Review – Paris Is Burning

This documentary about drag queen competitions in New York is actually a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. The film focuses on the poor, black drag community, folks who live for the temporary escape afforded by balls held at clubs such as Paris Is Burning. I was a little annoyed at the organization of the story. Clips sorted according to the various sub-themes of the competitions rather than showing a single ball from start to finish. Though this helps illustrate the various “specialties,” it makes it hard to get a feel for what the overall experience is like. But the real draws of the movie are the people, ranging from the “legendary mothers” of the various houses to new kids just entering the life. I just wish the picture wasn’t forever linked in my mind with a cooking mishap that occurred while I was watching it for the first time. Worth seeing