The Cockettes (2002)

From the vibrant heart of San Francisco circa 1969 to 1972, blossomed an unparalleled spectacle of extravagant flamboyance, the Cockettes. Bathed in the heady glow of LSD and a revolutionary disregard for gender norms, this ragtag troupe of audacious hippies painted the town in bold, defiant colors, their performances a riotous fusion of unscripted hilarity and gaudy costumes. Unveiling their singular brilliance at the Palace Theater on a memorable New Year's Eve, the Cockettes were born, their journey documented in this enchanting film by Weissman and Weber. Over the course of two and a half tumultuous years, the Cockettes birthed 20 unforgettable shows, their titles as quirky as their content – from "A Crab on Uranus Means You're Loved" to "Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma". Not limiting themselves to the stage, they also sashayed their way into four underground films, their vibrant charisma undeniably infectious. This lively chronicle is punctuated with the arrival of genuine talents like Divine and Sylvester, whose soulful crooning added another layer to the Cockettes' allure. The narrative ebbs and flows with the troupe's trajectory, from the whimsical leadership of Hibiscus who later departed to form the Angels of Light, to the ecstatic reviews by Rex Reed that propelled them to an Off-Broadway gig in New York. However, it was in the Big Apple that the Cockettes' shimmering West Coast revelry met the stoic skepticism of the East, a cultural clash that marked the beginning of the end for this extraordinary group. Yet, even in their denouement, the Cockettes' indomitable spirit endured, their survivors continuing to radiate joy in the face of loss from drugs and AIDS. "The Cockettes" invites you to peek behind the curtain at a time of uninhibited creativity and audacious self-expression, a vibrant snapshot of a group that dared to push boundaries and redefine norms. Dive into this captivating film; you'll have to see for yourself what happens when the Cockettes take center stage.

The Cockettes is a documentary movie featuring Jackie Curtis and directed by Bill Weber.

The Cockettes is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy and it's also available on Fandor, Fandor Amazon Channel, Hoopla and realeyz.

It is also possible to buy The Cockettes on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu and YouTube.