Details
Movie Description
The movie based on the book by author Randy Shilts that brought the A.I.D.S. epidemic to the public's attention and chronicled the political neglect this devastating disease faced at its onset. Shilts later died of complications brought on by A.I.D.S.
Synopsis
A real-life drama about the tragic, time-consuming battles among government agencies, gay groups and scientists that impeded the discovery of, and research on, the AIDS virus.
Gay leader Bill Kraus is dying -- and no doctor can name the disease that's killing him. All anyone knows is that some epidemic is attacking homosexual men. But rather than get down to serious experimentation and study, the Center for Disease Control stonewalls any effort to prove that the disease is transmitted through the blood; French and American scientists squabble about who should get credit for discovering the virus; and the gay community, sensitive about criticism of their lifestyle, refuses to admit that their own actions could make a difference in the spread of AIDS.
Meanwhile, the death toll mounts... and mounts... and mounts...
Film Notes
Aired on HBO originally in the USA, then on network television.
Released theatrically in Great Britain.
Chuck Workman was the historical montage consultant.
Rated BBFC 12 by the British Board of Film Classification.
Film excerpts from "The Second Epidemic" (1989) and "Midnight Express" (1978) were used in the film.
Additional credits: Karen J. McCabe (San Francisco line producer); Marcia Basichis & Omneya "Nini" Mazen (associate producers), Robert Dawson (title design), Cinema Research Corporation (titles and opticals), and Richard Rothenstein (special consulting).
Randy Shilts, the author of the book on which the miniseries was based, died of AIDS in 1994.
DVD Features:
Region 1
Snap Case
Pan & Scan - 1.33
Industry Reviews
"...Wrenching..." - Recommended
Premiere - p.136 - Josh Rottenberg (05/01/1995)
"...An important, star-studded drama based on Randy Shilts' book of the same name..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Lon Grahnke (09/10/1993)
"...Engrossing..."
USA Today - Mike Clark (02/05/1999)
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