Were the World Mine is a 2008 musical film directed by Tom Gustafson. The film is a modern and queer retelling of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It follows Timothy, a gay teenager at an all-boys high school, as he stars in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. While the film is definitely a queer retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, don’t expect perfect parallels if you’re familiar with the show. Characters throughout the movie embody many different roles from the classic play, and several plot points are changed to better fit the setting and overall message of the film.
The film’s aesthetic is a standout feature. The sets and dramatic lighting give the musical scenes a look halfway between Broadway and a rock concert. The costumes are just as whimsical; beautiful lace wings, silver shorts, and body glitter are reminiscent of both musical theatre and queer ballroom culture.
The music is ethereal and pulls many of its lyrics from the original play. Some songs lead to dream like sequences while others are simply sung by characters in their own world. Many of the songs were surprisingly catchy despite their Shakespearean language, combining both musical theatre and rock elements. Overall the soundtrack is amazing and worth a second listen.
The film’s tagline is, “A musical dream come true.” At its heart, Were the World Mine is exactly that. It’s a magical realism musical that gives the audience a queer fantasy of a fixable world. If only we had the power to make others walk a mile in our shoes, we could be accepted. It’s a pleasant escape from reality with enchanting visuals and a surprisingly memorable score. That being said, the film does feature it's share of slurs and mild homophobic violence. If that doesn't bother you and you're a fan of musicals, Shakespeare or gay people, then definitely give it a watch. It’s free to stream with ads on Tubi.
Timothy's Purple Pansy Square
Inspired by Timothy's magical pansy
Materials:
Truboo 100% Rayon from Bamboo Mint (241 yds)
Truboo 100% Rayon from Bamboo Lilac (241 yds)
Liz Metallic Size 20 Thread Silver (155 yds)
Purple metallic beads
4mm crochet hook
Sewing needle(s) for beads and ends
Base (make 1):
Round 1: Begin with Lavender yarn; MR, ch 2, tr 3, dc 3, tr 1, dc 3, tr 3, ch 2, sl st into “MR”
Round 2: sc 17, sl st into “MR”; cut yarn and change to Mint yarn
Round 3: ch 3, hdc 1, sc 1, (hdc 1, ch 1, hdc 1) into same stitch, sc 1, hdc 2, dc 1, (tr 1, ch1, tr 1) into same stitch, tr 1, dc 3, tr 1, (tr 1, ch 1, tr 1) into same stitch, dc 1, hdc 2, sc 2, (hdc 1, ch 1, hdc 1) into same stitch, sc 1, hdc 1, sl st into “ch 3”
Round 4: ch 1, sc 4, (sc 1, ch 1, hdc 1) into space, hdc 8, (hdc 1, ch 1, dc 1) into space, dc 8, (dc 1, ch 1, hdc 1) into space, hdc 8, (hdc 1, ch 1, sc 1) into space, sc 3, sl st to “ch 1”
Round 5: ch 1, sc 5, (sc 1, ch1, hdc 1) into space, hdc 10, (hdc 1, ch 1, dc 1) into space, dc 10, (dc 1, ch 1, hdc 1) into space, hdc 10, (hdc 1, ch 1, sc 1) into space, sc 4, sl st into “ch 1”; cut yarn and change to Silver yarn
Round 6: ch 1, sc 6, (sc 1, ch 1, sc 1) into space, sc 12, (sc 1, ch 1, sc 1) into space, sc 12, (sc 1, ch 1, sc 1) into space, sc 12, (sc 1, ch 1, sc 1) into space, sc 5, sl st into “ch 1,” cut yarn, tie off, weave in ends
Petals (make 3):
Round 1: Begin with Lavender yarn; MR, ch 2, tr 3, dc 3, tr 1, dc 3, tr 3, ch 2, sl st into “MR”
Round 2: sl st in all stitches, cut yarn, tie off, weave in ends
Finishing:
Sew down petals to base. Sew three metallic beads on top. Weave in any loose ends.
Wow, the pattern and the imagery from this film came together perfectly.
This post is very well written and really gives the perspective of what you think about the movie. I like that you also do a pattern to go with the movie you are doing. I have also tried to look for good queer movies to watch and could never find anything good, so this is a very good idea for a blog and interesting.