Images in the Dark: An Encyclopedia of Gay and Lesbian Film and Video.

Images in the Dark is a resourceful catalog of films and videos that incorporate queer involvement or investment and are of general interest to the gay and lesbian community. In the introduction, Raymond Murray states that he "aspired to make this the first comprehensive compilation on the contribution of queers to the art and commerce of filmmaking." By recognizing and incorporating independent film and videomakers, in addition to listing commercial productions, Images in the Dark offers access to titles and people working in the field, some of which may only be known through festival circuits and may otherwise go unrecognized.

Functioning as an encyclopedia of information specific to certain areas of interest rather than a traditional alphabetical listing of titles, the chapters are divided on the premise of either the participation or representation of gays and lesbians in the cinema. This format is especially advantageous for those researching a specific director and their work, or titles pertinent to a specific category such as the representation of camp culture. Each film and video listing is followed by information including date of release, length, country of origin, director and format availability. A brief synopsis is also included, offering a general description of the piece in addition to noting any criticisms, positive or negative, that the production received from the gay and lesbian community.

The first two chapters are dedicated to queer participation and list gays and lesbians who have contributed to film and video either as popular directors and independent filmmakers, or movie stars and gay icons. Listed alphabetically and accompanied by short biographies and individual filmographies, these chapters are the most informative in terms of following a filmic career from start to present. One of the difficulties Murray faced during the compilation of this material, as he discusses in the introduction, was the number of people in the industry who refused to be acknowledged in a queer context. This consideration ultimately affected the selection of filmmakers and performers included and illustrates one of the political complications involved in producing such a compendium. The weakest chapter, "The Arts," attempts to list "writers, artists, dancers and composers who are either gay or lesbian, or have contributed greatly to a queer presence in the arts." With only 17 writers, nine artists, two dancers and five composers listed, this quirky selection represents only a handful of what could constitute entire volumes on each subject.

The rest of the guide is divided into chapters specific to certain areas of representation including sections on general queer interest, lesbian interest, gay interest, transgender interest, and camp. The final chapter lists films and videos that merit honorable and dishonorable mentions due to either mere references to homosexuality or because the film is filled with homophobic and inaccurate characterizations that suggest unfavorable perceptions of gays and lesbians.

Overall, Images in the Dark succeeds as an ambitious beginning in cataloging what constitutes a comprehensive history of queer investment in cinema.

Christine J. Russo