Noir City: Chicago starts Friday at the Music Box

August 11, 2011 by

Chicago’s Music Box Theatre will host the third annual Noir City: Chicago starting Friday and running through Aug. 18. Presented by the Film Noir Foundation, the fest features 16 noirs, all in 35 mm.

Opening night is a double feature: 1947’s “High Wall” by director Curtis Bernhardt, starring Robert Taylor and Audrey Totter, and “The Dark Mirror” (1946, Robert Siodmak) in which Olivia de Havilland plays twin sisters, one of whom is deranged. Shocker!

Other highlights include: “Sorry Wrong Number” (1948, Anatole Litvak) and “The Glass Key” (1942, Stuart Heisler) as well as lesser-known films like “Loophole” (1954, Harold D. Schuster) and “The Hunted” (1948, Jack Bernhard), recently saved from extinction by the foundation.

Authors Alan K. Rode and Foster Hirsch will be on hand to discuss these classic noirs.

Having worked at the Chicago Tribune for many years before heading to the West Coast, I always remember this sage editing adage: “If your mother says she loves you, you’d better doublecheck.”

Speaking of checking, you can see the full Noir City: Chicago 3 lineup here.

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Betterfly site puts a new slant on search

August 11, 2011 by

I recently learned about Betterfly, a site that lets you find people, such as makeup artists and stylists, who provide professional services.

The site excludes companies and aims to connect you with an actual human as opposed to a business. For example, you might hear glowing praise for a salon in your area, but not know which particular stylist is likely best for you (perhaps you have curly, fine hair #$&%@! and have a touch of difficulty taming it).

On Betterfly, you can refine your search based on more than 20 factors such as availability, friends’ recommendations, verified reviews and value. It’s free for clients to use the service, according to the company.

There is no approval process or cost to become a Betterfly service provider, or “betterist,” and set up a customized page. In addition to outlining qualifications, services, locations, special offers and payment policies, pages display reviews from clients. A client must be verified by the provider in order to write a review. Once verified, the client may review anonymously or under his or her own name. Service providers cannot delete or hide any reviews given by a verified client.

Joshua Schwadron launched Betterfly two years ago in New York, when he was 28. He obtained his startup money by winning $125,000 from the reality show “Fear Factor” in 2003.

Was being a contestant on the show good preparation for founding the site? Says Schwadron: “Being on ‘Fear Factor’ and running a startup share a lot of similarities. In some ways, running a startup is worse because there is always a constant fear of something not going right or Google announcing they are getting into your space. At least on ‘Fear Factor’ you know who you’re competing against and when you’ve won.”

I’m impressed that he sat on the cash for a while and didn’t blow it on, say, a gigantic-screen TV, an enormous sofa and a bad-ass DVD library.

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Film noir’s feline stars: The cat in ‘The Long Goodbye’

August 9, 2011 by

More on the most famous kitties in film noir …

The Cat in “The Long Goodbye” 1973

Name: Chauncey Scratchet

Character Name: Hungry Cat

Bio: Chauncey Scratchet, a.k.a. the Hungry Cat in 1973’s “The Long Goodbye,” is pivotal to the story. He is ravenous and if you ignore a such a cat, well, There. Will. Be. Trouble. As in scratched faces and bloody limbs. Or utter abandonment.

Scratchet opens the movie, mewing for food from his sleeping master, private eye Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould). Director Robert Altman lets his camera linger on the ginger-haired tabby prowling around Marlowe’s messy apartment.

Robert Altman wisely gave Chauncey Scratchet complete freedom to interpret his role.

It’s 3:00 a.m. and Marlowe has neglected to provide for his companion. So, the groggy gumshoe yawns, scratches his head and lights a cigarette, then heads to the supermarket to get the goods. Next door, Marlowe’s sexy, partygirl neighbors catch him before he leaves and ask him to bring back some brownie mix so next morning they can wake and bake. It’s 1973, after all.

At the store, Marlowe nabs the mix but fails to procure a can of Hungry Cat’s coveted Coury brand (they’re out of it). Marlowe tries to pass off some other, inferior, food, but his pet isn’t desperate enough to eat it. Instead, the cat takes off, in a departure both dramatic and understated, and we never see him again. For the rest of the flick, Marlowe pines away for his furry friend, whining about it to anyone he can.

Ironically, Chauncey Scratchet had such a good experience filming “The Long Goodbye” that he never made another movie. It was his first major role and director Altman let him have complete freedom in interpreting his character. Scratchet discovered that this approach was the exception, not the rule.

Rather than compromise on creative matters, Scratchet gave up film acting and turned to photography, quickly rising to the top of his profession and, through his Hollywood connections, shooting prominent actors, artists and musicians of the decade.

Though no longer involved in movies, he did make guest appearances on “Kojak” and “Columbo” as a special favor to pals Telly Savalas and Peter Falk. He was also friends with Keith Richards and was said to have inspired the song “Before They Make Me Run,” from the 1978 album “Some Girls.”

Currently enjoying his seventh life, Scratchet holds one-cat shows in New York, Paris, London and Rome.

Image from http://catsinsinks.com

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Free stuff: Win ‘The Big Lebowski’ Blu-ray limited edition

August 6, 2011 by

The winner of the July reader giveaway has been selected. For August, I am giving away a copy of Universal’s new Blu-ray release of “The Big Lebowski,” the much-loved 1998 neo noir by Joel and Ethan Coen, and starring Jeff Bridges as the Dude. I’ll run a review on Aug. 16, the official release date. For info on upcoming fan events, visit Lebowski Fest.

To enter the August giveaway, just leave a comment on any FNB post from Aug. 1-31. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month and announced in early September. Include your email address in your comment so that I can notify you if you win. Your email will not be shared. Good luck!

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Marilyn Monroe remembered in West Los Angeles

August 5, 2011 by

Marilyn Monroe, shot by Milton Greene

In honor of the 49th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s death, about 75 people gathered today at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery for a memorial service, followed by a reception at the Andrew Weiss Gallery in Beverly Hills. Born June 1, 1926, Marilyn was 36 when she died.

On Friday, Aug. 26, the gallery will host a cocktail reception and book signing of psychiatrist Carole Lieberman’s book, Bad Girls: Why Men Love Them & How Good Girls Can Learn Their Secrets. At the event, Dr. Lieberman will “put Marilyn on the couch” and discuss whether the iconic actress was a bad girl or just misunderstood. The reception and signing will run from 6-8:30 p.m.; the gallery is at 179 S. Beverly Drive, south of Wilshire Boulevard.

Lieberman’s promotional material features the following quotation from Marilyn: “Being a sex symbol is a heavy load to carry, especially when one is tired, hurt and bewildered.”

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New Debbie Reynolds’ exhibition opens at Paley Center

July 21, 2011 by

Debbie Reynolds: The Exhibit opens Saturday at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills.

This new multimedia show comes on the heels of last month’s Debbie Reynolds Hollywood memorabilia exhibit, which culminated in an auction during which Marilyn Monroe’s famous white dress from “The Seven Year Itch” sold for $4.6 million.

On display will be iconic costumes, posters and props from Academy Award-winning film classics including “Gone with the Wind,” “Show Boat,” “The Yearling” and “Moulin Rouge,” as well as costumes worn by icons such as Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Carmen Miranda and Doris Day. Film clips will accompany the items.

Reynolds’ collection will stay at the Paley Center throughout 2011; additional items will be added each month. The first-floor viewing is free of charge. Admission to the second-floor space is free to Paley Center members and $6 for the general public. Visitors will also have access to the center’s media archive featuring more than 150,000 programs spanning the history of television, radio and digital media.

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Putting on the spritz: Fendi, Prada, Gucci

July 16, 2011 by

There’s something both refreshing and exotic about a splash of a clean floral fragrance like Fan di Fendi on a hot summer day. Something “elegantissima but oh so rock ’n’ roll” – well, ok, that was in the press notes but I am really looking forward to dropping elegantissima into a conversation.

Fan di Fendi is ideal for sultry summer nights.

Fan di Fendi is playful but complex and very fun to wear. Notes include: Damascena rose, yellow jasmine, Indian tuberose, pear, blackcurrant, tangerine, pink peppercorns, leather and patchouli.

As of this weekend, Saks Fifth Avenue is the exclusive retailer of Fan di Fendi eau de parfum fragrance. Fabien Baron designed the architectural bottle. The 1.7 ounce eau de parfum is $76 and the 2.5 ounce size is $92; the 5 ounce shower gel sells for $39 and the 5 ounce body lotion is $44.

Meanwhile, I am curious about Prada’s new fragrance, Candy, which reportedly will be released in August and in U.S. stores by September. Prada picked French actress Léa Seydoux to advertise the new scent, which features retro pink packaging.

And so far my fave men’s fragrance this summer: Gucci Guilty.

Image source: Fendi; I did not receive product or compensation for this post.

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More pictures of Paris …

July 14, 2011 by
In honor of Bastille Day, I thought I’d share a few more photos of my recent trip to France. After all, without the French critics writing after World War II, it’s highly doubtful that film noir would be so recognized and celebrated today.

Inside the Galeries Lafayette department store

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Stained glass at Galeries Lafayette

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Of course there's a whole section for seduction fashion.

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A detail of an embellished fountain near the Louvre.

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An exquisite little flower shop

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Outside the Gare St.-Lazare

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It's always busy at Ladurée tea room.

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The reason Ladurée is always busy.

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Boxed macarons at the Ladurée shop

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The work of designer Madame Grès (1903–1993) was on display at the Musée Bourdelle.

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Madame Grès saw her work as sculptural so it was a natural complement to the collection at the Musée Bourdelle.

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More elegant creations from Madame Grès

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The Cinémathèque Française

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The Film Noir Foundation programmed a noir series at the CF. My friend and I stopped by for "Woman on the Run" from 1950 directed by Norman Foster and starring Ann Sheridan.

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A cinema on the canal in the 19th arrondisement

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There are two movie theaters, one on either side of the canal. A free ferry takes you back and forth.

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A memento mori, in metal

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Pin-ups never get old, right?

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No need to carry a boring black brolley when you can choose a such a pretty one at Alexandra Sojer, 218, bd Saint Germain.

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A stall at the Marché aux Puces flea market

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Another view of the flea market

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Pont Alexandre III is the most decorated bridge in Paris.

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A new Abercrombie & Fitch store on the Champs-Élysées. Believe it or not, there was a line to get in.

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Inside the Guerlain store on the Champs-Élysées

All images are copyright of Pica Pix LA

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FNB proclaims Gloria Grahame Day: July 13

July 12, 2011 by

Lately I find myself compulsively watching “Sudden Fear” from 1952 starring Joan Crawford, Jack Palance and Gloria Grahame. It’s on as I write, in fact.

Directed by David Miller, the movie has a lot going for it (regular readers know I adore Joan Crawford) but at the top of the list is Grahame, playing a femme fatale nonpareil who’s also rather skilled at mingling in high society.

Gloria Grahame shined in ’50s noir classics.

With her feline face, flirty smile and hour-glass figure, Grahame was a stalwart of film noir. Besides “Sudden Fear,” she was in “Crossfire” (1947, Edward Dmytryk), “In a Lonely Place” (1950, Nicholas Ray), “Macao” (1952, Josef von Sternberg), “The Big Heat” (1953, Fritz Lang), “Human Desire” (1954, Fritz Lang), “Naked Alibi” (1954, Jerry Hopper) and “Odds Against Tomorrow” (1959, Robert Wise).

Commenting on her seductive powers, she once said, “It wasn’t the way I looked at a man, it was the thought behind it.” (Though she often played the bad girl, she was a Los Angeles native from a comfortable family.)

She had acting chops, too, winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her part in “The Bad and the Beautiful” (1952, Vincente Minnelli). Her breakthrough role was Violet Bick in “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1947, Frank Capra).

Her career faltered, though, when on “Oklahoma” (1955, Fred Zinnemann) she acquired a reputation as being difficult to work with. Her big number in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is “I’m Just a Girl Who Can’t Say No.” Natch. Also harmful to her public image was the fact that in 1960 she married Anthony Ray, her former stepson from her marriage (1948-1952) to director Nicholas Ray. Nonetheless, she worked on the stage, in TV and occasionally in films until she died at 57 in 1981. She was married four times and had four children.

So, because I can, I am declaring July 13 Gloria Grahame Day on FNB and will be posting reviews of her noir classics in the coming weeks. (If you are in LA, try to catch “In a Lonely Place” at LACMA on Friday, July 22.)

OK, time to restart “Sudden Fear” and break it to my friend – who stopped by tonight, took one look at the alluring Grahame and asked if he could get a date with her – that request, alas, will have to remain in the realm of fantasy. Ah, men and their fantasies; it’s a kingdom Grahame ruled perhaps not wisely but well.

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Noir greats at LACMA; a Nicholson noir night at the Aero

July 10, 2011 by

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has a particularly good lineup of classic and neo noirs this month.

“Rear Window” (1954) 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 12

“Pickpocket” (1959) 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 16

“Bay of Angels” (1963) 9 p.m. Saturday, July 16

“The Letter” (1940) 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 19

“The Honeymoon Killers” (1970) 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 21

Bette Davis stars in "The Letter" by director William Wyler.

“In a Lonely Place” (1950) 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 22

“The Long Goodbye”(1973) 9:15 p.m. Friday, July 22

“Mulholland Dr.” (2001) 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 23

“The Lady from Shanghai” (1948) 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 29

“The Conformist” (1971) 9:10 p.m. Friday, July 29

Tickets range from $2 for the matinees to $10 for evening double features ($5 for one film only). Discounts for LACMA members and seniors. For tickets, call 323-857-6010 or visit the web site; there is a $2 charge to buy online. For synopses of the movies, see LACMA’s listings. LACMA is at 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 90036.

Additionally, the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica is running a “Jack Nicholson Noir” double bill on Saturday, July 23, starting at 7:30. The films are Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown” and “The Two Jakes,” which Nicholson directed. The Aero Theatre is at 1328 Montana Ave. General admission is $11; members pay $7. Visit the American Cinematheque for the complete schedule.

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