Overrated and overhyped

Absolutely the worst movie.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Being a fan of the RuPaul Drag Race show and all the references to Paris Is Burning, a movie I've heard of since high school but never saw until now. Every phrase I thought came from RPDR were actually from this movie 2 decades ago. From shady and fierce to the drag queen art of "reading", this movie seems like the inspiration for RuPaul's show.The film is about the ballroom circuit for the mostly black/latino gay community. The participants walk the ballroom floor in different categories, in a show referred to as "balls". Trophies are given to those who have the most "realness". Some competitions include the now famous "Voguing" - a dance which was popularized by iconic singer Madonna."Paris Is Burning" seems a bit dated now that being "gay" has gradually been accepted as a natural occurrence, but at the time of filming AIDS and homosexuals were synonymous and gays stigmatized. The titles before each sequence "BALLS", "REALNESS", "HOUSES", etc., were probably the inspiration for Ken Burns' documentaries. "Paris" flows seamlessly depicting the story of how for one night someone can live a fantasy and the struggle to deal back to reality. Filmed in New York City at the end of the 1980's, it's a great insight to an urban community that most of the "straight" world never new existed.

I came into this knowing very little and came out having watched a fascinating documentary. Made back in 1990, the film follows the majority African American and Latino LGBT communities of New York and the 'ball culture' they attended. I knew nothing of this culture so I found it thoroughly interesting to see inside it. The ball culture consisted of balls hosted by a Queen and King and where contestants 'walk' or compete in different categories. These might be glamour, or decadence or office worker or almost anything. Many of those competing did so for 'Houses' and winning a trophy for your house was something that could make you 'legendary'.Mixing interviews with participants, House leaders and fans, there is a joy in seeing these events take place as despite the overwhelming campness and no doubt hidden bitching, there seems to be a high level of support. It seemed like an amazing night out and for participants an opportunity to express themselves they might not get a chance to do elsewhere.One of the few aspects of the film I did know about was voguing. Madonna made voguing part of popular culture, but the balls are where it first came to prominence as participants would have vogue offs. And the voguing in question is not the Madonna version. This is highly stylized, athletic and fierce and amazing to watch.It is a wonderful insight into a world that you never really here about or indeed see and it would be fascinating to revisit these people and to see whether ball culture exists in the same way today. I loved the end line from drag queen Dorian Corey: 'If you shoot a arrow and it goes real high, hurray for you'.More of my reviews at my site iheartfilms.weebly.com

Wonderfully put together..I wish there was a follow up to this documentary to follow up with the lives of some and celebrate the lives of others lost...there should be a part two..a real one. It was great..the film wasn't long enough..I would like to know why the creator of the film did not follow up!! this is so important to the community period..well if your are reading this please consider doing another documentary of this sort...I am really tired of hearing from naive writers how AIDS and Men go together when they don't; actually its the hetero's that we need to look into..this film didn't even bother to mention HIV or AIDS and I was so glad for that..I really appreciated the break downs and definitions too. Thank you s much for allowing this film to exist.

I had just recently watched "Paris Is Burning" and I love it. I find it very interesting and artistic and creative the way they move and dance. It's like a whole different world. My friend received it as a gift and after watching it I am going to hunt a copy down for my own collection. The next day I found out from a friend that Willie Ninja had just passed away a couple of days before. At first I didn't want to believe him. So I went searching for anything that would confirm what he had said, he was right. Even though I didn't know him personally, there's no doubt in my mind that he will be missed, and I would consider it an honor to have been a friend of his. To anyone who knew him I am sorry.R.I.P WILLIE NINJA - Angel Ray from San Bernardino, Ca