Curio: Lisa Brawn's Woodcuts

Alexa from Pop Elegantiarum here with your weekly arts and crafts.

Recently I came upon these woodcut paintings by Lisa Brawn. Lisa carves detailed portraits into wood, generally beams of salvaged Douglas fir. Usually artists carve into wood in order to make prints from the resulting block; instead, Lisa paints the carved block itself to create one-of-a-kind portraits. She looks to pop culture for inspiration, and finds "suitably rustic and rugged subjects" in tough guys like Steve McQueen, but notes that "Sophia Loren holds her own anywhere". I think her chosen medium is perfect, since it calls to mind Christian wooden icons; it's like she's made pop culture devotionals (Saint Bullitt and Saint Sophia, natch).

Here's a selection.

It Was a Sort of Madness, Honey © 2008

Jake © 2009

You're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat © 2008

Bullitt © 2009

Actress Italian-Style.

Jose here.



As I was watching The Story of Adele H. yesterday it struck me how Isabelle Adjani is still one of the few actresses to have been Oscar nominated more than once for performances in a foreign language.
Only twelve actresses have received Best Actress nominations for non-English speaking roles (the Academy usually waits for them to work in Hollywood and then reward them...see Simone Signoret, Juliette Binoche, Ingrid Bergman and Penélope Cruz) and out of these ladies, only three have repeated; Adjani (75 and 89), Liv Ullmann (72 and 76) and Sophia Loren (61 and 64).
Out of them only Ms. Loren won.

This bears repeating and celebrating today, more than any other time, because it happens to be her birthday.
She was born, wait for it, 76 years ago in Rome where she spent her childhood dancing, playing the piano and migrating to the country after she was injured during an attack in WWII.
A shrapnel during a bombing hit her chin forcing her parents to leave the city to protect their daughter.
Shallow intermission but can you imagine if something else had happened to her face?
She became to be known the world over as a sex symbol and one of the most beautiful women that ever lived. Guess things happen for a reason huh?

Besides her blessed physiognomy Loren is also a phenomenal actress. Did you know she's the most awarded actress in history next only to Meryl Streep?
Watching Sophia play earthy characters and vamps is always a treat but I guess my favorite performance of hers is in the movie version of Verdi's Aida. She has never seemed more vulnerable and larger than life for me.



Take a look at her legendary face and tell us what's your favorite Sophia Loren film?

Curio: Sophia and Jayne

Alexa from Pop Elegantiarum here again with some artsy craftiness. Since the SAG awards, Sophia Loren has been in my thoughts, probably because in her 70s she is way hotter than I was in my 20s. (I also owe everything I have to spaghetti, with mixed results). And last night I had really vivid dreams about Jayne Mansfield, probably because I fell asleep, rather unfortunately, to Law & Order SVU (Mariska does bear a resemblance to her mom now and then). It all came together today when I spotted this swell little embroidery by Jennifer Jackson, a.k.a. Lucky Jackson.


The photograph of these two is so reproduced that you almost forget how funny it is. I think the embroidery really brings out the catty girlyness of the encounter. You can see more of Jennifer's happy art (including her odes to Office Space and Tim Gunn) here.

Curio: Cher Paper Doll

Alexa here from Pop Elegantiarum. Maybe it's all the "Half-Breed" references on Project Runway last week, or maybe it's the recent casting news on Burlesque, but I'm loving this Cher paper doll over at Paper Doll World. For those in love with paper dolls as much as me, her Anthony Perkins and Sophia Loren are pretty sweet, too.

In a Very Unusual Usual Way...

...release dates are still in flux.

The latest tumultous shift is, as you may have heard, is Nine the musical which will move from Thanksgiving to Christmas... or thereabouts. This can't be a shock to anyone who knows the Weinsteins. They have never really understood Oscar-seeking release dates in months that don't begin with the letter "D".

As I read the news, the great song "Nine" was suddenly spinning in my head, one particular moment of it "Nine, Guido, Nine | Nine months of the year | to make you appear". If they hadn't cut the title song (I still can't believe they did!) that's a line that Sophia Loren would've sung to Daniel Day-Lewis. Sniffle. Wouldn't it be great if the Oscar calendar was nine months long: ambitious prestige movies delivered all year! But, oops... ZIP! I promised last year that I wouldn't bitch about release dates as much so I'll shut up now. In better news, A Single Man, which is also a December release is not going to be one of those peek-a-boo one week qualifiers, thank god. Instead it will do the traditional expand throughout December release.

It still sucks that the studios think that adults are only interested in movies during the holi-- shut up Nathaniel. Shut up! Shut up!

Peace out. No complaints here. Hooray! Nine for Christmas. A present we can't wait to open.

My Oscar predictions, in case you haven't seen 'em.

On the Nine Test Screenings

I've been withholding. Not purposefully or vindicatively but all the same...

I've heard from two readers who saw Nine (the musical!) at two different test screenings and I thought it was time to share their reactions.


The first to write me (test screener #1) saw what might have been an earlier cut in the summer. The second (test screener #2), whom I've met and who looooves musicals, saw it this past Monday. I didn't ask them to do this but they both divided their thoughts by actor, so let's take it that way. Neither of them gave many details about the songs that have been cut and added but I've been alarmed to read elsewhere about the multiple changes, including switching characters on key songs and the removal of "Nine". It's the title song, people! How can you go without? But the movie doesn't open until November 25th so perhaps they're still tinkering.

The lucky bastards disagree on Daniel Day-Lewis in the lead role of the blocked film director

Test Screener #1: Great in this film. He can sing, he can dance, and he brings out nuances in Guido Contini I didn't know existed from the stageplay.
Test Screener #2: DDL is typically good, but it's certainly one of his weaker efforts. He'll likely be in the hunt since he's the lead and I imagine the film to go over well with AMPAS, so I'd keep him in the top 10 tier for now, but I'm sure that you've been right all along - he won't be nominated.

But what about the glamourous actresses swirling around him? Both readers jump to Judi Dench next and here they also disagree.

TS #1: She's terrific. Her "Follies Bergeres" is well sung with style, presence, wit, and a gleam in her eye. She looks killer in a bodice, too. It's her sass-mouthed wry Queen Elizabeth from Shakespeare in Love blessed with magical sewing fingers and a 1960s bob. Consider her a contender in Supporting Actress if the film breaks out in a big way.
TS#2: Dench is fine but nothing remarkable. I know she has been nominated for unremarkable work in the past, but her character and screen time are too limited to warrant a nomination. I'd take her out of the top 10, or at least keep her near the bottom.

Split decisions again.

Rob Marshall directing two of the best screen actors on the planet --->

Both movie mad guys shrug off TFE favorite Nicole Kidman as the visiting movie star Claudia. I knew that the role wouldn't be large having seen both Fellini's masterpiece and the stage musical it inspired but I always spark to the possibilities of any Kidman appearance. Hopefully I'll feel differently when I see the film.

TS #1: Gets to look pretty in a dress. And not move her forehead.
TS#2: They build up to her character's appearance, and once she finally appears, they give her a boring musical number that's oddly patched together. It's a small role, and not a great use of her talents.

In the stage play Claudia sings the best song "In a Very Unusual Way" (previous post) but perhaps Kidman has the same problem here that I pointed to when writing about her ballad in Moulin Rouge! In short, she isn't a born/trained singer and slow emotionally intricate numbers only come off spectacularly if the performer is a musical professional. It's the danger of casting for stardom rather than musical ability though Claudia is a role that requires true A list mystique so perhaps Kidman was the only choice that would have worked.

The rest of the cast? Looks like Kate Hudson will be a polarizing part of Nine.

TS#1: Hudson is fantastic in a very limited role. Her one number (new for the film?) is the absolute highlight. It's slick, stylish, well sung, well choreographed, and catchy. This early cut of the film used it as the ending credits song, so I'm assuming it's brand new. I can see a Globe nod for Hudson (and an Original Song win if it is new), but I think her character isn't meaty enough to breakthrough elsewhere.

No, Fergie Ferg cannot act to save her life. Rob Marshall actually shot her solo song around her physical placement in the scene, never coming close to zooming in on her doing anything other then pouting her lips and tossing sand in the air.

Sophia Loren is the biggest victim of the changes to the script and score but she's great in the smallest role.

TS#2: The consensus of the people I went with was that Hudson was awful. Loren doesn't do much. Fergie just has the one scene (the song in the trailer), but it's quite a scene and she undoubtedly has the best voice in the film.

In keeping with the other buzz you might have been reading or hearing, Penélope Cruz and Marion Cotillard were both big hits with the test screeners and Oscar nominations might be coming

TS #1: Curse Cruz for winning the Oscar for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. This is easily her best performance and she steals every single scene she's in. She has the meatiest role of anyone in the film and milks it for all its worth. Think Catherine Zeta Jones in Chicago - Cruz juices this orange down to the pith and drains it of every delicious, sexy drop. "A Call From the Vatican" is probably the single sexiest moment I've ever seen in a filmed musical, even with more clothes on than I expected. The only reason I wouldn't consider her a lock in Supporting Actress is her recent win.

Marion Cotillard is the safest bet for a Supporting Actress nomination. With so much of the music eliminated from the film, Cotillard is the only one to benefit from clear additional screentime. She gets to show the most range in her vocals, from soft and vulnerable to raunchy and wild. It's pure Oscar Bait suffering wife, only with singing and dancing and sexy costumes.

TS#2: The two best performances were definitely Cruz and Cotillard. As a Penélope fanatic, I'd give the edge to her. She KILLS in her musical number and is quite funny and sexy throughout her entire performance. However, her musical sequence is the second in the film and the film forgets about her early on... I wouldn't bet on a nomination.

If anyone gets Oscar-nominated, it's likely to be Marion Cotillard. She has the most sympathetic role, and she pulls it off. Her first musical number is fairly low-key but it's generally moving and she pulls off a great second musical sequence. Ultimately, she's the character you care about and the one people will likely remember.

The horniest (known) call ever made from the Vatican

Neither of them consider the movie an unqualified success though they both obviously enjoyed it. Some final thoughts:

TS #1: Rob Marshall's direction is near-perfection. The difficult integration of fantasy/reality brought on by Guido's crisis is genius. The problems mostly come from the screenplay's adaptation choices. What could be a strong examination of deep emotional issues is whitewashed. For all the sexuality in the movie, the film has been turned into a sanitized version of a very engrossing and original musical eliminating any psychological complexity beyond "my husband doesn't love me" or "I'm very stressed". All the elements are there that a fan of the show would know, just not in a recognizable form. It pulls its cues from the lighter Broadway revival, down to a slightly more optimistic ending in a single staging decision. The screenplay pulls every punch, reducing what could be a knock-out climax to a slap on the wrist.

TS#2: I can tell you that it's a very good film that will likely go over very well with the Academy. It's made in the same style as Chicago -- the musical numbers are fantasies -- and I think it works. I don't think it's a GREAT film, but it was entertaining and handsomely made.

So there you have it. Or two of it. Moviegoing is a personal thing, even when the theater is sold out. Your reaction may well differ and maybe these two voices won't be 'on consensus' but if they are, Oscar will bite in several categories (as most expected) and Marion Cotillard is the one to watch for Oscar... again.

my current Oscar predictions
For more on the film or any of its actors, click on the labels below.
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Hump Day Hotties: The Cast of Nine

Hello, all. Kieran here (aka the Know nothing Know it All) filling in for Nathaniel with another edition of Hump Day Hotties. Okay...so I have a problem with Nine. I'm a little obsessed, but I'm trying to be guarded about my excitement. We've heard the famous “The Musical is Back!” tune many times (and to no avail) over the aughts, that one has must be guarded. For every Chicago and Moulin Rouge!, there are several Rents, Producers, Dreamgirls, Hairsprays and Sweeney Todds (in ascending order of achievement), failing to land that elusive best picture nod. A plus: Nine is helmed by the man who last took a musical all the way to the win, and is sometimes credited for bringing the musical back (even though he didn't). Regardless of how the film fares, you can't deny that the talent has talent...and hotness in spades.

Marion Cotillard

That Oscar still burns a big question mark in my brain. I'm more forgiving than some of her turn in La Vie en Rose. The movie is undeniably (and often unbelievably) awful, but I haven't decided how much of that is her fault. Still...cute as a button!

Penelope Cruz

She's on a career roll, recently capped off with a very well-deserved Oscar win. Even the trailer seems aware of how sexy she is, showing mere glimpses of her lingerie clad legs, building up to her full awesomeness, as if knowing we can't handle her all at once.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Fun fact: Didyou know that all four of Day-Lewis's Oscar nominated performances came with accompanying best picture nominations? And...he's obviously no slouch either.

Dame Judi Dench

I don't discriminate based on age. Poise, grace and style are sexy, damn it, and Dame Judi has it all. She's always delightful, even when phoning it in. I would love to see anyone try to tell Judi that she isn't sexy, and get met with a fierce “You're not young! I say this to help you.”

Nicole Kidman

I ALWAYS rush to Kidman's defense. Her celebrity often overshadows the talent. People miss what a daring risk-taker she is in her acting choices, fixating on financial flops, rather than taking notice of how bewitching she was in her non-Oscar-nominated performances such as (wait for it) Birth, Dogville, Margot at the Wedding, The Others, To Die For, The Portrait of a Lady, Eyes Wide Shut, Fur, etc. etc. etc. And I can't wait to hear her sing again

Sophia Loren

One of the few international symbols of sexiness. She is legendary and has herself said that “Sex appeal is 50% what you've got and 50% what people think you've got.” Amen, sister.

And thus concludes my rundown of the cast members of Nine who happen to be sexy. Happy Hump Day!

Nine for NINE

The first official trailer (not that blurry ET preview) has arrived for Nine the musical.

Nine Trailer from Daniel Shannon on Vimeo.

Naturally as a musical and actress nut, I'm beyond excited. It's a doubled whammy. My excitement is slightly tempered by the instant recall of that 2005 migraine known as Memoirs of a Geisha (Rob Marshall's got some atoning to do).

But it sure do look purty, don't it?

9 reasons I must see Nine right now

9. To witness the return of Sophia Loren (see previous post)



8. Because of the extreme likelihood of technical Oscar nominations. I need my own opinion on the cinematography, set, costumes, sound, editing but I can't get that until I see the damn thing. It's all about context. Especially when there's so much razzle dazzle.


7. To ogle the costuming. I'm not really one for gawking at Kate Hudson but I'm trying to be inclusive with these 9 photos. I'm a swell guy.


6. Perhaps I'll finally understand the world's Marion Cotillard fixation? Perhaps not. I won't know until she's singing "My Husband Makes Movies"


5. To parse the garish shots of Fergie as Saraghina, including the black and white beach shot. They make me curious to see whether Rob Marshall is going to either:

• ape Federico Fellini's 8 ½ whenever possible
  
• mimic the stage musical (the trailer looks really stage bound! Why does it look like all the musical numbers take place there? Is he using that Chicago framing device again?)
  
• awkwardly stitch them together into a glossy Frankenstein movie
  
• create a new beautiful hybrid we'll fondly call 9½

4. For the possible thrill of watching Daniel Day-Lewis give a loose funny physical performance. Can he sing? Can he dance?


3. To enjoy the chemistry between Dame Judi Dench and (Sir) Daniel Day-Lewis. It looks pretty appealing, yes?


2. To see, hear, eat, breathe, obsess over, drink up and drool on Penélope Cruz and her hopefully ace rendition of "A Call From the Vatican" (Though Jane Krakowski sure is a tough act to follow)

1. Nicole Kidman, duh.

A glamorous actress I love playing a glamourous actress who sings songs I love? I'm in. In fact, I don't just need to see this movie right now. I need to see it now and then I need them to respool the projector and show it to me again. And then I need to upload the soundtrack to my iPhone.

In a perfect world all of this would be happening today on May 14th rather than 194 days from now but this is not a perfect world.

Tell us your 9 immediate first reactions to the trailer. Don't censor yourself. Just nine bullet points off the top of your head...
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May Flowers, Sophia Loren

May Flowers, weeknights @ 11:00

Sophia Loren in her twenties... Voluptuous!


Bizarre but true confession: I think I've only seen three Loren pictures (gasp!) and I only really remember one of them (Robert Altman's Pret-a-Porter, 1994).

Are you a Sophia fan? If so, which movies and performances do you most recommend? I mean besides her Oscar winning role in Two Women (1961).

<--- The movie star in Rome a few months before her 30th birthday (from LIFE Magazine). She turns 75 on September 20th this year. Is this a national holiday in Italy?

More to the contemporary point: Have you made a countdown chart for Nine the Musical yet? I'm tempted to build a 200 piece chain link out of construction paper, hang it on the wall and tear one link off each day until the movie opens. Not that I would know that Nine opens in exactly 200 days . I'm... uh... guessing. That's right. Guessing!


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Join Our Club! (Oscar Night in Review ~ Pt 2 of 3)

Of all the conversations I've had offline regarding Sunday's Oscars the most popular topic was always the acting category intros. The biggest change this year at the Kodak was the use of five previous winners to hand out each acting statue, rather than the opposite sex correlative trade off (last year's best actor presenting the new best actress, etcetera). Most Oscar ceremony decisions in past years seem to have sprung from the producers annual anxiety about the excessive length of the show but this format switch actually lengthened the acting segments. This might not be a bad decision strategically since many viewers are presumably watching the show specifically for the glamour of the stars.

The Acting Presentations:
Sophia Loren for Meryl Streep, Shirley Maclaine for Anne
Hathaway, Marion Cotillard for Kate Winslet, Nicole
Kidman for Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry for Melissa Leo
Probability of famegasms very high

This glittery doubled quintet approach (presenters to nominees) was a little overwhelming star-power wise. Overwhelming in a delicious way. Short cascading montages showed the wins of five actors and huge panels rose to reveal those same winners who then marched forward in unison toward a inner circle stage where they would choose a new member of their sorority or fraternity.

Read the rest ...
Return and comment. Did you like this format? Which nominee/winner pairing thrilled you most? We'll wrap up with the fashions this afternoon. Come back

We Can't Wait #20 Nine (The Musical)

Directed by Rob Marshall
Starring 5 Oscar winners, 2 previous nominees and, uh, Fergie
Synopsis This tuner is an adaptation of the 80s Broadway musical which was itself an adaptation of Federico Fellini's autobiographical fantasia 8½, which concerns a movie director who is creatively stuck. He seeks inspiration as his various female muses circle and/or compete for his attention
Brought to you by Oscar seeking mad man Harvey Weinstein and Rob Marshall's hefty pair (seriously, he's taking on memories of a Broadway classic AND the ghost of Fellini? Good luck with that, sir)
Expected Release Date Thanksgiving

Nicole loves Daniel in "A Very Unusual Way"

Nathaniel: I'm a sucker for a big movie musical and I think this is the rare stage musical that might be improved by bringing it to the screen. It is about the cinema after all. And since it's also about the siren call of sensationally attractive women (Penélope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Marion Cotillard chief among them) I'm salivating and assuming the best.

I couldn't help but notice that this wasn't on JA's list but I think he doth protest too much. I bet he laughs heartily when Cruz does "A Call from the Vatican", cheers when Judi Dench reminisces about the "Folies Bergere" and weeps when Sophia Loren sings "Nine" to her baby son in grown man's body (Daniel Day-Lewis).

JA: Did I just get called out? I think I just got called out. It's not like I have a secret Fosse closet at home where I sneak every night like Carrie with her St. Sebastien statue and pay to the gods of jazz hands for some sassy forgiveness for my musical bashing sins, Nathaniel. No... not like that at all. La la la... hey, look, there's a big gory slasher movie!

Anyway, the cast is terrific - though I'm mostly curious about seeing Daniel Day Lewis hoof it - and I will probably watch this at some point. I don't think it'll be opening weekend at the Zeigfeld though because I still have traumas from seeing Chicago that way and dodging the audience's enthusiastic in-time dance-steps. Shudder. That so was not my scene.

As a side-note I need to admit that I have a deep irrational fear of Sophia Loren - when I was a little JA my grandmother told me that Loren was a witch and it terrified me; I've never seen her in a movie because of it. This movie will probably bust my Loren cherry.

Joe: This movie is yanking me in all directions. On the one hand, sprawling casts full of accomplished "name" talent like this are catnip to me, and Rob Marshall did a fine job with his last Broadway adaptation. But this particular cast? I can't argue with the talent, but none of them are actors I get excited about. The closest I get is probably Judi Dench, and I'm kind of fascinated imagining just what she'll do in this kind of movie. Of course, the fact that the Kidman, Day-Lewis, Cruz, and Cotillard fanbases will all be converging at once almost guarantees that I'll be turned off by the time opening weekend comes. In the meantime, I'll occupy myself imaging the conversations Nicole and Penélope got up to over lunch.

Fox: This is kind of one of those bizarre screen -> to stage -> to screen transmorphations a la Hairspray, yes? I would hate to see 8½ get buried somewhere under the two new layers on top of it. Though, kudos to the playwright for at least rounding the title up to 9 (Nine) so the young ones don't get confused.

My ignorance of Broadway: After we saw Chicago I turned to my wife and said "Hmm, I really liked those songs. Who do you think wrote them?". She looked at me the way Nathaniel is probably looking at his screen right now.

Whitney: I always think I don't like musicals, and then I go and see something like Chicago and go on a "He Had it Comin'" kick that lasts three weeks. Oh, and I really like The Wiz. Daniel Day Lewis should star in a new remake of The Wiz.


Nathaniel: Readers, your turn. Will you ease on down this road for DDL and assorted goddesses... or maybe one in particular? Do tell in the comments. [see also: several previous posts]

In case you missed any entries they went like so...
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We Can't Wait:
#1 Inglourious Basterds, #2 Where the Wild Things Are, #3 Fantastic Mr. Fox,
#4 Avatar, #5 Bright Star, #6 Shutter Island, #7 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
#8 Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, #9 Nailed, #10 Taking Woodstock,
#11 Watchmen, #12 The Hurt Locker, #13 The Road, #14 The Tree of Life
#15 Away We Go, #16 500 Days of Summer, #17 Drag Me To Hell,
#18 Whatever Works, #19 Broken Embraces, #20 Nine (the musical)
intro (orphans -didn't make group list)
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Seven For Nine

Hot damn!

[img src ~ better quality but smaller image here]

It's Dame Judi Dench, Penélope Cruz, Marion "Piaf" Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Fergie, the Goddess Kidman and Goldie Hawn's daughter for Rob Marshall's film version of Nine.

If I weren't so excited for another big studio/big budget film musical I'd nitpick that this looks like a lost still from Chicago. But who can express reservation whilst trembling with actressexual fervor*? The best thing about Nine the stage musical (adapted from Federico Fellini's autobiofantastical 8½) is the circus of women surrounding film director Guido and even with Daniel Day-Lewis as Guido Contini, the best thing about the movie will surely be this circle of divas.

Awards history:
Oscar speculation fanatics who aren't familiar with this musical should know that the show-stopping parts from the stage show belong to Cruz as Guido's horny mistress Carla (this was a TONY award winning role in the Broadway revival for the delicious Jane Krakowski) and Dench as legendary showgirl Liliane la Fleur (a TONY award winning role in the original production and a nominated role in the revival). Another reason why Cruz may be the one to watch: Carla gets not one but two of the show's best songs "A Call from the Vatican" and "Simple". Nicole Kidman plays Guido's actress muse Claudia. In a potential pop culture explosion she'll duet with the other Tom Cruise ex on "Simple". Kidman also gets the show's most haunting ballad "A Very Unusual Way". One final note: Oscar's obsession with long-suffering wives in the Supporting Actress category could put Marion Cotillard (Luisa Contini) into play as well. Fellini's 8½ was nominated for 6 Oscars but none for its cast.

Here's Antonio Banderas as Guido @ the Tony Awards and Chita Rivera as Liliane on Broadway. Just reimagine these numbers with Daniel Day-Lewis and Judi Dench


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*Among those who can nitpick are commenters at DListed. One of whom quips

This movie looks like its about a bunch of vampire hookers.

It's not... but let's get that movie made too, mmmkay?
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Completely Morbid Thought of the Week

I've been so sad about Paul Newman all week. Now, everyone has to go at some point ...that's the way of life. And no one could argue that Newman, at 83, didn't have a full one. But it got me to thinking about how few truly massive screen stars remain among us. I'm talking classic film stars that were with us before the cultural upheaval of the '60s which brought a large wave of new stars to the cinematic forefront (Nicholson, Redford, Fonda, Christie, Eastwood, Streisand, Dunaway, Deneuve, Beatty, and more...) many of them still working steadily. Though Newman's work in the 1960s (Hud, The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke) is his most revered he actually ascended in the mid50s just as he was entering his thirties. Films like Somebody Up There Likes Me and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof made him a star.


There are so few stars left from the days when cinema was BIG in that way... and I'm not just referencing CinemaScope. Many still-living once household name actors have very low profiles; Olivia DeHavilland, Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Van Johnson, Karl Malden, Jennifer Jones, Mickey Rooney, Luise Rainer (all well into their 80s or 90s) aren't topics of conversation much anymore unless you're in the good, nay, glorious company of true cinephiles.

The truth of it is that most celebrated actors don't maintain the kind of decade after decade Name in Lights prominence that Paul Newman did to his very last. Shirley Maclaine and Sophia Loren who rose to fame roughly concurrently with Newman still walk the earth (in heels), god bless, both at 74. But the closing chapter I fear the most will be losing Elizabeth Taylor. La Liz, who is 76, has been internationally famous for sixty-two years now. To me she's the last of the Immortals. She's had so many health scares for so many decades that it became a joke to think of her as being perpetually at death's door. It's not at all funny anymore. I hope there's a great screening room in heaven. When Taylor finally arrives -- and I hope that's a long long time from now -- Newman, Monroe, Brando, the Hepburns, Bogie and Garland will undoubtedly have a seat ready for her: diamond encrusted, the one right between Richard Burton's and Montgomery Clift's.
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Sophia, Liz, Monty, Marlon ... (sigh)

While I was in DC I missed this fab issue of The New Yorker wherein rarely seen Richard Avedon photos were suddenly published (there's a new photo book coming out next month). Since it's Sophia Loren's birthday today and since StinkyLulu always reminds us that they share the same self-celebratory day, here's one of the new/old photos: Avedon in NYC with Sophia, circa 1966.

Just lovely, yes?

Click over to see new/old shots of La Liz, Garland, Monty Clift in Montauk and more... and if 2009's big starry musical adaptation of Nine is any good next year, expect a huge Sophia Loren resurgence in the media. After all, she'll be celebrating the big "75th" next year on this very day. Just in time for Nine's Oscar buzz to kick in before its December release.
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Nine is the New 10

So, casting for Rob Marshall's Nine - ie, the movie adaptation of the musical which itself was inspired by a play which was an adaptation of Fellini's 8 1/2 movie (dizzy yet?) has been a Hollywood wet dream. The latest news come from ComingSoon.net who are saying that F to the E R G to the I E is in talks to join the already star studded cast (a Chicago gal Ms Velma Kelly, an Edith Piaf, a milkshake drinking oil man (sans son), a Dame Mrs Brown, a smouldering temptress Satine, an always returning Raimunda, a certain Ms Penny Lane and Sophia Loren - yes, she's a character unto herself!)

First I tried to think whether spelling bee-licious Fergie had ever been in a movie and of course Planet Terror and Poseidon memories kept whopping back (I tried to keep the latter's at bay, of course)... and then I wondered: what is Mr Marshall thinking? In any other movie this would be stunt casting or a way to draw in the crowds - but really, isn't the star wattage and the solid fan base for the musical enough?

What do you readers think? N to a Ay Why or Why to Ay Y Re: Ms Fergie in Rob Marshall's Nine?

Vanity Fair's Hollywood ~ Episode 7 (2001)

Missed other episodes? See: 1995 , 1996, 1997, 1998 , 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 to get you caught up.

After six years of spotlighting Young Hollywood's rising or just-risens, Vanity Fair surprised ever so slightly in 2001 by going "classic" cutting the true shock of it by including a few people who, whatever the size of future achievements, had no business being called "legends" back then [Though the title of this cover was actually "Master Class" -editor] Even Nicole Kidman, entering the year that would make her one, wasn't. She was just exiting her endentured period as Mrs. Tom Cruise. The cover (shot by Annie Leibovitz as always) ably conveys wealth and class but for its desire to throw moneyed starlets on the carpet. You know they sit on thrones at home.


Nicole Kidman, almost 34, had just announced her separation from Cruise. She was about to ascend, headlining two hits (The Others and Moulin Rouge!) and soon to be named "Oscar nominee", "Entertainer of the Year" and any other title you could think of. ("Box Office Poison" was a later appellative). Over the next two years her asking price would septuple and critical acclaim was rapturous. Like all superstars she's been a target for tearing down since. Up next: reteaming with the man other than Tom Cruise who is most responsible for augmenting her celebrity, director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!) for the romantic epic Australia (see previous posts)

Catherine Deneuve, at 57, proved she still had it in her to thrill sophisticated audiences and cinephiles. In 2000 alone, just before this cover, she had five movies released stateside: the masterpiece Dancer in the Dark (she should've been Oscar-nominated), the eerily beautiful and controversial Pola X, the foreign language Oscar nominee Est-Ouest, and arthouse fare Time Regained and Place Vendome. Few movie stars are or were her equal. I love that they included her.

Meryl Streep, soon turning 52, was moments away from a golden rejuvenation of her already awesome career. Though she had never stopped working since blazing onto the screen in the late 70s, the 90s were an uneven time for her at best. When Entertainment Weekly compiled their famous 100 Greatest Movie Stars of All Time in the late 90s she ranked only #37. Surely this great second wind in her career will put her in top tens from here on out in history books. In the two years that followed this particular Vanity Fair cover Adaptation, The Hours and Angels in America placed her back on top as cream of the acting crop. Then The Devil Wears Prada (2006) introduced her to a whole new generation of fans.

Gwyneth Paltrow was 28 when this cover was shot. Her placement made sense then: the future seemed bright for Hollywood's princess, still hot from Shakespeare in Love's big success at the box office and on Oscar night in early 1999. Most people believe that she'll scramble her way back to acting prominence with the right role and movie and though her fame hasn't abated at all, few would argue that she's made the right film choices since winning the Oscar (Shallow Hal opened this year and that's just one example) or has even cared that much about her stardom since.

Cate Blanchett, turning 32, was working nonstop building her reputation with 6 movies in the two years preceding this cover and 4 opening directly after. She was still a few years away from becoming an Oscar regular. Is she a legend yet? Only time will tell but given the critical hoopla that greets her every move now, chances are good.

Kate Winslet was already a household name at 25. That's what happens when you star in the biggest movie of all time. She had two Oscar nominations under her belt (a record for someone so young) ...and the rest is history and should continue to be. It's thrilling to remember that she's only 32 years old. Streep was 32 when she was filming Sophie's Choice... and that was just the beginning of Meryl's cinematic dominance. Think of how much Winslet we all have to look forward to before we die! Wheeeeeeee

Vanessa Redgrave, was 64 and after a long and storied career that had netted her 6 Oscar nominations and 1 Oscar she was still doing simply genius work (I'm not alone in considering her appearance in television's If These Walls Could Talk 2 to be one of the great performances of the Aughts). Master class indeed.

Chlöe Sevigny, at 26, was the oddest selection for the cover but it was probably a nod to the hipster scene (of which Chlöe was already an icon) or the indie film generation. With Boys Don't Cry (1999) and her Oscar nomination for supporting actress she had garnered mainstream attention and had essentially dethroned Parker Posey as Queen of Indies. Strangely, considering the timing of this cover, this was the quietest time in her film career. She did not appear in any features that opened in the US for the next two years.

Sophia Loren, one of the cinema's most legendary beauties was 66 years-old. She had been a massive star in the 50s and 60s and the first woman to ever win the Best Actress Oscar for a foreign language performance (pre-dating Marion Cotillard's win by 4 decades) She was honored at film festivals in 2001 while promoting her first film in several years Francesca and Nunziata. She has a plum supporting role in the movie adaptation of Broadway's Nine opening late next year (if all goes according to plan) which will be her first American picture since Grumpier Old Men (1995) and her first musical since Man of La Mancha (1972).

Penélope Cruz, 27, was appearing on the Hollywood cover for a second year in a row (previous post). Her inclusion was perhaps another nod to international cinema although the young starlet was spending most of her time in Hollywood pictures by this point. Her international fame skyrocketed when she replaced Kidman on Cruise's arm and onscreen (in Vanilla Sky) this very year but it wasn't until 2006 and the Spanish language hit Volver that she began to be treated with great respect (Volver posts -I love that movie). Her acting ability had been questioned numerous times prior to that Almodóvar guided breakthrough. Next up: Vicky Christina Barcelona for Woody Allen.

median age: 41 ---a bit young for a "master class" cover, don'cha think?
collective Oscar noms before this cover: 26 nominations (Streep and Redgrave responsible for the lions share) and 5 Oscar statuettes had been won by these women before this shoot took place.
collective Oscar noms after this cover: They've won 12 more nominations and 2 Oscars (Kidman & Blanchett) in the seven years since this photograph was published.
fame levels in 2008, according to famousr, from most to least: I usually include Famousr scores in these roundups but they're useless once you start getting to actual legends. The names Vanessa Redgrave and Sophia Loren will still be remembered 100 years from now. But they'd easily be considered "less" famous than Penélope Cruz from internet scoring, which tends to skew young and "right now". I don't even wanna look at it to find out.
see also: 1995 ,1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
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