http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100332/

One of my favorite movies ever, I saw it on VHS in my late teens. Funny story: In college I had an art teacher who had been part of this scene when he was a young fashion illustrator in New York, and he would sneak me out to gay clubs in Miami Beach so we could Vogue the night away at Susanne Bartsch parties with Willie Ninja and caravan of other crazy New york club personalities. I was (one) of this teacher's many female student muses at the time, but the only student he was out to, and I have to say, it was big fun hanging out with him...the excitement, the revelry, nights full of confetti . I remember one night- after a curiously intense Vogue session on the dancefloor of the Warsaw Ballroom- going upstairs to get my Tom Collins on I was complimented by none other than Perry Ellis designer Marc Jacobs for my Vogue skills . We chatted momentarily about Paris is Burning, toasted drinks, and I left that cubicle-sitting thingy floating for days- because honest to gawd- I had had a crush on that man since the first time I ever saw his pudgy, beared, shaggy haired self in the pages of WWD.

Thinking back on all this makes me wanna listen to Malcolm McClaren's "Deep In Vogue" from the album Waltz Darling...that song provided the underscore to many rather fantastical days and nights of my youth, indeed.

Venus

Ottensen said:

One of my favorite movies ever, I saw it on VHS in my late teens. Funny story: In college I had an art teacher who had been part of this scene when he was a young fashion illustrator in New York, and he would sneak me out to gay clubs in Miami Beach so we could Vogue the night away at Susanne Bartsch parties with Willie Ninja and caravan of other crazy New york club personalities. I was (one) of this teacher's many female student muses at the time, but the only student he was out to, and I have to say, it was big fun hanging out with him...the excitement, the revelry, nights full of confetti . I remember one night- after a curiously intense Vogue session on the dancefloor of the Warsaw Ballroom- going upstairs to get my Tom Collins on I was complimented by none other than Perry Ellis designer Marc Jacobs for my Vogue skills . We chatted momentarily about Paris is Burning, toasted drinks, and I left that cubicle-sitting thingy floating for days- because honest to gawd- I had had a crush on that man since the first time I ever saw his pudgy, beared, shaggy haired self in the pages of WWD.

Thinking back on all this makes me wanna listen to Malcolm McClaren's "Deep In Vogue" from the album Waltz Darling...that song provided the underscore to many rather fantastical days and nights of my youth, indeed.

That's an awesome story! I could definitely see Jacobs being right in the thick of this scene.

They had sort of a sister-flim to this called How Do I Look? that was released a few years ago, but it's not as snazzy as Paris. And since it came so many years later, many of the men and women involved in the original had already been long passed away (excluding notables like Willi Ninja, who died later on).

IAintTheOne said:

Venus

I know! The tragedy... She was so young.

Spinlight said:

IAintTheOne said:

Venus

I know! The tragedy... She was so young.

I can't watch that movie without shedding tears, a lot of those beautiful children I knew and watched em disappear

IAintTheOne said:

Spinlight said:

I know! The tragedy... She was so young.

I can't watch that movie without shedding tears, a lot of those beautiful children I knew and watched em disappear

I love the freedom of expression. Kind of a microcosm of a subculture where oppressed people create and share and revel in a level of solidarity and joy that most people hardly ever achieve.

Many of the important figures from this era are now gone; most of them died within 5 years of the documentary's release, but I love that the message is eternal. Those performers always wanted to make a lasting impression upon people outside of their small world and they did. Shame that only some of them got to witness this film take hold and stay fresh for 20+ years.

This is another one of my favorite glimpses into this world. Crystal LaBeija was no joke! Reading bitches in the 1960s!!!

Spinlight said:

IAintTheOne said:

I can't watch that movie without shedding tears, a lot of those beautiful children I knew and watched em disappear

I love the freedom of expression. Kind of a microcosm of a subculture where oppressed people create and share and revel in a level of solidarity and joy that most people hardly ever achieve.

Many of the important figures from this era are now gone; most of them died within 5 years of the documentary's release, but I love that the message is eternal. Those performers always wanted to make a lasting impression upon people outside of their small world and they did. Shame that only some of them got to witness this film take hold and stay fresh for 20+ years.

This is another one of my favorite glimpses into this world. Crystal LaBeija was no joke! Reading bitches in the 1960s!!!

Crystal was no damn joke, I used to go to the Sound Factory Bar in NYC and Willi Ninja used to work the door

Wish the quality was better, but what can ya do. He's a fuckin' marvel.

Spinlight said:

Wish the quality was better, but what can ya do. He's a fuckin' marvel.

And my friend

IAintTheOne said:

Spinlight said:

Wish the quality was better, but what can ya do. He's a fuckin' marvel.

And my friend

You gotta teach these children!!!

I am jealous of you! I don't know what I'd do if I ever met Willi prior to his passing! He's a hero of mine in every sense of the word.

You should do a write up about him and just talk about your experiences and stuff. This info needs to be curated!! I was so worried that eventually these ladies and gents would fade away like a photograph but the advent of YouTube has really injected some staying power. We need people who were there to sing this stuff from the mountaintops!

Spinlight said:

IAintTheOne said:

And my friend

You gotta teach these children!!!

I am jealous of you! I don't know what I'd do if I ever met Willi prior to his passing! He's a hero of mine in every sense of the word.

You should do a write up about him and just talk about your experiences and stuff. This info needs to be curated!! I was so worried that eventually these ladies and gents would fade away like a photograph but the advent of YouTube has really injected some staying power. We need people who were there to sing this stuff from the mountaintops!

And as a dj these beautiful angels would shout and dance to what I played

Has anyone notified le fire department yet?

Love this documentary!!!!!!

These children is fierce!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I was able to go to a ball back in the day when I visited New York.

Spinlight said:

IAintTheOne said:

I can't watch that movie without shedding tears, a lot of those beautiful children I knew and watched em disappear

I love the freedom of expression. Kind of a microcosm of a subculture where oppressed people create and share and revel in a level of solidarity and joy that most people hardly ever achieve.

Many of the important figures from this era are now gone; most of them died within 5 years of the documentary's release, but I love that the message is eternal. Those performers always wanted to make a lasting impression upon people outside of their small world and they did. Shame that only some of them got to witness this film take hold and stay fresh for 20+ years.

This is another one of my favorite glimpses into this world. Crystal LaBeija was no joke! Reading bitches in the 1960s!!!

I only got to see a snippet because it's so late, but I'm going to track down the full video tomorrow and watch this

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Love this documentary!!!!!!

These children is fierce!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I was able to go to a ball back in the day when I visited New York.

Done it, and i'm still fierce

YES.

Absolute great movie. Reminds me of how it was back in my old whorin' days.

That damn Pepper is my favorite sitting there in those leather pants and that bad ass leather police hat talking about his mama burning his fur coat.

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/chrisisvacant/Ball.jpg[/img:$uid]

Portia LaBeija, OnJenae, Angela Carrera

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/chrisisvacant/Dorian3.jpg[/img:$uid]

Legendary Dorian Corey, mother of The House of Corey

The Drag Queen and the Mummy: Dorian gained national notoriety again a few years after the release of Paris Is Burning. When sorting through her items post mortem, a corpse was found stuffed into a trunk and wrapped in leather. To this day, nobody knows who killed the man or why Dorian had him in the closet.

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/chrisisvacant/Willie-Ninja-D-Art.jpg[/img:$uid]

Legendary Willi Ninja, mother of The House of Ninja

Vogue: Willi Ninja starred in the first music video involving vogueing. He pioneered the dance movement primarily because, simply put, he was the best voguer out there! Willi went on to become a celebrated teacher and performer of dance, all over the world.

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/chrisisvacant/tumblr_lrizxjoaC71qlqifqo1_500.png[/img:$uid]

Legendary Pepper LaBeija, mother of The House of LaBeija

The Fiercest Mother of Them All: Pepper was famous for her irreverence, her wit, uniqueness, and charm. Coming from mostly humble beginnings, she ascended the harlem ball circuit to eventually run one of the biggest and most prestigious houses, the House of LaBeija, after taking over from legendary beauty queen Crystal LaBeija. Other Paris Is Burning notable Junior LaBeija was a member of House of LaBeija. Junior typically MC'd the balls because of his outstanding wit and humor.

Spinlight said:

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/chrisisvacant/Ball.jpg[/img:$uid]

Portia LaBeija, OnJenae, Angela Carrera

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/chrisisvacant/Dorian3.jpg[/img:$uid]

Legendary Dorian Corey, mother of The House of Corey

The Drag Queen and the Mummy: Dorian gained national notoriety again a few years after the release of Paris Is Burning. When sorting through her items post mortem, a corpse was found stuffed into a trunk and wrapped in leather. To this day, nobody knows who killed the man or why Dorian had him in the closet.

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/chrisisvacant/Willie-Ninja-D-Art.jpg[/img:$uid]

Legendary Willi Ninja, mother of The House of Ninja

Vogue: Willi Ninja starred in the first music video involving vogueing. He pioneered the dance movement primarily because, simply put, he was the best voguer out there! Willi went on to become a celebrated teacher and performer of dance, all over the world.

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/chrisisvacant/tumblr_lrizxjoaC71qlqifqo1_500.png[/img:$uid]

Legendary Pepper LaBeija, mother of The House of LaBeija

The Fiercest Mother of Them All: Pepper was famous for her irreverence, her wit, uniqueness, and charm. Coming from mostly humble beginnings, she ascended the harlem ball circuit to eventually run one of the biggest and most prestigious houses, the House of LaBeija, after taking over from legendary beauty queen Crystal LaBeija. Other Paris Is Burning notable Junior LaBeija was a member of House of LaBeija. Junior typically MC'd the balls because of his outstanding wit and humor.

Pepper was hilarious, Dorian was no joke and would put these children in thier place, she didn't care who's house they belonged to.

vainandy said:

That damn Pepper is my favorite sitting there in those leather pants and that bad ass leather police hat talking about his mama burning his fur coat.

"I was devastated!"

I have not seen this movie since it came out and I went to the theatre to see it. I just remember laughing with my friend Fred. I also remember the old time Drag Stars as being very wise. I really should see this again. I also remember that one of them dies and that she basically was very vulnerablel; she reminded me of that TLC song that I think is titled "Waterfall". "Don't go chasing waterfalls, stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're use. I know your wanna have it your way or not at,but I think you're moving too fast". Lyrics were something like that. I need to see this movie again!

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

vainandy said:

That damn Pepper is my favorite sitting there in those leather pants and that bad ass leather police hat talking about his mama burning his fur coat.

"I was devastated!"

Deadflow3r said:

I have not seen this movie since it came out and I went to the theatre to see it. I just remember laughing with my friend Fred. I also remember the old time Drag Stars as being very wise. I really should see this again. I also remember that one of them dies and that she basically was very vulnerablel; she reminded me of that TLC song that I think is titled "Waterfall". "Don't go chasing waterfalls, stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're use. I know your wanna have it your way or not at,but I think you're moving too fast". Lyrics were something like that. I need to see this movie again!

Yeah, you're referring to Venus Xtravaganza, the main daughter of Anji Xtravaganza's House of Xtravaganza who was found strangled to death and stuffed under a bed in a motel. Horrible and tragic. She'll be remembered forever, though.

Look no further if you want to watch the movie as the youtube in my first post has the entire theatrical production.

Spinlight said:

IAintTheOne said:

I can't watch that movie without shedding tears, a lot of those beautiful children I knew and watched em disappear

I love the freedom of expression. Kind of a microcosm of a subculture where oppressed people create and share and revel in a level of solidarity and joy that most people hardly ever achieve.

Many of the important figures from this era are now gone; most of them died within 5 years of the documentary's release, but I love that the message is eternal. Those performers always wanted to make a lasting impression upon people outside of their small world and they did. Shame that only some of them got to witness this film take hold and stay fresh for 20+ years.

This is another one of my favorite glimpses into this world. Crystal LaBeija was no joke! Reading bitches in the 1960s!!!

God I wish I could track this movie down!!!

This is my favorite documentary ever.

Crystal LaBeija reminds me so much of actress Diana Sands. Both have the same "its too early in the goddamn morning to fuck with me" attitude.

Saw this in college many years ago. "Shake the dice, steal the rice."