https://www.operareviews.org/netflixfilms/paris-is-burning
This wonderful and eye-opening documentary began and ended with two heartbreakingly young boys (13 and 15) who were living on the streets/in the Houses. They were gloriously optimistic and cheerful and I am very keen to find out what happened to them; I fear it is probably not good.
The documentary gives a riveting insight into the worlds that these people, total outcasts from parents and family have created and, in one sense, it is gloriously life-affirming and an extraordinary tribute to their resilience when they have almost nothing other than each other.
There was a fascinating demonstration of how language was used, created and changed in this world. Not just the derivation of the word ‘vogueing’ but concepts like ‘realness’ which now is something if a cliché in gay culture and circles. Here it had a much darker side as if you were not perceived as ‘real’ as the person whom you wished to project yourself when out in the world,, then you were in very real danger of being attacked or even killed – as happened with one tragic figure, as we found out, by the end of this film. The use and development of the word and concept of ‘casting shade’ was another illuminating piece of social history but again with that life and death possibility silently built in to it. I think that there was a similar social/linguistic characteristic in the UK earlier with the use of Polari. Remarkably, this became very widespread and edged its way out of its normal small and restricted world of the cafes and bars of the old Soho with its use in Round the Horne with Kennth Williams and Hugh Paddick (‘Jules and my friend, Sandy’). Perhaps too in the songs of ‘Ramblin’ Sid Rumpo.
AIDS was mentioned almost in passing – I think the film must have bene made in the early days of the pandemic – but one could not help- thinking how many of the people who appeared in this film did succumb to this. But it was fascinating to see at least one eminent voguer who had managed to move away from this world into the mainstream, taking his skills with him.