I was very young when this film came on television. Let me be very, very honest here: I didn't WANT to watch this film when it came out because I was young....and very misinformed.
At that time, AIDS was a "gay" disease to me. And those who were stricken with it, I believed were not in the circles I was in -- so there wasn't any interest in me watching this film.
Not until I came to understand the hard way that AIDS was not a gay disease - it was a disease without color, sex or shape -- and when this film came on for the second time, I understood it. This film was an important step to me in realizing this -- and right after seeing this for the second time...that's when everyone around me began succumbing to the disease and I had to experience first hand how hospitals, friends, employers, neighbors..families began to act -- just like many scenes in this made for TV film. It is a "made for TV film" which meant in those days - not a whole lot of money to get a story told. But it was done well, the emotions of those effected by this was as close to everyday emotions could get. Questions? You betcha. The acting was just fine -- except for those typical 'movie of the week' moments -- but this subject matter overcame all of that for me. I cared. I learned. I got prepared.
Ground breaking to say the least, one of the most important made for TV films of the 20th century. No, it's not a 'perfect film' but for the mid-80's and now -- an important enough film, a compassionate enough film that shows the early days of one of the most horrible diseases to effect mankind...and how mankind reacts(ed)....
At that time, AIDS was a "gay" disease to me. And those who were stricken with it, I believed were not in the circles I was in -- so there wasn't any interest in me watching this film.
Not until I came to understand the hard way that AIDS was not a gay disease - it was a disease without color, sex or shape -- and when this film came on for the second time, I understood it. This film was an important step to me in realizing this -- and right after seeing this for the second time...that's when everyone around me began succumbing to the disease and I had to experience first hand how hospitals, friends, employers, neighbors..families began to act -- just like many scenes in this made for TV film. It is a "made for TV film" which meant in those days - not a whole lot of money to get a story told. But it was done well, the emotions of those effected by this was as close to everyday emotions could get. Questions? You betcha. The acting was just fine -- except for those typical 'movie of the week' moments -- but this subject matter overcame all of that for me. I cared. I learned. I got prepared.
Ground breaking to say the least, one of the most important made for TV films of the 20th century. No, it's not a 'perfect film' but for the mid-80's and now -- an important enough film, a compassionate enough film that shows the early days of one of the most horrible diseases to effect mankind...and how mankind reacts(ed)....