Sordid Lives
Encyclopedia
Sordid Lives was a 2000 independent film
, written and directed by Del Shores
. The movie is based on Shores' play of the same name and includes elements of his life, according to the director's DVD commentary. The film was followed by the 2008 television series Sordid Lives: The Series
.
The original stage play premiered in Los Angeles
on May 11, 1996 and ultimately won 14 Drama League Award
s. The film met with mixed reviews from mainstream audiences but became a cult classic
with LGBT
fans, particularly in the South
. The movie tells the story of a Texas family coming together in the aftermath of the matriarch's death. To keep the stories going, Viacom
's new premium station Logo
greenlit twelve episodes of Sordid Lives: The Series. The television version begins at a point before that covered in the film, providing a chance to cast Rue McClanahan
as the mother, Peggy Ingram. Much of the film cast returned, including Leslie Jordan
and Olivia Newton-John
. Delta Burke
was replaced with Caroline Rhea
, while the part of Ty Williamson, formerly played by Kirk Geiger, is now portrayed by director Del Shores
' husband Jason Dottley. Dottley has been on the national tour of the stage production of Sordid Lives since September 2007.
The television series began airing in July 2008. It ended after one season.
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
, written and directed by Del Shores
Del Shores
Del Shores is an American film director and producer, television writer and producer, playwright and actor.-Biography:...
. The movie is based on Shores' play of the same name and includes elements of his life, according to the director's DVD commentary. The film was followed by the 2008 television series Sordid Lives: The Series
Sordid Lives: The Series
Sordid Lives: The Series is an American television series created, written, and directed by Del Shores and acts as a prequel to 2000 film Sordid Lives, also by Shores, self-described as a "Black comedy about white trash"...
.
The original stage play premiered in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on May 11, 1996 and ultimately won 14 Drama League Award
Drama League Award
The Drama League Awards, created in 1935, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing...
s. The film met with mixed reviews from mainstream audiences but became a cult classic
Cult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
with LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
fans, particularly in the South
Deep South
The Deep South is a descriptive category of the cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the pre-Civil War period...
. The movie tells the story of a Texas family coming together in the aftermath of the matriarch's death. To keep the stories going, Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
's new premium station Logo
Logo (TV channel)
Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...
greenlit twelve episodes of Sordid Lives: The Series. The television version begins at a point before that covered in the film, providing a chance to cast Rue McClanahan
Rue McClanahan
Rue McClanahan was an American actress, best known for her roles on television as Vivian Harmon on Maude, Fran Crowley on Mama's Family, and Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1987.-Early life:McClanahan was born Eddie Rue...
as the mother, Peggy Ingram. Much of the film cast returned, including Leslie Jordan
Leslie Jordan
Leslie Allen Jordan is an American actor and playwright.- Early life and career :Hailing from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and at a height of 4 ft 11 in , Jordan has made numerous appearances in both film and television...
and Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
. Delta Burke
Delta Burke
Delta Ramona Leah Burke is an American television and film actress. Her television work includes a leading role as Suzanne Sugarbaker in the CBS sitcom Designing Women...
was replaced with Caroline Rhea
Caroline Rhea
Caroline Gilchrist Rhea is a Canadian stand-up comedian and actress who was the original host of the reality television show The Biggest Loser on NBC until she was replaced by Alison Sweeney after the end of the third season...
, while the part of Ty Williamson, formerly played by Kirk Geiger, is now portrayed by director Del Shores
Del Shores
Del Shores is an American film director and producer, television writer and producer, playwright and actor.-Biography:...
' husband Jason Dottley. Dottley has been on the national tour of the stage production of Sordid Lives since September 2007.
The television series began airing in July 2008. It ended after one season.
Synopsis
A colorful family from a small Texas town must come to grips with the accidental death of the elderly family matriarch during a clandestine meeting in a seedy motel room with her much younger, married neighbor. The woman's family must deal with their own demons while preparing for what could be an embarrassing funeral.Cast and characters
| Actor | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A local singer with "a reputation" who is a close friend of Peggy's. | ||
| Jason Dottley |
The son of Latrelle, Ty is a closeted 20-something gay man who left behind the small Southern Baptist town in Texas and moved to West Hollywood to become an actor. | |
| Wardell's short-term memory friend and regular patron (a/k/a 'the town drunk') of Bubba's Bar. | ||
| G.W.'s friend and the object of Brother Boy's affection. | ||
| David Steen |
Noleta's unfaithful husband, who feels responsible for Peggy's death. | |
| David Cowgill |
Bubba's brother who is scarred for life by a pig-bloating incident. | |
| Peggy's much younger sister, and aunt to Brother Boy, LaVonda and Litrelle. Sissy just wants to stop smoking. | ||
| Caroline Rhea Caroline Rhea Caroline Gilchrist Rhea is a Canadian stand-up comedian and actress who was the original host of the reality television show The Biggest Loser on NBC until she was replaced by Alison Sweeney after the end of the third season... |
Sissy's next-door neighbor, the distraught wife of G.W. Nethercott and best friend to LaVonda. | |
| A fan of the women of country music, Brother Boy has been institutionalized for 23 years by his parents for being a cross-dressing homosexual. | ||
| Bumper | The security guard at the mental institution that taunts Brother Boy. | |
| Ty's mother, who is primarily concerned with keeping up appearances. Latrelle wants to persuade her sister LaVonda and Aunt Sissy not to bury her mother, Peggy in a mink stole in Texas during the summer. | ||
| Ty's deranged ex-girlfriend who is obsessed that they are meant to be together. | ||
| Peggy's eldest daughter, a free spirit who is also Noleta's best friend. | ||
| Ethel | Brother Boy's confidant and best friend at the mental institution. | |
| "Doctor Evil" wants to de-homosexualize Brother Boy so she can write a book, appear on the Oprah television show and quit her psychiatrist job at the mental institution. | ||
| Rue McClanahan Rue McClanahan Rue McClanahan was an American actress, best known for her roles on television as Vivian Harmon on Maude, Fran Crowley on Mama's Family, and Blanche Devereaux on The Golden Girls, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1987.-Early life:McClanahan was born Eddie Rue... |
The recently deceased sister of Sissy Hickey and mother of Latrelle, LaVonda and Earl "Brother Boy". |
Soundtrack
- Sordid Lives - Olivia Newton-John
- Opening - George S. Clinton
- Trash Talk - Delta Burke & Beth Grant
- Better A Painful Ending, Than An Endless Pain - Bobbie Eakes with the Doo Wah Riders
- Blue Country - George S. Clinton
- Tallywhacker Talk - Kirk Geiger, Bonnie Bedelia, Beth Grant
- Truth Talk - Bonnie Bedelia, Ann Walker, Beth Grant
- Will The Circle Be Unbroken - Olivia Newton-John
- Ty's Theme - George S. Clinton
- Someone To Grow Young With - Kacey Jones
- No Fault Love - Kacey Jones
- S**t Talk - Beau Bridges, Earl H. Bullock
- Get Off The Cross, We Need The Wood - J. Scott Jones with the Doo Wah Riders
- Cheatin' - Newell Alexander
- Break Out Talk - Newell Alexander, Leslie Jordan, Rosemary Alexander, Mitch Carter, Mary Margaret Lewis
- Please Don't Be Gay - Sharron Alexis
- Mother Son Talk - Kirk Geiger, Bonnie Bedelia
- Coming Home - Olivia Newton-John
- In Daddy's Eyes - George S. Clinton
- Tex Mex - George S. Clinton
- Funeral Talk - Olivia Newton-John
- Just As I Am - Olivia Newton-John
- Transvestite Talk - Ann Walker, Beth Grant, Bonnie Bedelia, Kirk Geiger, Beau Bridges, Leslie Jordan, Olivia Newton-John
- Just As I Am (conclusion) - Olivia Newton-John
- Mama Talk - Leslie Jordan
- Sordid Lives (reprise) - Olivia Newton-John
- Trust Yourself - Olivia Newton-John
External links
at Regent Releasing- Review at DVD Future