I went into this movie not really sure what to expect. I knew a little bit about Soho, but, being from the U.S., I only really knew that it was once a big part of LGBT culture that has been gentrified and turned into more of an upper class area. I'd never conducted any significant research, as I'm obviously more tuned into the American LGBT scene, and mostly thought of it as another unfortunate victim of gentrification. However, the movie ended up being rather interesting and very educational, even to someone like me.
I will say, the movie starts off kind of dry. There's a long monologue about Soho's history that, to me, felt more like a nostalgic reminiscing than information about its actual history and how it came to be such a haven for the people that ended up there. Obviously, people thought of Soho as a dangerous place, a place where freaks congregated - but why? It didn't really catch my attention immediately, which I found unfortunate as I progressed, because it really did end up becoming an interesting film.
We're introduced to a lot of people through this documentary. The people that are well-known even outside of Soho include Stephen Fry, who speaks a bit to how important he finds the culture of Soho, and Lindsay Kemp, a dancer and choreographer who has inspired many artists in the same vein. Lesser-known people who are prominent in the documentary include Michael Peacock, a male escort and activist, Johnny Deluxe, an artist that speaks mostly about the gentrification of the area, Jen Brown, a rock artist whose music career started in Soho, and David Hodge, who used to be huge in the London drag scene as Dusty O. But even with the huge "cast," it's easy to remember people, even if you don't quite remember their names. Every person is extremely unique and has their own piece of the story to tell.
Now, part of the reason I wasn't incredibly into the first part of the story is that it feels more like a reminiscing "good old days" story than an actual documentary. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that as much as Soho did have a substantial amount of culture, art, and diversity in "the old days," it was also incredibly dangerous, with gangs controlling the area and running prostitution rings. It was known to be a terrifying area, but the mobsters who ran the place were rich enough to bribe cops to overlook their speakeasies, brothels, and gambling.
And while there's certainly nothing inherently wrong with sex, alcohol, or gambling, the LGBT community in the area has always been a part of this complex equation. Cops could raid gay bars and leave brothels alone so it seemed like they were "doing something," and constant discrimination in work and housing lead many LGBT people, especially trans women, to prostitution and addiction. In the wise words of Philip Sallon, who was interviewed for this documentary: "'Oh, it was so good years ago!' Oh, because it was so dangerous and you got beaten up so much more? Is that such a good thing?"
However, about halfway through the movie, it started to move more into an acknowledgement of the culture currently in Soho and how people are being forced to leave due to ongoing gentrification. Perhaps even more importantly, the gentrification in question isn't because of sex, or even entirely because of the real estate. A great point this documentary reveals is that gentrification doesn't just randomly happen. It's an ongoing attempt by people in power to push "undesirables" out to the fringes of society, and then move society further out so they can keep pushing and pushing. David Hodge brings that to the forefront near the end of the documentary, explicitly stating, "It would seem that, bit by bit, Westminster is picking off the LGBT venues within its borders."
The themes within this movie are great. The drag community of Soho is perhaps the unintentional focal point of the documentary, as they overlap significantly with the other groups - artists, LGBT people, poor people, performers, and everyone else portrayed. While it certainly isn't a history of the Soho drag community, it puts the spotlight on a lot of people who are heavily involved in that scene. Lindsay Kemp is one of those people, and perhaps one of the most well-known outside of London. At the time of this writing, he's 80 years old, but was still heavily involved in the documentary, contributing not only his life experiences but his artistry and love for Soho. He's an incredibly popular dance teacher, one who worked with, spent time with, and inspired the likes of David Bowie and Kate Bush, both of whom really appreciated his eclectic artistry, and imbued their own creations with his personality.
This film ends with a long, soft dance piece that Kemp choreographed and performed. It was an incredibly strong ending to this movie, and I didn't find it "boring" or "campy" like some people have expressed. He is an elderly man, and close shots on his hands show the shakiness in his movements. He moves slowly, but to the gentle music in the background, which includes a repeating statement he made: "I prefer dancing better than walking." And after the deep convictions he expresses throughout the movie, this is perhaps a tribute to the fact that, though things are difficult and hard to stomach sometimes, dancing your way through life may make it a little easier.
At the end of the day, I'm pleased with the time I spent watching this movie. I enjoyed it, and if someone was looking for information on modern-day Soho and the people living there, it would certainly be one of my recommendations, though it wouldn't be the only one.
I will say, the movie starts off kind of dry. There's a long monologue about Soho's history that, to me, felt more like a nostalgic reminiscing than information about its actual history and how it came to be such a haven for the people that ended up there. Obviously, people thought of Soho as a dangerous place, a place where freaks congregated - but why? It didn't really catch my attention immediately, which I found unfortunate as I progressed, because it really did end up becoming an interesting film.
We're introduced to a lot of people through this documentary. The people that are well-known even outside of Soho include Stephen Fry, who speaks a bit to how important he finds the culture of Soho, and Lindsay Kemp, a dancer and choreographer who has inspired many artists in the same vein. Lesser-known people who are prominent in the documentary include Michael Peacock, a male escort and activist, Johnny Deluxe, an artist that speaks mostly about the gentrification of the area, Jen Brown, a rock artist whose music career started in Soho, and David Hodge, who used to be huge in the London drag scene as Dusty O. But even with the huge "cast," it's easy to remember people, even if you don't quite remember their names. Every person is extremely unique and has their own piece of the story to tell.
Now, part of the reason I wasn't incredibly into the first part of the story is that it feels more like a reminiscing "good old days" story than an actual documentary. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that as much as Soho did have a substantial amount of culture, art, and diversity in "the old days," it was also incredibly dangerous, with gangs controlling the area and running prostitution rings. It was known to be a terrifying area, but the mobsters who ran the place were rich enough to bribe cops to overlook their speakeasies, brothels, and gambling.
And while there's certainly nothing inherently wrong with sex, alcohol, or gambling, the LGBT community in the area has always been a part of this complex equation. Cops could raid gay bars and leave brothels alone so it seemed like they were "doing something," and constant discrimination in work and housing lead many LGBT people, especially trans women, to prostitution and addiction. In the wise words of Philip Sallon, who was interviewed for this documentary: "'Oh, it was so good years ago!' Oh, because it was so dangerous and you got beaten up so much more? Is that such a good thing?"
However, about halfway through the movie, it started to move more into an acknowledgement of the culture currently in Soho and how people are being forced to leave due to ongoing gentrification. Perhaps even more importantly, the gentrification in question isn't because of sex, or even entirely because of the real estate. A great point this documentary reveals is that gentrification doesn't just randomly happen. It's an ongoing attempt by people in power to push "undesirables" out to the fringes of society, and then move society further out so they can keep pushing and pushing. David Hodge brings that to the forefront near the end of the documentary, explicitly stating, "It would seem that, bit by bit, Westminster is picking off the LGBT venues within its borders."
The themes within this movie are great. The drag community of Soho is perhaps the unintentional focal point of the documentary, as they overlap significantly with the other groups - artists, LGBT people, poor people, performers, and everyone else portrayed. While it certainly isn't a history of the Soho drag community, it puts the spotlight on a lot of people who are heavily involved in that scene. Lindsay Kemp is one of those people, and perhaps one of the most well-known outside of London. At the time of this writing, he's 80 years old, but was still heavily involved in the documentary, contributing not only his life experiences but his artistry and love for Soho. He's an incredibly popular dance teacher, one who worked with, spent time with, and inspired the likes of David Bowie and Kate Bush, both of whom really appreciated his eclectic artistry, and imbued their own creations with his personality.
This film ends with a long, soft dance piece that Kemp choreographed and performed. It was an incredibly strong ending to this movie, and I didn't find it "boring" or "campy" like some people have expressed. He is an elderly man, and close shots on his hands show the shakiness in his movements. He moves slowly, but to the gentle music in the background, which includes a repeating statement he made: "I prefer dancing better than walking." And after the deep convictions he expresses throughout the movie, this is perhaps a tribute to the fact that, though things are difficult and hard to stomach sometimes, dancing your way through life may make it a little easier.
At the end of the day, I'm pleased with the time I spent watching this movie. I enjoyed it, and if someone was looking for information on modern-day Soho and the people living there, it would certainly be one of my recommendations, though it wouldn't be the only one.