beauty and artifice" and that the film is very "conscious of its ironies [as] Swayze and Snipes were both box-office draws known for hypermasculine and romantic leading roles; the perceived incongruity of dressing them in drag is part of what fuels the comedy." In this way, Kumar wrote, "To Wong Foo plays on viewers’ suspension of disbelief (Swayze and Snipes, in particular, are clearly recognizable under their women’s garb)" and that the "movie’s own characterizations tend to blur the lines between drag as a conscious performance and their desire to actually be seen, day and night, as women." Of the characters staying in drag, Douglas Carter Beane said his intent was to create an illusion, saying, "It is about fantasy and the illusion. It's about the work that goes into the art form. It was never meant to be an absolutely truthful documentary look at drag.” The fantasy element can also be seen as "[perpetuating] an idea that transgender identity is nothing but make-believe." Drag queen Alaska Thunderfuck said that what the film does best is "the camaraderie between the girls... the way they look out for each other and protect one another. The movie also illustrates the transformative power of drag. It helps people become empowered, no matter where they come from or what kind of life they lead.” Other media Musical In 2017, it was announced that Douglas Carter Beane and his husband Lewis Flinn were working on a musical adaptation for Broadway. In an interview, Beane stated that he had originally written To Wong Foo for the stage, and had retained stage rights when the screenplay was produced. See also Cross-dressing in film and television References Bibliography External links 1995 films 1995 comedy films 1995 LGBT-related films 1990s buddy comedy films 1990s comedy road movies Amblin Entertainment films American buddy comedy films American comedy road movies American LGBT-related films American satirical films Films about anti-LGBT sentiment Cross-dressing in American films Drag (clothing)-related films 1990s English-language films Films directed by Beeban Kidron Films scored by Rachel Portman Films set in the United States Films shot in Nebraska Films shot in New Jersey Films shot in New York City LGBT-related buddy comedy films Universal Pictures films 1990s female buddy films 1990s American films