Directed by Rob EpsteinNarrated by Harvey Fierstein
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Premiere date: October 26, 1984
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A devastatingly skillful and emotionally compelling documentary, The Times of Harvey Milk charts the political rise and brutal slaying of the first openly gay city official in the United States, Harvey Milk. Ironically, the same election that brought Milk to the board of city supervisors of San Francisco also elected the man who killed him, a former police officer and fireman named Dan White. After White shot both Mayor George Moscone and Milk, his defense lawyers convinced the jury that White's judgment was impaired by depression and junk food, resulting in a conviction for manslaughter instead of murder - a verdict that prompted riots. With care and conviction, The Times of Harvey Milk captures not only Milk himself, but also the political and social landscape in which these events took place. The interviews - with friends, politicians, and journalists - are articulate and heartfelt, expressing the impact that Milk had upon this historical movement.
Special Jury Prize - Documentary
Grand Jury Prize - Documentary
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1 Academy Award Nomination, 1 Win
Best Documentary Feature
2 comments:
I remember seeing this with Milk when it first came out. Very powerful stuff, and a good companion piece.
The part that Milk really fleshed out for me was Milk's personal life, his romances and friendships. But there's something about the real footage that is just so incredibly moving. I was really pleased that Van Sant included a lot of it in his film.
If anyone is interested, by the way, you can watch the doc over at Hulu. :)
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