And the Band Played On (1993)

Directed by

Roger Spottiswoode

Genre

docudrama, LGBTQ-related film

Country

United States

Runtime

2h 21m

Rated

AL

Rating

6.5 of 10 from 112 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This film follows a CDC epidemiologist as he investigates the early HIV/AIDS outbreak. He faces government apathy, scientific disputes, and industry resistance while trying to understand and stop the disease.

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What happens

And the Band Played On is a 1993 American television film docudrama directed by Roger Spottiswoode from a teleplay by Arnold Schulman, adapted from Randy Shilts's 1987 non-fiction book of the same name. Chronicling the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, the film follows CDC epidemiologist Don Francis as he investigates the emerging disease amid bureaucratic indifference, scientific rivalry, and resistance from the blood industry, alongside San Francisco activist Bill Kraus's efforts to protect the gay community. The film features a large ensemble cast including Matthew Modine, Alan Alda, Ian McKellen, Richard Gere, Anjelica Huston, Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, Phil Collins, Glenne Headly, Swoosie Kurtz, Richard Masur, Saul Rubinek, Charles Martin Smith, and BD Wong. Produced by Spelling Entertainment for HBO Pictures, the film premiered at the Montreal World Film Festival on September 2, 1993, ahead of its television broadcast on HBO on September 11, 1993. It was later released theatrically in several countries and aired on NBC in 1994 with a parental discretion warning. The project had a lengthy and troubled development history, with Schulman rewriting the script over several years through multiple changes of director. The film received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its ambition and emotional weight while noting that condensing Shilts's lengthy book led to uneven pacing. It holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on early reviews. At the 46th Primetime Emmy Awards, the film won the Outstanding Made for Television Movie award among numerous other nominations, and it later received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Miniseries or Television Film. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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