The Cockettes

Directed by Bill Weber & David Weissman

The Cockettes were something to see. And so is this charming documentary.

With thrift store costumes, plenty of LSD, and genderfuck attitude, this crazy troop of stoned performers in San Francisco became tremendously popular by staging haphazard musical shows.

Divine, already established as the star of John Waters' underground films, was invited out to join them, and in fact performed with them a few times. In addition to Divine, Cockettes gave drag legend Sylvester his start on the stage.

Having achieved great success and notoriety in San Fran, they landed a gig in New York. But in spite of the buzz, their carefree attitude which went over so well on the west coast would prove to be their demise in the Big Apple.

The doco has lots of great interviews with many original Cockettes, as well as amazing archival footage. And there's lots of reflection from John Waters too, who glows when he talks about this unique time in entertainment known as the underground.

> BUY THE DVD

> READ Midnight at the Palace by Pam Tent

> READ The Fabulous Sylvester by Joshua Gamson

2002 , color and black and white, film and video, 100 minutes