Dimensions
238 x 287 x 33mm
The documentary film-maker Liz Goldwyn takes us on a visiaul and narrative tour through the last, greatest generation of American burlesque queens.
Drawing from ten years of close friendships and correspondences with many of her surviving idols, documentary filmmaker and writer Liz Goldwyn invites us to step back into an era when the hourglass figure was in vogue and striptease was a true art form. Among the stars we meet in Pretty Things are Betty Rowland, "The Ball of Fire," her sister Dian Rowland, "Society's Sweetheart," June St. Clair, "The Platinum Princess," Lois de Fee, "The Amazon of Burlesque," and last but not least, Zorita, whose daring and sexually explicit performances earned her legendary status.
Goldwyn draws back the curtain to reveal the personal, often surprising, journeys of yesteryear's icons of female sexuality, restoring their legacy to an age that has all but forgotten them. Pulling together hundreds of archival photographs, costume sketches, and memorabilia, Goldwyn celebrates the collaborative vision and talent that went into creating the burlesque act—from the all-important, exquisitely designed costumes to staging and choreography, to each star's highly individual style. Pretty Things is at once a gorgeous visual feast and a lovingly documented tale of self-discovery and fleeting stardom.
