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Don't Say Gay III

 Today, despite the awfulness in America, we celebrate Emile Ardolino, an out gay director who made "Dirty Dancing" and "Sister Act."


Ardolino grew up in Queens; he wanted to be an actor (because....of course). But Ardolino made his way to a spot behind the camera, and he began filming profiles of choreographers. Three of the profiles won Emmy Awards; seventeen were nominated.

Ardolino jumped to films. "Dirty Dancing" is essentially a musical; it gave us "Hungry Eyes," "She's Like the Wind," and "I've Had the Time of My Life." The last of the three actually won the Academy Award for Best Song. You play it, and I get full-body chills.

A few years later, Ardolino outdid himself with "Sister Act." For me, in childhood, this was like another "Howard Ashman moment": This was like someone was speaking to me directly through the camera. What is my ideal movie? It's Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg doing battle with Oscar winner Maggie Smith--and there are nuns and pop/gospel interludes. Ardolino's screenwriter was the openly gay wunderkind Paul Rudnick. There are three major musical numbers, perhaps to match the three triumphs of "Dirty Dancing." The numbers are: "My God," "Salve Regina," and "I Will Follow Him." And "Salve Regina" taught me the difference between the head voice and the chest voice. ("SWEEEET seraphim!") The song had Whoopi Goldberg shaking her ass while delivering the bass line ("mater amata intemerata")....And it had a doo-wop moment ("Uh-oh-ah-ohhh Maaa-ri-aaaa...")

Ardolino's last major choice was to pair Bette Midler with Sondheim: The film was "Gypsy." The project didn't really work, but who would dismiss this idea? Who would ever say, This is a bad idea?

Ardolino died of AIDS, and no one talks about him now. Attention must be paid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNkFp4rwsc0
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