Big Eden

Infobox Film
name = Big Eden


caption =
director = Thomas Bezucha
producer =
eproducer =
aproducer =
writer = Thomas Bezucha
starring = Arye Gross
Eric Schweig
Tim DeKay
Louise Fletcher
George Coe
Nan Martin
O'Neal Compton
Corinne Bohrer
Veanne Cox
Douglas Sebern
Parker Livingston
Cody Wayne Meixner
Josie Adams
Mark Twogood
Christopher Kendra
music =
cinematography =
editing =
distributor =
released = 2000
runtime = 118 min (Brazil)
117 min (USA)
country = USA
awards =
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0212815

"Big Eden" (2000) is a gay-themed romantic drama film written and directed by Thomas Bezucha. It won awards from several gay and lesbian film festivals, and was nominated for best limited release film at the GLAAD Media Awards in 2002.

Plot

The film stars Arye Gross as Henry Hart, a successful gay artist from New York City who returns to his Montana hometown to care for his dying grandfather. While at home, Hart is forced to confront his unresolved feelings for high school friend Dean Stewart (Tim DeKay), while simultaneously beginning to fall in love with Pike Dexter (Eric Schweig), the shy Native American owner of the town's general store. A central issue of the plot and dialogue is the notable lack of homophobia.

Cast

*Arye Gross .... Henry Hart
*Eric Schweig .... Pike Dexter
*Tim DeKay .... Dean Stewart
*Louise Fletcher.... Grace Cornwell
*George Coe .... Sam Hart
*Nan Martin .... Widow Thayer
*O'Neal Compton .... Jim Soams
*Corinne Bohrer .... Anna Rudolph
*Veanne Cox .... Mary Margaret Bishop
*Cody Wayne Meixner .... Ben Stewart

Production

The movie was filmed in Montana, mostly in and near Glacier National Park. The schoolhouse is in West Glacier, and the Big Eden houses are on the shore of Lake McDonald. Pike's general store is a building located in Swan Lake, Montana.

Soundtrack

The film combined both classic and contemporary country songs which compliment the film to perfection. Surprisingly, there was no commercially released soundtrack even though these cuts were all secured for use in the movie.

Here's the list of tracks featured in the film:
*George Jones: Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes (LP cut form the 1964 United Artits album 'The Race Is On')
*Dwight Yoakum: A Thousand Miles From Nowhere (1993 Reprise/Warner Bros. single)
*Buck Owens: Together Again (1965 Capitol single)
*Jim Reeves: Welcome To My World (1963 RCA Victor single)
*Skeeter Davis: Optimistic (1961 RCA Victor single)
*Lucinda Williams: Something About What Happens When We Talk (from her 1993 CD 'Sweet Old World')
*George Jones: Achin' Breakin' Heart (1962 Mercury single)
*David Allan Coe: A Sad Country Song (1974 Epic/CBS single)
*Lari White: Wishes (from her 1994 RCA CD "Wishes')
*Dwight Yoakum & Patty Loveless: Send a Message To My Heart (1992 Reprise/Warner Bros. Single)

In addition to these tracks that are or were commercially available, the film featured two performances by a group called Railroad Earth. As of this writing, their versions of 'Cotton-Eyed Joe' and 'Down By the Banks of the Ohio' have not been released for sale or they are out-of-print if they were issued.

Actress Louise Fletcher performs 'Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me' which was recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1949.

Reception

It won awards from several gay and lesbian film festivals, and was nominated for best limited release film at the GLAAD Media Awards in 2002

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0212815|title=Big Eden