The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch (2005)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

To see any reviews of Charles Busch, it appears he is definitely more of an East Coast phenomenon since elsewhere there is less of an adoration of formal theater.I would consider the reviewer from Wisconsin more "Eastern". To see an ensemble group producing camp theater which is more serious in presentation than outlandish raucous camp one is used to in, say, LA, where the brassier, the better.For San Franciscans,EVERYTHING is camp and dying a fast death in the Castro but still available in clubs, but definitely not "theater" with, say, an intermission.....just drinks at the bar while feathers fly onstage. As for the rest of San Francisco, it is a more "straight" theater town but has one of the best satirical giant productions in BEACH BLANKET BABYLON which is now a SF institution with humor that outlandish to very "in" and much more relaxed, informative and not a showcase for a drag like Charles Busch who falls into a "diva" category...That would never work on the West Coast and is one of those distinguishing markers which separate the snobbery than has been handed down through the years from taste, fashion, society, and money. With the outbreak of the computer industry,and the billionaires flourishing in CA, art is in a state of limbo because there is also a big divide between what is offered in SF vs. LA. I found the entire Busch idolatry overdone, very "clicky", and his self deprecation indulgent and that heart business was like Laurette Taylor playing "humility". DIE MOMMIE DIE was amusing but just a takeoff on Douglas Sirk films.His ensemble was just so adequate as to make me wonder if their performances were sincere or a put on.

Other than having heard the title Die Mommy, Die, I was aware of neither Charles Busch nor his work until I caught this film on IFC 6 or 8 months ago. This morning I saw it for the third time, and it's still excellent.As a child I was not as...off the beaten path, shall we say, as young Master Busch, but I definitely felt myself to be outside the main stream of my suburban home town. Even at what is now a late point in life, it's refreshing and vindicating to see someone succeed by being true to himself and having fun. The spontaneity and talent of Busch and his troupe are impressive, and I'm thankful that films of the Limbo Lounge shows exist. It must have been some experience to see those early shows live. This film made me a Charles Busch fan, even though it's the only thing in which I've ever seen him. I'm a fan of the person as much as the performer, and an admirer of his perseverance through quite a stack of obstacles and adversities. Go Chuck! P.S. After reading Julie Halston's filmography I realized that I have seen her before, as Nathan Lane's unexpected bride in Sex and the City. She's terrific, too.

Sometimes being 'too gay' can be an asset. In a world that celebrates clones and a sheep mentality, there are those who from the get-go march to the beat of their own drum and decide to make something useful of their own existence, even when they may be moving counter-clockwise and well aware of it. THE LADY IN QUESTION IS CHARLES BUSCH introduces us to -- who else -- Charles Busch, a performer I was until DIE MOMMIE DIE unfamiliar with. Without being too self-promoting (even though it's logical that Busch be in nearly every frame of this documentary, being the central subject), the movie details how as a child Busch became obsessed with movies from Hollywood's Golden Age. He quickly identified with the heroines of such features such as NOW VOYAGER, LADY IN BURLESQUE, and THE WOMEN, competed with his siblings for the attention of his father, and later moved to San Francisco to make something out of his life as a performer only to return to New York City at the middle of the AIDS crisis where he became introduced to the Limbo lounge via a performance artist. It would be there where he would create what has now become a massive following, displaying the wild excesses of camp that has been elevated to a near art form. Seeing snippets of "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom", "Kiss the Blood Off My Castanets", and "Theodora -- She Bitch of Byzantium" were immense treats, but in revealing the powerhouse performer Meghann Robinson was in "The Lady in Question", it becomes a mini-tribute to this incredible actress with a voice and personality that went beyond what I've seen in movies. THE LADY IN QUESTION IS CHARLES BUSCH, despite dragging just a tad with the opening night of "Taboo", doesn't over-stay its welcome but is a fantastic glimpse into the life and times of this great actor and playwright. I only would have wished to have been there when it all happened at the Limbo lounge. At least, with this movie, as with DIE MOMMIE DIE, I can see his mannerisms capturing acting styles from an era gone by (and he has them down pat to perfection, especially seen in a silent-movie clip where he plays the heroine in her dying moments holding a glass ball in a tribute to CITIZEN KANE). It's enormously entertaining to a fault. I loved it.

Last night, I had the good fortune of seeing this movie for the first time (but hopefully not the last!). This was my first introduction to Charles Busch, and what an introduction it is! The directors have done a great job of giving us a beautifully well rounded picture of who Charles Busch is, professionally and personally.The movie itself is filled with sincere comedy, and raw emotion. You are introduced to Mr. Busch's biological and theatrical family, and together, they swirl a biographical tale of the tremendous talent that is a Grand Dame of the Stage, and a wonderful author.Emotionally touching is the tribute Mr. Busch gives to his aunt, and his two sisters, whom have all influenced his work heavily. The profound friendships he makes during his almost accidental rise to stardom along side his comedy troupe leave you laughing and crying. You witness the comedy troupe as being more than just co-stars. They were a well oiled family. With titles such as "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom," they had to have a keen sense of humor to execute the finely honed wit, high drama that takes you back to the early Hollywood starlets, and pop culture references that Mr. Busch crafted into hit after hit.I wish that I had been able to see some of his earliest performances live, but with this film, it's the next best thing. Footage from his plays, pictures, and stories telling about backstage conditions are such a rare treat to hear.The directors are to be commended for finding a way to tell the biography of Charles Busch that is informative, enjoyable, and truly inspirational. Charles Busch has never let anything stand in his way. He stayed true to his one passion, acting. When one play, book, or movie ends, he reinvents himself and starts something new. I recommend this movie to anyone in need of inspiration to stay true to oneself while pursuing their own Great American Dream.And you can bet, I will not miss out on Charles Busch's next endeavors!