Jeff's Reviews

Thoughts on every movie I've ever seen.

Paris Is Burning (1990)

Directed by Jennie Livingston

Starring André Christian, Dorian Corey, Paris Duprée, David The Father Xtravaganza

Author

An informative look at an interesting culture with lingo all their own. Refreshing to see inner city, black, gay guys. One of them was actually pretty good-looking as a girl. But these people have problems. It’s frightening how into it these people are. They’ll do anything to escape themselves. New clothes, make-up, plastic surgery. If they could deal with their mental insecurities, they might be able to learn to be happy as they are.

Why weren’t there any women dressed as men at these seemingly fun and innocent social events? I think these gay guys have something against women, personally. That’s why they hang around each other exclusively. Yet they can’t totally escape their desire for the opposite sex, so some of them change their bodies and clothes to fulfill that need.

The death at the end was tragic, but it worked well dramatically. Without it, I hate to say it, the film would have been missing something.

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