Queer classic ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ gets 4K treatment

Erik Anderson October 12, 2020

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of “the best lesbian movie of all time” (Riese Bernard, Autostraddle) Lionsgate is releasing the queer classic But I’m a Cheerleader: Director’s Cut on Digital 4K Ultra HD December 8th.

After successful kicks off at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1999 and the Sundance Film Festival in 2000, the film became an all-time cult classic queer hit in the summer of 2000 as it follows follows teenager Megan (Natasha Lyonne), whose suburban existence filled with friends, cheerleading, and all-American fun is upended when her straight-laced parents suspect she may be a lesbian. In a panic, they send her to True Directions, a “rehabilitation” camp run by the strict and prudish Mary (Cathy Moriarty), to mount an intervention led by counselor Mike (RuPaul Charles). Megan dutifully follows the program — until she develops feelings for another camper (Clea DuVall) in this timeless, satirical romantic-comedy about self-acceptance and love, also co-starring Melanie Lynskey, Eddie Cibrian, and Michelle Williams.

Borne from the mind of Primetime Emmy Award-nominated director Jamie Babbit (Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, “Silicon Valley”), the film features an all-star cast including Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Natasha Lyonne (Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy, “Russian Doll”), Screen Actors Guild Award winner Clea DuVall (Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, “Veep”), Melanie Lynskey, Primetime Emmy Award winner RuPaul Charles (5-time Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program winner, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”), Eddie Cibrian, Golden Globe nominee Bud Cort (Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Harold and Maude), Wesley Mann, Richard Moll, Douglas Spain, Katharine Towne, four-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner Michelle Williams (Best Actress in a Limited Series or Television Motion Picture, Fosse/Verdon), Oscar nominee Julie Delpy (Best Adapted Screenplay, Before Midnight), and Oscar nominee Cathy Moriarty (Best Supporting Actress, Raging Bull).

The But I’m a Cheerleader: Director’s Cut special features include: Audio Commentary with Director Jamie Babbit, Costume Designer Alix Friedberg, and Production Designer Rachel Kamerman; “But I’m a Cheerleader Class Reunion,” “Making But I’m a Cheerleader… In 1999,” “But I’m a Composer… A Chat with Pat Irwin” and Student Film: Discharge.

“I uncovered some amazing lost scenes that I wasn’t able to include in the original film and am so happy to see them added back into this cut. This film is so special to me and I can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with it all over again,” said director Jamie Babbit.

The Digital 4K Ultra HD™ Format is a 2160p High Definition, 16×9 (1.85:1) Presentation and the Digital 4K Audio language English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio and feature subtitles in English, Spanish and English SDH.

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Erik Anderson

Erik Anderson is the founder/owner and Editor-in-Chief of AwardsWatch and has always loved all things Oscar, having watched the Academy Awards since he was in single digits; making lists, rankings and predictions throughout the show. This led him down the path to obsessing about awards. Much later, he found himself in film school and the film forums of GoldDerby, and then migrated over to the former Oscarwatch (now AwardsDaily), before breaking off to create AwardsWatch in 2013.

He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.