NOVEMBER 2008

DAZED & CONFUSED JAPAN – NOVEMBER 2008

MOVIES THAT INSPIRE DESIGNERS 

THE FIRST ONE THAT IMMEDIATELY COMES TO MIND IS “PINK FLAMINGOS” BY JOHN WATERS. DIVINE REMINDS US ALL THAT WE CAN ALL BE GLORIOUS SELF-INVENTIONS. AND I LOVE THE MESSAGE OF CHEERFUL IMMORALITY AND NO BOUNDARIES. 

NEXT IS “SALOME” DIRECTED BY ALLA NAZIMOVA, STARRING HERSELF IN HER FORTIES AS THE 15-YEAR-OLD PRINCESS WHO LUSTS AFTER A HOLY MAN AND AROUSES HER HORNY STEPFATHER INTO KILLING HIM FOR HER. A BLACK AND WHITE SILENT MOVIE YOU CAN WATCH WHILE LISTENING TO MONTSERRAT CABALLE SINGING THE FINALE OF THE OPERA “SALOME.” BLACK LILY OVERDOSE ON PLANET AUBREY BEARDSLEY.
I LOVE PASOLINI'S “OEDIPUS REX”: WHITE, WHITE, WHITE SILVANA MANGANO WITH '60S EYELINER AND SHAVED EYEBROWS IN ONE -SHOULDERED BURLAP ROBES IN THE DESERT.
OF COURSE I LOVE CECIL B. DEMILLE'S “CLEOPATRA.” EVERY SINGLE LITTLE DETAIL IS OVER THE TOP AND DRAAAAGGING SOMETHING OVER THE TOP BY THE TAIL OF ITS OVER-THE-TOPNESS.
AND THEN THERE'S “BLONDE VENUS” BY JOSEPH VON STERNBERG WITH MARLENE DIETRICH. THE MOMENT WHEN SHE EMERGES FROM A GORILLA SUIT IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT KEEPS ME GOING.