The Queen Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Queen Blu-ray Movie Review

A first-rate documentary covering a subject-matter rarely explored circa 1967.

The Queen is a feature-length documentary exploring the world of a drag-queen competition which occurred circa 1967. The documentary follows the contestants involved in the Miss All-American Camp Beauty Pageant and the series of events which occurred behind-the- scenes leading up to the competition. The documentary comes from executive producers Lewis M. Allen and John Maxtone-Graham.

As a documentary offering a rare glimpse at a drag-queen competition circa the 1960's, the film offers viewers an unfiltered view of the contestants and the efforts each took to become the winner of the competition. The participants are surprisingly frank and vocal about their respective views. As a relatively early exploration of drag-queens, none of the participants refer to themselves as trans-gender.

However, there is a vital scene in The Queen in which several of the contestants discuss their gender identities – and share their thoughts on the possibility of gender transitioning and whether or not they would participate. The sequence is particularly insightful and revelatory. As a glimpse in to the lives of these contestants, the revelations are compelling.

An eye-opening documentary production.

The beauty pageant was organized by Flawless Sabrina (Jack Doroshow) and featured some high-profile judges who participated with the event behind-the-scenes. Such celebrity judges who were directly involved include the likes of Andy Warhol and Terry Southern. These scenes are certainly noteworthy and contribute to the filmmaking landscape.

Featuring impressive cinematography by Robert Elfstrom (Mysteries of the Sea), Frank Simon (Weekend of a Champion), and Kenneth Van Sickle (Tales of the Unexpected), The Queen is well-shot and produced. For a 16mm documentary film, the visuals are given a lot of thought and the framing of many sequences is both professional and artistic. The Queen is a well produced feature and the efforts of the cinematographers helped to bring the story to life.

Frank Simon capably directs the documentary tale. The heart of The Queen is the contestants, though. The eye-opening look at these individuals and their roles in the competition made a big impression. This is certainly a tribute to cross-dressers and those who identify as LGBTQ. The frankness of the filmmaking is a testament to the vitality of it. Worth a look for those interested in the subject.

The Queen Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, The Queen is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The release features a brand new 4K restoration. The 4K restoration was completed using the original camera negatives and was taken from the 16mm film print. The results are outstanding.

This is a surprisingly great presentation of The Queen and one that no fan of the documentary will be disappointed with. The print is decidedly crisp, clean, and proficient. Color reproduction looks altogether outstanding and well-preserved for the film – though never as robust as a modern production, the color looks decidedly accurate to the type of film The Queen was shot on.

The scan has some minor specks but nothing overly poor in regards to overall print shape. The print never showcases any significant damage such as wear, tear, and scratches. While some documentary productions never receive a lavish restoration, The Queen has received a great restoration effort that is partly due to the preservation of the film elements at the University of Texas.

The Queen Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in uncompressed PCM 2.0 16 bit. The documentary has a surprisingly good audio track that is never overly harsh. The audio is never scratchy sounding and there certainly are no issues with wear to the audio. As there are no significant issues to report (such as hiss, crackle, warps, clicks, and other such anomalies), fans of the film will be pleased with the overall presentation quality. Dialogue is always clear an easy to understand.

Optional English SDH subtitles (for the deaf and hard of hearing) are provided.

The Queen Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

15 page booklet featuring writing on the feature-film and production credits

Audio Commentary by Zackary Drucker and Diana Tourjee

The Queen Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:45)

The Queen Re-release Trailer (HD, 1:40)

After-party outtakes, with Jack Doroshow (SD, 7:30)

Queens at Heart (HD, 22:17) restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive.

Flawless Sabrina: Icon/Muse (HD, 15:30)

Irma Vep: The Last Breath (HD, 36:09)

Post-screening Q&A footage (SD, 8:02)

Interview with producer Si Litvinoff (SD, 10:46)

Outtakes –

Unused Footage (SD, 27:14)

After-party footage (SD, 11:06)

Harlow modeling session (SD, 3:46)

The Queen Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Queen is a surprisingly frank and engaging documentary. The participants of the beauty competition are the stars of the show. The behind-the-scenes footage offers a rare glimpse in to the lives of LGBTQ men circa the 1960's. The Blu-ray release features a strong 4K restoration and exceptional audio. The release comes jam-packed with bonus features. Recommended.