Crazy Horse
dir. Frederick Wiseman · 2011
Plot
In Crazy Horse, he pulls back the curtain on Le Crazy Horse de Paris, a landmark that has prided itself as "the best nude dancing show in the world" since 1951. Le Crazy Horse sets itself apart from the average strip club by adhering to exacting standards in choreography, lights and physiques. The erotic revue is composed of songs and sequences that blend traits of old-fashioned burlesque, Bob Fosse and Cirque du Soleil, designed not only for the enjoyment of men, but also couples.
Why watch
A dancer prepares backstage at Le Crazy Horse de Paris, where the line between art and eroticism blurs under the glow of theatrical lights. Watching this film feels like being granted a private audience to a world that celebrates the human body as a canvas for artistic expression, inviting contemplation on the nature of beauty and desire.
Talking points
- the nature of eroticism in art
- the role of performance in self-expression
- the cultural significance of cabaret
- the ethics of voyeurism in documentary filmmaking