Glen or Glenda? (1953/Legend Films DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: D Extras: C Film: C+
Glen is
regular guy, he works hard and is in love and soon to be married, but he has a
secret: he is happiest when he Glenda, dressed as a woman. What should he do? Can he tell his lovely, perfect bride
something that could destroy their happy future? How can a woman love a man who wants to be a
woman himself? As he contemplates his
problem, he takes a look at past cases of when a person believe they are of the
opposite gender, the social stigmata, rejection and norms in Ed Wood’s 1953
camp classic Glen Or Glenda?
Glen (also
played by Ed Wood) is a man, but he prefers to be his female alter ego, Glenda.
Like so many men who prefer to wear
woman's clothing, they face the problem of stepping out to society. Unfortunately, society has never been known
for understanding but more for rejecting those who are outside of social norms. Transvestite, cross-dressing, hermaphrodites,
sex change, drag queens have often been mistaken and lumped in with
trans-gender, gay and lesbian, but they have all been considered fetishes,
taboos, or a blight on society. Often,
they have been met with rejection, hate, or even suicide, it is not so
surprising why some try and keep it a secret... but in the end is it possible
for them to find a happily-ever-after?
The film Glen and Glenda was made as both a
documentary and drama film, back in the ‘50s it was considered as an cult film
and even one of the worst films ever. It
explores the differences between men who were born different and men who just
want to dress different, nature vs. nurture, but still while the story of Glen
and Glenda was fiction, the facts were true in how even in modern times there
are those who consider cross-dressing to be a mental illness or psychological
dis-function. It does shows
trans-genderism is not something new or recent, but society still has issues
with it.
Extras
include the horrible-looking colorized version and trailers, while the Dolby
Digital 2.0 Mono sound really shows its age.
- Ricky Chiang
