I can't even believe that I am buying into this and perpetuating this gratuitous nonsense. But here it is - tis the season. When you think of this Easter season, what do you see? Cute little bunnies? Chocolate treats? Bright colored eggs? I'm betting that none of you came up with hot male asses painted in pretty pastel Mac cosmetics! I'll give you the curiosity factor. A room full of sexy men with their pants down. But I find it a bit odd to be staring at their cracks with a rainbow of tempura paints and some artistic whimsy. I get the current adult coloring book craze. But this takes it one step too far. They are all smiling and laughing in the pics. But I am having a hard time finding the point of access and tieing it into the season. At least face painting serves a purpose. What do you do with this when the "egg's" are finished? Pull up your pants and make a smeared mess in your tidy-white Calvin Kleins. They are about as equivalent as a woman getting a crayola drawing of colored balloons on her breasts. What do you think - yeah or nay?
Sophia Loren is at least a generation before me. I am aware of her legacy even though I don't know the catalog of her films. Especially because so many are native to her Italia. I am just familiar with her ageless beauty that has spanned nearly 75 years. To me she has always had that magical chemistry. From modest roots in a small town in a shelter during the war, and then later being plucked from a soundstage of extras - she continues to make an impact. She was given an honorary OSCAR as "a treasure of world cinema."
She still has the glamour without all the fixings and traps of a plastic exterior. Here is a new promo campaign for a Dolce & Gabbana perfume line which mirrors her grace in the renovation of a luxurious Italian villa. We see her in work clothes and plaster. At first I thought it outlandish, but on reflection thought that maybe it was at least a remote possibility from somewhere in her life. Of course she is surrounded by hunky male models, alabaster ceilings and courtyards of roses. But when it comes to the final climax of the short film, all eyes go to her and a single red rose.
As I was writing about the gender norms for Men and featured Glitter Beards, I also stumbled onto the reverse for the Women. Pants and panty hose have long passe. Looking at this year's Oscar fashion plates, the envelope is always being pushed in both directions.
Voila! Meet Kay Pike who uses the world of body make-up to bring the androgyny of Comic Con to reality to gorgeous female models who are transformed into male action heroes. Her work is so detailed that the resulting models don't even appear to be in human form. She is creating such a unique art form that she shares it by live streaming of her models being transformed on line in real time. And on second viewing, I was amazed beyond belief that the model in question is usually herself. By using a simple mirror she sculpts her face and body into something beyond belief. She Aquaman, Robin and an entire army of Sci Fi come to life.
If you have time; here is her web link to watch in actual time when it happens.
The world of Metrosexuals and lumberjack men keeps getting more complicated with the addition of man buns in addition to floral pattern suits in the latest GQ. I have no idea what gender-normal means any more. I myself have always been a bit of a dandy who prefers bright colors, bold socks and a bit of bling in bow ties or cuff links. I was among those making bold and bad fashion choices in the 80s with crop tops, leg warmers and Miami Vice pastels. I even remember being persecuted a bit in grade school for wearing neck chokers or fringe vests because Donny Osmond did on his television show. Him and Tom Jones were the epitome of "hip" for me. This week I went to a wine bar where the tenders were such droids with their blue flannel shirts, Chelsea boots and requisite beards. All three of them looked identical. I have never been the beard type - once in a while for a show. Even then it was usually a stick-on type with spirit gum or toupee tape. I don't think facial hair fits my shape or coloring. What-evs.
However I am taken with this photo gallery montage of Glitter Beards. It somehow manages to be both burly and campy. Sort of like Paul Bunyan meets Ru Paul. Theatrical and playful. If I was gonna don a beard, I would want it to look like this - without the daily upkeep. I am more of a wash and wear kind of guy. Check out the full collection below. Bearded Brutes by Mark Leeming.
With Oscar Season in the final stretch and a new slate of awards being announced each day, here is a perspective on retro cinema.
My quest began a few months back when I was doing a cabaret piece called "Larger Than Life" which is a song from the musical version of My Favorite Year. I remembered a dilapidated B movie theater down the street from me where I used to watch cartoons and bad horror flicks in my early years on a Saturday afternoon. It is so distant, I only remember images of the time and place. So I started doing virtual searches and found that it was an old movie house from the vaudeville era that lasted until the late 60's. It was called the Lake Theater.
This also led my to a vintage blog with old Erie memorabilia and newspaper ads. Nothing fancy, but drive-ins and horror nights. And just today I found a nostalgiac post on the same page that has a vintage shot of the old theater probably just before it was gutted and demolished. But I remember it - somewhere in the old banks of my young mind. Grand old times with names that stir something way back.
We always hear about the fabulous perks of being an Oscar nominee... How it establishes clout and preference for future work, access to A list parties.... But also the ridiculous gift bag that is given to the stars. I just read this article which took it to the point of being ridiculous. We all (or should) realize that it is a shameless plug for products. I have gotten them on a much smaller scale for the Ivey's here in town. Usually a tube of Chapstick or a coupon for Chipotle; often some female beauty products. But I had no idea how excessive they are for the Oscars. So much that they became a tax liability in 2006 because the goods were an asset big enough to be declared on tax returns. At that point they were abolished... Or maybe not. Now they are officially given out as a perk by a company called Distinctive Assets, but I am guessing there are certainly some advantages between both parties in the arrangement. This years' net worth is $200,000 per bag and supposedly the Motion Picture Academy is filing a lawsuit against the company to make sure the arrangement is non binding. The quote from the filing states "it (the gift bag) is also likely to dilute the distinctiveness of the Academy’s famous trademarks and tarnish their goodwill.”
So what exactly is in this bag? There is the said Chapstick ($6) and personal items like Dandi Patch anti-perspirant ($25) & Purely Inspired Organic Protein. ($25) Then it gets a bit more exclusive with items like Signature Vodka ($70) (must be an awful big bottle), 10 Personal Training Sessions with Alex Seltzsky ($900) (no idea who he is, but he must be great for that price) or Personalized M&M's. ($300) (I can steer you to a website that gets them much cheaper) But no - this is only the tip of incredulous excess. How about Joseph's Toilet Paper ($275) - you can wipe your ass on black velvet for cheaper! A 10,000 meal donation to an Organization of your choice ($6300) - but wouldn't it make just as much sense to coordinate through your own PR person? From there it gets ridiculous with travel all over the globe; 10 days to Israel ($55,000) 15 days in Japan ($54,000), 3 days in San Marcos ($4800), 3 days in Lake Como Italy ($5000). Really?! How many days do they have in a year that I don't? And then the real crux of conversation - Nuelle Fiera female Arouser ($250)???? Vampire Breast Lift ($1900) 740 Park Plastic Surgery ($5530) This is so far removed from the life we lead and yet we still idolize this fantasy. No wonder the Academy is trying distance itself from the insanity. Over $200,000 worth of absolute drivel. Give me the Chiptole and Jamba Juice $2 voucher and I am fine.
This is an interesting intersection of Art and Political Crisis. I stumbled onto it as Jeff and I are doing research for our upcoming trip abroad. Part of the time will be spent in Barcelona along the coast. And this popped up in the Mediterranean off the island of Lanzarote. Sadly this is WAY too far away from where we will be.
It is the fabulous creation of sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor and it is being dubbed Museo Atlantico. The catch is that it is all totally below the water level on a clear reef. You have to snorkel in order to see the exhibit. There are several large installations that sit on the ocean floor. Most have a policital nature. The Raft of Lamedusa is a takeoff of Gericault's Raft of Medusa and features refugees attempting to cross over the sea into freedom. Somber material there.
Another is called Rubicon where an entire army of civilians are walking blindly towards a fence paying no attention to the threat of global warming and climate change. Heavy subject matter, haunting works of art. The ambitious works are detailed and molded on actual humans and then carefully lowered and placed into the reef by a team of divers who follow extensive care as they are set. I think they sound amazing. Jason deCaire Taylor
