But within the context of mid-1990s Hollywood, the film was also a radical outlier that held particular significance for the LGBTQ+ community. On one level, The Birdcage was a universal, very mainstream comedy, that earned close to $200 million at the international box office. Released 25 years ago this week, Nichols' film, a remake of the 1978 French film La Cage aux Folles, about a gay couple hosting an ill-fated dinner party, remains remarkably relevant in its comedic sensibilities. – Why Coming to America was revolutionary As the camera swoops into a gaudy Miami nightclub and focuses on a collection of drag queens performing to the iconic Sister Sledge song We Are Family, it becomes clear that Mike Nichols' 1996 film is both a queer sanctuary and a comedic haven. It's hard to resist the flamboyant opening of The Birdcage.