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The Cockettes

Play trailer Poster for The Cockettes R Released May 10, 2002 1h 39m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 44 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
In the gay San Francisco of the '70s, a flamboyant ensemble of hippies decked themselves out in gender-bending drag and tons of glitter for a series of legendary midnight shows at the Palace Theater. In their 2 1/2 year existence, The Cockettes created 20 shows, and were featured in 4 films. They created a unique burst of cultural experimentation and artistic outrageousness that continues to influence the worlds of theater, music, fashion, gay politics and spirituality, and urban club life.
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The Cockettes

The Cockettes

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Critics Consensus

Absorbing, fascinating, and finally poignant, The Cockettes provides a colorful, eye-opening view of the counterculture 1960s.

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Critics Reviews

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David Rooney Variety Joyously re-creates the brief but resplendent reign of the legendary freakadelic drag troupe. Jul 6, 2010 Full Review Kimberley Jones Austin Chronicle Maybe it's the old-timey, silent film title cards, or the vaudeville piano tinkering on the score, but The Cockettes produces a yearning wistfulness for another time and place -- specifically, 1970s San Francisco. Mar 10, 2003 Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post Cockettes has the glorious, gaudy benefit of much stock footage of Those Days, featuring all manner of drag queen, bearded lady and lactating hippie. Sep 6, 2002 Full Review Jan Stuart The Advocate The Cockettes is the most celebratory document of sexual transgression since Paris Is Burning. Apr 5, 2022 Full Review Dennis Harvey 48 Hills Not even Woodstock captures the era's sense of wide-open artistic and personal freedom like this indelible chronicle... Oct 15, 2020 Full Review Christopher Borrelli Toledo Blade The effect is to actually bring to life the idealistic spirit of the times, to provide a context more resonant than simply the fashions and the music. Rated: 4/4 Sep 15, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (18) audience reviews
Bahad j This idea of ​​the film shooting technique director made the film more attractive to people. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/20/24 Full Review Audience Member Great movie! My friend Enkhtugs would have loved to be a part of this film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/20/24 Full Review Munkhchimeg T Very creative and good movie. The free spiritual and unboxed movie. Niiice Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/29/24 Full Review Geke g Cinematography is another level Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/29/24 Full Review Audience Member Absolutely LOVED it! bsolutely Amazing documentary. And two of them (Scrumbly and Rumi) are involved with the Thrillpeddlers at the Hypnodrome in SF. Go check em out - www.thrillpeddlers.com Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Fabulous documentary! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

Scratch 94% 93% Scratch Watchlist A Decade Under the Influence 77% 83% A Decade Under the Influence Watchlist Mayor of the Sunset Strip 87% 78% Mayor of the Sunset Strip Watchlist DIG! 89% 90% DIG! Watchlist American Pimp 55% 73% American Pimp Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis In the gay San Francisco of the '70s, a flamboyant ensemble of hippies decked themselves out in gender-bending drag and tons of glitter for a series of legendary midnight shows at the Palace Theater. In their 2 1/2 year existence, The Cockettes created 20 shows, and were featured in 4 films. They created a unique burst of cultural experimentation and artistic outrageousness that continues to influence the worlds of theater, music, fashion, gay politics and spirituality, and urban club life.
Director
Bill Weber, David Weissman
Producer
David Weissman
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Production Co
GranDelusion
Rating
R (Some Language|Drug References|Sexual Content|Nudity)
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 10, 2002, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 4, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA)
$220.1K
Runtime
1h 39m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Surround
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