I have no idea how this will work out people, I'm going to make the list here, live, as we go along - I don't know if coming up with 5 will be hard or if CHOOSING 5 will be torcherous. My inquiring mind wants to know though, so let's get started...

1) Well, Gone With the Wind has to be on the list - I loved the movie, love the actors and actresses, loved the book when I read it a year after first seeing the movie, which I am now the proud owner of, because my husband loves me and spoils me to infinity and beyond... This movie aught to be a must see, but this comes with a warning that it's LONG - really, really long. Make sure you have the time to sit down and invest in this and make sure you put disc 1 or side 1 or whatever in FIRST because the second half is very confusing if you haven't seen the 1st half, but you'll feel compelled to then watch the 1st half and follow it with the 2nd half again just to be sure you followed everything properly and by then you'll be exhausted and talking funny and developing an eye twitch - so DON'T do that - watch it in the proper order it was intended, okay?

2) Breakfast at Tiffany's - Audrey Hepburn is still probably my all time favorite actress and this movie is just stunningly terrific - I still  think of it all the time, whenever I see a Tiffany's jewelry store I get that strange little feeling and suddenly do agree that things feel a little bit better when standing in proximity to such an incredible jeweler. Their love story enchants me - her character is far more relateable than it should be. I suspect several old boyfriends have had their share of feeling like "Fred", I mean Paul Varjak. And the cat, oh how I feel sorry for that cat. ::sobs into an invisible tissue; wipes hands on pants; I mean, uh, moving on::

3) hmmm now I'm struggling - do I name another classic or think of something modern? It should be a movie I'd never contest to watching "again" - oh I know - Phantom of the Opera - the newest with Andrew Lloyd Webber and the stunning Emmy Rossum as Christine. The music in this movie is just haunting and beautiful and whenever I hear a bit of it or think of it, I fall into a trance that won't end until I've seen the movie again. I really aught to get my hands on the soundtrack one day, because it's partly the music that gets me, moreso than the movie itself, but the movie is brilliant regardless. ::sigh sans long tangent::

4) Robin Hood: Men in Tights - I like pretty much any Robin Hood movie but this one I'm mildly obsessed with and despite knowing it's supposed to be kind of a farce, I still think it was the best one ever made. Cary Elwes may not be the only Robin Hood, but he does speak with a wondrous English Accent and wins my school girl heart every time. I adore him, in no uncertain terms (Honey, if you are reading this, he's kind of old now, and there's no reason to pick up a baseball bat and hunt him down. Really. Please stop). Anyhoo, I love a  good comedy and this one is excellent from beginning to end, and I can pretty much quote it from there to there also.

5) Okay I'm going to resist the urge to post Biodome as my number five, because even though I can quote that from beginning to end also, it's no longer something I'm really all that proud of and I'm sure I've seen better movies (although I do kind of think that's saying something - it wasn't that bad!). And I guess following that same comment, perhaps Elf doesn't really fit the bill either. I could go with Pirates of the Caribbean, which was wonderful, but I'm just not sure... Shrek of course is excellent and I love Sword in the Stone... But I think I'll end with one of my son's favorite movies that despite probably 800 viewings of now, I still adore and my husband and I have almost definitely memorized. Curious George - another Will Ferrell movie that also features Drew Barrymore, Dick Van Dyke, Eugene Levy and David Cross and, and just awesomeness galore!! The music by Jack Johnson is just perfect and wonderful - the visuals in the movie are so perfect for little kids, so bright and colorful - the whole movie, in my mind, is a masterpiece - where every angle was truly studied, observed and perfected. It fits the bill. It wins (at least the #5 ranking).

Speaking of which, I was gonna do this whole train of thought thing and then reorganize them by ranking, but looking over this, I think my brain did that for me - it looks pretty accurate. So there you go - I'm sure I forgot some classic movie that I adore and may kick myself later, but being a top 5, this looks like a list I can live with. Of course I've loved other movies and I know there are others that would be fitting and deserving here, but as of today, Tuesday the 22 of July at 9:35 am - this is probably an accurate portrayal of my favorite 5 movies of all time as of right now.

Want to go on your own tangent / fill out your own Top 5 movies on your own blog? Make sure you go to Supernanny Where Are You? and post a link to your entry on Mr. Linky. And then broaden your horizons by checking out all the other entries! It's fun! If you don't have a blog, you can still play along by putting your list in a comment below and also on Supernanny Where Are You's post, since this is really her little brainchild. Ew, that sounds kind of gross. I'm gonna end this post now before I embarrass myself.

Audrey Hepburn waits for rehearsals, My Fair Lady, 1963.

Archival Prints Available At:
http://www.willoughbyphotos.com/  

Porque o passado me traz uma lembrança
Do tempo que eu era ainda criança
E o medo era motivo de choro
Desculpa pra um abraço ou consolo

(Poema - Cazuza)

« Un hommage biographique sur une actrice magnifique comprenant [...] notamment un extrait du scénario de 'Diamants sur canapé' annoté par Audrey, une lettre qu'elle écrivit à son mari Mel Ferrer durant la préparation du film 'Au risque de se perdre', ou encore son contrat pour sa première comédie musicale. Mais aussi un programme de spectacle de danse de son enfance ou sa carte d'identité durant l'occupation allemande... Où l'on découvre une adolescente qui rêvait d'être danseuse, une artiste intransigeante avec elle-même, une femme talentueuse et généreuse, dont la vie ne se limita pas à l'éclat des sunlights. »1

Du jamais vu! Une autre manière de créer un rapprochement avec le lecteur, de lui permettre d’explorer et de palper les archives personnelles de l'actrice. Le concept est inspirant. Cependant, certaines critiques perçoivent cette idée comme étant un coup de marketing typique des américains. Peut-être, mais il n’en demeure pas moins que ce dernier est judicieusement profitable pour tous, puisqu'il met les archives en vedette et tisse un lien intime avec le lecteur en lui donnant la sensation de revivre les grandes étapes de la vie d'Audrey Hepburn.

Source
1- http://www.evene.fr/livres/livre/ellen-erwin-giovana-gregori-ferrer-et-jessica-diamond-audrey-hep-25200.php

Ieri isola Tiberina con Pi. Una Hineken 5 euro! Compriamo Vacanze Romane con Audrey Hepburn e Gregory Peck e ce ne andiamo a casa a guardarci il film sul divano. Roma è bellissima, dal vivo e nel film.

La Dolce Vita is always two things at once: It's a wallow in decadence disguised as a moral saga, and it's a moral saga disguised as a wallow in decadence. It's always both, and that tension is always there, within the film and the filmmaker.

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

A series of nights and dawns, descents and ascents.  Once again everything collapses in an exhausted dawn.

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Nino Rota - Patricia

[audio http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/20/1967807/04%20-%20patricia.mp3]

For a film that is episodic (and lengthy) by nature, it might be wise to poach a single frame from memory and arrange a special menagerie for a future me to decipher.  I pity the totality of analysis, I champion my Rorschach in flux.

Don't look for the Trevi Fountain here.

Before Anna Nicole...

Holly Golightly

Send in the Clowns

Young@Heart

Trinity by fraud

All by Myself

Villa of the Damned

Mein Name ist Nico

You have the gift of foresight, tell me what you see.

Come to Nicky

Hawkman that Ho

Antonioniesque

Sweetness personified

FIN

Then I started watching more of them... they are just great feel-good entertainment. Some more of my all-time favorites for your viewing pleasure... I bet you remember watching them over the last decade:

Will Kemp:

Audrey Hepburn:

What's your favorite old GAP commercial? Post the link!

Where does this come from? First, I studied art history for two years in Paris. Then I worked for Louis Vuitton which allowed me to discover that there is a lot more to the high end fashion industry than just making money. People that are not familiar with the French fashion industry do not realize that what it is really about is historical heritage, hand craft, unique pieces and, above all, French culture.

So, when I joined Givenchy’s PR team, I discovered a couture and perfumery house which is among the most interesting in its industry. Its founder Hubert de Givenchy is still alive and the brand has a fantastic history. Legendary film star Audrey Hepburn was Hubert de Givenchy’s first and only muse. What I enjoyed most about my position was the opportunity to promote the brand history and legacy of the new products. Working for Givenchy was really about culture and discovering the French perfume industry. It was my job as a public relations intern to share what I was learning with as many people as possible.

I think this is also what United Planet is about. Everyone is passionate about something, is proud of his or her culture, or has knowledge others do not have. It would be a waste not to share it. The knowledge or passions we have should not be kept confidential or to a happy few.

United Planet, through its different volunteer abroad programs, gives people the opportunity to meet, talk, and like in The Little Prince by A. St Exupery, “to tame and be tamed”. At the moment, I am working as a member of the Communications Team for United Planet. Inside the organization itself the diversity of the people makes it a really rewarding experience. I have a lot of expectations for myself and United Planet and, hopefully, I will be able to participate actively in many United Planet’s programs.

I love culture and I love learning from others. That is why I worked for Givenchy and that is why I joined United Planet.

Volunteer Abroad with United Planet!

David Hart

From the moment I spotted David on the street, I was intrigued by his look. Its kinda nerdy, but very confident and modern as bowties are quite trendy. He was gracious enough to allow me to take his picture (I'm sure he gets that all the time) and as it turns out, he is a neckwear designer (David Hart & Co.). In retrospect, that makes sense, not only was his tie perfectly done, but with that type of coordination, creativity can't be to far behind. Anyhow, I had to stop him as I had a hunch he appreciated fragrance. Man, was I right. Read on...

What's your earliest recollection of fragrance?

My earliest recollection of fragrance was definitely the original Polo by Ralph Lauren. Aside from the fragrance which I would still consider classic and timeless, the bottle was such a great design. The loden green with antique gold was stunning. In my opinion, fragrance is great because it creates something unique to its wearer and it essentially becomes an integral piece of someone’s wardrobe.

What fragrances are currently in your rotation?

Lately I’ve been on a huge Creed kick. Currently I’m back and forth between Green Irish Tweed and Tabarome. I love the long history behind Creed and its fans like Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, and Princess Grace. I’m also pretty obsessed with Malin+Goetz’s Lime Tonic and Polo Black. I’m very big on aftershave. Learning the proper way to shave from my Dad at a young age was a right of passage for me. I shave with a cut throat and love all the products like shave soap, pre-shave oil, and creams from The Art of Shaving to Barbasol and Old Spice.

How often do you go out looking for something new? What specifically do you look for?

I usually shop for new fragrances when the old ones run out. I think the next time I am looking for something I will probably stop by Le Labo. I like the idea of creating something that is uniquely mine and a little more exclusive.

Have you ever purchased the same fragrance more than once? If so, what was it and what about it made it worthy of a repeat buy?

I repeated a buy for a fragrance once and it was the original Polo. It never goes out of style

How would you finish this statement. "My most memorable fragrant moment would be...?

My most memorable fragrance moment would be using fragrances as a way of studying for tests. I remember being in high school and learning about Pavlov response mechanisms and from then on I would study wearing a fragrance and the day of the test I would wear that same fragrance as a way to associate the memory of studying with the test at hand. It seemed to work very well.

Gentlemen, that is why I love fragrance. It has the ability to touch us in so many ways. Thanks for sharing David.

TUESDAY
Free Hula Class
7 p.m.
North Catalina Rec Room

WEDNESDAY
Children's Entertainment Night @ Levitt Pavilion, Memorial Park - Pasadena
7:00 PM
From 1984 to 1998, Mammoth Follies was performed for audiences all over the country, including the BAM Opera House. After a 7-year absence, the dinosaurs will once again storm the stage in a completely renovated production of this wildly popular and thoroughly educational production.

Enormous puppets populate the stage, including your host Willie Mammoth, Smiley the Saber-Toothed Tiger, Bessie the 27-foot long Apatosaurus, Tony and Trixie Triceratops, Terry the Pterodactyl, and the 11-foot tall T. Rex in a musical trip through pre-history.

THURSDAY
American Music Night @ Levitt Pavilion, Memorial Park - Pasadena
6:30 p.m.
Some people think the blues is a down thing. But to quote Willie Dixon again, "All blues are happy blues." Willie would be happy to hear Jimbo Ross plays the blues, because when Jimbo plays, people listen. He's the embodiment of the happy blues - even in the deepest and darkest of songs, he finds the shining silver lining in the dark clouds, the joy inside the blues.

Jimbo spent a lot of time playing guitar growing up, and it's in his unprecedented translation of guitar style blues to the viola that he has found a sound entirely his own. A virtuoso violist who has long been in great demand as a studio musician for his uncanny chameleonic ability to adapt the viola to any musical genre, he's played everything from blues to gospel, swing to salsa , Baroque to Bulgarian, be-bop to hip-hop, Turkish to techno, and everywhere in-between.

Pacific Asia Museum
8pm
Animated Triple Feature!
The Demon, Dojoji Temple, and The Book of the Dead
by Kihachiro Kawamoto
Introduction and discussion by animation critic Charles Solomon

The Demon
(1970, 8 min., Japanese with English subtitles)

Two brothers are setting traps in the mountains when suddenly a demon's arm reaches out and grabs the younger brother!

The older brother severs the demon's arm, to take home. When they look at the arm carefully, it somehow resembles their mother's arm.

Dojoji Temple
(1976, 19 min., Japanese with English subtitles)

An elderly monk and his young acolyte stop at a lodge where the mistress of the house, a young widow, falls in love with the acolyte. When he lies to her, she is literally transformed by rage and relentless in her pursuit of revenge.

The Book of the Dead
(2005, 93 min., Japanese with English subtitles)

In this ravishing film of mystical beauty, master animator Kawamoto tells the story of a young noblewoman in 8th-century Japan who leaves her home to follow the apparition of an executed prince.

Free with admission; call 626.449.2742 ext. 31 to RSVP.

Tango Classes @ Caltech

Free Dancing in Burbank

FRIDAY

Caltech All-Night Milonga
Tango Workshop 8:00-9:30 pm – INTERMEDIATE: ~*~ PLANEOS & ENROSQUES ~*~
At historic Dabney Hall, with beautiful hardwood floors

Special Workshop: 8:00-9:30 pm – ADV BEGINNER to INTERMEDIATE LEVEL:
~*~ Planeos & Enrosques ~*~
Workshop Admission:
Caltech Students w/ID: $10
Caltech Affiliates & other full-time Students w/ID: $15
Regular: $20

Caltech All-Night Milonga: 10:00 pm - 3:00 am.

Tango Club hosts the only all-night milonga in the Los Angeles area one Friday each month. Experience our All-Night Milongas... and find yourself in a tango embrace from the wee hours of night until dawn, and enjoying sundaes early in the morning!

When: 3rd Friday, July 18, 10:00 pm - 3:00 am.
Where: At historic Dabney Hall, with beautiful hardwood floors.
Enter Dabney through the gardens on the North side of the building.

Milonga + Performance Admission:
Caltech Students w/ID: $3
Caltech Affiliates & other full-time Students w/ID: $8
Regular: $10

Plus: Nice spread of refreshments, with sundaes at 1 am.

World Rhythms Night @ Levitt Pavilion, Memorial Park - Pasadena
The emergence of Gor Mkhitarian reflects the very best of the burgeoning music scene now taking foot in the independent former Soviet Republic of Armenia. Widely known throughout Armenia as the lead guitarist for one of country's best rock bands, Lav Eli, Mkhitarian launched his solo career in 2001 and has released five albums since.

Being nominated for a total of eleven industry music awards, he makes fresh and compelling music that successfully fuses traditional Armenian music with both rock and folk idioms. In his music, Mkhitarian makes a case for writing the next chapter in Armenia's rich musical history by updating the sound and feel of the classic Armenian folk song.

In 2003 he moved to Los Angeles where drummer Andranik Harutyunyan, basist Varujan Hovakimyan, pianist Art Grigorian and guitarist Jay Dean joined the band. Stepping away from his previous acoustic-driven "signature", with the new band he features remarkable musicianship and showcases a different approach to his songwriting. It's Armenian music, as it has never been heard before.

Free Movies in Old Pas
EMERGING FILMMAKERS
Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond
Films and shorts by students and faculty from the Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center College of Design and Pasadena City College.

8:30 PM
CLASSIC HEPBURN: CHARADE
One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley
Widow Audrey Hepburn finds herself thrust into adventure when her dead husband's war buddies come after her, thinking she has money they stole together during the war. Cary Grant is the stranger who is as mysterious as he is attractive--and who Hepburn falls for as she runs for her life.

10:00 PM
HORROR FILM: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
Rooftop of Schoolhouse Garage , 33 E. Green Street
Director Tobe Hooper will introduce the screening.
One of the best American horror films from the 1970s and certainly one of the scariest movies ever made, it works so well because the unknown actors and real-life locations burn themselves into your memory, assuming a nightmarishly twisted reality that lingers long after you’ve seen the film. After hearing of a cemetery desecration, Marilyn Burns and friends go on a jaunt in the broiling Texas countryside to make sure her grandparents’ graves are okay, only to become stranded at the rural home of a family of inbred cannibals. Director Tobe Hooper expertly escalates the horror until you can’t stand it anymore…then goes one step further. With Gunnar Hansen, Ed Neal.

Paseo Colorado: Free Swing Dancing
Mora’s Modern Swingtet
6:30-9:30pm

SATURDAY

Caltech Tango Workshop

GUILLERMO & ENRIQUE DE FAZIO are internationally celebrated as the creators of an original style, full of speed, ability and humor.

Known as Los Hermanos Macana, Guillermo & Enrique made their professional debut in 1997, reproducing the old practicas among men.

2:30-4:00 pm – INTERMEDIATE: ~*~ MILONGA CON TRASPIE ~*~
4:15:-5:45 pm – INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCE: ~*~ MILONGA CON TRASPIE Beautiful Steps ~*~
At Winnett Lounge (2nd floor)

Musica Latina Night @ Levitt Pavilion, Memorial Park - Pasadena

Bronx born Bobby Matos began playing music beating on pots and pans in Grandma’s apartment and went on to backstage informal lessons with conga drum masters Patato Valdez and Mongo Santamaria.

He was inspired and encouraged to play timbales by Willie Bobo and Tito Puente, and in the late ˜60s attended the New School and Manhattan School of Music studying composition and arranging. Around this exciting time for Latin Music in N.Y., he recorded “My Latin Soul” for Philips Records. This recording eventually became a much prized cult classic influencing many ˜70’s and ˜80’s Acid Jazz groups on both sides of the Atlantic.

Bobby continues recording and releasing new music on the LifeForce Jazz imprint including "Acknowledgement" 2005, "Charanga Chango" 2006, and "Gratitude" 2007.

Free Movies in Old Pas
10:00 AM
FAMILY MATINEE: MARY POPPINS
Laemmle’s One Colorado Cinemas, 42 Miller Alley -
Julie Andrews is God’s gift to nanny-dom as Mary Poppins in this classic musical comedy/fantasy. When Poppins comes to work for the Banks family in their turn-of-the-20th-century London household, she uplifts everyone’s spirits and brings magic to their lives. Dick Van Dyke is Bert, the good-natured chimney sweep and the great Jane Darwell, in her last screen appearance, plays the bird lady. Winner of five Academy Awards, including Andrews for Best Actress and Richard M. & Robert B. Sherman for Best Original Song and Best Original Music Score.

7:00 PM
EMERGING FILMMAKERS
Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond
Films and shorts by students and faculty from the Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center College of Design and Pasadena City College.

7:00 PM
IF IT'S TUESDAY, THIS MUST BE BELGIUM
Distant Lands, 54 S. Raymond Ave.,
A group of travelers from the United States race through seven countries in 18 days in this hilarious romantic comedy. Nominated for a Golden Globe for best screenplay and directed by Mel Stuart the 1969 film also features a cameo by the folk singer Donovan who wrote the title song.

8:30 PM
CLASSIC HEPBURN: SABRINA
One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley
Chauffeur's daughter Audrey Hepburn blooms from ugly duckling to fashion queen as she tries to choose between wealthy, middle-aged Humphrey Bogart (at his sexy, smokey best) and cocky lover-boy William Holden (a Wilder favorite). Billy Wilder's classic romantic triangle.

10:00 PM
MENTAL HYGIENE SHORT FILMS
Mercantile Alley (right behind Coffee Bean at 18 S. Fair Oaks)
Presented by Archivist and Historian Rick Prelinger.
For the quarter-century following World War II, a special kind of classroom film received wide circulation. These "mental hygiene" films thrived in a confused and nervous America. The rebellious behavior of young people challenging the social norms struck fear into the hearts of parents and educators, who saw dark futures for the teens who broke the rules and refused to fit in with society. These concerned adults embraced the metal hygiene film as a new means of delivering social guidance. The creators of the films took their cues from the wildly successful training and propaganda films of the World War II era. They used the same shock and scare techniques to warn teenagers about substance abuse, venereal disease, juvenile delinquency and the awful fate of kids who drive too fast on prom night.

Uma das primeiras top model do mundo, Dorian Leigh, faleceu aos 91 anos na Virgínia, EUA, na última segunda; informação divulgada em 11.07 para o mundo todo.

Dorian ficou amplamente conhecida nos anos 40 até a década de 60, época em que ser modelo fotográfica era infinitamente superior a passarela.

Há indícios que Dorian foi a inspiração para a personagem de Audrey Hepburn em Boniqueinha de Luxo.

Poor Lexxy put up with my moaning over my phone whenever my mother called me this past weekend (which was surprisingly often, considering the long-distance bills): "Man, if it just rang to U Can't Touch This or, I dunno, Donna Summer. Wouldn't that just make me want to answer the phone?" And so on.

I guess it finally got to her. Because, when we got into her cute Toyota Scion (why isn't it a hybrid? it ought to be a hybrid!) to drive into the city for brunch, she told me the place was going to have "meaning." Now, I've known this girl since 8th grade. So saying that something has "meaning" usually indicates that it has some random middle-school-esque significance. I was prepared for a music medley of Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, and TLC; I was steadying myself for waiters in saggy pants and too-large T-shirts. But what she picked--what she hand-picked--just for this occasion was so much greater, and ended up being significant on a multitude of layers.

Let me break it down. First, it was a light slap-on-the-wrist. The diner's name? Salt 'N Pepper Diner, which was (obviously) an allusion to Salt-n-Peppa, the group that made the amazingly ring-tone-adaptable Push It. French toast? Check, though Lexxy ended up being the one to order it. And theme? Oyez, 1950s.

'Course, when Lexxy read an online review of the place, she figured the 1950s theme was going to be so in-your-face as to be completely unavoidable, and was understandably frantic to get there. (The girl likes her drama, and her themed diners even more.)

Truth be told, the decor was a little watered down. Though there was the stainless steel backdrop behind the bar and a poster of a 50's Chevy, it was a little underwhelming. Especially since we were expecting waitresses in poodle skirts and horn-rimmed glasses. And at least a jukebox. Alas! We didn't get that (though they do have an exceptionally 50s-esque clock), but we did get fed.

Lexxy went for the french toast, Bogarting my initial gut-choice. Back in our middle school days, she'd come panting around my kitchen for my daddy's french toast and then end up staying the weekend. This rendition of the breakfast classic, covered in bananas and cream and nuts, was a close contender to my daddy's own, and was certainly filling and beautifully presented. (My dad is a closet banana-phobe and won't garnish anything with bananas, let alone nuts; purist he is, confectioner's sugar "will just have to suffice.")

Ousted from my french toast quest, I fell back on a new favorite. Since I'd been on a burrito theme (Chipotle, anyone?) already in Chicago, I ordered the breakfast burrito: hash browns on the side, but the burrito itself packed with eggs, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and various other tasty brunch-appropriate fare. Yeah, it made my belly hurt. But once doused with ketchup and cut into, it was heavenly. McDonald's, you leave a heck of a lot to be desired.

We talked, naturally, about the fact that we've been friends for over a decade. We've been locked in together, and had to be busted out by locksmiths and a very capable carpenter. We've eaten sand, climbed inside the pyramids, and jumped on moving mini-buses. We've changed diapers together (Justine, you so owe us). We've snorkeled together. (Her sister almost drowned me that time, too.) We've been through three different continents together, a series of serious boyfriends (none of them shared; we're not that close), one stage show (hers), one gallery show (also hers), and a variety of other life-changing times together. It's been more than a decade, and we're looking forward to a lifetime more.

Which, in essence, was why the Salt 'n Pepper Diner was so perfect: we love the 1950s (the style! the cars! the music! the Hepburns!) and we love food, and the combination of the two--albeit a little questionable--was delicious. But as we looked around, we had to admit: the Salt 'N Pepper is a poser. It has the sense and idea of the 50s, but not the execution. It's so close, though; and, really, who's keeping score? Just like Down With Love, sometimes it's just better to sit back and enjoy the product than nitpick the little details. After all, it's on the good times that solid friendships are built, and it's the good times that keep them alive.

-bisoux

]]> http://kyrio.wordpress.com/?p=68 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:44:15 +0000 kyraaylsworth http://kyrio.wordpress.com/?p=68 You know the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's? Audrey Hepburn, as Holly Golightly, is standing in the early morning light gazing in the window at Tiffany's. We find out later that she feels happy and secure doing this because the place calms her.

Holly tells Paul: I don't want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together. I'm not sure where that is but I know what it is like. It's like Tiffany's. He says: Tiffany's? You mean the jewelry store. She replies: That's right. I'm just CRAZY about Tiffany's!

The dialogue continues:

Holly Golightly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?
Paul Varjak: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?
Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?
Paul Varjak: Sure.
Holly Golightly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name!

Well, this might sound overly dramatic, but sometimes this is how I feel about Shoppers Drug Mart. It's not fancy and atmospheric like Tiffany's, but its vastness and cleanliness and usefulness fills me with a unique sense of calm. The variety of products fills me with subdued joy and I like to check out absolutely every single choice that is available to me whether I'm buying toothpaste or band aids.

Why?

I think it might be the effect of living in Asia for an extended period of time. I have spent countless hours exploring drugstores in other countries - looking for things labelled in English, trying new products that I don't know how to use and being either utterly delighted or not impressed at all with the results. I think that I've always liked drug stores in general, but being away from the familiarity of the ones at home made me aware of my appreciation for them. They're like bookstores, for the body.

"Nothing very bad could happen to you there."

Pete never really 'got' my fascination with these places on the road and now that we're back in Toronto, he still doesn't get it but knows enough to go stand by the magazine racks and wait patiently until I have finished picking out new shampoo. Even in Australia (where it's called 'the chemist'), and everything is labelled in English, I still had to examine all of the brands that were new to me and decide whether I liked their packaging, copy, smell etc. My roommate and I once spent roughly two hours picking out deodorant.

*Ahem*

For the record: I'm not an exceptionally 'girly' girl. I don't go shopping very often and do not spend evenings painting my toenails and watching chick flicks (not that there's anything wrong with that). I just really like drug stores. Their existence makes me feel happy and secure in the knowledge that if I need something mundane yet necessary, that I'll enjoy going to pick it up.  Now that Shoppers is right up the street from my house, I might actually stick around and give the cat a name.

Do you have a Tiffany's?

I just got word from a friend of mine over at The Shoeless Reader about the Old Pasadena Film Festival.

For the next three weekends on Friday and Saturday nights, there will be screenings of at least two great films each night. There is a bit of a Audrey Hepburn theme this year, with titles like Sabrina, Roman Holiday, and, of course, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Also, at 7 PM each night, at the Armory Center for the Arts, they are screening an Emerging Filmmakers series featuring films by local students and artists. If you’re only going to go to one screening, I really think it should be one of these.

Also, for those so inclined, there is an all-night screening of the three Lord of The Rings movies. There will be a “Sunrise Hobbit Breakfast” to follow. Not sure what that means, but worth a shot.

All screenings are free, so there's no reason not to check it out. See you there.

Melancholic mood these days...just watching old movies, listening to what strong people have to say, hoping that their words would make me rise up. Making my baby steps in the valley of poppies and learning each day not to care, although I do care. Learning to play signs, like chimps, pretending that I don't understand figures of speech. Learning to be just another mask, on just another scene...for the spectators who like to be demigods. With dignity....that's what I'll never let go.

“Your heart just breaks, that's all. But you can't judge, or point fingers. You just have to be lucky enough to find someone who appreciates you.”

"People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.”

"Pick the day. Enjoy it - to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come... The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present - and I don't want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future"

(Audrey Hepburn)

Pero resultó que esta película poco, o nada, tenía que ver con la amargura de la novela en la que se basó, cosa que descubrí a finales del año pasado cuando una amiga me regaló "Desayuno en Tiffany's". Es ésta una novelita corta escrita por Truman Capote que contaba la historia de una jovencita sofisticada y sin pasado, una criatura libre que no quería pertenecer a nada ni a nadie y que se dedicaba a ser chica de compañía en la Ciudad de los Rascacielos mientras soñaba con el paraíso que, para ella, representaba la joyería Tiffany's (¿quién no recuerda a Audrey con un cruasán y gafas de sol reflejada en el escaparate de la joyería?). La historia no acababa nada bien, por mucho que Hepburn y Peppard se besaran bajo la lluvia y frente al objetivo de la cámara de Blake Edwards.

Hace un par de meses volvió a mi, como un jarro de agua fría, el recuerdo de un fragmento de esa novela por lo mucho que me recordaba a mi propia historia más reciente. Éste es el fragmento en cuestión:

“No se enamore nunca de ninguna criatura salvaje, Mr. Bell. Esa fue la equivocación de Doc. Siempre se llevaba a su casa seres salvajes. Halcones con el ala rota. Otra vez trajo un lince rojo con una pata fracturada. Pero no hay que entregarles el corazón a los seres salvajes: cuanto más se lo entregas, más fuertes se hacen. Hasta que se sienten lo suficientemente fuertes para huir al bosque. O subirse volando a un árbol. Y luego a otro árbol más alto. Y luego al cielo. Así terminará usted, Mr. Bell, si se entrega a alguna criatura salvaje. Terminará con la mirada fija en el cielo."

Él resultó ser una de esas criaturas salvajes de las que hablaba Capote, o también, ¿por qué no?, un impar de esos que ahora están de moda y que aman su soledad y su libertad por encima de todo y de todos, que no necesitan a nadie, que sufren con las ataduras y el compromiso como animalitos enjaulados. Y lo malo de enamorarse de una criatura salvaje es que, tarde o temprano, necesita respirar, vivir en libertad y volar muy alto y muy lejos. Nada ni nadie puede retener a una criatura salvaje en pleno vuelo y, al final, lo único que puedes hacer es seguir mirando al cielo, esperando que regrese, aún sabiendo, y eso es lo más duro, que jamás volverá: pase lo que pase, seguiré con la mirada clavada en el horizonte preguntándome por qué.

Y lo más doloroso de toda esta historia es saber que existe la posibilidad de que, algún día, la criatura salvaje necesite ser domesticada y entonces, no sé cómo ni cuándo, dejará de volar para permanecer junto a alguien por siempre jamás, olvidarás la necesidad de estar solo, de liberarte de ataduras, dejarás de ser un espíritu libre y mientras yo...

...Seguiré mirando al cielo.

Patricia Neal in two of her most memorable films.

Hoje fui rua 25 de março comprar uma fantasia para o aniversário do meu irmão. Lá na 25 de março tem muitas lojas de fantasias, mas não achei exatamente a fantasia que queria, isso que dá ser esquisitona demais, né? Em compensação achei várias perucas bacanas, pirei e comprei 3, assim aumentou o meu leque de oportunidades:

Peruca Preta

Personagens: Amelie Poulain, Coco Chanel e Audrey Hepburn.

Peruca Vermelha

Personagens: Roberta dos Rebeldes ou Ariel a Pequena Sereia.

Peruca Loira

 
Personagens: A loira do banheira (aquela lenda infantil), Barbie, Sharpay do High School Musical ou Paquita.

Clique aqui para votar na melhor fantasia.

Só escolhi mulheres maravilhosas, né? Sinal que minha auto-estima está lá nas alturas.

Enjoy it!

PS: Deixa contar uma coisa engraçada do meu passeio. Estava vestindo a camiseta da seleção argentina de futebol, fui abordada por muitos vendedores falando em castelhano e teve um que além disso falou comigo em inglês, me senti estrangeira dentro do meu próprio pais.

**********************

Mudando de assunto eu ouvi na rádio* hoje que a telefônica não vai cobrar as 36 horas que ficou sem oferecer o serviço de speed na última semana aqui no estado de São Paulo. Gente é muita cara de pau fazer propaganda de que não vai cobrar pelo serviço que não ofereceu né?

Direção: William Wyler

Roteiro: John Dighton, Ian McLellan Hunter, Dalton Trumbo

Elenco: Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Eddie Albert

Brasil e sua mania de dar nomes nada a ver aos filmes. Fora essa gafe já costumeira, "A Princesa e o Plebeu" é um dos maiores clássicos do cinema, tendo vencido 3 Oscars e um Globo de Ouro. É aqui que Audrey Hepburn se consagrou como grande atriz e curiosamente por muito pouco isso não acontece, já que a preferência do diretor era por Jean Simmons.

O filme conta a história da princesa Ann (Audrey Hepburn), que durante uma visita a Roma, foge do palácio onde estava hospedada e acaba conhecendo o jornalista americano Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), que inicialmente não reconhece a princesa, mas a leva para sua casa. Depois de perceber quem Ann é, Joe decide agradar a princesa, a levando para conhecer a cidade e com isso obter uma matéria que lhe renderia 5 mil dólares.

Joe leva Ann para vários pontos turisticos da cidade e acompanhados pelo fotógrafo Irving Radovich (Eddie Albert) todos os momentos vão sendo registrados sem que Ann saiba disso. Aos poucos Ann e Joe vão se aproximando e ele desiste de publicar a matéria.

"A Princesa e o Plebeu" é uma divertida comédia romántica, com uma bela fotografia, já que foi gravada em Roma e com excelentes atuações de Audrey Hepburn e Gregory Peck.

A problemática do filme se da ao acaso, as personagens de Audrey Tatou e Gad Elmaleh encontram-se e pinta um clima, Irene uma golpista caçadora de maridos e Jean, um barman que passeia com os pets dos hospedes do hotel nas horas vagas. Isso é familiar, sim, esse filme é total e completamente inspirado em Bonequinha de Luxo da também Audrey, mas Hepburn, de 1961. Os dois se atrapalham e a comedia romântica esta completa; Cenas rápidas e diálogos subentendidos fazem o silencio dos segredos das personagens, que os leva a situações embaraçosas.

Legal mesmo é a cena em que Irene explica a Jean a arte de enrolar os outros, começa com aquela carinha de mocinha bobinha, tentando conquistar o próprio Jean, o olhar perdido que acaba enganando até o expectador desatendo que de repente acha que esta assistindo novamente a Amélie Polain... E não é impressão minha, no final o dois vão embora de moto com sorrisos e abraços. Ela na garupa. E eu fiquei com a sensação de já ter visto isso antes. E vi...

O filme é bom, título traduzido comercialmente para o português “Amar... Não tem preço”. Em inglês, Priceless, fiel ao original, Hors de prix.

Nota 9,0.
Diretor: Pierre Salvadori.

Transmigração!

From the great Breakfast at Tiffany's to the giggle-worthy Hygiene Shorts from the 1950s to the gory The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to the God-knows-what-to-expect student shorts, Fridays and Saturdays will be movie nights in Old Pas starting 11 July.

This year will be a special celebration of Audrey Hepburn, including Charade, Sabrina and Roman Holiday. Other classic movies shown include Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Mary Poppins. If you want an all-nighter, they will also be showing the Lord of the Rings from 8:30 p.m. to dawn.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:

Friday, July 11

7:00 PM – EMERGING FILMMAKERS ArmoryCenterfor the Arts, 145 N. Raymond

Films and shorts by students and faculty from the Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center College of Design and Pasadena City College.

8:30 PM – CLASSIC HEPBURN: BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley

"I've got to do something about the way I look. I mean a girl just can't go to Sing Sing with a green face." - So sighs Audrey Hepburn's girl-about-town Holly Golightly, breezing ever-so-gently through the real world with hardly a ripple. But when she meets sober, handsome, nice guy George Peppard, she begins to gradually re-think her “anything-goes,” high-living lifestyle.

10:00 PM – SCI FI: THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953) School House Parking structure rooftop, 33 E. Green Street.

Actress Ann Robinson will introduce the screening.

The quintessential 1950's science fiction film, in which scientists and the military join forces to conquer an alien invasion. Even today, few films can match this movie's triumphant blend of special effects and snappy romance (in the form of the relationship between astronomer Gene Barry and his spunky girlfriend Ann Robinson.)

Saturday, July 12

7:00 PM – EMERGING FILMMAKERS Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond

Films and shorts by students and faculty from the Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center College of Design and Pasadena City College.

8:30 PM - CLASSIC HEPBURN: MY FAIR LADY One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley

This unforgettable musical adaptation is PYGMALION as reinvented by Lerner and Loewe as reinvented by master director George Cukor. Oscar winner Rex Harrison plays Henry Higgins, who teaches lower class, Cockney flower girl Audrey Hepburn to be a lady and falls in love with her in the process.

Friday, July 18

7:00 PM – EMERGING FILMMAKERS Armory Cente for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond

Films and shorts by students and faculty from the Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center College of Design and Pasadena City College.

8:30 PM – CLASSIC HEPBURN: CHARADE One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley

Widow Audrey Hepburn finds herself thrust into adventure when her dead husband's war buddies come after her, thinking she has money they stole together during the war. Cary Grant is the stranger who is as mysterious as he is attractive--and whom Hepburn falls for as she runs for her life.

10:00 PM – HORROR FILM: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE Basement of Schoolhouse Parking Garage, 33 E. Green Street.

Director Tobe Hooper will introduce the screening.

One of the best American horror films from the 1970s and certainly one of the scariest movies ever made. The unknown actors and real-life locations burn themselves into your memory, assuming a nightmarishly twisted reality that lingers long after you’ve seen the film. After hearing of a cemetery desecration, Marilyn Burns and friends go on a jaunt in the broiling Texas countryside to make sure her grandparents’ graves are okay, only to become stranded at the rural home of a family of inbred cannibals. Director Tobe Hooper expertly escalates the horror until you can’t stand it anymore…then goes one step further. With Gunnar Hansen, Ed Neal.

Saturday, July 19

10:00 AM - FAMILY MATINEE: MARY POPPINS Laemmle’s One Colorado Cinemas, 42 Miller Alley

Julie Andrews is God’s gift to nanny-dom as Mary Poppins in this classic musical comedy/fantasy. When Poppins comes to work for the Banks family in their turn-of-the-20th-century London household, she uplifts everyone’s spirits and brings magic to their lives. Dick Van Dyke is Bert, the good-natured chimney sweep and the great Jane Darwell, in her last screen appearance, plays the bird lady. Winner of five Academy Awards, including Andrews for Best Actress and Richard M. & Robert B. Sherman for Best Original Song and Best Original Music Score.

7:00 PM – EMERGING FILMMAKERS ArmoryCenterfor the Arts, 145 N. Raymond

Films and shorts by students and faculty from the Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center College of Design and Pasadena City College.

8:30 PM – CLASSIC HEPBURN: SABRINA One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley

Chauffeur's daughter Audrey Hepburn blooms from ugly duckling to fashion queen as she tries to choose between wealthy, middle-aged Humphrey Bogart (at his sexy, smokey best) and cocky lover-boy William Holden (a Wilder favorite). Billy Wilder's classic romantic triangle.

10:00 PM – MENTAL HYGIENE SHORT FILMS Mercantile Alley (right behind Coffee Bean at 18 S. Fair Oaks)

Presented by Archivist and Historian Rick Prelinger.

For the quarter-century following World War II, a special kind of classroom film received wide circulation. These "mental hygiene" films thrived in a confused and nervous America. The rebellious behavior of young people challenging the social norms struck fear into the hearts of parents and educators, who saw dark futures for teens who broke the rules and refused to fit in with society. These concerned adults embraced the metal hygiene film as a new means of delivering social guidance. The creators of the films took their cues from the wildly successful training and propaganda films of the World War II era. They used the same shock and scare techniques to warn teenagers about substance abuse, venereal disease, juvenile delinquency and the awful fate of kids who drive too fast on prom night.

Friday, July 25

7:00 PM – EMERGING FILMMAKERS Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond

Films and shorts by students and faculty from the Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center College of Design and Pasadena City College.

8:30 PM – CLASSIC HEPBURN: ROMAN HOLIDAY One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley

A real-life princess (Audrey Hepburn), weary of her sheltered existence, takes off on her own to see the sights of Rome, only to encounter romance in the form of suave Gregory Peck. But unbeknownst to Hepburn, Peck is really a reporter out for a story, and this inevitably complicates things as the two grow more intimate. This sweet-natured romantic comedy won three Oscars, including Best Actress for Hepburn.

10:45 PM – CLASSIC FOREIGN FILM: SEVEN SAMURAI One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley

Director Akira Kurosawa's most famous film is certainly one of the finest movies ever made - a huge, sprawling but intimate, character-driven period epic about an aging swordsman (the great Takashi Shimura) who enlists six other warriors-for-hire (amongst them, Toshiro Mifune, Minoru Chiaki, Isao Kimura, Daisuke Kato, Seiji Miyaguchi, Yoshio Inaba) to safeguard a remote village plagued by bandits.

Saturday, July 26

7:00 PM – EMERGING FILMMAKERS ArmoryCenterfor the Arts, 145 N. Raymond

Films and shorts by students and faculty from the Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center College of Design and Pasadena City College.

8:30 PM – GREASE with guest to be announced, 22 Mills Place

Pompadoured tough-guy John Travolta learns the meaning of true love, 1950's style, from summertime sweetheart Olivia Newton-John, with help from a fantastic supporting cast including Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway, Eve Arden and Frankie Avalon. A soundtrack of wall-to-wall hits ("You're The One That I Want," "Hopelessly Devoted To You," "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee") in director Randal Kleiser's irresistible teen-dream of a movie musical.

8:30 PM till Dawn – LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY, One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley, Middle Earth

J.R.R. Tolkien's literary masterpiece The Lord of the Rings has influenced generations of readers worldwide and continues to captivate new fans around the globe. Director Peter Jackson and a brilliantly talented cast and crew have brought to cinematic life the epic adventure of good against evil. The future of civilization rests in the fate of the One Ring, which has been lost for centuries. Powerful forces are unrelenting in their search for it. Fate has placed it in the hands of a young Hobbit named Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), who inherits the Ring - and undertakes a heroic quest revealing how, through courage, commitment, and determination, even the smallest of us can change the world.

Screening concludes with sunrise Hobbit breakfast.