Ryan Phillippe gay scenes to be shown in new version of '54'

A new version of 1998’s cult classic/critical flop (delete as approriate) 54 is set to be released, featuring the original gay content that was cut from the final movie.

A director’s cut of the drama – which starred 90’s heartthrob Ryan Phillippe as a young bisexual man who becomes embroiled in the hedonism and celebrity of New York’s notorious Studio 54 in the late ’70s – is being released today (June 2), featuring all the gay scenes deemed too controversial for release at the time.

54: The Director’s Cut features 44 minutes of never-before-seen footage, including the mythological gay make-out scene between Phillippe and Clueless star Brekin Meyer, as well as an unedited menage-a-trois plot between the pair and Selma Hayek.

Speaking to Variety earlier this year about releasing the film in its gloriously gay, unedited form, director Mark Christopher commented that the original had been “ahead of its time”.

“First of all, the gay subject matter, that’s a huge thing,” he explained. “But we have a flawed lead character, which was really tough at the time for people to deal with. Now, you expect flawed characters, you expect lots of edge and a certain darkness.”

Co-starring Neve Campbell and Mike Myers, 54 was a critical and commercial flop upon it original release and was nominated for two Razzie Awards, including Worst Actor for Ryan Phillippe – but we won’t be letting that put us off adding this to the DVD collection…

Ryan Phillippe gay scenes to be shown in new version of ’54’

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