The Delta
1996
Memphis
Ira Sachs
Queer Drama
What’s it all about: Hot-blooded teenager Shayne Gray drops off his girlfriend and heads to the cruising area to hook up with strange men after hours. But being up for anything has a different meaning to Thang Chan, a mixed-race Vietnamese man who wants to show him he’s a firework.
First Encounter: first viewing
Prostitute Index: low
Death By: bait ’n switch
Relics: green and white emergency lights on a police car
Hoops: all teens in the 90s are pot smoking emo rock enthusiasts
Heartthrob: Shayne Gray
Pass/Fails the Test of Time: hanging out in parking lots
LoFi Magic: 16mm film; excusing yourself from Sunday supper to release tension in the bathroom
Makes me want to: time travel to the pre-digital 90s and drive around with no phone
Candotti Take: “Pre-mature gay boys, somehow. They don’t know how to deal with their feelings and on top of that they’re gay. The bro is using the gays to satisfy himself. And the other one, he was desperate to be loved.”
Worth a watch/rewatch: Yes
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