Review of "Small Town Gay Bar"

The DVD does justice to the film by featuring plenty of terrific extras, particularly two hilarious conversations between Ingram and his executive producer Kevin Smith, the latter claiming to love gays “but not in that bi-curious bear way.”

The film features many memorable interviewees, including Rick Gladish, the owner of Shannon, Miss., bar Rumors; Lum Weaver, whose recollections of his murdered brother Scotty are achingly poignant; Butch Graham, former owner of the notoriously decadent Crossroads, whose anything-goes attitude and secluded location made it a scandalous favorite among locals; and, particularly office worker Jim Bishop, who – in his drag persona as "Alicia Stone" – rattles off Small Town Gay Bar's best one-liners.

Also included on the disc is a chat with co-editor Scott Mosier, a commentary by Ingram and “principal technical officer” Scott Tremblay, and a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of Rumors, one of the two bars featured in the film. (One deleted scene that would have been nice to see is the film's original ending, which was changed between its run on the festival circuit and its release on DVD. But this is a minor omission.)

Small Town Gay Bar is a must see, especially if you've got “RFD” in your mailing address, or if you think that Queer as Folk and The L Word are apt representations of the entire gay community.

Duralde is the author of 101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men.