Livingston is smart enough to realize that her subjects are best equipped to explain themselves.
Paris Is Burning (1990)
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Reviews Counted:8
Fresh:8
Rotten:0
Average Rating:7/10
Runtime: 76 mins
Genre: Education/General Interest
Synopsis: Documentary about the Harlem drag balls thrown by predominantly inner city black and Latino gay men in the mid-1980s. The film features footage of the actual "drag" pageants, as well as interviews... Documentary about the Harlem drag balls thrown by predominantly inner city black and Latino gay men in the mid-1980s. The film features footage of the actual "drag" pageants, as well as interviews with ball participants, who describe their backgrounds and dreams, and the intricacies of their rich and detailed dialect. A fascinating look at the complexities of this elaborate subculture. [More]
Starring: Dorian Corey, Willi Ninja, Pepper Labeija, Venus Xtravaganza
Starring: Dorian Corey, Willi Ninja, Pepper Labeija, Venus Xtravaganza, Octavia St. Laurent, Anji Xtravaganza, Freddie Pendavis, Junior Labeija
Director: Jennie Livingston
Director: Jennie Livingston
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Reviews for Paris Is Burning
This landmark docu celebrates the resourcefulness of a group that's subcultural but not truly countercultural--its denizens long to become members of the society they imitate, operating at its periphery.
The beauty of the film is Livingston's nonjudgmental, accommodating camera.
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