The Matthew Shepard Story

The characters in this movie all did a tremendous job. The two who played his parents are among my favorite actors, and they did a magnificent job with the movie. I had never heard of Shane Meier, but he does an excellent job too. It was a very sad time in American history that they are depicting here, and hopefully the country has moved on past this sort of thing, although gay-bashing does still happen in some areas. Psychologists are virtually unanimous in stating that most gay-bashers are doing it because they have the tendency to be gay and are resentful of those who actively pursue their sexuality openly. I have no doubt that the assailants were of that variety, but there are also many sick people in our society who revel in hurting people just for the sick pleasure of hurting people. It seems obvious to me that Matthew Shepard was an idealist, not a realist, and he felt that the world should be the way he wanted it to be, and wouldn't face the fact that life isn't always the way we want it to be. He was a "performer" as one of my friends puts it, and very bad at judging situations. I feel that he was asking for trouble in Morocco and it wasn't surprising that he got it. When you go to a foreign country, you have to take into account the mores and values of that society. When you openly flaunt things which they don't like bad things can happen to you. In Wyoming, he was foolish enough to get into a car with people he didn't know, and that alone tells me that his judgement was faulty. Most parents tell their children not to get into a car with strangers and I have no doubt that Matthew Shepard's parents did that too. It doesn't pay to take risks that are unwarranted. All in all this is avery good movie.

I loved it. It didn't seem much like a TV movie. I cried inside while watching it but I thought it was amazingly well done. Superlative acting. I like especially how strong Stockard Channing is - she never crosses the borderline into hysteria. Sam Waterston is at his usual best. Shane Meier is not that well-known but he should be, he's a very good actor. I was a bit apprehensive about buying this for some reason but not being one to judge books by covers, I did it and am really, really glad I did. Shane plays Matthew as a really straight gay guy and I think that worked well. The scenes with Matthew and Pablo are great - a love scene woulda been cool but maybe it wasn't so integral to the plot? I really liked the lesbian chick who became friends with Matthew, who was played by a very good actress who wasn't too butch. Hopefully the world has become a bit better off because of this film and because of the Matthew Shepard Story and the Foundation in his name. I wish it didn't take death to instigate and motivate change. The passage of a few more generations is all it will take, I hope and pray. "You've got to be carefully taught, before it's too late, to hate all the people that your parents hate." One day that quotation won't apply. Anyhow, I won't get off on a diatribe. Although I'm gay, I never watched any films like this, or any gay films at all, until recently and this was one of the first ones I bought to add to my collection. I'm glad I did. Oh by the way, if you liked this film and are just now getting into gay films like I am (at the time I wrote this), you should see "Bridegroom", a much more recent feature-length documentary, that tackles different subject matter about gay guys.

Very good movie to watch if you are not accepting of same sex love. What happened to Mathew Shepard is tragic and disgusting! The one who killed him should die in prison. Do not judge others because of who they give their heart to. God bless his mother who made her son’s death mean something and the father for finally accepting who his son truly was.

I've watched this film a few times before, but never owned it until now. I have a special connection to Matthew that I can't explain. I have so much compassion for him and his family although I'm not sure I could've been as merciful towards the bigoted killers. Listen to what Dennis/Sam Waterston says at his closing statement concerning the plea bargain, that shows how I feel about the case.I was also impressed with how Stockard Channing played Judy, she was very convincing and compassionate, and I commended Shane Meier for his portrayal of Matthew. The beating, and the scenes with that stupid hate-monger of a preacher and his clan of bigots make me furious even now. To this day, being almost 30 years old, I can't understand why we have to tolerate homophobia. That bonehead Rev. Phelps and his team need to be shut down before they get someone killed, or indirectly cause more gay suicides. Freedom of speech is important, but what happened to respect for the dead? Hollywood is coming around, but society is dragging its feet, although I've been openly accepted by most of my friends/family in my home town. Matthew, I think would be impressed with how much his legacy has changed close-minded people, unless of course you're Fred Phelps or one of his ilk. I commend Judy Shepard for what she's trying to do as well. I've said it before, and here it comes again-why did it take a young innocent boy being slaugthered to make close-minded people realize that homophobia is just as wrong as being racist? Weird analogy, I know, but to me, prejudice is hatred no matter how you swing it. As for the Bible, I do believe in God, but I also believe that even if he doesn't agree with the lifestyle, he's looking down on Rev.Phelps and his team with disgust. God loves everyone-but he doesn't always agree with what we do.

Magnífica película la recomiendo, la única pega es que no incluyeran audio en español. Pero por lo demás muy contento con la compra

His Mother and Father's speech to the Judge

The film packs an emotional punch that hits more widely than the facts it works with. The facts deal with the brutal beating of Matthew Shepard, which leads to his death. His being gay played a role in this attack; therefore the attack is approached as a hate crime. As Wyoming, Matthew's home state, did not have legislation about hate crimes at the time, this particular case became an important reason to write new relevant laws. The major section of the film deals with the court case of one of the attackers, Aaron McKinney, and focuses on the response of Matthew's parents. Amongst all the factors making this an ordeal for them, they have to discuss the possibility of a plea bargain by the accused which will sentence him to life in prison, not death. Through flashbacks Matthew's growing up is explored, as well as his relationship with his parents and friends. These friends support the parents in a stunning visual display at the court case to soften the impact of protesters loudly claiming that Matthew as gay man was sinful. Anyone who sympathises with victims of physical attacks, whether "simply" a crime or motivated by hate and discrimination, will respond to the emotions portrayed. The film is a strong cry to everyone to eliminate hate crimes of all kinds from our society - in that sense it is healing as well, as it forces one to think of how to respond to this despicable deed of senseless murder. At long last the film is released on DVD - it is high time that it reaches the DVD audience.

Im Gegensatz zu "The Laramie Project" illustriert dieser Film auch Szenen und Stationen aus Matthews Leben. Die eigentliche Filmhandlung beginnt auch hier lange nach Matthews Tod und begleitet die Zerrissenheit von Matthews Eltern im Verlaufe der Gerichtsprozesse - wobei der Film wichtige Phasen aus Matthews Leben erklärend und unterstreichend als Rückblicke einbindet. Die Geschichte um die für Matthews Eltern zermürbende Zeit der Prozesse mischt sich mit der "eigentlichen" Geschichte von Matthew und seinem vernichteten Leben. Der Zuschauer wird damit fast unmerklich doppelt "gequält" von allem denkbaren Gefühlsspektrum zwischen Liebe und Hass, zwischen Hilflosigkeit und Hoffnung. So ergriffen die "lebens-mutigen" Worte von Dennis Shepard am Ende des Prozesses einen auch aus dem Film entlassen: man darf nie vergessen, dass es hier um einen Menschen geht, der heute wohl lieber *leben* würde, als tote "Ikone oder Märtyrer" zu sein ... Absolut sehenswerter Film!!

This is a clear telling of the events in Laramie surrounding the murder of Matthew Shepard. It is a very moving account.