Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
The apartment
"The Apartment" theme song (Jealous Lover)- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.
The theme song from the great 1960 film starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine is "Jealous Lover" - a song I love dearly and played about 100x on the piano while home this past weekend. The film won five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. Enjoy!
The kids are all right
It's been awhile since I blogged about a movie, but after seeing 'The kids are all right' last night I knew it was time! Starring Annette Bening and Julianne Moore as a couple raising their kids they had through a donor -the film tackles a lot of issues facing modern families today without being preachy. The movie seriously made me laugh and cry and I would recommend you all to see it! However, keep the rating in mind, it's not child friendly (nor would you want to see it with your parents or children no matter their ages if you get my drift; awkward!!)
Without giving any of the plot away, the part of the film I identified with most was just a small sub-plot. The daughter is going off to college and it reminded me so much of the day my parents dropped me off at my dorm room; I saw so many of my own feelings on the face of that bright young actress bringing back a flood of emotions!It's going to be another hot and sticky weekend, why not go to the movies?
Filoli Ballroom
The ballroom at Filoli was one which I instantly recognized, do you? It's the home gym of Warren Beatty in Heaven Can Wait! The space was restored for the movie along with other parts of the house and impresses everyone who enters it, as it should!
The flowers, seen best in the picture at top, were probably the most beautiful in the house. Not an easy feat as each room has a gorgeous bouquet fresh from the garden. The mixture of bright colors in the pale green room with gilded accents was really striking. Forget the Bagues chandeliers modeled on the ones from the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, everyone on the tour noticed the flowers first.
The murals are the core of the room. They were completed in 1921 by Ernest Peixotto for the original owner Mr. Bourn after he suffered from a stroke and was unable to leave the house. The murals depict his daughter's beloved castle in Ireland he had gifted to her (Muckross, seen below) which he was unable to visit during his illness.
The maguette or model seen below of the Ballroom was gifted to Filoli after the artist's nephew saw the movie Heaven Can Wait and recognized his family's dollhouse! This scale model of the room was created so that Peixotto could work from his studio in the city and plan out the large scale canvases. 
I hope you are looking forward to more of Filoli! Read more about the ballroom's murals on their website; click on 'ballroom' towards the bottom of the page.
Up!
This past weekend I saw the new Pixar movie, UP. WOW! You all have to see it; It may be the best Pixar movie yet! I wouldn't take very young children to it though, it has some very sad situations that were hard enough for me to take! The animation is superb and the writing is excellent. Even the small 'short' before the movie was really entertaining!
Without giving too much away, the premise is an elderly widower who attaches 1,000s of helium balloons to his quirky Victorian house to fly to South America! Don't ask, just go; Let me know what you think!
Grey Gardens Movie
I hope Saturday night at 8:00 everyone will be watching 'Grey Gardens' movie on HBO! If you don't have it, find someone who does and barge in (thats what I'll be doing!). I've been waiting for this movie to come out since I first heard about it a year ago.
Drew Barrymore, who plays Little Edie, has been out and about promoting the film, doesn't she look great in this vintage dress and hairstyle? 
And if you haven't already, please check out Visual Vamp's blog post about her relationship with Little Edie -as in she knew her! Fascinating!
Pictures courtesy of Visual Vamp and Go Fug Yourself.
Drew Barrymore, who plays Little Edie, has been out and about promoting the film, doesn't she look great in this vintage dress and hairstyle? And if you haven't already, please check out Visual Vamp's blog post about her relationship with Little Edie -as in she knew her! Fascinating!Pictures courtesy of Visual Vamp and Go Fug Yourself.
Visit the website for the film HERE
Harold and Maude
This past weekend I was able to see a classic cult film, Harold and Maude (1971). While I loved the movie, what really caught my eye was the house of Harold's mother, Mrs. Chasen. 
The house really reminds me of the work of John Woolf: mainly because of that canopy over the front door. (Read this great article from Vanity Fair about Woolf by Matt Tyrnauer HERE). Classic Woolf, don't you think? From what I could find HERE though, the house is actually the The Rose Court Mansion in Hillsborough and many of the scenes were shot inside, even using the actual butler from the house in the movie!
The home is extremely eclectic inside, but French styles dominate. This study, seen above was off the main living room where all of the dates Harold takes, set up by his mother, take place.
1971....but this could be a home today for the most part, don't you agree? The classic white lenox lamps, the beautiful chair in the background, simple drapes, big windows. I just loved this room!
The classic lenox lamp is used throughout the room as are potted orchids. The couch is a bit dated but still stylish: simple white linen with an interesting trim. My poor pictures don't capture the beautiful painted paneling in this room either.
Here you see that chair again...the clothes are definitely dated even if the room is not...
I loved the pelmets over the curtains - so perfect for a mansion of this caliber.
Yes, the yellow ragweed flowers are dated as is the victorian style table but you catch a better glimpse of the beautiful paneling in this room and the chinoiserie statue. Check out the checked B&W marble tiled hallway! classic!
From the next room over, you get a better glimpse of the living room. I love the 2 stylish 20's era portrait as well as the game-table in the corner; Another great white chair as well! Just ignore Harold's fake suicide attempt here in this photo with his feet up in the air.....just like his mother did!
To end with , maybe not a really great interior shot, but I loved the gallery wall in the master bedroom hallway. Ideas just keep being recyled: Whats old is new again!
Please excuse the poor quality of the photos are they are my own of my tv!
Heidelburg & the student prince
'The Student Prince' is a great operetta by Sigmund Romberg turned into a movie in 1954 featuring the voice of Mario Lanza. Set in Heidelburg, seen above today, it features a prince at the turn of the 20th century, raised to be a military leader, learning to love and be a normal man while attending college in Heidelburg. This movie is so fun, see the song belowMario Lanza's voice is in full form for many of the songs which are beautiful, romantic and fun! check out the movie if you haven't seen it! Below is the beautiful Ann Blyth singing another fun drinking song that really picks up around the 1st minute. This is one of my favorite movies in my collection, I've included a link to buy it on my sidebar in case you're interested too! you won't regret it!
Is it just me....
Is it just me, or did Tim Burton borrow heavily from the artist Maxfield Parrish for Alice in Wonderland, particularly the scenes with the White Witch (played so unconvincingly, in my opinion, by the beautiful Anne Hathaway).
Seeing this movie in 3-d was spectacular: like walking into a painting by Maxfield-Parrish meets a watered-down/commercialized Tim Burton landscape. While I doubt it will be winning any awards next year (sorry!), I definitely call it a 'must-see' for anyone interested in movies purely for aesthetics. I think my general summation of the film was that it is to Tim Burton what the original Hairspray was to John Waters.movie sets
This past weekend I watched A star is born from 1954 starring Judy Garland. The sets, in particular her house, are shockingly 'au courant'. I loved the cerused oak front doors with 3 panels and modern sidelight. Notice also the Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chair in white leather.
In the living room, this card table and chairs would be welcome in my own home, maybe minus the pink cushions. The barcelona stools in the living room were covered with a yellow nubbly looking fabric, you see the top of one here.
Excuse the poor picture quality, but here is a better view of the white leather barcelona chair up on the entry level while down in the living room the corresponding Barcelona stool has the yellow upholstery. Even the sofa looks as if it came from Room and Board last week, not 55 years ago!However, the main reason to watch this movie is the superb acting and even MORE excellent singing. This scene is heart-wrenching and with fantastic sets - meant to show the Oscars of the time. Notice - eating and dancing: Who needs an after party?
And here as a special treat is 'The man that got away' sung by Judy Garland: You can see why she was such a star!
Definitely check out this excellent movie if you get a chance: nominated for 6 oscars. My only complaint would be that it is rather long at 3 hours, but nothing a remote control can't fix!
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