Behind the Scene
In the March 29, 2010 issue of Forbes magazine, Keren Blankfeld wrote an article entitled “Hollywood Heavyweight.” Blankfeld shows a different variety of Hollywood culture. The article goes behind the scenes with Hollywood producer, Arnon Milchan. He has produced hundreds of films. His six decades of life have brought great attributes. Blankfeld notes, “…he…has been responsible for such recent box-office hits as Bridewars (2009), Marley & Me (2008), Alvin & the Chipmunks (2007), and Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)” (2). While many producers go unnoticed, the fame of the productions can be huge.
This can relate back to the article “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Unlike Celebrity’s, people who have great success’ are the least recognized. Attention seekers are more popular. Instead a Producer creates a Celebrity. A producer’s job is a very hard job. The reward is not the fame it is the pride. Like a child to his mother. At least, they get to have the fortune and a some-what private life. Milchan has a supportive family. He has every opportunity to travel without attending the press. But, at the same time he is Hollywood. If I was a part of Hollywood, I would want to be a screenwriter. I don’t think I would enjoy the media in constant view of my life.
Do you think fame is something you could truly handle? Cameras, microphones, strangers are all a constant part of your life. Nothing is secret, not even your deodorant. Could you handle the stress for the money? Is money really worth it? I would like to know what you think. And if you were part of Hollywood where would you want to be?
Milchan, Arnon. “Hollywood Heavyweight.” Forbes. Forbes, 29 Mar. 2010. Web. 2 Apr. 2010.
Add a comment April 2, 2010
Demolished
In the December 21, 2009 issue of Newsweek Neal Gabler wrote an article entitled “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Gabler argues “Celebrity has become a tarnished word…” (1). Celebrity simply means a well-known person. It is usually someone who is highly publicized or possibly an entertainer. Now, celebrity is a label for anyone. A person can be famous and become a celebrity. Look at Tiger Woods. He was famous for golf. But, he became a celebrity through shame. The difference is a celebrity fades in and out but, a well-known person is never forgotten.
After reading the article I reflected earlier posts. Gabler’s argument makes a lot of sense. I would have to agree. Elvis Presley, Grace Kelly, and Olivia de Havilland are more than “the Celebrity.” What if the media continues to label people like, Jaimee Grubs, Mindy Lawton, and Jamie Jungers as “Celebrity?” “They are three of Tiger Woods’ alleged mistresses women with no ostensible talent or accomplishment to justify the attention save to expose their private lives for our titillation. In short they are the epitome of modern celebrity” (Gabler 1).
Hollywood needs a need word. Got any? Oprah Winfrey doesn’t need to the label celebrity if Jon and Kate borrowed it. Celebrity can no longer associate with “famous” people. I guess that is why they started listing them into category’s A-list through D-list. Wow, who came up with that bright idea? Anyway that is another story. If you think of a good word make sure to let me know.
Gabler, Neal. “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Newsweek. Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2009. Web. 2 April. 2010.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/226457
Add a comment April 2, 2010
Character
In March 19, 2010 issue of The Evening Standard, Hermoine Eyre wrote an article entitled ” Hollywood’s Sweetheart.” Eyre described his visit with Olivia de Havilland, “. . .a star of hollywood’s golden age” (Eyre 32). Ms. Havilland is ninety-three years old and now lives in Paris. “She is small in stature, but her charm is enormous, overwhelming” states Eyre (32). She reminisces on good and bad times, sharing the details with Mr. Eyre. Although, her life is long her vivid memory is still there. Fighting tears, she often refers to her sister as “My Sibling.”
With many success’ Ms. Havilland is quite humble. Her films are a reflection of her attitude towards life, vivacious. She tries desperately to hide her pain. Many years have passed since last speaking with her sister. The production of her sister’s book portrayed Ms. Havilland as a vicious person. The rivalry between the sisters is still strong. You can feel the sorrow is her tone. I always believed old age bought time for forgiveness. There is still time to share and laugh together. But, when asked about her sister Ms. Havilland simply replied, “Better not, Better not” (1). I couldn’t imagine a life without my sister. She is there for me, whenever I need a friend. Time or distance couldn’t keep us apart. At 93yrs old forgiveness should be an option.
A sister is forever. At least, that’s what I was told. I may not agree with my sister all the time but I still ask her opinion. She may not laugh at all my jokes but, I still tell them. All I am trying to say is a sister can never be replaced. The void is too big. Your heart will never accept it. She is a true “friend.” According to Mr. Eyre “The death of their mother in 1975 and the publication of Joan’s (Ms. Havilland sister) poisonous memoir in 1978 estranged them fully which, has proved the best option for Olivia” (37). I’m not sure I agree, “Best option?” One family destroyed by Hollywood. I believe Ms. Havilland should reach out and “reconcile” (Eyre 32) sisterhood. What do you think? Should they make amends, before it is too late?
Eyre, Hermione. “Hollywood’s Sweetheart.” London Evening Post.com. This is London, 19 March. 2010. Web. 31 Mar. 2010.
Add a comment April 1, 2010
Possessed by Grace Kelly
In the January 4, 2010 issue of The New Yorker, Anthony Lane wrote an article entitled “Hollywood Royalty.” Lane takes a look at her brief screen legacy. In a new biography (“High Society: The Life of Grace Kelly,” by Donald Spoto), the author describes the short, yet amazing life of Grace Kelly. Although nothing was extraordinary about her, director John Ford, upon first seeing a Kelly screen test, liked what he saw. Lane quotes Ford, “This dame has breeding, quality, class. I’ll bet she’ll knock us on our ass!” (1). He quickly cast her opposite Clark Gable in “Mogambo.” She did indeed knock Hollywood on its ass. Kelly is unforgettable in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window,” one of the greatest suspense films ever made. She’s both delicate and daring, her voice is incredibly. Grace Kelly is one of the most admired women in the world. Even today, she is upheld as a standard of beauty, grace, and style. Her talent and personality has influenced directors so strongly that they try to attempt to make other actresses into her image. Resulting in unlikely success Hollywood hopes to fulfill.
Her career lasted only five years and produced eleven films. She left acting behind to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956. The noble beauty never made another film, and died in a car accident in Monaco in 1982. The legacy of Kelly’s life is opposed with negative and positive views. She lived a fulfilling life that fame could not corrupt. From critical negativity of her sex life and women striving to become her, Kelly still shined. She inspires a meaningful life. No matter who you are or where you come from, fame and money don’t always equal happiness. Instead of dwelling on negativity that surrounded her she stayed true to herself.
I am a big fan and admirer of Grace Kelly. Growing up my parents enriched my life with the gift that she possessed. Edmund Burke, author of “A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful,” published in 1757, elaborates on the grace of Kelly. Anthony Lane quotes Burke’s words “Gracefulness is an idea belonging to posture and motion. In both these, to be graceful, it is requisite that there be no appearance of difficulty; there is required a small inflexion of the body,” should be “not angular but, melted as it were into each other.” (3). Burke was in his twenties when he wrote this. I wish that admirers, like me could travel back in time and witness Grace in action. Lane notes, “By beauty,” Burke says, “I mean, that quality or those qualities in bodies by which they cause love, or some passion similar to it.” (3). That is what Kelly did: she caused love. No gift is more priceless, and you probably have to be born with it. But, like all jewels, it can use a cut and polish. It took a while for Kelly, her lovers, and her directors to make the most of her beauty. If you have not seen a film of Grace Kelly, you don’t know what you are missing. Like Annie, she has the power to possess. So the next time you are in the market for a good film check out an old Kelly release. Man or Woman you will be inspired!
Lane, Anthony. “Hollywood Royalty.” The New Yorker. N.p. 04 Jan. 2010. Web. 17 March. 2010.
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2010/01/04/100104crbo_books_lane
Add a comment March 17, 2010
Price of Political Exile
In the March 3, 2010 issue of The New York Times, Larry Rohter wrote an article entitled “Ethiopia’s Struggle Is His Own.” Larry explains Haile Gerima’s new film, “Teza,” and his views behind the story “Teza.” Haile Gerima’s award winning film is an autobiography that depicts his life. It helps people to understand the story’s larger historical questions. The film dictates the struggle of political exile of Ethiopians. The film places the struggles of Ethiopia as a worldwide struggle. It is smothered in the culture and history of Gerima’s Ethiopia. His anguish is revealed religiously through flashback. His life is disruption, but he is a man seeking to put his life back together, and to a certain degree, to put Ethiopia back together slowly, along with everyone else despite the impossibility of the task.
Beneath this thickly woven tale is the real story, or should I say, Gerima’s vision. It explores identity, liberation, and remembrance. It reveals the struggle against western imperialism, the importance of tradition, and the intersection of these forces. The world and Ethiopians largely misunderstand the damage done to the country as a result of their own mistakes and choices and the various battles with the west that are not yet concluded.
It is engaging to view and experience a film that explores these areas considering they are seldom considered, especially so in America, amongst individuals of African descent. Gerima has delivered a film that accomplishes his goal but also tells an anguishing personal tale of a man who simply wants to be a man. Rohter notes, “I have never been challenged the way African-Americans are in America, and encountering racism shocked me to the point that I had nose bleeds,” states Gerima.
Haile Gerima is a person that can spark interest in Ethiopia culture. He is a powerful and brilliant filmmaker who desrves the attention of his world. The struggles of Ethiopia are not a world wide issue getting solved. Most of us don’t bother with the struggles of Ethiopians. I believe Americans can gain knowledge through this film. Eyes will open and a fire will spark. Maybe the film can be strong enough to ignite a force to help end the political exile. We all have the power to own our past, but do you have what it takes to learn from someone eles’s past?
Rohter, Larry. “For filmmaker, Ethiopia’s struggle is his own.” New York Times. New York Times, 03 Mar. 2010. Web. 15 Mar. 2010.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/ethiopia/index.html
Add a comment March 15, 2010
Portrait of Fame
In the January issue of Vanity Fair, Bob Colacello wrote an article entitled “The First of Elvis.” In the article, Colacello interviews Al Wertheimer, a German photographer. Wertheimer reluctantly took a job photographing a “rising young singer from Memphis” (50), now famously known as Elvis in the 1950s. Wertheimer portrays Elvis as “a hardworking, shy young man who loved women” (53). Can you remember the first photograph you saw of Elvis? Can you remember how it made you feel? Does seeing a photograph of Elvis change your life in any way?
Wertheimer took a chance on a young rising star that became a “national phenomenon through a combination of shock and seduction shaking up America’s inhibitions about race, gender, and sex”(55). According to a 2002 Harris Poll, 84 percent of Americans “have had their lives touched by Elvis Presley in some way” (Colacello 51). Wertheimer notes, “there was ‘No excuse me’ in Elvis’s life” (52). In order to get the best pictures you had to be willing to do whatever it took and that’s just what Wertheimer did. No matter what Elvis was doing he was right there with his camera taking pictures never missing a moment. According to Bob Colacello, Al Wertheimers’photographs are the subject of an exhibition at the Grammy Museum, in Los Angeles (50). Photographs taken by Wertheimer show a different side of Elvis, an untainted picture. Wertheimers’ photographs of Elvis are some of the first before he became a national phenomenon. Bob Colacello notes a large part of Wertheimers income comes from Elvis Presley Enterprises (56).
Wertheimers brave decision to photograph Elvis was an excellent one. Even though Elvis was a great performer, his performances did not impress everyone. He introduced something that was just not acceptable to grown-ups, and the more conservative groups (Wertheimer 52). Elvis brought a new revolution when he danced on stage. According to Wertheimer, Elvis would gyrate all over the stage, move his hips, and do anything he damn well pleased (56). He just reacted to his music the way he wanted others to. He brought joy to many lives with the notion to dance to his music. He brought change. Not only was Elvis an entertainer, he was also an American Soldier. According to Wertheimer, he saw Elvis only once more before his tragic death in September 1958 (56). Colacello notes, Elvis was shipped out from the Brooklyn Army Terminal on his way to a U.S. Army base in Germany after being drafted to the Army (56). The next time he photographed Elvis was at his funeral (Wertheimer 56).
Through this article, I learned more about who the real Elvis was. The pictures taken by Wertheimer reveal a sensitive side to Elvis. The first picture that I saw of Elvis was him in a white suite with gold accents. Those pictures portray Elvis as an entertainer. The pictures, photographed by Wertheimer, are more pure and show a sensitive side to Elvis. Wertheimer states, “Elvis was almost laser-focused on whatever he did. So I would wait till he was involved-and Elvis was the kind of person who would be involved every 15 minutes in something else. Whether he’s combing his hair, or buying a ring, or in rehearsal; whether he’s talking to his father about why the plumbling isn’t working and the swimming pool isn’t full, or reassuring his mother that it’s O.K. to take a ride around the block on his motorcycle, or posing with some girls, his life was full of activity”(50). These words paint a portrait of Elvis that catch my attention. I would like to learn more about him. There is something intriguing about his stern looks, his unique bone structure. His photographs put you in a different place, as if he could see you. I am going to start by listening to his music, I need to understand what made women so crazy about him. I am going to challenge myself to learn who the real Elvis was. Without Elvis being the brave ambitious person he was, our society may have never changed its perception of dance and entertainment. Michael Jackson would not have been who he was without Elvis shaping peoples perception. I am now a fan of Elvis; not for his music, but for the change he had on Americans. He brought joy to many young women and introduced the world to fun, and exciting new things. My challenge to you, look up the pictures taken by Al Wertheimer. They will bring a whole new meaning to the name, Elvis Presley. What will your perception be?
Wertheimer. Interview by Colacello, Bob. “The First of Elvis.” Vanity Fair. Advance Magazine Publishers Inc, 01 Jan.2010. Web. 6 Jan.2010
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/01/elvis-at-21-201001
Add a comment February 3, 2010
About Me
First Blog site. I have started a blog site for my Eng 111 class to take place of a journal. I am looking forward to as many comments as possible to help with my grammatical errors.
Continue Reading Add a comment January 18, 2010
Lumgirl27's Blog 