The Documentary Film Paris Is Burning - Movie Review Example

Paris is Burning

Shot List Analysis Essay

Shot #

Mise-en-scene

Cinematography

Editing

Sound

Comments

00:00-00:39

voguing paraphernalia Trophy mounted tables

Drag ball décor arrangement

Sewing machines

Wide angle camera shots

Low angle camera shots

Telescopic shots

Close up shots

Drag ball music

00:45-01:20

Dressing rooms

Bedrooms

Close up shots

Introductory Claim

Relatively few documentary films have sparked as much controversy as Jenni Livingston’s Paris is Burning (1991) has done throughout the years. Jenni’s masterpiece explores the New York’s 80s ballroom subculture. Jenni took seven to make Paris is Burning. The film follows the lives of African American and Hispanic transgender women, gay men, and drag queens as they engage in fierce and fun vogue dancing and runway competitions featuring styles such as Luscious Body, Queen, Town, Country, and Butch Queen. The films different contestants represent various “Houses” including Extravaganza, LaBeija, Pendavis, Lamay, Saint Laurent, and Ninja. Each of these houses acts as a surrogate family providing social support to this community’s largely ostracized individuals. For this reason, this essay’s purpose is to examine how in Paris is Burning, director Jenni Livingston utilizes evidentiary techniques (framing) and mise-en-scene in order to explore the gay community as an outsider in order to touch on acceptance. Hence, the essay comprises four sections: contextual interpellation, evidence collection, thematic analysis of evidence, implications of analysis, and a conclusion.

Context and Background

The narrative in Paris is Burning unfolds through a sequence of alternating ballroom scenes, interspersed by frank one-on-one interviews of its key figures. In these interviews, the participants address the off-camera Livingston on complex themes such as race, class, racism, beauty standards, labor, dreams, cultural appropriation, alternative families, and gender orientation. Its characters are endlessly quotable as they use terminologies that later became part of popular culture’s lexicon. Its ball walkers’ performances and real life transitions depict the film’s thematic content leading both academics and audiences to reflect on the film’s ability to navigate between the intricacies of intracultural representation and variability of gender identities. For instance, when explaining the concept of “shade”, Dorian Corey is especially memorable when she says “I don’t have to tell you you're ugly… I don’t have to tell you because you know you’re ugly. That’s shade.” Additionally, New York’s ball scene subculture introduced terms such as “shady”, “work”, “mopping”, “reading”, “executive realness”, and “yasss queen” into everyday common parlance.

The film highlights issues of minority homosexuality, transsexuality, and the director’s detachment during its filming. Besides offering useful insights into New York’ 80s gay subculture, the film provides a lens into caused by racialized sexuality and gender in transgender minorities. By doing so, Livingston offers the audience a subjective platform for tackling these themes. Its participants are portrayed as victims of gender and sexual oppression living within a minority community exacerbated by racism, transgender, or homosexual orientation. By maintaining the focus of the film’s narrative on its sexual oppression of oppression, Livingston manages to retain her and the audience’s disconnectedness from onscreen events. Regrettably, the director’s choice affects the films’ ability to connect with its viewers as she imposes an interpretation of the subject on its participants. As a result, her portrayal of the subject material hinders audience identification.

Jenni Livingston structured Paris is Burning topically instead of chronologically building its narrative by first introducing the ball scene and associated competitive categories while simultaneously documenting the gender identities, aspirations, and social structures of its participants. In the first half of the film, the narrative focuses on the ballroom subculture whereas it’s second half examines the world external to this subculture. The film ends with Willi achieving international success as well as the tragic murder of Venus. Paris is Burning gives audiences with a view of New York’s vibrant underground of the 80s that most viewers will never be exposed to. As a classic, of this time its thematic concern seems both liberating and confining to different audiences. However, Livingston’s directing debut became a classic because of its excellent presentation of an inspirational narrative and messages revolving around experiential survival. Moreover, the film makes the viewer ponder the demands of the media, the meaning of identity, and the problem of prejudice.

Evidence

The cinematographer in Paris is Burning emphasis tragedy and triumph of being crowned the most real in the scene where contestants collect their trophies. As the winners step down from the podium they try to maintain their composure as not to affect the film’s continuity. Here, the camera points upstage to capture the intimate expression as well as to reinforce their self-confidence in winning in the category they represented. This shot is reminiscent of an Oscar ceremony with participants in the ball sharing the same admiration shred by Hollywood stars. It seems that the cinematographer attempts to depict what appears as most “real” in reality means the most “fake”. Besides, capturing the winner’s facial expressions, this shot also captures their bodies revealing parts might have been added on for emphasis. In addition, other shots in this sequence linger briefly on the contestant’s bosom through the one being analyzed has the pelvis as its focal point. In this shot, her right creates a line that joins the stage light behind her rear leading our eyes directly to her crotch. Besides, the lights are spaced in a manner that forces viewers to look up her shorts. As red bulbs flash to either side of her groin, the equally distanced between these lines has the same position as her groin, thus, by placing the participant’s pelvis in front and at the center of this hot, this hot reinforce the “realness” of the contestant’s performance by daring the audience to inspect her pelvic region for any anatomical discrepancies.

In contrast to conventional documentaries which have interviewees look straight to the camera akin to defendants at a trial, this is not so for Paris is Burning’s participants as during an interview they proceed with getting ready for the ball, applying makeup, or stitching garments. Consequently, this creates a tangible intimacy as they allow viewers a glimpse of their most private moments. In addition, in these shots a rare kind of defiance is implied: no matter what kinds of judgment the audience makes about their lives, they are absorbed by more important matters to notice or even care. In this sequence, the most impressive shot is the one involving Dorian Corey as she narrates how she feels pressured by young legends. In this shot, framing is used to capture Dorian with all her tools of the trade in seemingly very close quarters while simultaneously creating visual depth. Moreover, the shot manages to include the exotic pharaoh that imbues gold hues to numerous scenes within Paris is Burning.

Analysis

In Paris is Burning, costume helps prop the film’s characters by revealing individual transvestite preferences and tastes. As such, it comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Contestants feature elaborate costumes, for instance, some dress as upper and middle-class men or women. Other categories in which costumes reveal to the viewer the styles of the various contestants include executive realness, military, and schoolboy or schoolgirl. In addition to that, the film’s costume highlights several contradictions. On one hand, costumes manifest a certain creative indulgence, adaptation, and identification with the character’s aggressors. On the other hand, costumes emphasize the victim’s innocence and refusal to accept exclusion from the high culture of the rich and famous as well as being mimicry and genuine art. Moreover, costume helps the film’s characters express their creative energies by insisting that imitative life is about consumption and interpretation.

Livingston does an excellent job of framing spaces in this film by employing wide angle shots in shooting ballroom scenes creating an illusion of distance between the film’s characters as well as letting the audience appreciate the sheer scale of the locations. Moreover, these wide angle shots open up spaces as if the camera is positioned on the balcony along with the spectators. In contrast to these shots, interviews of Venus, Dorian, and LaBeija occur in tight spaces with the presence of voguing paraphernalia, trophy mounted tables, and participants indicating that the rooms are fairly spacious. Livingston reorients spaces by squeezing the frame’s subject within its confines. In particular, when filming Corey in the dressing room, she creates notable visual contrasts. To me, it seems the director places the participants back in the “closet” by separating their fantasy inducing orientation next to the reality of their existence. In this way, Livingston offers an indicative statement of the state of the queer in our society whose only crime is just being who they really are.

In the sequence under consideration, camera angles are used to emphasize the relative dominance or vulnerability of its characters. Besides, by interchanging the camera’s depth of field, the director manages to integrate characters into their setting. Apparently, deep space is used to emphasize the spaciousness of the halls in which drag balls take place whereas shallow spaces convey a feeling of constriction to the viewers. Moreover, by alternating between panning and rolling shots the film creates continuity between its various scenes. Décor, color, and costume help portray the moods and aura of the drag balls as well as the time period in which this film was shot. Livingston effectively relies on lighting in evoking various emotions in the viewer. In the sequence under analysis, the use of low key lighting creates a contrast between the lighter and darker parts of the framed image introducing mystery into the interview scenes. The cinematographer relies on this lighting technique, especially when interviewing Pepper Labeija. On the other hand, high key lighting helps soften the scenes typical of comedies and musicals emphasizing the otherworldliness of the drag balls for example at 00:03:34 to 00:04:07 and again at 00:09:37 to 00:10:00 when Labeija and Dorian are strutting on the catwalk. Music in this film serves as a background of actions taking place in the sequences under analysis. Given that, music links Paris is Burning’s soundtrack with its more thematic content. In this way, music animates the performers’ movements with the lyrics providing a subversive and shady commentary regarding the aesthetics and politics of New York’s ballroom scene of the 90s. For instance, Cheryl Lyn’s Got to be Real highlights the drag ball focus on “realness” further embodying the realness of the film’s black male and female characters.

Implications

In its beginning drag queens communicate in a manner similar to that of upcoming Hollywood starlets. Even so, as its narrative progress the mood changes to a somber and melancholic one. Fr example, Carmen while discussing her business activities, Venus Xtravaganza talking about finding Mr. Right, the aging drag queen Dorian Corey philosophizing of making a mark in the world by just getting through this life. In addition, the movies offer the audience a lot of wit behind the dismissive role play as well as highlighting the sadness and despair of its characters as they imitate members of a society that ostracizes them. By drawing on its character reaction to oppression the film depicts individuals who yearn for fame, riches, recognition, and luxury instead of personal happiness. In this way, Livingston seems to blame the media for foisting this unrealistic expectation on the film’s characters. Moreover, Paris is Burning illustrates the cultural appropriation of African-American cultural heritage has been co-opted to as a way of appealing to the masses. Conversely, the film raises critical questions regarding the sexual and gender identity and the dictatorship of the mainstream media.

A future of Paris is Burning that caught my attention is its contrasting of their realness of the ball performers and the realness of normal people. This contrast creates conflict in the viewer's mind. Essentially, drag serves as a way of denaturalizing the nature of gender with its attempt at quantifying the intangible ideology of masculinity and femininity through the repetitive imposition of gender norms. Given that, a majority of the film's scenes contain a certain melancholy that defines the film’s tone not only due to the oppression of its characters but also because of their highlighting the dominance of heterosexual ideals regarding gender. Octavia Laurent is the best example one can think of as she dreams of becoming a supermodel of the actress. Her bedroom wall is covered with white models that she idolizes while desiring to e attractive, glamorous, rich, and sexy just like them. In pursuing her dream she poses in a photo shoot and applies to a modeling agency. Nevertheless, she does not get to achieve her dreams as the law still recognizes her as male and because she is African-American in an industry dominated by whites.

Though the director’s attempt at creating acceptance of the gay subculture, however, the film fails in accomplishing its goals due to a number of reasons. In Paris is Burning, Livingston creates a tapestry that portrays its characters as worshipping white cultural attitudes and behaviors. In particular, Livingston consistently refuses to address the issues of her whiteness when documenting the experiences of a predominantly colored cast. If she had acknowledged the role played by white supremacy in determining what the acceptable portrayal of blackness is, she would not have transformed the drag ball culture into a spectacle for those external to the experiences of the film’s cast. Primarily, the film addresses issues of racism, privilege, and power in relation to the upward mobility of the black gay subculture which is not different from that of the poor and lower class black community. In this way, Livingston is incapable of interrogating her position as an interpreter and outsider looking in, which in turn affects, distorts, and perverts her perspective as an observer.

Concluding Claim

In providing an analysis of Paris is Burning, this essay argues that any evaluation of the film must integrate issues race, class, oppression, gender fluidity and their relationship with the transgender community. Most importantly, this essay attempted to explore how Jenni Livingston’s portrayal of the queer community through cinema impacts the film’s thematic content as well as its presentation style. In addition, this essay demonstrated the ability of the film’s director to a position the audience in the historical context of voyeurism and content devoid of urgency and the meanings of drag queens and transgender rituals, by doing so, the film reduces the fantasy world of its characters self expression into a recurrent trope of predictable narratives. Moreover, this essay has analyses how the director utilized cinematography, sound and mise en scene in providing a powerful message about the transgender community. In this way, the film eliminates conventional notions of gender normatively as it engulfs its audience in New York’s subculture of the 90s.

Jenni Livingston structured Paris is Burning topically instead of chronologically building its narrative by first introducing the ball scene and associated competitive categories while simultaneously documenting the gender identities, aspirations, and social structures of its participants. In the first half of the film, the narrative focuses on the ballroom subculture whereas it’s second half examines the world external to this subculture. The film ends with Willi achieving international success as well as the tragic murder of Venus. Paris is Burning gives audiences with a view of New York’s vibrant underground of the 80s that most viewers will never be exposed to. As a classic, of this time its thematic concern seems both liberating and confining to different audiences. However, Livingston’s directing debut became a classic because of its excellent presentation of an inspirational narrative and messages revolving around experiential survival. Moreover, the film makes the viewer ponder the demands of the media, the meaning of identity, and the problem of prejudice.

Evidence

The cinematographer in Paris is Burning emphasis tragedy and triumph of being crowned the most real in the scene where contestants collect their trophies. As the winners step down from the podium they try to maintain their composure as not to affect the film’s continuity. Here, the camera points upstage to capture the intimate expression as well as to reinforce their self-confidence in winning in the category they represented. This shot is reminiscent of an Oscar ceremony with participants in the ball sharing the same admiration shred by Hollywood stars. It seems that the cinematographer attempts to depict what appears as most “real” in reality means the most “fake”. Besides, capturing the winner’s facial expressions, this shot also captures their bodies revealing parts might have been added on for emphasis. In addition, other shots in this sequence linger briefly on the contestant’s bosom through the one being analyzed has the pelvis as its focal point. In this shot, her right creates a line that joins the stage light behind her rear leading our eyes directly to her crotch. Besides, the lights are spaced in a manner that forces viewers to look up her shorts. As red bulbs flash to either side of her groin, the equally distanced between these lines has the same position as her groin, thus, by placing the participant’s pelvis in front and at the center of this hot, this hot reinforce the “realness” of the contestant’s performance by daring the audience to inspect her pelvic region for any anatomical discrepancies.

In contrast to conventional documentaries which have interviewees look straight to the camera akin to defendants at a trial, this is not so for Paris is Burning’s participants as during an interview they proceed with getting ready for the ball, applying makeup, or stitching garments. Consequently, this creates a tangible intimacy as they allow viewers a glimpse of their most private moments. In addition, in these shots a rare kind of defiance is implied: no matter what kinds of judgment the audience makes about their lives, they are absorbed by more important matters to notice or even care. In this sequence, the most impressive shot is the one involving Dorian Corey as she narrates how she feels pressured by young legends. In this shot, framing is used to capture Dorian with all her tools of the trade in seemingly very close quarters while simultaneously creating visual depth. Moreover, the shot manages to include the exotic pharaoh that imbues gold hues to numerous scenes within Paris is Burning.

Analysis

In Paris is Burning, costume helps prop the film’s characters by revealing individual transvestite preferences and tastes. Read More