ROCK OF AGES

ROCK HUDSON: ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWED Stephen Kijak tackles the Rock.

The new doc includes interviews and excerpts from home movies

Scott Walker, The Rolling Stones, Judy Garland… all have been chronicled in Stephen Kijak’s award-winning music documentaries. But now he’s turned his attention to the actor and (accidental?) activist Rock Hudson.

‘It’s a great time to re-examine Rock Hudson, and especially what he meant in the 80s,’ Kijak tells Teasers. ‘There’s a younger generation that’s either forgotten or just doesn’t know how devastating the early days of the AIDS crisis were. And Rock’s history runs headlong into that.’

All That Heaven Allowed is a painstakingly researched documentary that bursts with interviews, film clips and footage from Hudson’s home movies. It tracks Hudson’s arrival in Hollywood and his determined ascent from wooden bit-player to Golden Age star in such movies as Giant, Pillow Talk and the lush Douglas Sirk melodramas (Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows, Written on the Wind) that tackled themes of class, gender and race.

‘Hudson’s really great when he’s nurtured and cared for by these strong, father-figure directors,’ says Kijak. ‘I think these older, wiser directors really meant something to him.’

‘The Rock Hudson effect was very significant’

STEPHEN KIJAK

Hudson remained in the closet until July 1985, when a press release announced that he was gay and dying of AIDS. There followed an increase in public awareness regarding the disease and a rallying of money for research.

‘Did he intentionally want to come out and say, “I’m a gay man with AIDS – let this change the conversation and help people?”’ ponders Kijak. ‘Or did he do it begrudgingly? Or was it done without his knowledge? We can’t 100% be sure. But the after-effects are certain. The Rock Hudson effect was very significant.’

ROCK HUDSON: ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWED WILL BE AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS FROM 23 OCTOBER.

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