If you have taken the time to read my review on my top ten favorite films, you will find that one of the top ones on the list is a movie entitled "And the Band Played On". Let me tell you folks, if you have not had the opportunity to see this, whether it be on HBO, where it originated from, or on DVD, this is one that I think should be required viewing for every human being. This movie dealt with the onslaught of the AIDS epidemic, from the original discovery of the disease before it was named, and all of the horrible infighting and government red tape that was encountered along the way. The movie is just absolutely jam packed with big time Hollywood stars added their tremendous abilities to the roles in which they play. Required viewing you say? Yes, I say that without batting an eye. Let me tell you, before I watched this movie, I knew of AIDS, and like many folks, figured it was mostly a disease that was prevalent in the gay community and therefore had little chance of concerning me. After watching this, you realize nothing could be further from the truth.

So, the first thing that jumps out at you watching this, is how HBO spared no expense in telling this very gripping story. I say that because of the vast array of talented actors and actresses that lent there acting skills to this important endeavor. Right off the top you are shocked by some of the actors cast in various roles, but they pull it off brilliantly. Topping this list is Alan Alda, who plays the head of the CDC, Bob Gallo. For those of us who have spent a lifetime seeing him portray the good guy roles (i.e. Hawkeye on MASH), seeing him playing the bad guy is quite a shock, but pull it off he does. This would have to be up there with one of his greatest performances. Next, you had Matthew Modine cast as Don Francis, a young doctor who wants to truly find out the root cause of the growing AIDS epidemic, but is not familiar with the political red tape that accompanies this delicate issue. Richard Gere does an unbelievable job as a gay choreographer who has been inflicted with the disease, but is afraid to let anyone know about. Lily Tomlin's role as a political activist hell bent on bringing this issue to the forefront is also quite riveting. Possibly the best actor in this entire movie was done by Sir Ian McKellan who is a gay man, who is also one of the staunchest supports of gay rights, and who fights tirelessly to make the US aware of the problem, only to be inflicted with it himself. The list goes on. Steve Martin, Saul Rubinek, Anjelica Huston, Glenn Headly, as well as Phil Collins lend their talents to this important movie.

The more eye opening part of this movie for me though was just how many issues it brought to light regarding the AIDS epidemic. Before watching this I knew what most others knew about the disease, or at least thought we knew and understood. In my naïve point of view, I thought AIDS was primarily a disease that existed in the gay community with some isolated cases of blood transfusion here or there, but in no way could it affect me. This movie will set anyone with this mindset straight. The other thing is does beautifully is to educate us on just how much non-support there was going on for trying to help these folks, as well as help in trying to find a cure for this insidious killer. The movie does a great job of showing how the disease, which appeared in the late 70's, was pretty much ignored because it was considered a gay disease. What the movie shows us though is that in 1981, when the CDC first started looking into the disease, they had to steer away the notion of it being related to gays so that it could get public attention. That in and of itself astonished me. It was not until it showed up in Hemophiliacs, refugees, and people with blood transfusions, that it started to get attention and be investigated. Then something else that the movie points out, which I had no idea about, was that politicians, especially the Reagan years in the White House, did everything they could to downplay to significance of the disease, and refused to give it the attention it deserved. So many more people could have been helped or better educated had they not swept it under the rug for as long as they did.

This movie also does a great justice in showing what a proud group the gay community, and those especially in the San Francisco area, and how when their rights and freedoms were being challenged by those trying to downplay the importance of what was taking place, they rallied together, not only to help those in their own community, but also to try to heighten the awareness of all affected by AIDS, not only those who were gay.

Folks, please make sure that you see this movie. Within it, there are many different story lines and points of view being shown. You see any number of stereotypical characters that I am sure most of us see in everyday life, and how they factor into horrible story. Uptown socialites who get sick for no reason, and are not told why until it is too late. People who were having unprotected sex with countless others, not knowing they were infecting scores of others, due to the fact that there was no one explaining that this disease could be spread in that way. Just a real eye opener. It is a movie not only you should see, but also your teenagers who might be on the cusp of experimenting themselves. It might just save their lives and give them a more informed way of looking at sex and what they should do to protect themselves