Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin, The

Product Description

THE UNTOLD TALES OF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN examines the life and work of one of the world's most beloved storytellers, following his evolution from a conservative son of the Old South into a gay rights pioneer whose novels have inspired millions to claim their own truth. Jennifer M. Kroot's documentary about the creator of TALES OF THE CITY moves nimbly between playful and poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. With help from his friends (including Neil Gaiman, Laura Linney, Olympia Dukakis, Sir Ian McKellen and Amy Tan) Maupin offers a disarmingly frank look at the journey that took him from the jungles of Vietnam to the bathhouses of 70s San Francisco to the front line of the American culture war.

Review

With candor, humor and poignancy...gorgeous archive footage, photographs and vintage interviews, Kroot s entertaining documentary...[is an] affectionate portrait...of San Francisco as a liberating haven for people who at that time were sexual outsiders. --Hollywood Reporter

Every good movie needs a compelling lead character and a charismatic performer to play the role. Directors Jennifer M. Kroot and Bill Weber found both in Maupin himself, the novelist and journalist who has not only lived a fascinating life but has also developed the dramatic skills to tell that tale entertainingly. --Paste Magazine

Charming ... A celebration of Maupin s career, and a love letter to San Francisco itself, Kroot s film paints a vibrant picture of the lasting impact of his written works. --Cinema Axis

About the Actor

Armistead Maupin was born in Washington, D.C., in 1944 but grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, he served as a naval officer in the Mediterranean and with the River Patrol Force in Vietnam. Maupin worked as a reporter for a newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina, before being assigned to the San Francisco bureau of the Associated Press in 1971. In 1976 he launched his groundbreaking Tales of the City serial in the San Francisco Chronicle. Maupin is the author of nine novels, including the six-volume Tales of the City series, Maybe the Moon, The Night Listener and, most recently, Michael Tolliver Lives. Three miniseries starring Olympia Dukakis and Laura Linney were made from the first three Tales novels. The Night Listener became a feature film starring Robin Williams and Toni Collette. Maupin lives in San Francisco with his husband, Christopher Turner.

About the Director

Director Jennifer M. Kroot, is a seasoned documentary filmmaker. Her most recent feature length documentary, TO BE TAKEI, a portrait of actor/activist George Takei (Star Trek), premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically by Starz Digital in August 2014 to critical acclaim. Her feature documentary IT CAME FROM KUCHAR, following cult filmmaking duo George and Mike Kuchar, premiered at the 2009 South by Southwest Film Festival. She has received grants from the Andy Warhol Foundation, Creative Work Fund, Frameline, the Pacific Pioneer Fund, California Civil Liberties Public Education Program and the Fleishhacker Foundation. Kroot is a Bay Area native and studied film at The San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI), where she now teaches film. She has been a guest lecturer at Stanford and Denver University., ISBN13:B075KN11NW ISBN10:B075KN11NW Material Type:dvd