Monday 28 January 2013

All quiet on the film front

Last night we watched The Artist, a present from my little sis. Have you seen it?

There were so many things I loved about it including the old style Hollywood houses, the costumes and the lively heroine, but my two favourite things were the relationship between the dog and the star of the show and the smile of the leading actor.

Here's how he looks in the film (left) and in real life (right).

Well, it IS Monday and as Mary Poppins says, 'a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. In a most delightful way.'

Don't say I never do anything for you.




























When I was in my late teens and early twenties, I loved the style of silent movies. It was the interiors and costumes which captivated me. The stand out star, for me, was Theda Bara (anagram of Arab Death) aka The Vamp.





















I had a 1930s velvet jumpsuit which had the label VAMP. It was very Greta Garbo in Queen Christina, with a white starched voile collar. I lost the jumpsuit along the way, but retained the label.


























The minute I got my own room (aged 16) I started on the decor. By the time I got to Uni, here is what my room looked like. Since it was the 80s, my perfume of choice was Opium! 



The gold and white fabric was a sari of my mother's. 

I've had this kaftan since I was four or five. It was bought in a souk in Kuwait in the early 70s. In my teens I wore it with a vengeance. On this occasion my parents were dragging us out to a fancy dress party with them. I wore what I was going to anyway, and said I was going as Cleopatra.

Plus ca change.

I am clearly a method actor. Just not sure whether my role was Theda Bara or sulky teenager.

There's only one possible soundtrack to this post and it is Siouxsie Sioux and Arabian Knights.



10 comments:

Vix said...

How cute were you as a teenager? I love your hippytastic room and that crazy "Vamp" label, you should sew that on the outside of something, it's too fabulous to keep stashed away!
I've never seen The Artist, I'm not usually a fan of costume drama - a terrible confession for a vintage blogger - but that actor is so hot I could be persuaded to try watching it! xxx

Ofelia said...

I wish I have taken pictures of my old closets and rooms!
I love the old movies photos and how voluptuous the actress were back then.
For me the 80's were all about British Music including The Psychedelic Furs, ABC, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Banarama, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Bauhaus and the list goes on...

mispapelicos said...

Málaga is indeed a warm place, and you are lovely.

Curtise said...

Oh you were a very glamorous teenager with a gorgeous floaty dreamy boudoir! I wish you still had that velvet jumpsuit, it sounds fabulous, and very Vamp-ish.
Opium? I was a Cinnebar girl back in the early 80s, soooo heavy and cloying but I thought it was terribly sexy and sophisticated (sadly unlike my teenage self!)
I haven't seen The Artist yet, will probably wait till it comes on telly! xxxx

Miss Simmonds Says said...

wow! thanks for that. He is a very handsome man indeed. I need to read up about Theda Bara! She looks amazing. You look fantasically glam as a teen. I would've loved that room. well I still do now!

ric-rac said...

LOVED the film The Artist - One of my top three for last year I think and indeed Jean Dujardin is YUMMY! Love the pic of you at collage lol! x

Olivia said...

What a lovely little sis you have got giving you such nice presents! :)) Glad that The Artist worked its magic on you. That kaftan is such a gorgeous colour : can't believe you still have it squirrelled away! xx

freckleface said...

That's a great idea re the label, I will have to think how to use it.

Oh yes, one of my regrets is of not taking enough pictures in the past. It never seemed important, but now I would love to be able to look back. The 1980s were great for British music weren't they?

Malaga is now on my list!

We were so sophisticated in our choice of perfume. So we thought!! I wait for most things to come on the telly.. :)

I couldn't get a picture of him smiling, which is a shame, his smile is lovely. They built up quite a hype around Theda Bara, it does make for interesting reading.

I thought you might have seen it Steph, I reckon you could take up a second career as a film buff. You are my go to person on films!

Heee hee, she is a pretty good little sis! Oh yes, I'm a regular little squirrel! xxxx

freckleface said...

That's a great idea re the label, I will have to think how to use it.

Oh yes, one of my regrets is of not taking enough pictures in the past. It never seemed important, but now I would love to be able to look back. The 1980s were great for British music weren't they?

Malaga is now on my list!

We were so sophisticated in our choice of perfume. So we thought!! I wait for most things to come on the telly.. :)

I couldn't get a picture of him smiling, which is a shame, his smile is lovely. They built up quite a hype around Theda Bara, it does make for interesting reading.

I thought you might have seen it Steph, I reckon you could take up a second career as a film buff. You are my go to person on films!

Heee hee, she is a pretty good little sis! Oh yes, I'm a regular little squirrel! xxxx

Kylie said...

When I was a teenager I couldn't afford Opium, I wore Orient (an Opium rip-off - very similar) and Tabu. Remember that? Stinky!