When I first saw the trailer for The Topp Twin: Untouchable Girls, I knew I definitely wanted to see it. I had no idea what to expect and I'm glad I didn't. It was a pure treat to be at the opening show and to have the stars of the movie pop up on stage and introduce themselves. They were in Seattle promoting a documentary of their lives growing up as twins, lesbians and much more. The movie was released in April of 2009 and has been a huge success.Lynda and Jools Topp have had very interesting and colorful lives. They grew up on a farm in Huntly, New Zealand and started street performing in 1981, as mullet wearing teens. They would sing and dance to street crowds (busking) and have continued performing for 25 years.
They have traveled all over the world performing for their fans and exercising their political voices. In class we read about the oppression a lot of gay and lesbian Hollywood actors and actresses felt, and the years that they had to stay in the closet or have marriages of convenience (AOF Chapter 14 pages 313 and 318). In contrast, the Topp twins were able to come out as lesbians at a young age and continue to be successful entertainers.
Maybe one reason for their success is that they are down-to-earth lesbians with a ton of humor and they bring so much energy to the stage.
From the very beginning I was hooked. It was a fun-filled show and one with a great story line. I enjoyed the way they told the story of their lives as they played a concert for people they knew and loved in a candle lit venue. Along with laughter came tears when the audience learns how sick Jools was with breast cancer. It was an unfortunate part of the movie but one that added a ton of power.
One of the funniest parts of the movie is the very first tour they took when they drove around in a circus trailer drawn by a tractor. They were able to go 12 miles an hour and the whole tour lasted 91 days. It is this scene and real footage from their lives that make this movie a must see.
I loved the confidence that The Topp Twins carry and have carried through out their lives. After covering homosexuality and the discrimination that goes along with it in class, I can only imagine how shocking these twins were to close-minded, old-fashioned folks. But the audience got to know them as performers, personalizing two butch lesbians and forgetting stereotypes -- something we talked about in class as a way to fight oppression. Thanks to these women, many doors have been opened and we are a better world for that.
I hadn't participated or seen any SIFF films before; now I know that if the movies are of this quality, I am a total fan from here on out!
Photos from: Topp Twins-www.rhodo.co.nz/community.html
SIFF photo-http://www.siff.net/
This sounds like a really interesting film, I wish I had seen it. It looked really good from the trailer we watched in class. What was the message of this movie? I mean was it more about them as twins in show business or as lesbians in show business. I bet this would be a great film to watch in class next time Ruth and Rachel teach something gotta give.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with you Becky. I found them very hilarious and down to earth, which you usually do not see in a popular singing group. Usually their are always egos involved but with the Topp twins they have stayed down to earth and I found it to be a wonderful new breath of fresh air.
ReplyDeleteGood question Isaac! My thought is, when they first started performing, they were just the Topp Twins and were known for that. I don't think it was until they got older and came out as lesbians that they understood how they could impact gay rights and other political venues. I think it was then, that they were known as the lesbian, twins that could sing and yodle.
ReplyDeleteYou do a great job of bringing some course concepts to your analysis. I also thought the gender-bending, as they dressed up as Ken and Ken, was a way of pushing people's boundaries by making them laugh and think at the same time. Fun movie!
ReplyDelete