idontneedyourjunk Michael, a big-shot lawyer, on a visit home to see the folks, is questioned about if he has a girlfriend yet. Back in New York, he has a cough he can't get rid of. He goes to the doctor who runs blood tests.It's aids. He breaks up with his partner and returns home, to not only break the news of aids, but that he's gay.This is 1985. His father, who runs a timber yard, is horrified (almost punching him out). His sister won't even touch him. His brother-in-law (Paxton), well, somehow after the news breaks, he's not in the movie any more.This is 1985. You can get hiv/aids (it's the same thing) by a hug, by sharing utensils, possibly even by breathing the same air. Or not. It's only prostitutes, blacks and gays that get it.This is 1985. The network were very scared about making this TV movie, the first of it's kind to deal with hiv. They had executives from standards and practices onset, to make sure that homosexuality didn't come across as acceptable. That the gay couple didn't kiss. Or hug too much. They wanted the boyfriend to have given hiv to Michael, to make him the bad guy. They were afraid that it wouldn't sell, even after 13 forced rewrites.And it didn't. They lost $600,000 on it's 1st airing, ad executives didn't want to touch it, despite being number 1 in the Nielsen ratings. They tried again 6 months later and lost $1,000,000.Paramedics refuse to pick him up to take to the hospital. Nurses refuse to enter his room to bring him food. This is what it was actually like. People thought only gays and blacks got this disease. Possibly druggies as well. He meets a very lively character in a group session, the most interesting person in the movie. Don't get too attached though. He dies.Meanwhile, after attempting suicide and being saved by his father, daddy dearest realizes he wants his son alive, even if he is gay. Even the sister realizes her unborn child can't get aids from a hug, and he even gets back together with his cheating lover.The end. (And hopefully you've forgotten that his doctor told his mother he's going to die horribly in a few years).Won Golden Globe - Best Supporting Actress Won Peabody Award Won Director's Guild Award - Outstanding Director Nominated for 13 Emmy awards, won for Writing, Cinematography, Sound Mixing and Editing. Which I just have to ask, just how many people was the oboe player sleeping with?Sad scene where your father hates you? Oboe solo.Angry scene where you smash stuff? Oboe solo.Break up with lover? Oboe solo.Happy family reunion? Oboe solo.New friend is dead? Oboe solo.Emmy Nominee in Music Composition. Seriously?Starring:Tom Boyd - Oboe soloist and holy moley he 'gets around'. Over 1300 movies use his oboe work. Is there a shortage or does he just pucker up for cheap?Terry O'Quinn - no-nonsense doctor, best known as John Locke (Man In Black) from Lost John Glover - most interesting person in the movie. Dies of AIDS. Was Riddler in several incarnations of Batman and Superman series, but ended up as Lionel Luther in Smallville.Aidan Quinn - wasn't a big enough name to get starring role in a film that he stars in, he now stars in Elementary as Captain Thomas Gregson Ben Gazzara - homophobic dad, starred in his own series in the 60s, Run For Your Life, where he's told he only has 2 years to live, so he goes out and lives life to the fullest. Pretty much what he tells his son to do here.

sobaok An Early Frost reflects the underlying principal that love and compassion are stronger than fear. In this respect, the broadcast fueled an operative for the gay community, and world at large, to learn from and build upon.The acting is uniformly excellent. The script allows the actors excellent opportunities. Aiden Quinn (whose voice and approach is reminiscent of Montgomery Clift) goes through the emotional gamut with grace and believability. As his grandmother, veteran actress Sylvia Sidney's skill easily fuels two tear-inducing scenes that not only provide emotional release for the viewer, but drive the message home. While Michael is hospitalized from a seizure, we see Sidney and her daughter(Gene Rowlands)outside trimming roses. Sidney comments about "an early frost … nipping them in the bud." She reflects on how people shunned her husband when he had died of cancer. At a loss for words the two embrace—capturing the heartache that envelops them.The cast, in true ensemble spirit allow their characters to reach the power point of unconditional love. The film was instructive on the basic ramifications of the AIDS virus, and helped dispel the unnecessary fear and rumors surrounding it. An Early Frost made people think about the senseless vitriol that was being aimed at the gay community.

ToddyEnglish An Early Frost has to be one of the finest made for television films I've ever seen. And it is hard to believe that, in 1985, it was the FIRST movie that actually dealt with the topic. In the new millennium the mere mention of a antibiotic resistant tuberculosis was enough to cause a national panic. But, the emotions AIDS seemed to engender during that era were hostility and out and out apathy.The story centers around a young attorney, Michael Pierson--played brilliantly by Aidan Quinn--who's just made partner at his prestigious law firm. On the outside Michael seems to have everything: a great job, a great family, a posh apartment, and all of the proverbial trimmings(including a handsome boyfriend,). However, during that time, to be gay was to be damned by the conservative right wing Reagan Era Administration(owned lock, stock, and smoking barrel by the "Moral Majority"). Now, add to that Michael has just discovered that he has AIDS(the acronym that ensured certain death for thousands of people). Suddenly, the life Michael has worked so hard to conceal has come to the forefront in a major way. Upon his diagnosis Michael knows that he can no longer keep his homosexuality a secret, which ultimately heads up the ensuing drama and heart break.When I was a small child(I was four or five years old when this movie aired)I had no concept of what "AIDS" was or the epidemic, let alone this wonderful film. I was only interested in my toys and going out to play. Meanwhile, just outside of my blissful little la-la land an entire community was under seiged by an invisible terror.Ben Gazzara and Gena Rowalands co-star as Michael's parents. Their performances were nothing short of heart wrenching. Mrs. Pierson reminded me so much of my own mother after I came out about being gay. When she held her son, and protected him from his father's misplaced rage, it jarred me. In her I saw my own mom's need to love and care for me no matter what. I initially hated Nick Pierson; however, as the film progressed I began to empathize with him. Ben Gazzara was absolutely brilliant.While the film could be preachy in spots(sometimes I felt as though I was watching a PSA about AIDS. Each character took the time to do a monologue about HIV/AIDS)I realized that, at that time, there was a need for people to be educated. What I loved most about "An Early Frost" was that it gave AIDS a face and a name. The thousand of people who were treated like moral degenerates were people who worked hard, paid their taxes, had families, friends, lovers, and everything that everyone else with a pulse holds dear. Those people society spat upon were human beings too, worthy of the precious gift of life.We've come such a long way since then, but it is horrifying to know that we still have such a ways to go in order to beat AIDS. This film gave me so much more respect for people living with AIDS and those that are living with people living with AIDS.It was an excellent movie that I would like to own. It was depressing yet uplifting all at once.P.S.The extras has a documentary about a young man dying of AIDS. It will break your heart. This DVD is not for the emotionally faint. But I recommend it as you will learn a great deal.

sschimel I don't know why I do this to myself. I've been HIV+ since 1994, and every once in awhile, I feel the need to torture myself and watch something like this. I remember clearly when it was first on. It didn't mean much to me then, but I just watched it tonight on LOGO, and I cried my eyes out. The information on AIDS is soooo dated, but the emotions are so real. Aiden Quinn was terrific, as were Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara. John Glover seems to have made a mini-career out of playing the role he plays here, as he played it again in "Love, Valour, Compassion" (also excellent). Whatever happened to D.W. Moffat? I think, if I recall correctly, that this was the first movie or TV show to really deal with AIDS. The disease had only been named in 1981, so it was only 4 years later. It still holds up.