So what is a tramp? A hobo meandering along with his belongings in a kerchief on a pole tramping along aimlessly. Or it could mean a “trashy” and promiscuous person. In the Canadian documentary “Tramps” the New Romantic culture is explored from creation to death and it has elements of both views of what a tramp is.
New Romanticism is a London based movement running from the early 1970’s and fizzling out in the early 90’s. Mostly disaffected youth not sharing their parent’s dreams of respectability and “success”. With little money but with much creativity you might wish to say they established a movement of punk music, new art, creative dance, film and fashion, heavily costumed and made-up personages living in squats and hanging out in clubs like The Roxy Club, The Cha Cha Club, Taboo Club and The Blitz.
The punk movement perhaps was one of the catalysts but as one commentator noted punk become clonal lacking creativity. If there is one definitive marker of the New Romantics it was “creative dressing and makeup” that formed the essence of the movement.
A key component of the New Romantics were queers. Much of the New Romantic fashion by today’s terms could be called drag. It was drugs and AIDS that decimated many of the New Romantics in the early 1990’s and weakened it. It was also the lure of fame and fortune and interestingly, high student debt levels that killed the New Romantic movement.
Although urban anthropologists may revel in the film many will be riveted to the screen by an explosion of costumes, make up, art, bizarre artistic productions and music commented upon by the now mature elements of the New Romantic movement. When and if you watch it just consider the cultural influence of the New Romantics.
On June 22, 2023 “Tramps” will have a special Pride screening in Toronto at the Ted Rogers Hot Docs Cinema followed by a panel discussion. Expect a July theatrical release.
Directed by Kevin Hegge. You can watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M594Ucn2pY8
RKS 2023 Film Rating 91/100.
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