Paris Is Burning: a Queer Film Classic

169 Pages·2013·19.997 MB·English

by  Hilderbrand, Lucas

PRAISE FOR QUEER FILM CLASSICS
“Each book offers a close reading of an underrated film, which L
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restores that film to its significance within queer history. The kinds c
a PARIS IS BURNING
of queerness at issue in these accounts are as distinct as the films’ s

H
respective styles, and it is in their powerful elaboration of the i
l
d
relation between the two that the books, and the series, break new
e
r
critical ground.” —Film Quarterly b
r Lucas Hilderbrand
a
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Paris Is Burning, Jennie Livingston’s brilliant and award-winning d

1991 documentary, captures the energy, ambition, wit, and

struggle of African-American and Latino participants in the

1980s New York drag ball scene. An unlikely hit when it was first

released, the film is an energizing and moving portrait of urban
P
drag culture, introducing such memorable performers as Willi A
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Ninja, Pepper Labeija, and Angie Xtravaganza. Paris Is Burning I
S
generated enthusiastic buzz from audiences and critics, as well as
I
S
impassioned debate: did the film present a subversive perspective
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on the crass values of the 1980s, or did it exploit its subjects and U
R
pander to privileged movie audiences? Regardless, the film is
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considered one of the key films of the New Queer Cinema, and I
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resonates with audiences to this day. G
Author Lucas Hilderbrand contextualizes the film within the
longer history of drag balls, the practices of documentary, the
fervor of the culture wars, and issues of gender, sexuality, race,
and class.
ARSENAL PULP PRESS
arsenalpulp.com
Entertainment (Film) / LGBT
ISBN 978-1-55152-519-8
$14.95 Canada / $14.95 US A QUEER FILM CLASSIC
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PARIS IS BURNING
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Arsenal Pulp Press | Vancouver
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PARIS IS BURNING
A QUEER FILM CLASSIC
Lucas Hilderbrand
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PARIS IS BURNING: A Queer Film Classic
Copyright © 2013 by Lucas Hilderbrand
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any part by any means—
graphic, electronic, or mechanical—without the prior written permission of the
publisher, except by a reviewer, who may use brief excerpts in a review, or in the case of
photocopying in Canada, a license from Access Copyright.
ARSENAL PULP PRESS
Suite 202 – 211 East Georgia St.
Vancouver, BC V6A 1Z6
Canada
arsenalpulp.com
Efforts have been made to locate copyright holders of source material wherever possible.
The publisher welcomes hearing from any copyright holders of material used in this
book who have not been contacted.
Queer Film Classics editors: Matthew Hays and Thomas Waugh
Cover and text design by Gerilee McBride
Edited for the press by Susan Safyan
Cover image from the film Paris Is Burning used with permission of Jennie Livingston
Author photograph by Richard Vos
Printed and bound in Canada
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication:
Hilderbrand, Lucas, 1975–, author
Paris is burning : a queer film classic / Lucas
Hilderbrand.
(Queer film classics)
Includes bibliographical references.
Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-1-55152-519-8 (pbk.).—ISBN 978-1-55152-520-4 (epub)
1. Paris is burning (Motion picture). 2. Gay men in
motion pictures. 3. Gay men—New York (State)—New York—
Social life and customs. I. Title. II. Series: Queer film classics
PN1997.P37H54 2013 791.43'72 C2013-903254-1
C2013-903255-X
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In memory of:
Marcel Christian
Dorian Corey
Paris Dupree
Willi Ninja
Crystal Labeija
Pepper Labeija
Avis Pendavis
Kim Pendavis
Octavia Saint Laurent
Angie Xtravaganza
Danny Xtravaganza
Hector Xtravaganza
Venus Xtravaganza
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CONTENTS
9 | Acknowledgments
11 | Synopsis
13 | Credits
17 | Introduction: Love Is the Message
35 | One: Got to Be Real (The Film)
89 | Two: Deep in Vogue (Release)
119 | Three: Love Hangover (Debates)
147 | References
155 | Filmography
159 | Index
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Portions of this book were researched at the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Margaret Herrick Library,
the MoMA Film Study Center, the ONE National Gay and
Lesbian Archives, and the New York University Fales Library.
Thanks to Jennie Livingston and Jonathan Oppenheim for
generously participating in my research, and to Jim Hubbard
at the MIX Festival, Matt Anderson at the Sundance Film
Festival, and Basil Tsiokas at the New Festival for sharing
festival documents. Thanks also to Allison McCracken, Joe
Wlodarz, and Greg Youmans, as well as editors Tom Waugh,
Matt Hays, and Susan Safyan, for feedback on drafts.
9
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