Twisted (1996 film)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Twister (1996 film).
Twisted
Directed by Seth Michael Donsky
Produced by Adrian Agromonte (producer)
Bernard Arbit, Barry Witz, Mark Weiner (executive producer)
Written by Seth Michael Donsky
Music by Q. Lazzarus
Cinematography Hernan Toro
Editing by Tom McArdle
Distributed by Leisure Time Features
Release dates 1997
Running time 100 mins
Country United States
Language English
Budget $150,000 (estimated)

Twisted is a film written and directed by Seth Michael Donsky. His debut film, it was released in 1997. The film, a Don Quixote and Miravista Films production, is a retelling of Charles Dickens' classic novel Oliver Twist set in a New York City contemporary underground populated by drag queens, drug abusers and hustlers. The film was an official selection and debuted in 1997 at the 47th Berlin International Film Festival, and was also screened as an official selection at the Seattle International Film Festival. Donsky's film was made prior to Jacob Tierney's similar film Twist, starring American actor Nick Stahl.

Synopsis

William Hickey stars as Andre, the lecherous brothel owner that trades in young men. Exploiting his young charges through paternalism and drugs, Andre sets his sights on Lee (Keivyn McNeil Graves), a ten-year-old, black, runaway orphan. Through Andre, Lee quickly becomes immersed in New York's sleazy underbelly of drug dealers and street hustlers. The boy's only hope for survival is the aspiring songwriter Angel (David Norona), himself a former hustler and drug dealer. Angel befriends Lee and rescues him from the wiles of Andre's cohort Fine Art (Jean Loup Wolfman), who attempts to profit on Lee's tender age. Eventually, Andre's petty empire is vanquished by Shiniqua (Billy Porter), a powerfully wise and glamorous drag queen whose fiercely maternal spirit is every bit the match for the depraved denizens of the brothel.[1]

Cast

  • Keivyn McNeill Graves .... Lee, black runaway orphan
  • William Hickey .... Andre, brothel owner
  • Anthony Crivello .... Eddie, drug dealer
  • David Noroña .... Angel, Eddie's boyfriend
  • Billy Porter .... Shiniqua, drag queen and Angel's friend
  • Jean Loup Wolfman .... Arthur 'Fine Art', a hustler
  • Ray Aranha .... Black Can Man
  • Elizabeth Franz .... Mrs. Bundrass, social Worker
  • Simon Brook .... Undercover Cop
  • Erik Jensen .... Punk
  • Brenda Pressley .... Mrs. Burns, Lee's foster mother
  • Eugene Byrd .... Willus, Mrs. Burns' son
  • Keisha Howard .... Laylene, Willus Burn's girlfriend
  • Lynn Tanner ... Celine Holland, a district attorney
  • Kelly Coyle ... Arthur's Girlfriend
  • Rose Baum Senerchia ... Andre's Mother
  • Angelo Berkowitz ... Brothel Boy
  • Giovanni Giaconi ... Taxi driver
  • Ross Haines ... Arresting Officer

Awards

The film was an official selection at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Seattle International Film Festival. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York screened Twisted and granted the director an honorarium for his work

  • The film won the Audience Prize at the 12th Turin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
  • It also won "Best Feature" at the Ottawa Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

References

  1. ↑ TLA Video's Twisted page

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.