Sordid Lives

A family from a small Texas town must come to grips with the accidental death of the elderly family matriarch during a clandestine meeting in a motel room with her much younger married neighbor. The woman's family must deal with their own demons while preparing for what could be an embarrassing funeral. ==Cast==

Development The film is based on Del Shores's stage play Sordid Lives, inspired by his own coming out experience to his parents. It began playing in Los Angeles on May 11, 1996, and ended 13 months later. The play received 14 Drama-Logue Awards and 13 Critic's Choice honors. After writing the script for the film in 1999, he created his own independent company to produce. It also marks his film directorial debut. Casting Beau Bridges was the first to sign on and gave permission to use his name to help raise funds for the film. Cast that returned from the play include Beth Grant, Leslie Jordan, Rosemary Alexander, Mary-Margaret Lewis, Kirk Geiger, Ann Walker, Mitch Carter, Newell Alexander and Earl H. Bullock. Olivia Newton-John replaced Margot Rose as Bitsy Mae. The role of Noleta, originally portrayed by Patrika Darbo, was replaced by Delta Burke, because of Darbo's commitment to Days of Our Lives. Filming On a production budget of $500,000, It was shot in digital video and transferred to 35mm film, which according to Shores "saved a lot of money on this production". ==Music==

The score was composed by George S. Clinton. The soundtrack was produced by Varèse Sarabande and released by Universal Music Distribution on June 12, 2001. AllMusic gave it a score of two out of five. Track listing ==Release==

Sordid Lives premiered at the Palm Beach International Film Festival on February 4, 2000, and was screened at the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on July 18, 2000. It began an eight-theater limited run in the United States by Regent Entertainment on May 11, 2001. In its opening weekend it made $14,000 and grossed a total of $1.1 million after ending its run on April 20, 2003. Home media The film's DVD was released by Fox Home Entertainment on March 18, 2003, and sold over 300,000 units. ==Reception==

Critical response Ken Eisner of Variety wrote what Sordid Lives does best is "showing Southern gals in the full flight of rabid self-denial — it's as screamingly funny as this subgenre can get". He took issue with Shore's addition of "poignant confessions, gay polemics and heart-tugging family redemption", saying the "high fizz eventually goes flat". He gave praise to the production value and the cast, particularly Bonnie Bedelia. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote "Sordid Lives has its moments here and there, but not nearly enough of them to add up to a satisfying movie. [It] is most likely to be appreciated by Shores fans simply grateful to have one of his plays preserved on film". Wesley Morris of the San Francisco Chronicle described the film quality as a "vaguely underwater look of a sunken sitcom". He ended his review with "[T]he laughs come in all the wrong places when they come at all. Shores took all this from his play, which on the stage must have been like catching a taping of the Springer show on a stupendously off day". Robert K. Elder writing for the Chicago Tribune called it "a train wreck you can't help but watch". The Globe and Mail Rick Groen wrote: "But if the film's flaws are large, so are its laughs. Large and intermittent and unexpected -- they sneak up on you. Just as you're about to give up on the picture, as the erratic tone lurches from bald farce to strained poignancy and back again, a laugh is there again, doing what laughter does bestredeeming Sordid Lives. ==Legacy==

Though not popular with film critics upon release, the film was described as becoming an "unlikely cult hit" and a "cult phenomenon". A 20th anniversary stage play was produced with a new cast and played at Orlando's Parliament House from August 19, 2016, to September 3, 2016. Television prequel series Logo produced and aired Sordid Lives: The Series from July 2008 to October 2008. It consists of 12 episodes and is a prequel to the film. Many of the film's cast returned. However, Caroline Rhea replaced Delta Burke, and Jason Dottley replaced Kirk Geiger as Ty Williamson. Rue McClanahan was added as mother Peggy Ingram. A second season was not ordered due to legalities with producers not paying out residuals to the artists. The crew would later be awarded $2.5 million in unpaid residuals and penalties. Sequel film In June 2014, Del Shores announced that he was working on a sequel to the film titled A Very Sordid Wedding. Beard Collins Shores Productions launched an Indiegogo fundraising campaign to assemble the project and secure investor financing. Original actors Beth Grant and Olivia Newton-John turned down offers to return for the sequel. While Grant's role of Sissy was recast, Newton-John's role of Bitsy Mae was written out of the script. It premiered in Palm Springs, California on March 10, 2017. ==Notes==