was too gay. Everybody. This was after Brokeback Mountain, by the way. Which is not as funny as this movie. I was stunned. It made no sense to any of us." Perhaps this contributed to Soderbergh's decision to "retire" once Behind the Candelabra airs this spring, though he says he's glad the project ended up on HBO. "They're great and they're really good at what they do, and ultimately I think more people will see it, and that's all you care about. Studios were going, 'We don't know how to sell it'. They were scared."

Behind the Candelabra is based off the flamboyant entertainer Liberace's autobiographical novel of the same name by Scott Thorson, starting at the time his 18-year-old self became the then 57-year-old's lover, and continuing through his harsh eviction by the musician in favor of a younger guy and the tabloid frenzy that ensued. Douglas stars as Liberace alongside Damon, playing his lover Scott Dorson, and it's this relationship that serves as the main focus for the film. Behind the Candelabra also stars Rob Lowe, Scott Bakula and Dan Aykroyd.

If Sean Penn can wow audiences with his performance as Harvey Milk, and Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhal can both stun the world with Brokeback Mountain, I don't think a Liberace movie is too big of a pill to swallow.

[Spintendo]

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