BURLESQUE: THE HEART OF THE GLITTER TRIBE
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)

CAPSULE: A company of performers revives the fun and
slightly naughty atmosphere of the old burlesque that
died about 1940. Theirs is a neo-Burlesque that is
having a healthy revitalization. They create, work
hard, and have what appears to be one heck of a good
time. Jon Manning directs a film of interviews of
people involved with the show. Rating: +2 (-4 to +4)
or 7/10

I have to admit that when this film came along I was unaware that
there was still Burlesque alive in the 21st century. For those who
don't know it is a lot like vaudeville, a live stage variety show,
generally with skimpy costumes and a strong sexual accent including
striptease performances. The original Burlesque came to the US
about the time of the close of the Civil War. It supposedly died
out about the time of World War II. But the people in this film
are among those who have revived it as a sort of neo-Burlesque.

(As I see the film BURLESQUE: THE HEART OF THE GLITTER TRIBE I see
that there is something of a revival. My wife put "New Jersey
Burlesque" into a search engine and discovered that tomorrow there
is to be a New Jersey Burlesque Festival not far away from where I
am writing. OK, so I suppose that is evidence along with this film
that burlesque still lives.)

I think this film could do a better job of explaining itself, but I
guess the Glitter Tribe is this particular company of Burlesque
performers. People involved with the show talk about just about
anything, but as far as the film is concerned no real names are
ever used. You identify people like, "oh yes, she is the one who
works all night on her costumes."

We get to see some of their acts and in between there are
interviews with the performers talking about life, sex, what their
families think of their chosen profession, and the excruciating
hours working all day and preparing their acts all night. Some of
the acts are really creative. One woman loves eating burritos,
eating them every day. Her idea for an act was to come out of a
six-foot brown paper sack, wrapped in a human-size cloth tortilla
and then again in aluminum foil, like a burrito packed to go. She
works her way down to the filling, which turns out to be the very
scantily dressed performer herself with a cloth jalapeno covering
the parts to keep the act legal.

I guess that takes me to the nudity. It either would not be a true
revival of Burlesque or a very bad documentary if there were not a
lot of backstage nudity. Except for what we see in the
performances themselves, nothing is intended to be very erotic.
The performers seem to like the idea that they are doing something
that they like and can put their entire selves into. Though some
have had very painful backgrounds they are dedicated to this
regimen.

This is a light and lively documentary that turns into a surprising
pleasure. I rate it a +2 on the -4 to +4 scale or 7/10.
BURLESQUE: HEART OF THE GLITTER TRIBE will open in select theaters
March 3rd and on VOD/iTunes March 7th.

Film Credits:
<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6296208/combined>

What others are saying:
<http://tinyurl.com/void-rt-burlesque>


Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 2017 Mark R. Leeper

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