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The Cockettes

Play trailer Poster for The Cockettes R 2002 1h 39m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 43 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
In the gay San Francisco of the '70s, a flamboyant ensemble of hippies decked themselves out in gender-bending drag and tons of glitter for a series of legendary midnight shows at the Palace Theater. In their 2 1/2 year existence, The Cockettes created 20 shows, and were featured in 4 films. They created a unique burst of cultural experimentation and artistic outrageousness that continues to influence the worlds of theater, music, fashion, gay politics and spirituality, and urban club life.
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The Cockettes

The Cockettes

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Critics Consensus

Absorbing, fascinating, and finally poignant, The Cockettes provides a colorful, eye-opening view of the counterculture 1960s.

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Critics Reviews

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David Rooney Variety 07/06/2010
Joyously re-creates the brief but resplendent reign of the legendary freakadelic drag troupe. Go to Full Review Kimberley Jones Austin Chronicle 03/10/2003
Maybe it's the old-timey, silent film title cards, or the vaudeville piano tinkering on the score, but The Cockettes produces a yearning wistfulness for another time and place -- specifically, 1970s San Francisco. Go to Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post 09/06/2002
Cockettes has the glorious, gaudy benefit of much stock footage of Those Days, featuring all manner of drag queen, bearded lady and lactating hippie. Go to Full Review Jan Stuart The Advocate 04/05/2022
The Cockettes is the most celebratory document of sexual transgression since Paris Is Burning. Go to Full Review Dennis Harvey 48 Hills 10/15/2020
Not even Woodstock captures the era's sense of wide-open artistic and personal freedom like this indelible chronicle... Go to Full Review Christopher Borrelli Toledo Blade 09/15/2020
4/4
The effect is to actually bring to life the idealistic spirit of the times, to provide a context more resonant than simply the fashions and the music. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Bahad j @RT27093708 08/20/2024 This idea of ​​the film shooting technique director made the film more attractive to people. See more Kae T @RT28472826 08/20/2024 Great movie! My friend Enkhtugs would have loved to be a part of this film. See more Munkhchimeg T @RT64187897 07/29/2024 Very creative and good movie. The free spiritual and unboxed movie. Niiice See more Geke g @RT40239519 07/29/2024 Cinematography is another level See more 05/03/2011 Absolutely LOVED it! bsolutely Amazing documentary. And two of them (Scrumbly and Rumi) are involved with the Thrillpeddlers at the Hypnodrome in SF. Go check em out - www.thrillpeddlers.com See more 08/16/2009 Fabulous documentary! See more Read all reviews
The Cockettes

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Cast & Crew

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Bill Weber

Director

David Weissman

Director

Rumi

Actor

Anton Dunnigan

Actor

Anton Koldewyn

Actor

Dusty Dawn

Actor

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The Cockettes

The Cockettes (2002) The Cockettes (2002) The Cockettes (2002) Scene from the film THE COCKETTES. Scene from the film THE COCKETTES. Scene from the film THE COCKETTES. THE COCKETTES (Goldie Glitters and Dusty Dawn in "Pearls Over Shanghai"). THE COCKETTES (Hibiscus of The Cockettes). View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In the gay San Francisco of the '70s, a flamboyant ensemble of hippies decked themselves out in gender-bending drag and tons of glitter for a series of legendary midnight shows at the Palace Theater. In their 2 1/2 year existence, The Cockettes created 20 shows, and were featured in 4 films. They created a unique burst of cultural experimentation and artistic outrageousness that continues to influence the worlds of theater, music, fashion, gay politics and spirituality, and urban club life.
Director
Bill Weber, David Weissman
Producer
David Weissman
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Production Co
GranDelusion
Rating
R (Some Language|Drug References|Sexual Content|Nudity)
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 10, 2002, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 4, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA)
$220.1K
Runtime
1h 39m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Surround