What is the old movie about drag queens?
Table of Contents
Overview of Drag in Film History
Early Drag Queen Films
Mainstream Breakthroughs
Cult Classics
Impact on LGBTQ+ Representation
People often ask what is the old movie about drag queens? The answer isn’t easy, as there are a number of them. In the discussion below, we take a look at drag in film, and some of the best of the many drag themed films that have been made.
Overview of Drag in Film History
Drag queens and cross-dressing characters have been featured in films for decades, allowing explorations of gender and pushing boundaries. From underground art films to major Hollywood comedies, movies about drag queens reflect changing attitudes. Early films focused on drag as risqué or comedic while later films portrayed fuller experiences of drag queens.
Early Drag Queen Films
One of the first major drag films was the 1933 comedy Victor Victoria, about a struggling woman who finds success impersonating a male performer. The 1959 film Some Like It Hot featured Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon dressed in drag to hide from the mob. These early films used drag for comedic effect.
The cult classic Pink Flamingos (1972) featured pioneering drag queen Divine. It went beyond comedy to explore trash aesthetic and drag counterculture. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) displayed the escapism and sexual liberation of drag. Visit the Rocky Horror Picture Show Fan Site!
Mainstream Breakthroughs
As mainstream audiences became more open to drag, Hollywood started integrating it into storytelling. The comic farce La Cage aux Folles (1978) was a French box office smash about two drag cabaret owners. The American remake The Birdcage (1996) starred Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.
The Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) centered fully around the lives of three drag queens on a road trip. To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar (1995) likewise brought nuanced drag characters into the American heartland.
Cult Classics
Smaller independent films also left a mark in drag cinema. Torch Song Trilogy (1988) took a dramatic look at a New York drag performer's life. The Queen (1968) was an early frank documentary about a drag pageant. And Paris Is Burning (1990) illuminated the vital ball culture of New York's drag scene.
John Waters' outrageous films, like Female Trouble (1974) and Hairspray (1988), featured boundary-pushing drag queen Divine. They became cultural touchstones for their innovation and shock value. Learn more about John Waters and Divine in two great interviews with experts on Amber Live: Scott Elkins and Mister B Nation.
Divine, aka Harris Glenn Milstead
Impact on LGBTQ+ Representation
While often exaggerating for comedy, over time movies served to normalize the existence of drag queens. They became more humanized as characters, shedding the "man in a dress" parody. The evolution of drag in film has allowed greater LGBTQ+ representation and pushed social awareness. Though stereotyping can still occur, films highlighting the artistry and diversity within drag culture remain culturally significant.
—This article was written, restructured, or adapted by Russell with information gathered from sources around the internet. Russell is the producer of Amber Live and is greatly overworked to pull it all together. If it’s on the internet, it must be true. (We’re kidding.) BUT, if you find any errors or omissions in the article, please let us know so that we may correct the issue. Thanks for your support!
