This film is part of Rentals

A Bit of Scarlet
Mapping how British film and TV depicts the gay and lesbian lifestyle, Andrea Weiss raids the archives for her funny and persuasive documentary.
Director: Andrea Weiss
Overview
Billed as 'a kind of post-modern queer soap opera for Britain', Andrea Weiss' documentary tells a sharp story. She evaluates the way gay and lesbian people have been depicted in mainstream British film and television. Using clips to illustrate, she moves from Basil Rathbone's Sherlock Holmes to the modern era via St Trinian's, Dirk Bogarde and the Carry-On films. Narrated by Sir Ian McKellen.
Related

Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other
Documentary 100 mins Director: Manon Ouimet and Jacob Perlmutter
A creative artist couple navigate love and ageing in this brave, fascinating documentary.

Dust & Metal Dust & Metal
Documentary 2022 82 mins Director: Esther Johnson
Discover unfamiliar histories of Vietnam through Esther Johnsonβs poetic documentary on the countryβs love affair with the motorbike.

Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound
Documentary 2024 91 mins Director: Antony Crook
Celestial sonic odyssey charting the cult Scottish bandβs expansive career from the mid-90s to their tenth studio album written during lockdown.

Twiggy Twiggy
Documentary 2024 94 mins Director: Sadie Frost
International supermodel, actor, singer and one of the most iconic British figures β this is the real story of Twiggy.

Ernest Cole: Lost and Found Ernest Cole: Lost and Found
Documentary 2024 107 mins Director: Raoul Peck
Raoul Peckβs sorrowful portrait of Ernest Cole, the first photographer to expose the horrors of apartheid to the world.

The Rubber-Keyed Wonder The Rubber-Keyed Wonder
Documentary 2024 141 mins Director: Anthony Caulfield and Nicola Caulfield
If you are a fan of the ZX Spectrum, grew up in the 80s or 90s or just love video games then this film is for you!

Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words
Documentary 2015 114 mins Director: Stig BjΓΆrkman
An illuminating portrait of the pioneering actress, crafted from her unique personal archive of home-movie footage, letters and diary extracts.

The Lovers & the Despot The Lovers & the Despot
Documentary 2016 98 mins Director: Ross Adam and Rob Cannan
Discover one of cinemaβs strangest stories: a film director and his star are kidnapped by Kim Jong-il to make movies in the worldβs weirdest state.

A Fuller Life A Fuller Life
Documentary 2013 80 mins Director: Samantha Fuller
James Franco leads the eulogies in this profile of the larger-than-life filmmaker Samuel Fuller, who also had eventful stints as a journalist and serviceman.

Hitchcock/Truffaut Hitchcock/Truffaut
Documentary 2015 80 mins Director: Kent Jones
Kent Jonesβ excellent documentary about a historic encounter between two cinema greats.

Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach
Documentary 2016 94 mins Director: Louise Osmond
Louise Osmond's funny, provocative and revealing account of the life and career of one of Britainβs most celebrated and controversial filmmakers.

Eisenstein in Guanajuato Eisenstein in Guanajuato
Biopic 2015 106 mins Director: Peter Greenaway
One of Britainβs most inventive filmmakers tackles the story of arguably the most influential filmmaker in cinema history, Sergei Eisenstein.

The Critic The Critic
Thriller 2023 101 mins Director: Anand Tucker
Ian McKellen is in delicious form as London's most vicious critic, who strikes a Faustian pact with a struggling actor (Gemma Arterton).

Mr. Holmes Mr. Holmes
Crime 2015 104 mins Director: Bill Condon
Ian McKellen plays the august detective, now a 93-year-old whose principle case is trying to unravel the mysteries of his own past.

Scandal Scandal
Drama 1989 114 mins Director: Michael Caton-Jones
A fictionalised account of the 1963 βProfumo Affairβ that rocked the government of British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. Starring John Hurt, Joanne Whalley, Bridget Fonda, Ian McKellen and Leslie Phillips.

Walter and June Walter and June
Drama 1983 65 mins Director: Stephen Frears
Ian McKellen and Stephen Frears reunite for the sequel to their TV play Walter. The titular character (McKellen) meets a young mother (Sarah Miles) who is suicidally depressed; the two support one another to cope with life in a closed institution.

Walter Walter
Drama 1982 73 mins Director: Stephen Frears
Ian McKellen stars in Stephen Frears' TV play as Walter, a man with learning difficulties who's put in an institution after the death of his mother.

50 Years Legal 50 Years Legal
Documentary 2017 77 mins Director: Simon Napier-Bell
Five decades on from the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality, a range of LGBTQ+ stars (including Sir Elton John and Stephen Fry) reflect on Britain's history of prejudice, persecution and liberation.

Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other Two Strangers Trying Not to Kill Each Other
Documentary 100 mins Director: Manon Ouimet and Jacob Perlmutter
A creative artist couple navigate love and ageing in this brave, fascinating documentary.

The Last Showgirl The Last Showgirl
Drama 2024 89 mins Director: Gia Coppola
Golden Globe-nominated Pamela Anderson is enchanting as the Las Vegas showgirl whose stage show is set to close.

Dust & Metal Dust & Metal
Documentary 2022 82 mins Director: Esther Johnson
Discover unfamiliar histories of Vietnam through Esther Johnsonβs poetic documentary on the countryβs love affair with the motorbike.

Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound
Documentary 2024 91 mins Director: Antony Crook
Celestial sonic odyssey charting the cult Scottish bandβs expansive career from the mid-90s to their tenth studio album written during lockdown.

Flow Flow
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2024 85 mins Director: Gints Zilbalodis
Oscar-winning animated adventure about an unlikely group of animals who must work together to survive a natural disaster.

Invasion Invasion
Science Fiction 1966 79 mins Director: Alan Bridges
An alien fugitive, injured in a road accident, pitches up at a rural hospital. But when two intergallactic pursuers arrive, things start to heat up...