by way of introduction

'mad max' meets 'o, lucky man!'











watercolor by pal shazar

shining a light

in 1959 john cassavetes directed his first film. 'shadows' is everything we love about this filmmaker: the honest truth. cassavetes loved faces like no one else and always gave it to us close up and very personal.
actress lelia goldoni starred and has been a working actress ever since.

coming soon

from the poetic mind of director neil jordan. his new film is beautifully called 'ondine.' starring colin farrell, stephen rea, and alicja bachleda.

you oughta be in pictures

unknown

abbie cornish

safe

'Here is the deepest secret nobody knows. Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide. And this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart... I carry your heart, I carry it in my heart.'
from the novel 'candy: a novel of love and addiction' by luke davies

love on the rocks

dizzyingly in love. abbie cornish and heath ledger were stellar in the film, 'candy.'

a for effort

give 'em a pumpkin pie!

nastassja

my sister and i agree that, aside from my sister's own two daughters, ms. kinski is the most beautiful of people. i can testify to her friendliness as well after a brief encounter in a natural foods store circa 'tess.' just shy of 70 film credits, nastassja was in so many good films. her last appearance in a movie was 2006.

photos: photographer richard avedon captured that face so stunningly/with the irresistible marcello mastrioanni in 'stay as you are'

crazy good read

several years ago a dear friend gave me this book for a birthday present. how did she know i would eat it alive?? recently i read an interview with director lee daniels. even though i doubted the versacity of some of his stories, the man was wildly intelligent and seriously inspiring. this autobiography of klaus kinski is a roller coaster ride through the gutters and castles of a europe i have yet to know. i just loved it.

santa klaus 1926-1991

135 films. erratic behavior. nikolaus karl gunther nakszynski, known as klaus kinski, was not only an international film star but he eventually became a touring one man showman, reciting verse of the worlds great authors. this man seemed just so intensely alive.

photo: klaus as papa bear with baby bear nikolai

there's a kinski round each corner

here comes another one! nikolai is the bother of nastassja and pola. they all have such lovely names, beautiful faces and a love of acting. gosh, what will the next generation of kinski bring?

from top: nikolai/nastassja/pola

it's alright ma, she's only acting

look at that face. look at that headboard! as a child patty duke won an oscar for her portrayal of helen keller, but 'the dukester' is truly adored for her role as 'neely o'hara' in the underrated and unashamed cult classic 'the valley of the dolls.'

because you're young

marilyn monroe, riding the wave that spills into a bright future.

the tears of an icon

these days one could dress up like marilyn and be mistaken for someone else.

happy halloween!

watercolor by pal shazar

the song stays in the picture

the studio wanted to drop it from the film! quel horreur!

audrey hepburn delivers a perfect rendition of 'moon river' in 'breakfast at tiffany's. case closed.

from 'rebecca' by daphne du maurier

Woman: Oh, I wish I were a woman of thirty-six, dressed in black satin with a string of pearls.
Maxim de Winter: (Laughs) You wouldn't be here with me if you were.

unpredictable

here she is, eternal audrey as 'holly golightly' enjoying her petit dejeuner while gazing into tiffany's window. lately nyc weather has been as unpredictable as 'holly', the charming character fathomed out of writer truman capote's brilliant mind. wool coats one day, evening gown the next! c'est la vie, as of late.

and the livin' is easy

james dean

serious heartache

that arrow is going right through her heart.

imagined twist of fate

i know the question is both rhetorical and surreal but: what if anna karenina had been able to join count vronsky's regiment? these days she could! even if only to sew silk camellias onto their lapels!
anna was dealt a very sorry hand in her short fictional life. married to a brute, she sought love in the arms of a count who loved both her and his comrades. denied her son by her cruel ex, she met her lonesome end at the railroad station.
until we live in a utopian society there will be a need for the military. anna might have found a place for herself in serving her country!

photos: unknown/detroit station/moscow metro/paris underground

stars and stripes

irresistible

mickey rooney and judy garland

'edie doyle'

in 1954 the world was introduced to actress eva marie saint. her character 'edie doyle' was the soft center in the tough masterpiece 'on the waterfront.' as the convent school daughter of a longshoreman, she brings beauty, truth, and a future to an environment steeped in fear, grime, and corruption.

photos: eva marie saint/water color by pal shazar

have a cigar...

clears throat. a wonderful therapist taught me the importance of asking the 'right' questions. 'on the waterfront' is so full of questions it's hard to not want to take notes.

photo: sigmund freud

'well, never's gonna be too much soon for me, shorty.' then turning to his friends, 'how do you like them mugs takin' me for a pigeon?'

'when i'm dead and gone you'll know what a friend i was.'

'why don't you drop dead now so we can test your theory?'

'joey doyle's sister?'

'you think i'm just a gravy train rider with a turned around collar dontcha? huh?'

monday monday

michelle phillips film credits run just shy of 80. that is a lot for a woman who will forever be adored as one of 'the mama's and papa's.' she may not be going down in history as an actress but she surely is a legend.

snap to it

george sanders (addison dewitt) with marilyn monroe (miss casswell). they were both wonderful in 1950's deliciously dated 'all about eve.' here they are at a party where he is hoping to get his protegee on her way:

addison: that's max fabian the producer. now go and do yourself some good.

miss casswell: why do they always look like unhappy rabbits?

addison: because that's what they are. go and make him happy.

rebels time out

i wonder who has that jacket now.

photo: james dean and natalie wood

cinema secrets

serious film buffs must be both a joy and drag to watch movies with. there are so many 'insider' details! here is a fun one from 'the treasure of the sierra madre.' director john huston steps up as actor in this scene where close friend humphrey bogart puts yet another touch on him for a handout.

fear of birds.

fear of remakes. still, naomi watts is set to star and she is so good.

















photo: unknown/beautiful cardinal/the original 'the birds' with tippi hedren