Changing tastes

1/ A few days ago I watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s again, probably the 3rd time. 
My bf had never seen the film before, but knew about the controversy, which I assume most people would—the controversy about Mickey Rooney playing Mr Yunioshi. Put aside the fact that it’s a white actor wearing make-up and prosthetics to play an Asian character as comic relief, which is seen as offensive, it’s just not funny. Was it ever funny, when the film was released in 1961? It’s crude and unnecessary, and doesn’t fit in with the tone of the film. 
The Yunioshi character was the reason that I could never fully embrace the film. Now, seeing it again, I don’t like it much anymore. Audrey Hepburn is still charming and elegant, the cat is still cute, and Paul’s speech at the end of the film is still poignant, but maybe Breakfast at Tiffany’s is not for repeated viewings. Certain flaws become more obvious, some of the speech sounds expository. Maybe it’s one of those films that should be remembered, as a lovely charming thing, rather than seen again. 

2/ Every year I watch about 100 films, some of which are revisits. 
Some films demand multiple viewings—each time you see something new. Persona, the Mount Everest of film criticism, is an example. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring is another. Or F for Fake. 
Masterpieces like Sunset Boulevard or Chinatown, which I saw again over the past year, never become boring or outdated. They are perfect. There are films I’ve seen 6-7 times and will still see again: The Godfather, Casablanca, The Silence of the Lambs, The Shawshank Redemption… 
Some films lose their magic on revisit. I enjoyed re-watching The Phantom of Liberty, which is whimsical and brilliant, but I no longer felt the fun upon my revisit of The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie—its charm relied too much on the random unexpectedness, which obviously was no longer there when I knew what was going to happen. Mother the 2nd time around was not as good, which is probably the case for films which rely heavily on the mystery and suspense of solving the case/ finding the murderer, and on the twist. As you watch it again, it no longer has much to keep your interest.  
That’s why a film like Chinatown still retain its magic on multiple viewings. I don’t watch it for the answers. I watch it for Jack Nicholson’s performance, for the character of Jack Gittes, for the great dialogue—sharp and full of meaning, for the tight structure and pace, and for John Huston and Faye Dunaway. 
And sometimes, watching a film again, we don’t like it anymore just because we have changed. I just don’t like American Beauty, Edward Scissorhands, or Scarface anymore, though I used to. Our tastes change over time. 

3/ A blog is a great place to make note of what I like, and keep track of how I’ve changed over time. 
In 2015, I listened to Billie Holiday all the time, obsessively, for a long period. Then it passed. Since then, it’s mostly Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone that I listen to. Sometimes Aretha Franklin. Sometimes Etta James. Sometimes Sarah Vaughan. 
Sometimes I wonder how many artists I like now, I will still like in 30 years, or 50 years. My formative years were the time in Norway—that was when I discovered classic cinema, photography, 19th century literature, Russian literature, and jazz. I reckon that for the rest of my life, these things will always be important to me, especially classic cinema, Russian literature, and jazz; it’s my views on the individual artists that change. 
Shall I try to predict? 
Tolstoy, I’m sure, will always be there. He is a giant, not only in Russia but in world literature, and his impact on my life cannot be overstated.  
Same with Nabokov. 
With Melville, I’m not sure, but Moby Dick will always be a favourite and an important novel. With Jane Austen, I expect to still respect her in 30 years, or even 50 years, because I already went from disliking her and thinking she was chicklit, to discovering the great depth and sensitivity in her works, but maybe one day I will no longer care about stories of growth, understanding, and self-understanding. We never know. 
In cinema, I think I will always like Ingmar Bergman and Billy Wilder. I once had a Wong Kar-wai phase, a Martin Scorsese phase, even a Stanley Kubrick phase, but Ingmar Bergman is a director whose films have everything that I think are important about cinema: great cinematography and lighting, striking imagery, creative and haunting use of sound, good editing, great acting and memorable performances, style, depth, personal vision, exploration of relationships and human consciousness, and formal experiments that push the boundaries of cinema. He was also the director that I discovered, and learnt from, during my 3 years at the film school, and who influenced my first short films. 
It’s also hard to imagine a time when I wouldn’t like Billy Wilder. Is there any other writer-director who writes more memorable dialogue and makes so many great films in such different genres? I love his sharp wit and humour, and the humanity of his films. 
About music, I know a few people who listen to jazz their whole lives, so I don’t suppose I will stop loving jazz. It’s just hard to say if I will always like John Coltrane, whom I’m focusing on at the moment. But I expect Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald to always be there, on their own or together. I don’t like watching Louis Armstrong—his grin makes me uncomfortable, but I can listen to him all day. People talk about his optimism, which isn’t wrong for songs such as “What a Wonderful World”, but there’s nothing so haunting like the pain in his performance of “Black and Blue”. 
Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald on their own are fantastic. Together, they’re recognised as the greatest duets in jazz. Her velvety voice softens his edges. My favourite of theirs is “Summertime”. 
Well, let’s see how things turn out.

Underrated films: a list

This is my list of favourite underrated films. 
To explain, I don’t mention films such as Cries and Whispers—generally speaking, most people haven’t watched it, but it’s regarded as one of the peaks of Ingmar Bergman’s oeuvre and recognised as among the greatest films ever made. 
By underrated films, I’m thinking of the films that are overlooked—the films that people don’t often include in the list of best films or films you should watch, and the films that people forget when talking about an important director. 

The list (strong favourites in bold): 
Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948), dir. Max Ophuls 
In a Lonely Place (1950), dir. Nicholas Ray 
Gion Bayashi/ A Geisha (1953), dir. Kenji Mizoguchi 
Street of Shame (1956), dir. Kenji Mizoguchi 
The Killing (1956), dir. Stanley Kubrick 
Nights of Cabiria (1957), dir. Federico Fellini 
The Bad Sleep Well (1960), dir. Akira Kurosawa 
The Innocents (1961), dir. Jack Clayton 
My Fair Lady (1964), dir. George Cukor 
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970), dir. Billy Wilder 
The Last Detail (1973), dir. Hal Ashby 
The Phantom of Liberty (1974), dir. Luis Bunuel 
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), dir. Martin Scorsese 
3 Women (1977), dir. Robert Altman 
On Golden Pond (1981), dir. Mark Rydell 
My Left Foot (1989), dir. Jim Sheridan 
Bound (1996), dir. The Wachowskis 
Happy Together (1997), dir. Wong Kar-wai 
Happiness (1998), dir. Todd Solondz 
Memento (2000), dir. Christopher Nolan 
Sideways (2004), dir. Alexander Payne
Fracture (2007), dir. Gregory Hoblit 

This list would expand.

The best films of the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s (my choice)- 4th update

(originally posted on 17/10/2014). 
Such a list only shows how little I've watched (very often, an excellent film is not mentioned here simply because I haven't watched it), but I'm shamelessly making and publishing it anyway. The ones in bold type are masterpieces and strong favourites, and will certainly remain in the list (in other words: will not be removed at any cost), the other films can be replaced when I discover/ remember something greater.

- The 40s:
The Great Dictator (1940)
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Casablanca (1942)
Gaslight (1944)
Brief Encounter (1945)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
The Killers (1946)
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
The Bicycle Thief (1948)
The Heiress (1949)

- The 50s:
All about Eve (1950)
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
In a Lonely Place (1950)
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
On the Waterfront (1954)
The Killing (1956)
Witness for the Prosecution (1957) 
12 Angry Men (1957)
Vertigo (1958)
Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

- The 60s:
The Apartment (1960)
Psycho (1960)
Vivre sa vie (1962)
The Insect Woman (1963)
8 ½ (1963)
The Woman in the Dunes (1964) 
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
My Fair Lady (1964)
Blowup (1966)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

- The 70s:
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)
The Godfather (1972)
Last Tango in Paris (1972)
The Godfather Part II (1974) 
The Conversation (1974)
Chinatown (1974) 
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Scent of a Woman (1975) 
Taxi Driver (1976)
Autumn Sonata (1978)

- The 80s:
Raging Bull (1980)
On Golden Pond (1981)
Sophie's Choice (1982) 
Scarface (1983)
Ran (1985)
Rain Man (1988)
The Accused (1988)
A Short Film About Love (1988)
My Left Foot (1989)
Monsieur Hire (1989)

- The 90s:
Goodfellas (1990)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Raise the Red Lanterns (1991)
A Few Good Men (1992)
To Live (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) 
Titanic (1997)
Happy Together (1997)
Central do Brasil (1998)
Magnolia (1999)

- The 2000s:
Memento (2000)
À la folie... pas du tout (2002)
The Pianist (2002)
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003)
2046 (2004)
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2007)



Comment!

Brief Encounter; and my 5 favourite romantic films

A love story, between a doctor and a housewife who are neither particularly good-looking, nor young- both are married and with children. They meet in a railway station's café and, enjoying each other's company, they agree to meet every Thursday, but soon find out that their innocent and casual relationship turns into something much stronger, and deeper. Brief Encounter has been chosen by Time as the best romantic film ever made and it's not difficult to see why, though the couple don't consummate their relationship, because the film focuses on the tension and struggle in Laura's mind, on the conflicting feelings of passion, longing, happiness and guilt, degradation. There are several wonderful scenes in the film, but the most moving one is perhaps the farewell, the most retrained of farewells ever- for the good of everybody, Laura and Alec know they must part and therefore try to enjoy their last moments together, but their last precious minutes are interrupted by a garrulous friend and their farewell can only be a soft shoulder squeeze. 
Beautiful film by David Lean. This is the film that has inspired The Apartment, according to Billy Wilder himself. 


________________________________________________

My 5 favourite love stories in cinema: 
Casablanca (1942)
The Apartment (1960) 
Brief Encounter (1945) 
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
Waterloo Bridge (1940) 

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

Somewhere at the beginning, there's a scene in which Sherlock Holmes tells Watson that he tends to over-romanticise the image of Sherlock and exaggerate his genius. The film promises to present Sherlock Holmes in a different way, and does just that- it gives a glimpse of his vulnerabilities hidden from others. He's shorter, less handsome, less brilliant; he's fallible, capable of feelings and thus human*. Except for a few funny moments, such as the hilarious scene in the ballerina's dressing room, the film as a whole is melancholy: Sherlock's silence when Watson asks him about the women in his life, when Watson asks about the woman's arrest, when Watson asks about "the personal message", when he receives the bad news at the end of the film; Sherlock's answer to the woman about why women are not to be trusted, as he tries to hide his own feelings; Sherlock's vague response to the German woman when she mistakenly believes that he suspects the truth all along.
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes may not compare to Billy Wilder's greatest films such as Sunset Blvd, The Apartment, Some Like It Hot and Witness for the Prosecution, but it's underrated, and that's unfortunate.





*: Reminds me of this scene from Sabrina- "No man walks alone from choice": 

On the Marilyn Monroe myth

I've just come across this post: http://9gag.com/gag/anYr58b/audrey-hepburn-vs-marilyn-monroe

Annoys me a great deal.
Because Marilyn Monroe's known as a sex symbol, and for her dumb blond roles, to most people she must have been an idiot.
Oh yeah?
All over the internet you can find photos of Marilyn Monroe reading:
https://www.google.no/search?q=marilyn+monroe+reading&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=G-RgVdyyBOiBywP6uoKQBA&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ
Here are 2 articles about her reading:
http://www.openculture.com/2012/11/marilyn_monroe_reads_joyces_ulysses_at_the_playground.html
http://www.openculture.com/2014/02/marilyn-monroe-reads-walt-whitmans-leaves-of-grass.html
Open Culture has also published the list of the 430 books in her library:
http://www.openculture.com/2014/10/the-430-books-in-marilyn-monroes-library.html
Some of her most insightful quotes can be found here:
http://flavorwire.com/395121/30-of-marilyn-monroes-smartest-and-most-insightful-quotes/view-all
Or here:
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Marilyn_Monroe
(compare them to Audrey Hepburn's quotes, which, much as I love Audrey, are quite trite and banal).
Here are some of Marilyn's poems, or fragmentary, poem-like texts found in her notebooks:
http://www.brainpickings.org/2012/07/27/marilyn-monroe-fragments-poems/
Other sites have many other poems/ fragments:
http://moreintelligentlife.com/blog/ariel-ramchandani/five-things-fragments-marilyn-monroe
http://www.immortalmarilyn.com/HerPoetry.html
http://ellensplace.net/mm_poems.html
http://backlots.net/2013/08/05/the-poetry-of-marilyn-monroe/
Brain Pickings has also shared her resolutions, which show her wish for self-improvement:
http://www.brainpickings.org/2013/01/01/four-famous-new-years-resolution-lists-jonathan-swift-susan-sontag-marilyn-monroe-woody-guthrie/
About her, Arthur Miller, her 3rd husband, said: 

"To have survived she would have had to be either more cynical or even further from reality than she was. Instead she was a poet on a street corner trying to recite to a crowd pulling at her clothes."

This is an article about Marilyn Monroe and her monsters, with excerpts from Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters by Marilyn Monroe:
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2010/11/marilyn-monroe-201011
And I've found this story about Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald:
http://www.kplu.org/post/how-marilyn-monroe-changed-ella-fitzgeralds-life

According to what I've noticed in the internet, people generally perceive Marilyn Monroe in 2 ways. Those in the 1st group see her as a dumb blond like the characters she portrayed, a selfish bitch, a whore, a slut, a talentless and scandalous star known for nothing but her physical appearance (which, to many of them, isn't even remarkable). To them, she's nothing but a sex symbol. Shallow, brainless. Look again at the photo above. I haven't pointed out that Marilyn didn't die from a drug overdose- she committed suicide. As a child she lived in foster homes and was sexually abused. When discovered and encouraged to become a model, she was working in a factory, and throughout all of her life Marilyn struggled with insecurities and depression. Then a day came when she couldn't bear it any longer, and lost the fight, she terminated her own life. 
On my part, I do not think of Marilyn as a good actress, nor a good singer, nor a good poet, nor a good role model; and do not know how intelligent she really was, but methinks all the childhood trauma and hardships she went through made her a sensitive person. The scribblings in her notebooks, albeit unremarkable in terms of literary merit, do show that she's not as frivolous, shallow and superficial as some people think she was. She had sensitivity, depth of feeling and insight. The notes, too, show her determination to be better, as an actress, a singer and a person. 
Those in the 2nd group see Marilyn as a kindred spirit, a role model, a philosopher of sorts. But Marilyn's not Sylvia Plath. Quoting her everywhere, these people, mostly girls, exploit her name and her image not any less than those in the 1st group do. Abusing her quotes, especially the "If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best", is their way of trying to justify their nasty, selfish, thoughtless behaviour and speak of themselves as vulnerable, insecure and scared even though they may very well be bullies in life, ready to take advantage of or trample on others when necessary. Very often, I believe these girls don't know much about Marilyn either and haven't seen her in anything except probably a few video clips on youtube. 
Marilyn Monroe, or perhaps I should say Norma Jeane, was too complex for all that, as human beings are. Those 2 ways of looking are her are too simplistic, reductive. And I find it unfortunate that even long after her death, she's still being exploited. 
Anyhow, to come back to the comparison at the beginning, I wonder: what's the point? Why denigrate Marilyn just to acclaim Audrey Hepburn? Audrey has her place, she's as much an icon as Marilyn, her face most people can recognise. Anywhere you can find pictures of Marilyn Monroe, you find, next to them, pictures of Audrey Hepburn. Why not mention the truly great actresses that are less known? Like Vivien Leigh? Katharine Hepburn? Bette Davis? Ingrid Bergman? etc. 
Silly.

A Vivien Leigh biopic? No, no, and no.

The trailer of "Grace of Monaco" has come out.


As I'm waiting for this film, I notice that in recent years Hollywood has been making biopics about screen legends, with some strange casting such as Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe, Lindsay Lohan and then Helena Bonham Carter as Elizabeth Taylor... (there are also rumours about Naomi Watts playing Marilyn).
So I have fears that there will be a biopic about Vivien Leigh.
Here's why I'm against the idea:

1/ It is generally difficult to portray actors.
Depicting a literary character on screen is not easy, because readers have their own visions of the character, but at least the character doesn't exist and can be imagined and interpreted in multiple ways. It's more difficult to portray a real person, and then another level to portray actors, because when people come to Daniel Day-Lewis and say that he doesn't know what Lincoln sounded like, he can say "but neither do you", actors who portray other actors can't say that. Actors are too 'familiar', we can still watch their films, so when seeing such biopics, we scrutinise the manners, gestures, facial expressions, ways of walking... and, more than that, demand the actors in the biopics to capture the essence, the qualities of those they're portraying. Tackling film legends is also more demanding than, say, talkshow hosts, because we love film stars, perhaps even worship them.
Take Jennifer Love Hewitt as Audrey Hepburn for instance. There are some actresses who have Audrey's qualities, such as Anne Hathaway or Natalie Portman. Jennifer Love Hewitt doesn't have a blend of elegance and grace with a boyish, natural, lively, refreshing, 'crazy' look of Audrey, even her walking in the opening scene of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is completely wrong.
Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe does a better job, she gets right the voice, manners, facial expressions, gestures... In fact, she's a much more talented actress than the star she portrays. The tragic part is that she lacks the special factor that makes Marilyn Marilyn. Marilyn shines on screen, captivates the audience and makes everyone else disappear, Michelle Williams is the kind of ordinary girl who never stands out.
Cate Blanchett is perfect as Katharine Hepburn. Very, very few people can do so.
For the time being, I can't say anything about the casting of Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly. Nicole has enough poise, but I haven't seen enough to recognise Grace's essence.

2/ Nobody looks like her.
Is there more to be said? Look at her face!

 
Let me quote her Larry: "Apart from her looks, which were magical, she possessed beautiful poise; her neck looked almost too fragile to support her head and bore it with a sense of surprise, and something of the pride of the master juggler who can make a brilliant manoeuvre appear almost accidental. She also had something else: an attraction of the most perturbing nature I had ever encountered." 

3/ It's difficult to imitate her manners, facial expressions, gesticulations, ways of talking..., (almost) impossible to capture her elegance, mischievousness, cat-like quality...
People who impersonate her also have the danger that they may end up being ridiculous.
In "My week with Marilyn", Julia Ormond looks nothing like Vivien and doesn't seem to bother to act like her. 

4/ Portraying Vivien Leigh means at some point the actress must play some of her roles, at least Scarlett O'Hara and/ or Blanche DuBois, her 2 Oscar-winning performances.
Much more challenging than when one portrays someone like Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn or Hedy Lamarr, it requires immense talent. No, it's mission impossible.
I can't think of anyone that can do her justice. Some people on the internet suggest Julia Ormond, Rachel Weisz, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley...- I am appalled. 
After all, why watch someone else playing her when we can watch her films instead? 

5/ A biopic about her would obviously exploit her tragic life, her bipolar disorder, her turbulent relationship with Laurence Olivier...
Might include the stories of her as an adulterer, bisexual, nymphomaniac...
Generally, I tend to keep a certain distance from people I admire, in spite of my obsession, and don't want to hear details about a favourite actress's private life, especially her sex life. I don't even read Vivien Leigh biographies, and if I buy Kendra Bean's book, it's more because of the photos.
Remember my objection to Naomi Watts playing Diana? According to reviews, the film exploits Diana's life and paints her in a very ugly light. I fear that the same thing may happen if anyone makes a biopic about Vivien Leigh.

Just leave her alone.


PS: Wikipedia says Morgan Brittany portrayed Vivien Leigh 3 times. Seriously? I can't find any video on youtube. Can anybody find anything?

Photos of Audrey Hepburn (P.4)

Style icon Grace Kelly

To be frank, I'm not a fan of Grace Kelly, but that she's 1 of the most important and influential fashion icons of all time is a fact, and nobody can talk about the 1950s fashion without mentioning her. Like Audrey Hepburn, she's the epitome of poise and elegance. She is Grace.

















 













With Audrey Hepburn:



Pics of Princess Diana: 
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2013/09/princess-diana-style-icon.html

Pics of Vivien Leigh: 
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2012/09/vivien-leigh.html
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2012/12/vivien-leigh-photos-2.html
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2012/10/vivien-leighs-gifs.html
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2012/12/vivien-leigh-gif-2.html

Pics of Audrey Hepburn: 
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2012/09/audrey-hepburn.html
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2012/12/audrey-hepburn-photos-2.html
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2014/04/more-photos-of-audrey-hepburn-p3-with.html
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2014/04/photos-of-audrey-hepburn-p4.html
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2014/04/audrey-hepburn-gifs.html

Pics of Rita Hayworth: 
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2012/10/rita-hayworth.html
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2013/05/rita-hayworth-photos-2.html
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2012/10/rita-hayworths-gifs.html

Pics of Ava Gardner: 
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2015/05/ava-gardner-photos.html

Pics of Carole Lombard: 
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2013/05/carole-lombard.html

Pics of Marlene Dietrich: 
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2013/07/style-icon-marlene-dietrich.html