THE LIVING END
US, 1992, 92 minutes, Colour.
Craig Gilmore, Mark Dytri, Darcy Marta.
Directed by Gregg Araki.
The Living End is a small-budget American film written, produced and directed by Gregg Araki. He calls his film an irresponsible movie. It looks at two HIV-positive men from a gay sensibility. It looks at the gay culture of America in the '80s and '90s and the consequences of AIDS. It explores the theme of the freedom that HIV-infected men might have when there is no further danger to their health. It toys with the idea of suicide and links sex with death. It also resembles in framework the road movies and films like Thelma and Louise.
The film is designed for a gay audience, picturing gay behaviour and issues. However, despite the small budget and the experimental style of the film at times, it went on general release and found a wider audience.
1.Impact of the film? The director's calling it an irresponsible film? How responsible was it in terms of a presentation of the gay culture, people infected by HIV AIDS, the consequences of AIDS?
2.Araki and his work, cinematic skills, perspective? For the gay audience, non-gay audience?
3.The title, the ironies? Death? AIDS and the consequences? The theme of freedom to do one's own thing without restraint? The decision to end one's life when one wills? The resilience of human nature and the will to live?
4.Small budget, cinematic style, sequences as units with fade-outs? The serious tone, the comic tone? The road movies, Thelma and Louise? The spoof elements? Ironic characters and brief appearances, humorous episodes and exaggeration?
5.John, his work as a writer, movie buff, his past relationships, the blunt information that he had AIDS? The effect on him, on his sister? The bond with his sister and brother-in-law? The chance encounter with Luke, picking him up, taking him home, the growing relationship, the possibilities of freedom?
6.Luke, a hustler, using his sexual attractions, being picked up by the lesbians, their taunts, the gun, his warning about snakes - and the irony of the screams from the roadside? The pick-up, the spanking, the ironic humour of the wife coming in and shooting her husband, condemning this bisexuality in the '70s? The chance encounter with John?
7.Their relationship, emotional, sexual? The decision to go on the journey, the driving, the episodes, sexual attraction and behaviour? The discussions about freedom? Not welcome in San Francisco? John and his phone calls to his sister? The tensions, the question of death - and the finale with Luke wanting to kill himself during the sexual act - and his inability to do so? The two isolated in the desert? Future?
8.Darcy, her relationship with her husband, the sexual encounters, his infidelity and confession, her angers, concern about her brother?
9.Themes of sexuality, relationships? Society and the gay subculture? Death?
