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).
After seven months of appointments and healing time, my phonograph girl tattoo is finished! What began as a chalk sketch in 2008, quickly became the cover of #4 of my zine This lead to a sharpie sketch by Nick, and eventually, ink to skin.
It’s a terrible thing when puppies get hurt, but sleepy, medicated puppies with bandages are very, very cute. This is Seuss after his dewclaw got snagged during puppy play-fight.
Other things:
My friends Becca and Zoja opened up their vegan food trailer, Iggi’s Texatarian last weekend and began serving food today! I came up with the “Texatarian” part of their name, and for that, I’m quite proud.
Making softserve, eating candy, and listening to Willy Wonka soundtrack at the same time. Synergy!
Secret meetings of the redheaded ice cream makers call for clear starry skies and extra strong drinks.
I’m getting more involved with VegAustin and Action for animals, especially as Ringling Bros. lumber into town in late August! Counter Culture had an anti-circus screening on Tuesday and it was wonderful to see the outpouring of support for the film and the cause. If you’re in the Austin area, there will be peaceful protests on several dates. Check this facebook event for more info.
Making forty bajillion batches of Bananas Foster vegan ice cream in the store involved several trips to the liquor store to get rum, which was funny to carry back into a toy store!
Attended the opening of “Underground” at the Museum of Natural and Artifical Ephemerata. Snakeskin bluegrass clawfoot bathtub backyard soil. I love this place and these people.
I’ve been working full-time and biking to/from work in the (now 100F) heat, so outfit posts are going to be on vacation until wearing suitable clothes is a possibility again. Unless you want to see my silly play-outfits! They mostly involve Herbivore tshirts and shorts.
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.
I have a general rule where I don’t watch movies that were filmed after Man walked on the Moon, therefore, I seldom watch new-release movies in the theatre. I’m so fortunate to have the Alamo Draft House and Paramount theatres here in Austin that play old favorites of mine, that if I do seek out the theatre experience, it’s to see old classics on the big screen.
I was lured to a performance of Inception last week at the IMAX, and my mind was totally blown. I found it to be a riveting film, and I felt a mixture of stress/excitement when I thought back on it for days after seeing it (I did love the styling of the men! Very polished!). To cleanse my CGI palette this week, I’ve been doing heavy research into automatonic machines and other mechanical curios. I find that no matter how splendid the CGI in a contemporary movie, my heart is still aflutter after visiting places like Musee Mecanique or watching the player piano at Museum of Natural and Artifical Ephemerata here in Austin.
Here I am last March in front of my favorite arcade game at the Musee Mecanique in San Francisco. It’s called “French Execution” and a little bishop waves a crucifix while a curtain opens and the mini guillotine chops off the prisoner’s head.
Mommy Fortuna tells my fortune, while little dancers in the Theatre Automatique spin and twirl.
Video (not mine!) of various arcade games from Musee Mecanique in San Francisco. Be sure to watch at 6:40 when the mechanical horse goes on!
Video of American-made Orchestrion playing “Maple Leaf Rag.” This is a recently refurbished/rebuilt instrument, so the playing is very tight and on the robotic side. Still, it’s so neat to see the little hammers and mallets tick and hit in time.
Video of Orchestrion of “J’ai Deux Amours (Mon Pays et Paris).” I love how jagged and aged this instrument feels. It’s a bit cattywampus in the beginning but when the melody enters the music feels more focused.
Hand cranked Organette:
This generation best knows the Porter Music Box from the Bjork album Vespertine, where it was used on several of the tracks, including “Pagen Poetry.” Here she is on Letterman, hand cranking her Porter.
Porter Music Box playing “Fur Elise,” and the owner describes how it works.
The Cail-o-Scope or Mutoscope is a large flip reel (like a flip book) which tells a story. It’s a very early form of motion pictures.
Here’s another Mutoscope starring Charlie Chaplin. I was surprised at the amount of “tame” ones I found on youtube, the mutoscopes I’ve seen in person always promise to be naughty!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little rudimentary taste of mechanical machines! Any suggestions for me to check out?
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!
Puppies as fashion accessories are passé. What we need is a colorful, cruelty free alternative to the dyed easter chicks. Tiny inflatable ponies are all the rage. These are adopted from Japan, although they originate from an Italian breed. They are quite calm pets, although they tend to squeak when left in their kennel for too long.
Headband with vintage millinery flower, electric blue lace and maroon accents by Louise Black
1950s style electric blue lace dress – Buffalo Exchange
Black stretchy belt – American Apparel
Alice in Wonderland brooch – gift from my sister when she was in England
Locket – my 6th birthday present from my grandfather Burch
Maroon flats – Target
Before I get to work, I need to arrange the wall of Ugly Dolls! I realize that I always take outfit photos outside of the toy store, but I hardly ever show the inside. It’s very colorful and hard to focus on just one background. I like this dress, as I feel it strikes a balance between my vintage style and the colorful background in which I work. We have a selection of vintage photographs, including my boyfriend Clark Gable and a charming poster for Waring’s Pennsylvanians.
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.
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!
