TWISTED SISTERThere’s no doubt Twisted was an original concept. It’s a gay, disco-reality road movie that proved excessively honest and raw for some; and for others, a shallow showcase that skipped over significant issues without due responsibility.
Cocaine and combination therapy
The aim was to entertain and show how friendship shines a light on life’s grimmer moments. It was never meant to seriously comment on HIV, cancer or medication. All three are very briefly referred to in the film, but it’s this jolly trio that sparked the most debate. Twisted is a brutally truthful depiction of what happens when two party-loving mates are faced with glam travel, a pile of cocaine and a glittering sea of topless boys. These ingredients were hardly going to spawn a movie for young children or churchgoers. As we’re fans of neither, especially when combined, we’re happy to accommodate the freaks, fools and academics who seem to love the film.
As his friend and flatmate, I know Wayne G better than most. My window into Wayne’s world allows a privileged view that other writers couldn’t hope or wish to ponder. In preparation for this interview we drank three bottles of Chardonnay during Bad Girls, then boldly confronted a few issues raised by the film. After contemplating Amanda Barrie’s eye-shadow and Stephanie Beacham’s hair, the world seemed a kinder place and we finally felt ready to tackle some of the deeper topics known to mankind
Hidden in a hat box.
Wayne’s HIV positive status suddenly becomes apparent about halfway through the movie. There’s no fanfare, sympathetic voice-over or moody viola strings for this surprisingly sober moment. Wayne simply talks to camera in a two-part video diary. It should be pointed out these digi-memoirs were originally only intended for personal consumption. We never watched the tapes afterwards and they were hidden in a hatbox and locked in the wine cellar. Had we expected an audience of strangers to contemplate our antics, we might have been a little more guarded.
Not once did we worry about appearances or attempt to sound sexy or clever. So, what made us fling our ill-fitting laundry onto the street? I guess to see who’d pick it up and, more importantly, to experiment with a new artistic medium. We’re great believers in personal development and have tried everything from posing nude for Spencer Tunick to line dancing with bears. Making a movie was just another feather for our cultural boa.
Wayne admits he was unsure about the scenes where he speaks freely about personal health problems. “When the idea was put to me, at first I was apprehensive about my status being released into the big, wide world. The footage in question was recorded at a time when I wasn’t particularly well. I was suffering physically and emotionally.
“I had trouble accepting what was happening with my body and immune system. It wasn’t being discussed by my family, friends or even me, for that matter. After talking about it with my therapist, David Parker, I realised it was necessary to push taboo subjects out there and I felt it might help myself and others to be more open about such subjects.”
A full and frank exchange
Responses were mixed. One reviewer was ‘terrified by the mind-numbing vacuousness of two morons rambling’ while another believed it to be “the funniest and most gripping film” she’d ever witnessed.
For the most part, Wayne has been congratulated by well-wishers and those who relate to his lifestyle and attitude. Many members of the audience have applauded his honesty and were inspired to address secrets in their own lives. Faced with Wayne’s candour, people responded with equal frankness.
The London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival website offers a forum for audience members to pen reviews. One contribution caused pause for thought and prompted lively debate.
‘Cass’ (Mann) wrote: “The lifestyle promoted by this home video fronted by gurners and burn-outs can more accurately be described as a ‘deathstyle’. For how long, do you imagine, could a HIV-positive gay clubber survive such an onslaught of mindless ingestion of highly toxic chemicals of unknown origin and manufacture?”
As Wayne has managed to survive the onslaught of his mindless ingestions, how did he respond?
“Yes, I did recreational drugs while taking combination therapy and while receiving chemotherapy. It did have an impact on my immune system, but I’m still here. I wasn’t promoting that lifestyle, nor am I doing so now. The fact is, many queens who’re HIV positive go out clubbing on a regular basis and take recreational drugs. It happens and will keep on happening whatever anyone says. Calling it a ‘deathstyle’ doesn’t help anyone.”
A chemical vacation
Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness can elicit many responses. Some throw themselves at life with understandable abandon. For some, partying is a chemical vacation from the harsh lessons of a looming mortality. Wayne admits that in the early stages of his diagnosis, such destructive behaviour stemmed from a lack of self-respect. “I felt I was going to die anyway and wanted to see how far I could push myself.”
While making the film, producer and editor Paul Hammacott was keen to present the circumstances without judgement. The result is neither celebratory nor critical of our life on the road. This strictly objective viewpoint is probably why some people find the film hilarious and others deeply offensive. Broadly speaking, disco fiends relate to the material while ‘mirrorball virgins’ tend to be rather horrified.
“It’s been very moving to have people shake my hand and thank me for taking such an honest stance. They’ve enjoyed the film and are relieved to see they’re not alone. For many people, it’s difficult to talk about their status and drug use with either friends or family. It seems Twisted has given people the opportunity to do that.’
This view is supported by an audience member called ‘Phillip’ who posted a message on the LLGFF website. “I had foolishly assumed that HIV+ guys took special care of themselves but my mates, with whom I discussed this issue for the first time ever after the film, assured me I was mistaken and wrong to assume that clubbers changed their practices once they became HIV+ as this was rarely the case. Thank you for opening my eyes to the reality of the way we live today.”
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Humour the best medicine? |
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Wayne swings between frustrated resignation and horribly sick humour when considering the final curtain. On more than one occasion, he’s hurried out of the house only to come crashing back through the door ten minutes later. Asked if he’s forgotten something important, he’ll snap, “No. Not really; only the fucking tablets that are keeping me alive.”
Humour is most definitely the best medicine, regardless of the malady and especially when faced with an uncertain end. He’s threatened to haunt me, drop dead on Christmas day and often promises a chaotic and farcical funeral for everybody concerned. He seems grotesquely soothed by thoughts of high drama at the graveside. On several occasions we’ve expected the worst. After tears and fears, he’s persistently lived to tell the tale and continues to haunt me while still alive. How does it feel to experience a close call only to come out alive and kicking?
“Well, it’s obviously a Godsend. You do feel like you have another chance. You feel like there’s a Lord watching over you. It makes you reassess what you do want with your life and what you’ve done in the past. Sometimes you’ll make changes for the better. Sometimes you’ll continue on the same roundabout you’ve been riding on for the previous few years. It makes you sit back and look at your relationships, lifestyle, sexual behaviour, friendship patterns, fashion choices and most importantly the state of your kitchen.” Wise words, indeed.
Twisted is unlikely to unseat a President or receive a royal seal of approval. It is, however, life as we know it and the only advice we can offer to accompany the film is "Don't try this at home and never wrestle with a chimney sweep".
Stuart Who? is a former contributing editor of QX Magazine, a freelance writer and club DJ.
see http://www.llaff.co.uk for screenings of Twisted in July and August
