Paris Is Burning (1991)

Simply Fabulous

A great documentary all over. A must have for ones collection. If you haven't seen it yet, hurry. Wish the filmmaker would make it available for "download to own" as well. December 6, 2008

For sure 70's

I found it entertaining and interesting from a historical prospective, with a few interviews that allowed a glimpse of the real person, otherwise not much substance. My feel was that the way they approached was from a voyeuristic angle rather than one looking to gain insight.
October 15, 2008

Colors of the Rainbow

"Paris is Burning" is a fascinating 1990 documentary depicting the fabulous underside of gritty '80s NYC. The Big Apple was still rough around the edges. At the time, Times Square was seamy. In "Paris is Burning",the down-and-out (of the closet) have made a paradise of their own in the clubs.

"Paris is Burning" chronicles the lives of African-American and Latino gays, and defines their terms like "shade","reading" and of course,"voguing",the dance style they perfected. Their balls (usually held at the Elks Lodge in Harlem) weren't the usual drag balls. Some impersonate army officers; others impersonate executives. They mimic what they see as "straight white America." There are breakdancers. Some,like Octavia St. Laurent and Venus Xtravaganza, are famous for embodying femininity. An old drag queen, Dorian Corey,reflects on how the "houses" and their "children" have evolved from emulating silver screen icons like Marilyn Monroe to small screen divas like the ladies of Dynasty. Questions of gender identity, family, and sexuality are explored. Venus dreams of a white wedding to the man of his/her dreams. Another brags he'll never have a sex change operation. Pepper LaBeija reminisces,sadly,how his mother burned his mink coat. Two teenaged boys,their arms around each other,are joyful despite the fact their families kicked them out.

"Paris is Burning" is bittersweet. There's the pageantry of the balls,an escape from a difficult life. There's a longing for identity and family. Many of the people depicted came to tragic ends. Pepper LaBeija died from the complications of diabetes. Venus Xtravaganza was found strangled in his/her apartment. Choreographer Willi Ninja died from AIDS two years ago. When Dorian Corey died,a skeleton was found-literally-in his closet,a mummy underneath his bed. There is a sense of tragedy. Paris is burning,and it burns brightly. October 15, 2008

paris is burning

I loved it. reminds me so much of growing up on the streets of downtown L.A. i wish they had a part 2 10yrs later but most of them are no longer with us its sad... i have seen this vedio 20 times since i got it i give it a A+ LOVE IT April 8, 2008

A Time that Was

"Paris is Burning"

A Time that Was

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

One of the best reviewed documentaries about gay life has finally found its way to DVD, "Is Paris Burning" by Jenny Livingston. This documentary about gay, black and Hispanic men who are transsexuals or transvestites is absolutely riveting. The beauty of the film is that director Livingston takes a subject that could very easily become a laughing matter and freak show and shows the true humanity of the people in the film. We hear from their mouths their views on being gay, about the people in their lives and those they want in their lives, about what their dreams are and we learn of their disappointments.
This is not a movie about men that dress in female clothing; it is about a marginalized segment of society and the things they do to have a feeling of community. It is a commentary on the materialism in our culture and deals with gender roles, about the differences between the rich and the poor and what the media selects for us, as a culture, to worship. It is very humane and very sad at the same time.
Many of the people in the movie are no longer with us but I have been told that the ballroom scene, as depicted here, is very much alive. Originally released in 1990, the movie is now 17 years old but it is still a revelation. The "vogueing" houses of New York have become an integral part of gay life and have been around for decades. Here is a film that focuses on an aspect of our lives that probably could have gone ignored so the movie has historical importance.
The film begins in 1986 when blacks and Hispanic drag queens held "balls" where they would dress up however they wanted and would display their outfits and be ranked by voting. We get a change to meet the participants and see how they hold together and give each other support. We understand the importance of this community when one says to another, "You have three strikes against you--you're black, gay and a drag queen". The only place they seem to be accepted is at their balls. The guys here are well aware of their position in society. They all live in "houses" run by various "mothers" and they each help the other.
The film is most definitely a period piece--the New York of the film is no more but the balls are still held but that same community spirit is gone. In doing research on the film, I learned that Madonna actually got the idea of vogueing from the houses. It seems that the vogue allowed people to fight with each other within the confines of everything but touch which would bring about an automatic disqualification from one of the houses. The vogues were spectacular. It did not matter who you were or where you came from, the moment you entered a house, you entered a magic kingdom and you became bigger than you really were and you were your own creation. Here we see a group of men who embraced their ideals passionately.
"Paris is Burning" is a movie about real people, a real time and a real place but more than that it is a movie about courage--courage to live life the way one wants to live it regardless of consequences. It is not strange that the majority of participants were from minority groups. The theme of behavior modification shows that it was the only way that they could be themselves. We see to what extent a person will go to be accepted in a country that allows racism and homophobia.
August 14, 2007

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