Girl Reel

This book took me by surprise. This memoir of Bonnie J. Morris reads like a wonderfully personal recollection of a film fan. Morris recalls the movie palaces of her youth, even discussing which theaters would hassle her about seeing GP movies without her folks present. Her enthusiasm about riding across town to spend an afternoon in the dark comfort of film is something to which I could immediately relate. Morris writes about which films affected her deepest, delving into self-examination at times to see what made her react to the images on the silver screen. This effectively sets the stage for Morris' pubescent awakening. Playing out her teenage awkwardness while attending double features of HAROLD AND MAUDE and THE KING OF HEARTS, Morris describes going to see these films over and over with her "girl gang." She describes the films as a "brilliantly paired tribute to forbidden love between eccentric nonconformists." It's through the movies and through their often distorted reflection of reality that Morris begins to realize and cope with the realization of her sexual orientation. Morris is a lesbian. Luckily, the book doesn't suddenly change gears upon this revelation. Instead, it's another lens through which Morris filters her experiences to the reader. If anything, Morris begins to increase her movie going and provides terrific insight with her reactions to the portrayal of lesbians in mainstream and Art House film. The writing of Girl Reel is captivating. I devoured this 167-page book with vigor. By combining three of my favorite subjects; personal experience, film going, and women's studies, Girl Reel was a pleasant surprise, indeed! ISBN: 1566890942

As a recent graduate of the "notorious" Carolina Friends School, I appreciate Ms. Morris' detailed description of our little "Commie school in the woods." I have had the opportunity to see her speak on my occasions at my school and I wholeheartedly recommend any work by her. Read this and you are in for a treat

There is really no other book out there like this one-a rock and roll tour of women in the films and TV shows of the past three decades. I watched the same movies as Morris growing up. Reading her funny and insightful analyses of such pics as The Rose and Julia and Rocky Horror Picture show is way better than spending twenty bucks to go see Battleship Earth or Mission Impossible II. This book shows how far cinema has NOT come. So skip the cineplex and plop down in the Queen Anne chair instead, with Girl Reel and a bag of Jiffy Pop, and enjoy the show!