In 1967, New York City is host to the Miss All-American Camp Beauty Pageant. This documentary takes a look behind the scenes, transporting the viewer into rehearsals and dressing rooms as the drag queen subculture prepares for this big national beauty contest. Jack/Sabrina is the mistress of ceremonies, and their protégé, Miss Harlow, is in the competition. But, as the pageant approaches, the glamorous contestants veer from camaraderie to tension.
A visit to the Vauxhall Tavern in London to see the drag acts.
A man plans a heist involving drag queens. [Production for this 1970 film was never finished due to a money laundering scheme, though it was released by Vinegar Syndrome as a bonus feature on their Dracula Sucks DVD in 2014, then again on their 4K UHD release in 2022.]
A witness to a mob murder hides out in a nightclub dressed in drag.
A series of erotic vignettes and sexual imagery (mostly of the gay variety) are presented courtesy of The Cockettes (a gay/drag performance art ensemble of late 60s/early 70s San Francisco).
Pickup's Tricks is a beat documentary of Hibiscus and the Cockettes, who were pioneers of San Francisco’s underground queer theater in the early '70s. It is a multifarious blend of sexual anarchy; a raucous and unscripted mix of liberation and elation as rough and spirited as the lifestyle that created it. The film profiles Hibiscus, founding member of the Cockettes, the psychedelic drag queens that performed midnight musicals at the Palace Theater in San Francisco. The film includes a rare screen appearance of Allen Ginsberg, clean-shaven and costumed in "acute drag" as a Yiddishe Mama with a painted-on third eye. (pickupstricks.com)
From transvestites to transformers, we will follow the trail that will lead us in different and famous Parisian music-halls, such as the mythical Alcazar of Paris, La Grande Eugène. Whether they are below or beyond their character, often these men who are looking for themselves look at life with the humor of despair. Why this need to "transform" themselves? Why is it always the men who cross-dress and not the women? Why did the public flock to these shows in the 1970s and 1980s? Interpretations of famous characters such as Diana Ross, Josephine Baker, Billie Holiday, the Peter Sisters, the Andrew Sisters, Zizi Jeanmaire, Judy Garland, Sarah Bernhardt, among others, contribute to making this musical document an essential testimony of this era.
Two women and a transvestite gay man cross paths in this French Canadian drama. The transvestite is preparing for a drag-queen beauty pageant, and has decided to present himself as Cleopatra. Of the two women, one was just fired from her waitressing job and seeks to go back to work at the nightclub where the beauty pageant is to be held. The other woman's mother has just won one million food stamps.
Failed music hall performer Jack James inherits a brothel when his ancient Aunt dies. He takes over the running of the business and falls in love with its star attraction, beautiful prostitute Virginia.
When struggling pianist Michael lands a job at the legendary Continental Baths in NYC, his wife Tracy encourages him, emphasizing how special the institution is. Michael, however, struggles with his own homophobia, yet at the same time, starts developing feelings for his confident and sexually free co-worker, Scotti.
Montréal: Louise, die Schwester des Polizisten Tony Saitta, wurde auf einer Party vergiftet. Tony macht sich an den Fall heran und glaubt auch gleich den Mörder gefunden zu haben: Prof. Tracer, mit dem Louise ein Verhältnis hatte. Aber Zweifel bleiben und führen Tony auf eine wilde Jagd durch die zwielichtigen Kreise der Transvestiten und der Juwelendiebe, an deren Ende er ein erschreckendes Geheimnis um Louise aufdeckt.
A film record of Reg Livermore's successful one-man stage show, featuring characters and sketches centred around Betty Blokk-Buster, a bare-bummed German maid who entertained the troops during the war. In April 1975 Reg Livermore stormed the stage of Sydney's Balmain Bijou Theatre with his groundbreaking show Betty Blokk Buster Follies. A tour de force, an irresistible blend of music and comedy, the show caught the imagination of audiences all round Australia filling theatres wherever it played. This record of the show was released in cinemas during 1976. Songs include Family Of Man, Hello In There, Captain Jack, What Makes A Man A Man, The Entertainer and Celluloid Heroes, with well known characters, Betty Blokk Buster, Tara the Incredible, The Old Man and Vaseline Amylnitrite - a football star who joins the Australia Ballet.
Gay hair stylist Robin Turner does a lot of work for drag queens, all the while dreaming that he'll someday find the courage to perform in drag himself. When his schizophrenic friend, Liza, turns up looking for a place to stay, the two form an increasingly tight bond, Robin helping Liza through an unplanned pregnancy and Liza pushing Robin to develop a successful nightclub act.
A sincere portrait, and in first person, of the multifaceted Andalusian artist José Pérez Ocaña.
"Käfig voller Narren" ist der Name eines Travestie-Cabarets, das von zwei Homosexuellen geführt wird, von denen der eine einen Sohn hat. Obwohl von diesem ungewöhnlichen Pärchen erzogen, will der Sohn heiraten. Leider ist der Vater seiner Freundin Vorsitzender des staatlichen Ausschusses für Moral und Sitte. Um den jungen Liebenden zu helfen, unternehmen die "Eltern" des Jungen verzweifelte Anstrengungen, ihr ausgeflipptes Leben umzukrempeln und einen "normalen" Eindruck zu erwecken.
Legendary drag performer Ocaña in performance with a cardboard Marilyn on the west side of the Berlin Wall.
Renato gibt seinem Freund Albin zu verstehen, dass er für die Rolle Marlene Dietrichs in der neuen Nachtclub-Revue zu dick sei. Das hört Albin natürlich gar nicht gerne und stürtzt sich in ein wildes Liebesabenteuer. Doch das ist nur der Anfang dieser turbulenten Fortsetzung des Käfigs voller Narren mit Michel Serrault und Ugo Tognazzi in ihren bekannten Rollen.
The breakthrough show for the Swedish drag show pioneers After Dark.
It is 1947, the year of the communist rebellion in Malaya and the British army's SADUSEA (Song And Dance Unit South East Asia) are called to the Malayan Jungle to entertain the troops. The eccentric, bible-bashing Major Giles Flack (John Cleese) is in command of the unit. Flack is accompanied by an ageing, theatrical drama queen, Terri Dennis (Denis Quilley) who hopes to entertain the troops with his flamboyant impressions, but the bored troops find other ways to enjoy themselves.
Larry (Crispin Glover) organizes a talent show in an attempt to get on TV but the small town of Orkly, Idaho, isn't ready for his Olivia Newton-John impersonation.