Actress. Mother. Philanthropist. Style Icon. Princess of Monaco.
Today would have been Grace Kelly’s 85th Birthday. She was as famous an actress as she was a Princess and will always be remembered for her fashion choices, very private private life and for her leading roles opposite some very famous leading men. When she gave up acting to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco Hollywood and her fans literally mourned the loss of such an amazing and dedicated actress but we would soon see her as the perfect Princess. She took all her duties in her stride, put her family first and became world known in her charity work.
We would then mourn her again, when aged 52, she died after a car crash. Many she had worked with throughout her life would attend her funeral including Princess Diana, Cary Grant and James Stewart who read a eulogy.
Grace, you gave us such delicate yet strong performances that showed us what a strong woman you were and what strong women we could be. You’re remembered even today for your fashion style and your beautiful hairstyle. You charmed audiences and the likes of James Stewart, Clark Gable, Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra and all the other men you acted opposite. Not many other women retired from acting and had Alfred Hitchcock trying to persuade them back into the business.
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We leave you with a humorous clip from Grace’s last ever film, released in 1956, High Society.
In this household we watch a lot of films. I have a love for war films but I tend to find that the majority I do watch are WWII based. With this week being special, it’s remembrance day on the 11th November in the Centenary year of the start of WWI, I thought It’d be a good idea to educate you in the world of World War I films. Here I’ll pick 5 of my favourites that are memorable, shocking, and very different from each other.
War Horse (2011)
How this film makes me sob every time I watch it. Poor horses. This film is directed by Steven Spielberg and is based on the Michael Morpurgo book of the same name. The story revolves around Albert, a Devon lad, who joins up the war just to find his horse who was sold to the cavalry to aid the military effort. He vows to find the horse no matter what. The film basically follows the horse around and we see different aspects of the war from the frontline to a small devastated family who come to be in possession of the horse. It’s a touching story because it leaves none of the brutality and scariness out of the war. You basically fear for the horse. You fear for Albert searching for his horse. It’s a war film that takes you on a journey and makes you think more about what you’re seeing.
Paths of Glory (1957)
Paths of Glory is such a great World War I film because it shows the so called coward side of the war. Again this is based on a book, Paths of Glory by Humphrey Cobb, and the film is directed by Stanley Kubrick. The film follows four French soldiers who refuse to follow orders to undertake a mission because it is a suicide mission. Set in black and white we see the gore and devastation of the war, especially from a French perspective. The men are tried for cowardice and are eventually executed by firing squad even though their Colonel has fought their side. Paths of Glory is a film that really needs paying attention to, the cinematography and story are fantastic with so many twists and lots of WWI politics involved.
Wings (1927)
Wings is a silent film that still maintains and shows all the drama involved with war. It’s kind of light hearted for a war film in that Clara Bow’s character is in a love triangle, the two guys go off to war thinking they’ve both won her heart then she becomes an ambulance driver in the war and unintentionally meets one of the guys in Paris, France. As in all silent films the drama seems a lot more intense with the music. The acting is superb and the romantic storyline running along the war will make it a hit for a broader audience. The ending is quite emotional with a twist of fate. It doesn’t seem as realistic a war film in todays terms but you have to remember before the 1950’s they made films on what sold well.
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
I chose this one because it’s based on factual events and looks at T.E. Lawrence’s time in the Arabian Peninsula during WWI so is completely different to the fighting and side of war a lot of films depict. Lawrence of Arabia shows us a lot of customs and difficulties a Western man might face in Arabia during the first world war. The fighting bares no resemblance to what the front lines in Belgium were seeing and the military there appear to be doing something completely different to the military in Europe. Peter O’ Toole and Omar Sharif bring life to the characters they play yet manage to have a military seriousness to the end. A great film to watch to get a different perspective on the war
African Queen (1951)
Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn star in this brilliant film set at the beginning of WWI in German owned East Africa. Again this is a different side of the war. Hepburn plays a missionary and Bogart is the captain of the little boat, The African Queen, who brings in all the mail. War breaks out and they watch the Germans destroy the villages. Brilliantly Hepburn decides that the little boat can be modified into a torpedo boat to sink the big German gunboat that is blocking the river, and the way out. Fun ensues and the chemistry between Bogart and Hepburn makes the film enjoyable while still being a serious war film at the same time. The African Queen is a film that you can learn a lot from while smiling as well.
These are just five of the films that I love to watch and find entertaining, daunting and educational at the same time. War films can be scary but some can be fun and romantic so everyone can watch.
Just remember, what those brave men and women did for us will never be correctly or sufficiently shown in a film. All that can be done is recreations for us to watch, and ultimately, enjoy.
War Horse is on BBC One this Sunday 16th November at 8pm.
The other day while listening to my iPod on Shuffle ‘Beauty and the Beast’ came on. You know the one- Mrs Potts voiced by Dame Angela Lansbury beautifully sings it when Beast and Belle are waltzing around the ballroom. Listening carefully to the lyrics, while trying not to belt it out to all the people sat on the bus, it got me thinking: how good are Disney characters at teaching us lessons in life? We thought about it and straight away came up with a few characters, and in one instance an entire film, that have taught us lessons.
Mrs. Potts- Beauty & the Beast
Mrs. Potts throughout the film makes it quite clear that any two people can fall in love no matter what the circumstances or the difficulties involved. She remains the mother throughout the film even when things, to us little children, seem unfixable. She teaches us that things can be fixed and that having friends really does help. It also helps to have a song and dance when things get rough. Subliminally I think she’s saying a cup of tea fixes everything. I mean why else would she be a teapot?
Raymond- The Princess and the Frog
Oh Ray how you made me cry! Raymond is the Louisiana Firefly who joins Tiana and Prince Naveen on their journey to become human again. He’s in love with Angelique, who’s actually a star, which shows us you can love anyone sincerely. He helps his friends even though he hasn’t known them for long and along the way teaches us about trust and loyalty to our friends. In a way he teaches us that dying doesn’t have to be a sad thing, he gets to be with his love Angelique in the end.
The entire Lilo & Stitch film
I seriously don’t know where to start with this film. The entire thing is filled with lessons. The biggest one being “Ohana means family, family means no one gets left behind. Or forgotten.” We all need family whether that be blood or friends. Lilo shows how even though Stitch screws up sometimes they are essentially family when it matters. Lilo doesn’t have human friends but she shows us that friends come from other places. Cat believes it teaches us that when you’re lonely adopting a pet will fix this. In that sense Lilo & Stitch teaches us responsibility.
Kuzco- The Emperors New Groove
Cat here as Natalie doesn’t know the awesomeness of this movie. Ok, there is possibly a lot I could say about this film. Kuzco is a selfish teenager, although he won’t admit it and to give a gift to himself he decides to build himself a summer house on top of someone else’s home. Pacha- the father & husband of the family living there tries to persuade him to move his holiday home to another place, Kuzco being Kuzco only thinks of himself and refuses leaving this family only a few days to pack up their things.
Lesson 1- listen to people and take in their needs.
Lesson 2- If a Llama says they are actually a person help the llama.
Lesson 3- Learn how to speak Squirrel.
Lesson 4- If you are building a secret lab it’s fun to build a rollercoaster to said lab but only use one lever to get into secret lab
Lesson 5- Always label potions correctly.
There’s obviously more characters that teach us important lessons in Disney films but we’ve chosen the few that straight away popped into our heads. Whatever films you learn valuable lessons from are very important, no matter if they’re animations aimed at children or films for the general market.
Here we leave you with an entire song that’s basically one big lesson… about learning to fight…
At lunchtime today the BBC were informed that Richard Attenborough had sadly passed away.
We know the veteran actor had been ill for many years now and was living in a nursing home with his wife Sheila Sim.
Attenborough was a great actor, director and lovely person who will be remembered for his serious performances in many war classics like The Great Escape to his heartfelt performance as Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street.
He will be missed by actors, directors and fans old and new but thankfully his film talents will live on forever.
I was hoping I wouldn’t have to write one of these for at least another few years but alas Betty Bacall suddenly died of a massive stroke on Tuesday 12th August. We were trying to think of a fitting tribute to the talent, the beauty and the stylishness that was Lauren Bacall and all we could come up with to properly show our love for her was photos and videos.
Bacall was a true legend and not just because of her husband Humphrey Bogart. Her tilted head with smouldering eyes, her sexy husky voice and her beautiful make-up, dress sense and coiffed hair made her a star in her own rights and a role model for up and coming actresses.
Every film she starred in throughout her career shows her elegance and dedication to the role she played. We’ll show you a couple of our favourites.
Bacall’s first film was To Have And Have Not (1944) She was still known as Betty Bacall back then. It would also be her first role opposite Bogart and the film that would change her life. Here we have the famous whistle scene.
Here we have one of my favourite Lauren Bacall films; How To Marry A Millionaire (1953) Bacall stars with Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable as three women on the lookout for rich husbands.
We do also love an animated film she voiced. She voiced the Witch of the Waste in the English Version of Howl’s Moving Castle (2004). If you have the time go watch all Bacall’s films. She has the power to change in all her performances and yet still leave you wanting more.
Now I leave you with a trip down memory lane. Enjoy the photos of Lauren Bacall, the actress, the style icon, the old Hollywood legend.
It’s with a very heavy heart and tears rolling down my face that I tell you that the legendary Old Hollywood Actress Lauren “Betty” Bacall has died aged 89.
It was confirmed she suffered a stroke and has a result died from it. We will of course be writing some blogs later to celebrate this beautiful actress but as of now I think I need to get over the shock.
Betty, you were one of the last remaining greats and I think those of us in the Old Hollywood fandom believed you to be immortal. I was so looking forward to writing your 90th birthday post in just a few short weeks. Rest in Peace now with your dear Bogie, you’ll both be remembered forever.
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“If you want me just whistle. You know how to whistle don’t you? Just put your lips together and blow”…
Today the Indiegogo campaign began to raise money for the production of the Frostbite movie! The financiers behind Frostbite have asked that the fans show their dedication/ love/ loyalty to the franchise by helping fund the film. The best bit is we give the money they give us goodies in return. The goodies range from scripts and behind the scenes photos and updates to walk on parts and hoodies. How cool is that?
Check out more at the Vampire Academy Indiegogo page. There’s loads of updates on there and more information on why the fans need to be involved. All we need now is for the target of $150 million to be reached by the date set because we all really want to see this film and the entire franchise carry on!
In other Frostbite news…
The script to Frostbite has already been written. Piers Ashworth the guy behind the St. Trinians script has penned Frostbite’s script so we can expect a few laughs, lots of action and a few tears. In fact Official Vampire Academy Movie released a sneak peek of a bit all us ladies are very much waiting for…
As of yet there’s no inkling on who’s playing Adrian although someone on a Vampire Academy fan site somewhere did point out Queen Tatiana (Joely Richardson) and Victor Dashkov (Gabriel Byrne) were played by British and Irish actors so maybe Adrian could be a Brit too. We can hope.
It’ll be a long month of waiting but just think it could all be worth it in the end, we could get exclusive updates and a film that will make us cry but I’m sure we’re ready for it.
Here’s a lovely video done by the cast of Vampire Academy telling us how excited they are to, possibly, get Frostbite up and filming.
Studio Ghibli is a film studio well known to any fan of anime or any film fan really, if you’ve heard of films such as Ponyo, Howl’s Moving Castle, My Neighbour Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, you’ve been in touch with the Studio Ghibli Vibe.
August this year it was announced that the director Hayao Miyazaki was retiring so I think it may have been on a few fans minds what would happen to the company, so when this news came this morning
STUDIO GHIBLI ANNOUNCES CLOSURE
Toshio Suzuki has announced the closure of Studio Ghibli. Here’s a translated version of the news article:
“Just moments ago, Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli producer, announced on the TV show of the MBS Jounetsu Tairiku chain effectively as announced as sources close to the studio, Studio Ghibli will close and production studio anime, leaving himself only as a company that will manage its trademarks. As stated in the program’s producer, “the production department of anime will be dismantled,” which coincides with the data that we gave in our previous post on this decision had been taken from spring after the poor reception at the box office of Kaguya-hime no Monogatari.
In the interview, Suzuki has also admitted that it was a major setback for the study progress Hayao Miyazaki, one of the reasons already unveiled the portal Rakuten Woman. Once we have access to the full TV interview, adding more data. No doubt that this is a very sad news for Japanese animation, of which we are all fans, because it is undeniable everything Studio Ghibli has given the anime. Please remember that what will be his last film, Omoide no Marnie, premiered at the Japanese box office on 19 July.”
Worst Case Scenario ever…
But it turns out…
THE STUDIO ISN’T ACTUALLY CLOSING!
I’m not sure if there was a mix up or something but the studio later after releasing that news that could bring a mental break down to some people they amended their statement to say they were PAUSING PRODUCTION.
Not closing.
Big difference.
The studio is having a break at the moment due to money reasons also they are doing a bit of spring cleaning and restructuring.
But here’s to hoping they come back especially as they have a movie to get out- When Marnie Was There, which still doesn’t have a UK release date. Meaning us UK fans may have to wait a little while longer to see another new Ghibli Film in the cinema.
Today would have been Natalie Wood’s 76th birthday! I love this woman and not just because I was named after her.
She started acting at an early age and there is so much more to her than the suspicious circumstances surrounding her early death by drowning in 1981. She was her own woman with a life very much lived in the limelight. Her marriages to Robert Wagner never took away from her stardom.
Natalie was a true beauty of the golden era and all the way through her career. She remained professional in her work and Orson Welles once commented that Wood’s professionalism when she was a child was “so good, she was terrifying.”
In celebration of her birthday I’m going to tell you about some of my favourite parts she played throughout her career.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
In Natalie’s first ever starring role, aged 9, she plays Susan Walker a girl brought up not to believe in fairytales but when she meets Kris Kringle at Macy’s Department store finds that Santa could actually be real. I doubt I need to tell you much about the storyline. Miracle on 34th Street is a Thanksgiving and Christmas classic. You’ve probably all watched the 1994 version with Mara Wilson playing Susan but this version is just as magical. Wood’s performance is heartfelt and very real.
Rebel Without A Cause (1955)
This is one of my all time favourite films and one of the very few that stars James Dean. The film is about teenagers, rebellion and a time of decay for American teenagers. When you watch it it’s eerie how true some of the situations seem to be, even today. Wood plays Judy who we see in the Police Station with Jim (Dean) at the beginning of the film. Their relationship grows slowly but the portrayal is perfect for delinquent teenagers. Rebel Without A Cause is one of the first films where we see Wood flung into varying emotional scenes and still at such a young age, she was only 17 at the time.
West Side Story (1961)
Okay I know she doesn’t sing herself but this is probably one of the films everyone associates with Natalie Wood. West Side Story is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, Natalie plays Maria against Richard Beymer’s Tony. Tensions erupt between Maria’s brothers gang the Sharks and the gang Tony is part of the Jets. The characters are portrayed very well and Wood’s acting is quite similar to her work in Rebel Without A Cause. Even her dancing and dubbing for her singing seems realistic. The emotion though out the film seems to make her role stronger, especially with the end tragedy.
There are other fantastic films Natalie Wood starred in so if you get chance have a watch of Gypsy (1962), Sex and the Single Girl (1964), Marjorie Morningstar (1958) and The Great Race (1965). You won’t be disappointed with the comedy, drama and cast involved in each.
Sir Patrick Stewart, he’s british, more importantly he’s from Yorkshire, that gives him the possibility of being immortal. If you look through photos of him through out his career he doesn’t seem to have aged… This proves he is immortal.
Born in 1940 Patrick Stewart will be celebrating his 74th birthday today, but since a young age Stewart has grown a career which most people will recognise one of the characters he is played or even aspects of his life- I’m talking about these pictures of him and Sir Ian McKellen on outings together (There was a point where they were all over my Tumblr page).
He can be considered a true role model, not just in the acting world but also for his charity work for Amnesty International where he spoke out against domestic violence, as he witnessed it first hand with his father physically attacking his mother.
It would take 74 years for me to write down all of his iconic and admirable actions and productions, so I’ll just tell you all to go watch something with Patrick Stewart in.
Well Did You Evah... 