Tuesday, 4 July 2017
Saturday, 18 October 2014
I've Moved [blog] House!
Hellooo everybody!!!
I'm so pleased to see I haven't been abandoned by my followers during my long absence!!! I've been super bogged down by school work for the past year (I recently took GCSEs and am now studying A Levels), but recently I got so lonesome for my classic movie writing and watching I decided to start a new blog! It's called, "Nouvelle Vagueness," a play on the name for the "New Wave" period of French Film. It will still be a predominantly classic film blog, with the addition of maybe some literature and culture in general. I've also decided to use my real name this time which is Madeleine (not Bette, shock horror!) Please, please, please go and have a look and please follow! I'd love to keep lots of my old readers. I've just published a post on Greta Garbo which you can read here.
I'm so pleased to see I haven't been abandoned by my followers during my long absence!!! I've been super bogged down by school work for the past year (I recently took GCSEs and am now studying A Levels), but recently I got so lonesome for my classic movie writing and watching I decided to start a new blog! It's called, "Nouvelle Vagueness," a play on the name for the "New Wave" period of French Film. It will still be a predominantly classic film blog, with the addition of maybe some literature and culture in general. I've also decided to use my real name this time which is Madeleine (not Bette, shock horror!) Please, please, please go and have a look and please follow! I'd love to keep lots of my old readers. I've just published a post on Greta Garbo which you can read here.
Hope to see many of you over there!
Madeleine
Saturday, 6 April 2013
Look who's here! I'm still here!
Despite the probability of that slightly contrived Stephen Sondheim reference going completely unnoticed I couldn't resist (Follies anyone?). I really am still here. Vaguely. I just wanted to announce what will be a new series on this blog which was really my mum's idea.
We watched "A Star Is Born" again last night and she came up with a great idea for a series of posts. The series consists of the reviews of five backstage movies. Be it the backlots of the movie studios or the wings of a broadway theatre. These five are as follows, and are to be reviewed in this order: All About Eve (1950), Funny Girl (1968), Singing In The Rain (1952), Sunset Boulevard (1950) and concluding with A Star Is Born (1954). The series is going to be called "Into The Heart Of An Artichoke: Uncovering The Darker Side of Showbiz". I know there are many that I've missed out on that list (I just had a pang of conscience when I realised I'd missed out my beloved "Gypsy") But I thought these reflected the broad spectrum of what these films can be like best.
As usual I can't make any promises about when this series will run exactly, it will be quite erratic but I would like to get all of those films reviewed and compared in the near future. Hope you'll enjoy!
We watched "A Star Is Born" again last night and she came up with a great idea for a series of posts. The series consists of the reviews of five backstage movies. Be it the backlots of the movie studios or the wings of a broadway theatre. These five are as follows, and are to be reviewed in this order: All About Eve (1950), Funny Girl (1968), Singing In The Rain (1952), Sunset Boulevard (1950) and concluding with A Star Is Born (1954). The series is going to be called "Into The Heart Of An Artichoke: Uncovering The Darker Side of Showbiz". I know there are many that I've missed out on that list (I just had a pang of conscience when I realised I'd missed out my beloved "Gypsy") But I thought these reflected the broad spectrum of what these films can be like best.
![]() |
Credit goes to Lejazzhot for the original image. |
Bette
Thursday, 21 March 2013
Kramer Vs Kramer
![]() |
[my gif] |
Jeff is left to cope with his son, Billy (Justin Henry), who he's never had time for (he never had time for his wife, either.) It's extremely difficult at first, but they manage to bond together over their mutual loss of their wife/mother. Jeff becomes Billy's mother, father, best friend and protector. But their whole life is thrown off balance when Joanna comes back asking for custody of her child.
Therein starts a court case which delves deep into the emotional traumas that caused the breakup, and a ferocious fight over who has more of a right to Billy. Joanna gives an extremely emotional and heart-wrenching testimony, and so does Jeff. It looks neck in neck. Who will win custody of Billy?
![]() |
[source] |
The direction is beautiful. Raw, but still beautiful. Meryl Streep claims he was a very easy going director who very much let the creative juices of the actors flow. She compared it to the directing style of Woody Allan (she was working on Manhattan, 1979, an Kramer Vs Kramer simultaneously) who would stop her mid-take and say "Meryl... There's, there's a comma... in the middle of that sentence." Meryl replied, "Yes?" "Why don't you use it?" Allan said.
Dustin Hoffman is wonderful in this film. He's very sensitive, which is something I don't usually find him. He really is an extremely instinctive actor. However, sometimes this "instinctive-ness" and "improvisation" went a little too far. There are all sorts of stories or Dustin slapping Meryl streep before takes to get her to be cross with him and Dustin smashing glasses in scenes without telling anyone.
![]() |
[my gif] |
Meryl Streep is fantastic as Joanna. Her court scene is one of the most moving scenes I've ever seen. I'm sorry I just can't deal. Also, the way she is with Justin Henry is the sweetest thing ever. Also I need hair like that now. It's amazing. Oh my god. Seriously, It's my goal. But I really think she's now definitely on my favourites list. She's an incredible actress. Yay Meryl!!!
[my gifs]
[my gifs]
All in all, I loved this film. Can't really think of any negatives. Watch it!
Bette
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)