Paris Is Burning
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DVD Cover Information Actor: André Christian, Carmen and Brooke, David The Father Xtravaganza, Dorian Corey, Paris Duprée Director: Jennie Livingston Brand: Buena Vista Home Video Cinematographer: Paul Gibson Producer: Jennie Livingston Editor: Jonathan Oppenheim Producer: Barry Swimar Producer: Richard Dooley DVD: Region Code 1 Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC Picture Format: 1.33:1 Running Time: 71 minutes DVD Release Date: 2005-09-06 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Studio: Miramax |
| Used | Used Usually ships in 1-2 business days | $104.95 |
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Movie Reviews of Paris Is Burning
Movie Review: Colors of the Rainbow
Summary: 4 Stars
"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.