The Times of Harvey Milk Director: Robert Epstein Cast: Harvey Fierstein
DVD Learn more
- DVD Release Date: 06/08/2004
- Original Release: 1983
- Rating:
FOR PARENTS
- Common Sense Rates this for Ages: More
Features
Commentary with Rob Epstein, Deborah Hoffmann, Daniel Nicoletta; San Francisco premiere - Castro theatre; Academy awards presentation - 1985; Outtakes featurette: Harvey Speaks Out ; Dan White update; Alternate ending; Rob Epstein and Tom Ammiano at the director's guild Los Angeles; 1st anniversary: Mayor Dianne Feinstein; 25th anniversary events:; The Dan White case revisited; Harry Britt, Harvey Milk's appointed successor; Chris Moscone, George Moscone's son; Stuart Milk, Harvey Milk's nephew; Candlelight Memorial; Filmmakers' photo gallery; Theatrical trailer; Scene selections
Full Product DetailsScene Index
Side #1 -- Disc 1: Featurette
1. The Will Tape [:17]
2. Making of a Leader [2:19]
3. A New Kind of Politics [4:43]
4. Board of Supervisors [5:52]
5. The First Gay Supervisor [3:57]
6. Dan White [4:42]
7. The Issues [1:33]
8. Proposition 6 [6:30]
9. A Victory for Humanity [14:28]
10. White's Resignation [4:01]
11. The Assassinations [4:30]
12. Candlelight March [6:12]
13. The "Twinkie Defense" [6:30]
14. The Verdict [8:03]
15. Dan White's Release [7:52]
16. Closing Credits [2:07]
Editorial Reviews
A documentary portrait of San Francisco's first openly gay politician, city supervisor Harvey Milk, The Times of Harvey Milk might not have been made but for the tragic circumstances of Milk's death. On November 27, 1978, Dan White, a former city supervisor who was desperate to regain his post, entered City Hall with a gun and murdered both San Francisco's mayor, George Moscone, and Milk. At the trial, White's lawyer skillfully turned the jury's attention away from his client's public anti-gay statements to focus on White's spotless record and his extremely agitated mental state on the day of the murders. White was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to a relatively brief jail term, sparking a demonstration and riot by gay supporters of the murdered men. The film considers Milk's accomplishments and his exceptional popularity; this is not an objective look at a man, but a celebration of a martyr. Winner of an Academy award for Best Documentary Feature, The Times of Harvey Milk was released while White was serving his sentence; he was paroled in 1984 and committed suicide the next year. Epstein's other major efforts included the documentaries Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989) (about the AIDS epidemic) and The Celluloid Closet (1995), about images of gay men and women in Hollywood films. Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
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Why We Rated This Appropriate for Ages 14 and UP
What to watch out for
- Language:
Occasional swearing, including "asshole" and "f--k." An interview subject uses the word "fruit" to describe Milk.
- Sex:
Some kissing. Shirtless men dancing in the streets of San Francisco.
- Violence:
Harvey Milk is assassinated. News footage shows cops running though City Hall and ambulances wailing. Some rioting after his death. Nothing gory but certainly upsetting.
- Messages
- Consumerism:
Signage in Castro district shops, including Harvey Milk's camera shop. Mention of Coors beer in the context of a beverage boycott. Logos for TV channels.
What Parents Need to Know
About TheTimes of Harvey Milk
Parents need to know that this documentary provides an unvarnished examination of a despicable act: the assassination of gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk. Though the crime itself isn't shown, the buildup to it and the aftermath could be upsetting for viewers under 12. Teens and adults will find it a thought-provoking piece of history.
© 2010 All Media Guide, LLC