Jennifer M. Kroot’s documentary about the creator of Tales of the City moves nimbly between playful and poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. With help from his friend, Maupin offers a disarmingly frank look at the journey that took him from the jungles of Vietnam to the bathhouses of 70s San Francisco to the front line of the American culture war. Featuring Laura Linney, Ian McKellen, Olympia Dukakis, Neil Gaiman, Margaret Cho, Jonathan Groff and Amy Tan.
Critics praised The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin, with a 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter writes, “With candor, humor and poignancy, Kroot's entertaining documentary depicts an artist who continued to seek his bigoted father's approval even as he embraced a life as a proud gay man that his parents could never condone.” Andy Webster of The New York Times notes, “this fond documentary portrait... makes it clear that Mr. Maupin’s mastery of assorted perspectives is his gift.”
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin will be available on DVD December 5 in the United States and will have it’s broadcast premiere January 1, 2018 on PBS Independent Lens. The documentary can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com and WolfeVideo.com today.
