When I watch movies, I always take pictures of the kissing scenes! Here is Greta Garbo starring as the sultry and mysterious Mata Hari (1931). This story is loosely based on the persona of the real Mata Hari, a German exotic dancer who was convicted and executed as a spy during World War I.
Garbo wears elaborate headpieces throughout the film, but only does one sexy dance. This woman is magnetic – this poor general buys her a fancy ring (pictured) AND blows out the flame he has burning for the Virgin. He’s blinded in an airplane mission, and does not know that Mata Hari goes to jail to await execution. The nuns look on. He is blind in this scene. The ending was very sweet. I cried a lot!!
Oh, gosh, what have I been up to? All of this heat makes the days melt together.
Taking the dog on long walks in the August heat to get zucchini tacos at El Chilito.
Listening to John Waters read his new book “Role Models” on my iPod everywhere: on the bus, on long walks, and passing endless hours at the DMV. In this, Waters recounts nearly everything, from his friendship with Leslie Van Houten and her life in jail to the brand and color of the pencil that he uses to draw on his signature pencil thin moustache. In honor of John Waters, I created a sundae this week called “Pink Flamingo,” which includes two tiny toy flamingos, pink sprinkles, and a Fingerstache temporary tattoo. So far only girls under 8 years of age have ordered it, which I think is kind of funny.
This is important: You must know about the Harlem James Gang! Snappy dressers, magic acts, catchy songs, and THE most handsome men I’ve ever seen! I hope they plan to come to Texas sometime in the future… but for now I’ll be jealous of all y’all who get to Huff with them.
Speaking of other male performers that I’m smitten by, I hope everyone was cheering for Prince Poppycock’s performance on America’s Got Talent yesterday.
In other reincarnation/timetravel news, I recently found out (via Darla Teagarden’s facebook feed) that my MOST favorite song from when I was a kid was not originally by Trout Fishing in America, as I had previously thought, but written in the 1930s and sung by a British radio and variety entertainers, Sovell and Wheldon. Warning! It’s a tongue-twister song that will be stuck in your head for days. Proceed with glee:
“Proper Cup Of Coffee” sung by Scovell & Wheldon 1934
Favorite filmstill I snapped this week: Marlene Dietrich, 1935 with teacup and upside-down heart kiss curls.
Prince Poppycock’s Striptease at Dances of Vice – be sure to watch until the end! Yow!
This is not my uploaded video, but I love LOVE in these old movies when lovers sing operatic solos loudly into their lovers’ faces.
I’ve captured some quiet, overlooked snippets of the 1930 French film “Prix de Beaute.” The majority of these were panning shots or captures from a series of montages:
Louise Brooks mournfully listening to her phonograph (pictured in the foreground). A random audience shot of this girl and her adorable spit curls The woman on the left reminds me of my grandmother. Also, doesn’t this man look like carved marble? What a jaw! I love close-ups of the 1930s pointed manicure. Makeup montage before the Beauty Queen promenade. What a perfect cupid’s bow. A woman having her knees powdered. When I was first nursing my flapper obsession in 2001, I was in disbelief that women would actually roll their stockings down to rouge and powder their knees. Here is cinematic proof! Mystery woman at the carnival. Women in a crowd listening to a loud speaker announce the Beauty Prize.
When I watch movies, I always take pictures of the kissing scenes! This is a continuation of last week’s Kissing Film Stills, featuring Prix de Beaute (1930), starring Louise Brooks. This week’s installment shows the less violent, not-as-possessive kisses as the previous post.
This was a difficult movie to watch, as the boyfriend was unfairly possessive.
But Louise could always be persuaded into an embrace.
Fresh purple daisies pinned in my hair – Whole Foods Market
1930s raspberry sorbet dress – bought at Andrea’s insistence – good choice!
Black pointed shoes
For my 28th birthday, we attended a showing of The Thin Man at the Alamo and then went out for fancy cocktails at East Side Show room. Meghan from Sugar Tooth Bakery made me Red Velvet Cupcakes and they were divine!
This is Tony, my birthday twin. I am 3 hours older than he is! We always try and run into each other on our birthdays.
When I watch movies, I always take pictures of the kissing scenes!
Last week I watched Prix de Beauté (1930) with Louise Brooks. This film was planned as a silent, and Brook’s voice was dubbed by a French actress. I suppose one could refer to it as a “Creaky Talkie.” Brooks plays a secretary in a paper, her boyfriend is a typesetter. They fulfill the typical Parisian fare: eating in cafes, bathing on beaches, and beat up on their nerdy friend/sidekick. Along with being a story about a beauty contest, this film examines Brooks as a trapped bird guarded by an angry boyfriend.
One motif that occurs over and over is that his hat shields her face from the camera. He is possessive. We can tell by the way he greedily grabs her face. He also won’t let her sing in public. Here, he grabs her face again.
Of course, Louise won the prize of Miss France and went on to gagne Miss Europe. Her boyfriend was so angry!
This film had a lot of kisses, so stay tuned for pt 2 next week!
When I watch movies, I always take pictures of the kissing scenes!! Forbidden kisses: captured through the gauzy curtains. Captured between gentlemen. Marlene Dietrich in a tux and top hat, Morocco (1930). Queen Christina (1933) starring Garbo as the queen. Queen Christina, also. Lean over that fruit bowl, baby girl! A kiss between servicemen, in Wings (1927).
When I watch movies, I always take pictures of the kissing scenes!! This week’s theme is passionate, uncomfortable kisses The kind where the teeth clank together. Where faces are obscured by the light. Wherein hands clasp backs of necks, And noses press into noses, And the smells of fish dinners, of champagne, comingle And the neckfolds of skin squash into sequinned dress sleeves.
When I watch movies, I always take pictures of the kissing scenes!!
Welcome to this week’s series: the awkward third. Here is a typical awkward-third-party on the dance floor who are looking at the lusty couple. Can we take this out to the veranda? This is the ultimate voyeur shot: the guard on the left is watching the visitation with one eye on the clock and the other on the couple. “Hi! I’m the best friend, and also the third wheel! Gee! You guys look swell!” This is a still from a 1920s silent (featured on Celluloid Closet) Harem scene, where the woman is being bent over a table of fruit (foreground) and disinterested guard (background).
The third is a bit hidden in this image. Someone is about to enter the room and discover the lusty smooch.
It’s been a whirlwind two weeks since my last Calico post! I hosted two separate tasting events for my ice cream and went back to work full time at the toy store. Last Thursday I handed out nearly 300 vegan root beer floats at an art show and on Sunday I hosted a vegan milkshake tasting event in the cafe.
Special things from the past two weeks:
Shower picnics. Eating grapefruit and drinking iced green tea while in the shower is the greatest way to wake the senses and get ready for a long day. I get a little peppermint essential oil in there to wake me up and then watch out, cause it’s really a party!
Getting a library card for the first time since moving to Texas and promptly checking out 40lbs of library books.
Buying a skimpy bathing suit because I’m getting toned from riding my bicycle so much every day! Now I just need to make time to go to the springs to swim a few times a week. Summer will be over before I know it.
Working at two vegan jobs in one day! Counter Culture celebrated one year and I helped out making sandwiches and corndogs.
Austin unpredictableness. Last night I went to a Brizm Nation dance party, full expecting a typical bar set up with dance party. WRONG! What I found was a automotive warehouse that had been converted to a dance floor, with a waster mister system from the ceiling and spacious open courtyard. Everyone was (un)dressed in their birthday best, & in a best case scenario, it looked like a pool party rap video gone awry. I went alone, but was so happy to see so many friends from different pockets of Austin: I was dancing with my celestial birthday twin, Tony, astronomer friend Gully, floppy mohawk dancer Sam who I know from co-op dances, and the ever loverly Angeliska.
Austin Texas, I think we were meant to be.
Marion Davies-1928-The Cardboard Lover
With summertime comes yearning for ice cream. When I wake up, I have frozen treats on the brain, which leads me down avenues of tasty research on my days off. This is one tidbit I found from the brothers who run the Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia, a true-to-life soda fountain revival shoppe. Emphasis on the shoppe, and emphasis on the living history, as even their 1920s phone is wired and functional and the fan blades are authentic.As a fellow anachronistic history lover with a penchant for time travel, I have a predilection for their wares. If I’m ever in Philly I want to stop by – but I’m afraid I’ll only be able to admire. Curse you, dairy!
Here is Greta Garbo starring as the sultry and mysterious Mata Hari (1931). This story is loosely based on the persona of the real Mata Hari, a German exotic dancer who was convicted and executed as a spy during World War I.
Garbo wears elaborate headpieces throughout the film, but only does one sexy dance.
This woman is magnetic – this poor general buys her a fancy ring (pictured) AND blows out the flame he has burning for the Virgin.
He’s blinded in an airplane mission, and does not know that Mata Hari goes to jail to await execution.
The nuns look on.
He is blind in this scene. The ending was very sweet. I cried a lot!!
