Paris is Burning

Let’s take some time to look at documentaries, real life people, and watching their all too real experiences.

Author

Tyler Clark
June 01, 2023

Good morning Consumers. This is Please Consume, the Film newsletter that loves you more than Ben Affleck loves being from Boston.

Paris Is Burning (1990)

Let’s take some time to look at documentaries, real-life people, and watching their all too real experiences.

A film that is essential viewing for queer folk, documentary scholars, and anyone who has any interest in the medium of vogueing, Paris is Burning is the story of the drag scene in NYC in the late 80s. It is both a beautiful portrayal of a vibrant subculture and a heartbreaking look at the often difficult lives many of these people lived.

Setting the Stage

To understand the importance of the subject matter you have to understand where New York was at that point in history.

New York as a whole was on somewhat of an upswing thanks to the Wall Street boom. However, there were basically no protections for the LGBTQIAP+ community in New York and the crime rate was still 3 times higher than it is today.

On top of that, much of the boom coming from Wall Street was not trickling down to already oppressed groups such as minorities or impoverished individuals. To be openly queer, trans, or especially a queer trans person of color in New York in the 80s automatically put a target on your back.

These are the horrors that director Jennie Livingston sought to shine a light on with this film.

In the Ballroom

With that in mind, it makes watching scenes that take place in “The Ballroom”, the club where they held dances, drag shows, and competitions, so much more powerful.

The Ballroom becomes a haven for what they continually refer to as “realness”. It’s defiance, euphoria, and pure love displayed through play, gender expression, and dance in a way that is brilliantly infectious.

Or, as writer Michelle Parkerson put it in her essay found in the Criterion box set (which you should pick up if you haven’t, it’s wonderful), “Realness is Paris’ manifesto. Watching the exacting performances and outrageous mimicry of the American dream, paraded on the ballroom floor, you witness brilliant works of individual survival and urban camouflage.”

Strike a Pose

We’ve mentioned voguing a couple of times now so let's take a second to address it directly.

Voguing is a form of dance to come out of the Harlem ballroom scene in the 1960s. It expanded in the 1980s and would later become a staple of the dance world due to the exposure (or appropriation depending on who you talk to) from Madonna’s 1990 song Vogue.

It’s a sharp, energetic dance that encourages improvisation, fast movements, and empowered sexualization over one's own form through moving swiftly from pose to pose. It’s deeply ingrained in queer culture to this day and essential to any drag show or just a fun night at a gay nightclub.

While Paris is Burning is the most famous example of the dance on film, other depictions come in the form of Ryan Murphy’s FX show Pose and the first ten minutes of Gasper Noe’s Climax.

Depiction of Family

As you watch this clip, listen to the stories these beautiful people tell. Stories of love and togetherness. Hardship and struggle. Community and confidence.

The power of drag goes beyond looking pretty and having fun; it's an expression of self, pride in the face of adversity, and connection and joy externalized. Paris is Burning shows “the realness” and is a perfect depiction of what pride really means to so many.

Today’s Scene

Stream It

If you want to watch Paris is Burning at home, you can find it here.

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