Burlesque
Beyond the Burly Q
Review by Ross Anthony

Initially, fascinating, colorful and yes, tantalizing, the linear-ness of this documents begins to weigh down the carefully constructed pace.

Have you ever wondered what happens to those who depend on youth for their income, their security, or scarier yet, their identity? This documentary interviews some of the brightest stars of the burlesque; undressing, to some extent, the mystery of their grace (or lack thereof) in aging.

A tail end baby boomer, all that I knew of burlesque was the smile on the face of the adults who mentioned it. As a kid, their teasing use of the word intrigued me. There seemed to be an inappropriate aspect, because adults never defined the word beyond its mention. And yet, the smile in their eye hinted at a lighter side. How apropos, as the documentary showcases, burlesque encompassed both soft stripteasing and vaudeville humor.

Among the interesting interviewees, Alan Alda's reflections on his childhood as the son of a burlesque singer is a highlight.

A collage of interviews with old black & white or sepia clips of the dancers, strippers, and comics, the doc progresses with a peppy pace and lighthearted demeanor probably apropos of a Burly Q show. However, with no arc or build to the production, the telling loses some appeal at the three-quarter mark.

-- Books by Author/Illustrator Ross Anthony --


  • Beyond the Burly Q. Copyright © 2009.
  • Written, Produced and Directed by Leslie Zemeckis, Produced by Sheri Hellard; Jackie Levine.

Grade..........................B+ (2.5/4)


chili4 special olympians
power5 ra hforh radiop
Copyright © 1998-2023 Ross Anthony, Author - Speaker - Solo World Circumnavigator In addition to reviewing films and interviewing celebs at HollywoodReportCard.com, traveling the world, composing great music, motivational speaking, Mr. Anthony also runs his own publishing company in the Los Angeles area. While traversing the circumference of the planet writing books and shooting documentaries, Mr. Anthony has taught, presented for, worked &/or played with locals in over 30 countries & 100 cities (Nairobi to Nagasaki). He's bungee-jumped from a bridge near Victoria Falls, wrestled with lions in Zimbabwe, crashed a Vespa off a high mountain road in Taiwan, and ridden a dirt bike across the States (Washington State to Washington DC). To get signed books ("Rodney Appleseed" to "Jinshirou") or schedule Ross to speak check out: www.RossAnthony.com or call 1-800-767-7186. Go into the world and inspire the people you meet with your love, kindness, and whatever it is you're really good at. Check out books by Ross Anthony. Rand() functions, Pho chicken soup, rollerblading, and frozen yogurt (w/ blueberries) also rock! (Btw, rand is short for random. It can also stand for "Really Awkward Nutty Dinosaurs" -- which is quite rand, isn't it?) Being alive is the miracle. Special thanks to Ken Kocanda, HAL, Jodie Keszek, Don Haderlein, Mom and Pops, my family, R. Foss, and many others by Ross Anthony. Galati-FE also deserves a shout out. And thanks to all of you for your interest and optimism. Enjoy great films, read stirring novels, grow.


Last Modified: Thursday, 01-Apr-2010 14:23:00 PDT