Before Stonewall | Rotten Tomatoes

Before Stonewall

1984

1h 27m

Documentary

History

Drama

List

94%

Tomatometer

18 Reviews

78%

Audience Score

500+ Ratings

The riots that followed the arrests at New York City's Stonewall Inn in 1969 are widely considered to be a major development in the history of gay and lesbian rights in America. This documentary investigates national cultural perceptions of homosexuality before the event, looking back on previous decades, particularly in regard to conflicts with police and censorship. In addition to interviews with activists and scholars, the film includes the reflections of renowned writer Allen Ginsberg.

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Andrew Pulver

Guardian

It may sound kind of worthy, but in fact it's an utterly fascinating slice of social history.

Rated: 3/5

May 28, 2020

Full Review

Leah Pickett

Chicago Reader

Join[s] Paris Is Burning (1990) and How to Survive a Plague (2012) in the top tier of documentaries concerning LGBTQ+ history and culture.

Jul 5, 2019

Full Review

Gary Goldstein

Los Angeles Times

"Before Stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community..." remains a vital, well-told, if slightly rough-around-the-edges chronicle of LGBTQ history from the early 20th century to 1969's birth of the modern gay rights movement.

Jun 26, 2019

Full Review

Patricia A. Gozemba

Gay Community News (Boston)

This inspirational film can make all of us enormously proud of our heritage.

Aug 24, 2022

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

They excavate the well-hidden pockets of gay life that existed a century ago or more...

Oct 15, 2020

Full Review

David-Elijah Nahmod

Bay Area Reporter

Co-directors Greta Schiller and Robert Rosenberg do an impressive job of finding people who recall those bygone years with great clarity.

May 28, 2020

Full Review

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Michael

I love the history , how people would meet as opposed to now , We use all Social Media , We Almost dont have to go Out to meet New People

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/28/19

Full Review

paul a

a great recap of underground gay life leading up to the stonewall uprising.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/26/19

Full Review

Eve A

truthful, interesting, fantastic unseen footage. Great research and beautifully presented. The . filmmakers have much to be proud of.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/25/19

Full Review

A Eisenstein

Incredibly important film! I've seen it long ago, multiple times, and it has not lost its relevance - probably more important than ever - and it will continue to be an important document for each new generation to come. It's historically important, a document of many voices no longer with us, and wildly entertaining.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/23/19

Full Review

Audience Member

I saw After Stonewall before seeing Before Stonewall. I don't think it particularly matters. Having this film created in the 80s allows us to get the words of many early activists who are unfortunately no longer with us. It paints what is thankfully becoming more of a sad period in history that has now passed.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

So glad I finally got around to watching this!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

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Greta Schiller

Director

Rita Mae Brown

Narrator

Allen Ginsberg

Actor

Harry Hay

Actor

Frank Kameny

Actor

Audre Lorde

Actor

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Synopsis

The riots that followed the arrests at New York City's Stonewall Inn in 1969 are widely considered to be a major development in the history of gay and lesbian rights in America. This documentary investigates national cultural perceptions of homosexuality before the event, looking back on previous decades, particularly in regard to conflicts with police and censorship. In addition to interviews with activists and scholars, the film includes the reflections of renowned writer Allen Ginsberg.

Director: Greta Schiller
Producer: Robert Rosenberg, John Scagliotti
Production Co: Alternative Media Information Center, Before Stonewall, Inc., Center for the Study of Filmed History
Genre: Documentary, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jun 21, 2019
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.4K
Runtime: 1h 27m

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