The new "STONEWALL!" movie was filmed in the Summer of 2014;
release date was in September 2015 and DVD released in 2016.  See below!
   


Local New York City GLBT Flyer promoting "Stonewall" the Movie
Directed by Nigel Finch  *  Produced by Christine Vachon

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"Stonewall" Movie Postcard promoting the Music Cassette and Compact Disc

Pictured at top:  Guillermo Diaz as La Miranda, the lead Transgender girl
Shown at bottom:  Fred Weller as Matty Dean, the lead Gay guy
Background (rebellion pic):  Queen Allyson Allante as a Stonewall Rebellion Testimonial

The "Stonewall" movie Columbia Records-produced soundtrack is/was available on compact discs (C/Ds) and cassettes.  Columbia was most expansive in their promotion.  Gay promotion of both the C/D and the cassette were handled in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender ("G.L.B.T.") communities throughout New York City and the New York tri-state metropolitan area significantly by the Imperial QUEENS & Kings of Greater New York ("IQKNY"), a long-standing and legendary transgender organization, and the outstanding and legendary  STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association ("S.R.V.A.") and their supporters and sponsors.  The 'Stonewall' consultant on the movie, an expert on the original STONEWALL Club, is the SRVA's Willson L. Henderson and he is so 'credited' in the film.  Columbia Records' promotion and marketing departments dealt directly with IQKNY and, specifically, Queen Allyson Ann and her handsome mate King Farrell Armstrong.  The soundtrack was promoted at IQKNY events and S.V.A. public conferences and civic forums.  Queen Allyson not only appeared in the movie "Stonewall" as Herself with a memorable 'Stonewall Testimonial' and was presented on stage at the movie premier in NYC, but she had the entertainment clout of all her concert shows to highlight the "Stonewall" soundtrack songs.  It was a fact that the combination of all of the above, and much more, resulted in a surge of interest in The Shangri-Las featuring the inimitable Mary Weiss.  A different generation and new fans were introduced to The Shangri-Las' songbook.  Promotion of the movie "Stonewall" was also achieved locally through the IQKNY newsletter, "Imperially Yours", and the SRVA's "STONEWALL Newzletta" -- plus the SRVA's entertainment events with "STONEWALL Showtyme" and guest appearances on television and public events. Columbia Records' own marketing division did plenty of their own GLBT-targeted promotion of the "Stonewall" soundtrack with full-page ads in G.L.B.T. newspapers such as the New York Blade News and in GLBT national magazines such as The Advocate and Out! and in New York City G.L.B.T. magazines such as Time-Out and Next.  Columbia Records also took full-page ads in the newsletters of the S.V.A. and the IQKNY.  Furthermore, Queen Allyson & The Allysonians, who were already known for their right-on performances of songs of the girl group Mary Weiss & The Shangri-Las, several songs of which are in the movie, were in even greater demand at the time of the forthcoming movie "Stonewall".  Columbia Records representatives literally attended -- and enjoyed -- every performance at this time of Queen Allyson & The Allysonians at Manhattan clubs such as Rome (on Eighth Avenue), Barracuda (West 22 Street) and Claire's (Seventh Avenue) -- all in Chelsea.  Rocco S. and his boys at Columbia Records smartly distributed brochures and free (now collector item) promotional music cassettes of "Stonewall:  Music from A Revolution" (see below) before, during and after the movie was finally released in the Summer of 1996.  Coincidentally, The Shangri-Las had their last hit song exactly 30 years before in the Summer of 1966, "Past, Present and Future".  Intentionally, it served perfectly as the three-part, effectively-interspersed theme and time-frame of the movie "Stonewall".

Flipside/Peel-Off of Promo Card for "Stonewall" Movie Music

"Stonewall" the movie received most of its factual music "411" (information) directly from the SVA's founder and director Willson Lee Henderson.  He is the author and compiler of the renowned,  fascinating, unique, informative and entertaining "Songs of The Original STONEWALL Club Jukebox" (from 1966 to 1969).  You can also see the S.V.A. website icon "Songs of The Stonewall" for a complete, interesting and uniquely detailed listing of the 1ate 1960s song favorites at The STONEWALL Bar & Dance Club.  There is the special listing of "Perennial Favorite Songs of The Stonewall", which is where you will find most of The Shangri-Las' songs that graced The STONEWALL Jukebox throughout its four-year history.  Besides being a great group on record and in performance, "The Shangs" were one of the few white girl groups.  Willson Henderson specifically suggested which would be the best Shangri-Las songs popular at The STONEWALL Club that would most reflect the sensitive story in the first "Stonewall" movie.  The songs included "Remember, Walking In The Sand", "Out In The Streets" and "Past, Present And Future".  For fast dance and fun, the essential choice was "Give Him A Great Big Kiss".  All four of the songs plus a campy flipside favorite "Sophisticated Boom-Boom" were used in the "Stonewall" film!!!!  Young, talented and lovely Mary Weiss sang lead on all of The Shangri-Las's hit songs. The promotional card pictured above is the flipside of the top movie soundtrack card.  This one actually peeled off so that you could post the frontside movie card, depicting a very symbolic embrace of the two male co-stars of "Stonewall".  (Notice the "peel here" tab in the upper left corner of the card.)  "And that's called 'glad'." Songs in the movie "Stonewall" not listed above for the soundtrack but actually in the film include The Shangri-Las' "Out In the Streets" (very kicky and melodramatic).  And most notably absent is the three-part, story-telling theme song of the movie by The Shangri-Las:  "Past, Present and Future" -- a very unusual 'pop' record by any standards, most of the song actually spoken by lead singer Mary Weiss with haunting, almost Wagnerian background music.  The Shangri-Las are the girl trio who had the wild, international number one song "Leader of the Pack" (replete with reved-up motorcycle sounds and a very effective motorcycle crash).  "The Shangs", as they were nicknamed by the youth then, had the incredibly girlish, very teenage, strongly emoting and blue-eyed soul Mary Weiss (from Cambria Heights in Queens, New York City) as their appealing and convincing lead singer.  She was backed up very effectively by her sister Betty Weiss and the Ganser twins, Mary Ann Ganser and Margie Ganser.  Mary's voice, the impassioned and sometimes tragic stories that their songs told and the dramatic, lilting music were all just a perfect combo for the coming-of-Gay-age movie "Stonewall", just as they were for the patrons at the original club Stonewall.  "And that's called 'good'."

"Stonewall" promotional cassette with two songs and "Stonewall Tributes"
featuring Queen Allyson Ann Allante of the IQKNY and the S.R.V.A.  

Queen Allyson Allante of the Imperial QUEENS of Greater New York and the
 STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association in a 'Stonewall Veteran Testimonial' 
scene of several actual Stonewall veterans in the drama/musical/comedy "Stonewall"
Note:  Scene was filmed at S.R.V.A. founder Willson L. Henderson's condominium 
at The Bromley on Broadway in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, N.Y.C.
[Photograph by Farrell Jeante Armstrong of IQKNY.]

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"Stonewall" movie promotional music cassette
Note:  "Movie Excerpt #2 refers to the Stonewall testimonial
of Queen Allyson Ann Allante of the IQKNY and the S.R.V.A. 

"Stonewall Movie Excerpt #1" is uniquely and appropriately the actual spoken words of five Stonewall Veterans (plus a snide, retired police officer from 1969 at the rebellion scene, not included herein) of the Stonewall Rebellion.  In the movie all are included -- and shown -- in the opening interview sequence interspersed with civil rights film footage.  It is the following excerpted words that were most riveting. Queen Allyson Allante:  "It was beyond frightening.  It was... umm... traumatizing!  And, in part, I am still traumatized by it to this day." Randy Wicker:  "I personally thought... oh, my God, homosexuals are going to be the boogie man of the 1970s.  I was with the Mattachine Society and we sort of believed in wearing a coat and tie and making as respectable an appearance as we can." Tommy Lanigan-Schmidt:  "Nobody on that particular night showered and shaved to go to a riot." Sasha Loren:  "Well, I think it had something to do with Judy Garland's death." Bob Kohler:  "Every other group had made their point in the 1960s.  But not the Gays (sic)!  You could do what you wanted with the them.  But suddenly, now, there were the Gays (sic) revolting." And in a surprise second interview quip.... Queen Allyson states her well-quoted/oft-repeated remark -- the only laugh line in the Stonewall interviews and which got quite a roar in previews and from audiences in the movie theatres. Queen Allyson:  "If my Mother even hears the word 'Stonewall', she has to take another heart pill." The drag queen lead character in the Stonewall movie then appears and her opening words are also included with "Movie Excerpt #1". La Miranda:  "You see, there are as many Stonewall stories as there are Gay queens in New York.... Well, this is my legend, honey!  Okay?  My Stonewall legend." Stonewall Track #2 - The entire Stonewall Veterans interviews and La Miranda connecting segment then very cleverly and effectively segues into the actual movie, with the upbeat, bouncy, telling-a-story song, "The Boy from New York City", prominently playing full volume in the background.  It leads us to the main Gay male character. Stonewall Track #3 - A brief Gay humor excerpt from a scene in the movie:  "What's between your 'maleness' side and your 'femaleness' side?  Fabulousness!" Stonewall Track #4 - The first line, literally spoken (with very danceable music in the background) of The Shangri-Las' song, the hand-clapping, foot-stomping "Give Him a Great Big Kiss", with lead singer Mary Weiss declaring the popularly-quoted:  "When I say I'm in love, you best believe I'm in love, l-u-v."  That spelling has been popularized ever since!  "Kiss" (as it was shortened in talk) is a great, lively and even campy song.  The foot stomping segments of the girls "I'm gonna walk right up to him...." are memorable and very effective.  "Kiss" was an ultimate upbeat girl group song.  It was a big favorite by demand at The Stonewall Club -- even years after it was off the charts.  In New York it was #1!  In the New York Gay community, Queen Allyson & The Allysonians are known for performing that song in their tribute to The Shangri-Las shows, which have been used at fund-raising benefits and even at public official and political candidate events. Notes:  Both sides of this promotional cassette are identical.  "Testimonial" excerpts of the Stonewall Veterans named herein are also included on the commercially-sold "Stonewall" movie sound track c/d (compact disc).

In a tribuite to "Stonewall: The Movie", including all of The Shangri-Las' songs in the film, the Imperial QUEENS & Kings of New York Newzletta shows Queen Allyson & The Allysonians (Cindy Chan and Christy Lynne) ("QAA") performing the good girl / bad boy song "Out In The Streets", which was featured in the "Stonewall" movie.  Other Shangri-Las' songs performed by QAA included:  "Remember, Walkin' In The Sand", "Give Him A Great Big Kiss", "Sophisticated Boom Boom" and "Past, Present And Future" -- all in the movie "Stonewall"!  As a surprise bonus for the audience, the gyrlz steamed "The Train From Kansas City" on track out of the sound system replete with the train's sound effects.  As a special tribute to the Stonewall "sweethearts" -- The Shangri-Las -- entertaining QAA performed an exciting re-enactment on stage of the #1 song "Leader Of The Pack"! 


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For more 411 on Queen Allyson Allante,
actually appearing in the film "Stonewall" and unforgettably speaking twice
including the memorable and oft-quoted line:
"Every time my mother hears the word 'Stonewall', she has to take another heart pill!",
visit:
www.STONEWALLvets.org/AllysonAllante.htm

Question:  Is there a plan to have Queen Allyson appear in the new "Stonewall" movie?
Answer:  At this time, there oddly have been no such inquiries or arrangements made,
especially odd since most S/W-vets are deceased yet the Queen is alive and grand!

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15 Years later in 2010 -- BBC Interviews Willson Lee Henderson

British Broadcasting Company ("BBC") co-produced the movie "Stonewall" and Willson L. Henderson ("WLH") was the Stonewall history advisor to the movie -- and is so credited in the Stonewall film's "Credits".  That was 1995.

Fifteen years later, in 2010, for the 41st anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, the BBC greatly requested and Willson Henderson finally agreed.  Willson accommodated in recording interesting and unique information about the Stonewall Era, the Stonewall Club, the Stonewall People, the famous 1969 "Stonewall Car" and, of course, the historic Stonewall Rebellion, for BBC Worldwide Radio.  Some of the 411 was never previously revealed.  Their "Witness" series sponsored the Gay history segment.  It is entitled "Stonewall".

www.BBC.co.UK/iplayer/WillsonHenderson/console
 There is an original Stonewall song from The STONEWALL Club that the BBC plays
 as background music for the introduction of the interview with Willson Henderson!  

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2015

"STONEWALL!":  The Movie 

Authentic promotional poster for the "STONEWALL" movie



Thanks exclusively to Mr. Roland Emmerich, a brand-new and much-expanded film "STONEWALL!" with a greater scope and bigger budget has been in the planning for years and was filmed in the Spring and Summer of 2014!  The scenario takes place in and around Christopher Street and at the ~original~ STONEWALL Bar & Dance Club in Greenwich Village, New York City, in the Spring and early Summer of 1969.  Filming began, appropriately, during Gay Pride Month in June 2014.  The acclaimed Hollywood legend Mr. Emmerich, who started directing movies at the Gay youth age of 24 and has a filmography spanning four decades, is directing.  Just as the entire Stonewall era, history and legacy has been a passion of the National STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans Association ("S.V.A.") founder and director Willson Lee Henderson ("WLH") for five decades, the "STONEWALL!" film has been a dedicated, determined and personal pet project of movie director Roland Emmerich for several years.  

Roland Emmerich Talks about the new "STONEWALL" movie in Entertainment Weekly:
www.EW.com/article/2014/06/04/Roland-Emmerich-STONEWALL-interview

Mr. Emmerich's outstanding directorial three-decade filmography includes (chronologically):  "The Noah's Ark Principle" (1984), "Joey" (a boy with telekinesis) (1985); "Hollywood Monster" (a comedy horror movie) (1987), "Moon 40" (1990), "Universal Soldier" (1992), "Stargate" (co-starring "The Crying Game" film surprise transgender Jaye Davidson) (1994), "Godzilla" (remake of the monster starring pre-Gay "Torch Song Trilogy" Matthew Broderick) (1998), "The Thirteenth Floor" (sci-fi with some simulated humans), "The Patriot" (about the American Revolutionary War starring Mel Gibson and pre-Gay Brokeback Mountain Heath Ledger) (2000), "Eight-Legged Freaks" (starring Scarlet Johansson) (2002),  "The Day After Tomorrow" (starring pre-Gay "Brokeback Mountain" Jake Gyllenhaul) (2004), "Trade" (based on book "The Girls Next Door" about the illegal sex trade) (2007), "10,000 B.C." (2008), "2012" (2009), "Anonymous" (about Shakespeare's written works, or are they) (2011) and "White House Down" (starring post-"Dreamgirls" Jamie Fox and Channing Tatum) (2013).  The new film "STONEWALL!" (starring Jeremy Irvine, Jonny Beauchamp and (Miss) Joey King) was officially released worldwide on Friday, September 25th, as planned, prior to "Gay History Month" in October.

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"STONEWALL!" movie's chief producer Michael S. Fossat was the special guest speaker at the STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans Association monthly meeting on Saturday, May 30, 2015.  He provided informative and captivating information about the planning, casting, authenticating, producing and completing of the movie.  Get2gether was chaired by the SVA's director Willson Henderson.  Several other Stonewall veterans such as Bert "Berti" Coffman, Rita "Rusty" Rose, Leigh "L&M" McManus, Joan "Joni" Sobel, Ramon Bellido and Gil "Gil-da" Horowitz (since 86'd) plus Maria "ME" Estevez, a close friend of now deceased but still legendary Stonewall vet Storme DeLarverie, were present and actively participated.  Bruce A. Poli, the S.V.A. Public Relationist was present and at the recent private showing of the "STONEWALL!" movie.  Mr. Fossat's behind-the-scenes interesting and charming presentation was followed with a "Questions & Answers" session from the attendees.  Main issue was questions by members and others about the music in the "STONEWALL!" movie.  The concern is that the songs must reflect the authentic, significant and upbeat music of the 1969 STONEWALL Club jukebox.  Two reporters from The New York Times ("NYX") were present for a story in progress about Willson Henderson and the "Stonewall Car" with a backdrop of the S.V.A.  They referenced the meeting, the movie and the 1969 car in their "Profile" on Willson written by Corey Kilgannon.  It was published in the next Sunday edition (June 7, 2015) of the NYX.  The interesting story included a new photo of the classic 1969 convertible "Stonewall Car".  Local West Village newspaper WestView News ("The voice of the West Village") had a reporter on site.  The elongated and lively meeting was held at the New York City LGBT Community Services Centre in Manhattan, NY.

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"STONEWALL" Director Emmerich Quotes SVA's Director Henderson

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Send correspondence and information to:
STONEWALL Veterans' Association
Attn.:  AnDre M. Christie, Gen. Mgr.
70-A Greenwich Village Av., #120
Manhattan, New York 10011

S.V.A. Telephone:  (212) 627-1969
www.StonewallVets.org
S.V.A. Fax:  (718) 294-1969

E-mail your comments, questions and/or suggestions to the
STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association
at:  SVA@STONEWALLvets.org

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The STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association meets the last Saturday
of every month, unless it is an American national holiday.  Actual veterans of the  1969 Stonewall Rebellion are always present and provide an informative, unique and interesting "questions and answers" session!  Meeting is customarily moderated by the SRVA's founder and elected director Willson L. Henderson.  Venue is at the historic, grand, beautiful and Gay-welcoming Church Of The Village at 46 Seventh Avenue South at the corner of West 13th Street in Greenwich Village in Manhattan, New York City from 3:15 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.  Quality foods are served.

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The forthcoming "SRVA's 54th Annual National STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association Conference & Stonewall Veterans Reunion + Testimonials" shall be on Saturday, June 24th, 2023.  It features actual 'veterans' of the New York City police raids from 1966 to 1969 at the original STONEWALL Club -and- in any of the five inconsecutive nights from June 27th to July 3rd, 1969, of the historic Stonewall Rebellion in Manhattan, New York City ("NYC").  The uprising is effectively and accurately enshrined forevermore in Roland Emmerich's dramatically-portrayed, fact-based and memorable movie "STONEWALL!"  The S.R.V.A. conference also presents New York federal, state and city public officials, including U.S. congressmembers, New York State senators and assemblymembers and NYC councilmembers, and heads of G.L.B.T. organizations as guest speakers!  Maybe some of the surprise guests -- the S.R.V.A. always has them -- may be some of the ace actors co-starring in the "STONEWALL!" movie!  Original 1969 "Songs of The Original STONEWALL Club Jukebox" are played, as always, at the opening, the intermission and the closing of the three-hour event.  The great songs feature Diana Ross & The Supremes, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Mary Weiss & The Shangri-Las, Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5, Shirley Bassey, Marvin Gaye, The Angels, The Spiral Starecase, Martha Reeves, Stevie Wonder, The Honey Cone, The Beatles, Connie Francis, Chris Montez and many others!  The 54th annual S.R.V.A. conference and Stonewall reunion happens again at the historic United Metropolitan-Duane Methodist Church also known as The Church Of The Village at 46 Seventh Avenue South at West 13th Street in Gay Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, on Saturday, the 24th of June in 2023 from 3:15 p.m. to 6 p.m.! 

For much more 411 and details on the significant S.R.V.A. event, visit:
Https://www.StonewallVets.org/upcomingevents.htm

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Premiere of "STONEWALL!" was on September 23rd, 2015 
at the Pacific Design Center in the grand Silver Screen Theatre
in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

International opening of the "STONEWALL!" movie
by director Roland Emmerich was on September 25th, 2015. 

The "STONEWALL!" movie was released on DVD, in 
Digital format, and 'On Demand' on 20th January of 2016.

Mr. Emmerich's follow-up movie
"Independence Day Resurgence" 
was released on Friday, June 24th, 2016
-- ironically, on Gay Pride Weekend!

Roland's more recent movie is about the monumental naval battle at "Midway!" 
in the Pacific Ocean during World War II in 1942.
It was released appropriately before U.S. Veterans' Day in 2019.

Across America, Roland Emmerich's recent spectacular film "Midway!" opened at #1 in movie theaters!

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Head's up:  Mr. Emmerich's next movie was an exciting sci-fi named "Moonfall"!
"Moonfall" co-stars Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry!

To see and 'like' the S.R.V.A. at FaceBook, visit:
Https://www.FaceBook.com/SVANYC

25th May
 2023 

==2023:  54th Anniversary of the USA Stonewall Rebellion==
[Friday night, June 27 ~through~ Thursday evening, July 3, 1969]

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