Spotted this on YouTube. This is nifty: Louise Brooks digital painting by Jeff Stahl. Time lapse digital speed painting of Louise Brooks done in Photoshop CS5
with Wacom tablets Cintiq 12wx and Intuos 4L. Real time: 1h16min. Music: "The Russian Princess" by Jeff Stahl, track available here: http://on.fb.me/1fnzNSH
A cinephilac blog about an actress, silent film, and the Jazz Age, with occasional posts
about related books, music, art, and history written by Thomas Gladysz. Visit the
Louise Brooks Society™ at www.pandorasbox.com
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Louise Brooks - Digital painting by Jeff Stahl
This blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society™. Launched in 1995, the Louise Brooks Society is a pioneering website and online archive devoted to the legendary silent film star. The Louise Brooks Society operates with the consent of the Estate of Louise Brooks (Louise Brooks Heirs, LC), and have its permission to use the name and likeness of the actress. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. CONTACT: louisebrookssociety (at) gmail.com
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Cool pic of the day: Louise Brooks
This blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society™. Launched in 1995, the Louise Brooks Society is a pioneering website and online archive devoted to the legendary silent film star. The Louise Brooks Society operates with the consent of the Estate of Louise Brooks (Louise Brooks Heirs, LC), and have its permission to use the name and likeness of the actress. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. CONTACT: louisebrookssociety (at) gmail.com
Monday, January 6, 2014
The mystery of photographer John de Mirjian
Perhaps you can help solve a small mystery?
In the 1920's, John de Mirjian was a well known photographer working in New York City. During his brief six year career, he photographed many leading Broadway entertainers, as well as many showgirls. To the right is a pleasant example of his work. He specialized in portraiture of women, and notably in what was then considered risque imagery. [The image to the left, typical of de Mirjian's work, is of Rose Marie Haynes, a performer with the Earl Carroll "Vanities."]
Today, de Mirjian is best remembered for the lawsuit brought against him by Louise Brooks. In late 1925, Brooks sued De Mirjian's to prevent publication of semi-nude images of the then up-and-coming actress. The suit made the news, and a series of stories appeared in papers around the country.
Those stories, such as "Follies Girl, Now in Films, Shocked by Own Pictures" and "Follies Girl Sues to Supress Her Very Artistic Photographs," only featured the most discrete images by de Mirjian.
John de Mirjian's life ended in September of 1928 when the car he was driving on Long Island crashed. According to press accounts, the playboy photographer was speeding along at 70 miles per hour when he lost control and overturned his automobile, a Peerless roadster. Roads were reported to have been slick in the greater NYC area on the day the accident took place. It wasn't known where de Mirjian was returning from, perhaps a party, as some newspapers reported. The woman in the car, an actress not his wife, at first claimed she was his half-sister. She was not. Her name was Gloria Christy.
The mystery is how old was John de Mirjian? Just about every newspaper in the greater New York City area carried a story on de Mirjian's death, with many putting the sensational news on the front page. Stories appeared in the New York Evening Post, Yonkers Statesman, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and elsewhere. I have read a handful of these newspaper accounts, and all but one reported his age. That's curious. Only the local Long-Islander newspaper stated de Mirjian was 30 years old.
There is little known about de Mirjian. When was he born? Where was he born? I tried doing a little genealogical research, but could find nothing. Perhaps someone more adept at researching historical records could find out. John De Mirjian's brother, with whom he operated a photo studio at 1595 Broadway in Manhattan, was named Arto. That's as much as I can find. Can you find more?
If you are interested in finding out more about John de Mirjian and his
contemporaries, like M.I. Boris, Otto Dyar, and Eugene Robert Richee
(all of who photographed Louise Brooks on more than one occasion), be
sure and check out David Shields' outstanding new book, Still: American Silent Motion Picture Photography (University Of Chicago Press).
This blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society™. Launched in 1995, the Louise Brooks Society is a pioneering website and online archive devoted to the legendary silent film star. The Louise Brooks Society operates with the consent of the Estate of Louise Brooks (Louise Brooks Heirs, LC), and have its permission to use the name and likeness of the actress. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. CONTACT: louisebrookssociety (at) gmail.com
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Downton Abbey and Louise Brooks
With Downton Abbey about to begin its fourth season, it is
worth noting some of the surprising connections between the popular PBS
television show and Louise Brooks. The popular star, known for her
distinctive bob hair style, was just beginning her career as a dancer
and actress in the silent film era.
Fans of the period drama, which is set in the first decades of the 20th century, may have noticed a scene where one of the downstairs help can be seen reading a vintage issue of Photoplay, the leading movie magazine of the time. Mabel Normand, one of the silent era's leading female stars, is on the cover.
The show's connection with the silent film era doesn't end there. The series also has some rather interesting ties to Louise Brooks.
In 2011, a handful of English writers were asked by the Guardian newspaper which books had most impressed them during the course of the year. The answer given by actor, novelist, screenwriter, director, Oscar winner and Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes caused a bit of a stir, as the book he mentioned was first published in 1989. Fellowes' answer read:
"I suspect the book that has haunted me the most this year was the life of that queen of the silent screen, Louise Brooks: A Biography (University of Minnesota £17), by Barry Paris. I have seldom read so lyrical a tale of self-destruction. When she was a girl, my mother used to be mistaken for Louise Brooks and so I have always felt a sort of investment in her, but I was unprepared for this heartbreaking tale of what-might-have-been."
Fellowes' eloquent appreciation of Paris' acclaimed biography echoes the many superb reviews the book received when it was first published. UK novelist Angela Carter praised it, as did the Times Literary Supplement. The latter noted, "Louise Brooks seems to have had such a rare intelligence and humor that this is not a tale of tragedy but a study in fierce originality."
Might Fellowes be aware that Shirley MacLaine, one of the stars of Downton Abbey, is also a big fan of Louise Brooks? Over the years, MacLaine has said as much in interviews, all the while expressing interest in someday playing Brooks on screen.
Additionally, one of the other stars of Downton Abbey, Elizabeth McGovern, has a similar interest in the bobbed Brooks. After serving as the reader for the audio version of Laura Moriarty's 2012 novel, The Chaperone, McGovern snapped up the movie rights to the bestselling book, which tells a story centered around Brooks' time as an aspiring dancer with the Denishawn Dance company.
The Chaperone is in development with Fox Searchlight, with Fellowes set to pen the script, McGovern set to play the title character, and McGovern's husband, Simon Curtis, set to direct. Shirley MacLaine would be a great choice to play Louise Brooks' mother, a key character in the early pages of The Chaperone.
Fans of the period drama, which is set in the first decades of the 20th century, may have noticed a scene where one of the downstairs help can be seen reading a vintage issue of Photoplay, the leading movie magazine of the time. Mabel Normand, one of the silent era's leading female stars, is on the cover.
The show's connection with the silent film era doesn't end there. The series also has some rather interesting ties to Louise Brooks.
In 2011, a handful of English writers were asked by the Guardian newspaper which books had most impressed them during the course of the year. The answer given by actor, novelist, screenwriter, director, Oscar winner and Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes caused a bit of a stir, as the book he mentioned was first published in 1989. Fellowes' answer read:
"I suspect the book that has haunted me the most this year was the life of that queen of the silent screen, Louise Brooks: A Biography (University of Minnesota £17), by Barry Paris. I have seldom read so lyrical a tale of self-destruction. When she was a girl, my mother used to be mistaken for Louise Brooks and so I have always felt a sort of investment in her, but I was unprepared for this heartbreaking tale of what-might-have-been."
Fellowes' eloquent appreciation of Paris' acclaimed biography echoes the many superb reviews the book received when it was first published. UK novelist Angela Carter praised it, as did the Times Literary Supplement. The latter noted, "Louise Brooks seems to have had such a rare intelligence and humor that this is not a tale of tragedy but a study in fierce originality."
Might Fellowes be aware that Shirley MacLaine, one of the stars of Downton Abbey, is also a big fan of Louise Brooks? Over the years, MacLaine has said as much in interviews, all the while expressing interest in someday playing Brooks on screen.
Additionally, one of the other stars of Downton Abbey, Elizabeth McGovern, has a similar interest in the bobbed Brooks. After serving as the reader for the audio version of Laura Moriarty's 2012 novel, The Chaperone, McGovern snapped up the movie rights to the bestselling book, which tells a story centered around Brooks' time as an aspiring dancer with the Denishawn Dance company.
The Chaperone is in development with Fox Searchlight, with Fellowes set to pen the script, McGovern set to play the title character, and McGovern's husband, Simon Curtis, set to direct. Shirley MacLaine would be a great choice to play Louise Brooks' mother, a key character in the early pages of The Chaperone.
This blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society™. Launched in 1995, the Louise Brooks Society is a pioneering website and online archive devoted to the legendary silent film star. The Louise Brooks Society operates with the consent of the Estate of Louise Brooks (Louise Brooks Heirs, LC), and have its permission to use the name and likeness of the actress. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. CONTACT: louisebrookssociety (at) gmail.com
Saturday, January 4, 2014
New Tiger Lillies CD 'Lulu - A Murder Ballad' coming in 2014
The new Tiger Lillies CD Lulu - A Murder Ballad is set for release in 2014, according the musical group's website. "In the new year The Tiger Lillies will premiere a new show 'Lulu - A
Murder Ballad' which will tour in the UK. Inspired by the classic film
Pandora's Box (starring Louise Brooks) and Berg's opera Lulu, the show
features a whole new cycle of songs, stunning virtual sets by Mark
Holthusen (who also created The Ancient Mariner with the band) and is
produced by Opera North. Please check the TOUR section of the site for
the dates. A CD of the music will be released in conjunction with the
premiere of the show."
"The character of Lulu is one of the great creations of 20th Century
fiction, and one of its most disturbing. Her unbridled sex appeal, her
youth, and her self-destructiveness combine to make her dangerous,
unpredictable and tragic. With the men (and the women) who circle her,
Lulu’s journey from street prostitute to the toast of Society and back
again, is told as a hypnotic and kaleidoscopic dance of death. Journey
with her from Berlin to Paris and finally to the dark London streets of
Jack The Ripper.
The band’s flamboyant live performance is enhanced by large-scale
virtual sets that create an immersive and richly atmospheric
environment. Across 20 songs and interludes, the ballad of Lulu unfolds
as an uncompromising musical and visual melodrama."
Written by Martyn Jacques.
Directed and Designed by Mark Holthusen.
Performed by The Tiger Lillies and Laura Caldow. Based on Frank Wedekind’s plays,
Earth Spirit (1895) and Pandora’s Box (1904)
Earth Spirit (1895) and Pandora’s Box (1904)
Commissioned by Opera North Projects
This blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society™. Launched in 1995, the Louise Brooks Society is a pioneering website and online archive devoted to the legendary silent film star. The Louise Brooks Society operates with the consent of the Estate of Louise Brooks (Louise Brooks Heirs, LC), and have its permission to use the name and likeness of the actress. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. CONTACT: louisebrookssociety (at) gmail.com
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Louise Brooks-inspired album, Lulu In Suspension
Back in 2008, the French artist Olivia Louvel released Lulu In Suspension, an album inspired by Louise Brooks
and her book Lulu in Hollywood. Louvel's album was released as a
digipak CD on Optical Sound Records and Fine Arts, run by the French artist
Pierre Belouin.
Louvel's music is something unusual. Louvel is a producer and performer, crafting electronic songs for laptop and voice. Initially trained in classical singing, she began to work as a singer for the renowned flying trapeze circus "Les Arts Sauts," performing in the air the Meredith Monk composition, "Madwoman’s vision." She toured with the circus for 3 years. From 1996 to 1999, she attended the National Superior Conservatory of Dramatic Arts of Paris, and graduated in 1999. She released her debut album, Luna Parc Hotel, in 2006.
Just recently, I became aware of Lulu In Suspension (more info here) and reached out to Louvel and Belouin, asking each about their interst in Louise Brooks. Here is what they wrote.
Many years ago I came across Louise Brooks' autobiographical book Lulu in Hollywood, a collection
of her essays which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I composed some tracks, taking an inspiration from the imaginary landscape it created in my mind,
and also more directly from the Georg Wilhelm Pabst film Pandora's Box. At times I tried to embody Louise herself, at other times, perhaps, a modern Lulu from Berlin ("Club Tanzerin") wandering through to Chicago ("Let's go to Chicago") via Hollywood; the first cinematic orchestral track ("Lulu a Hollywood") works as an overture to the album and becomes a kind of transposition from the cabaret to the digital era.
I was an actress for a while. As a student at the national conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Paris, I was also familiar with Louise and her non-dramatic, non-theatrical approach, how she would do very little in front of the camera in contrast to her fellow actors who were seemingly emphasizing their traits and possibly over-acting. Even though quite a few people during this era were critical of her dramatic style, she had the intuition that in front of the camera less was more.
She was ahead of her time, anticipating how acting would evolve as a much more psychological art.
Louise had this kind of effortless attitude, careless, and she was stunning!
Why I am drawn to Louise?
Because of her multiple layers. Her wildness, her impertinence, her sensuality, her effortless beauty, effortless being but also her chaos. She is an icon of femininity.
In Lulu In Suspension, I am at times, Louise, Lulu or simply me.
Olivia Louvel
15 years ago I saw my first Louise Brooks movie, Loulou (Pandora Box) by Georg Wilhelm Pabst, it
was broadcast on French TV at Christmas. I was completely amazed by the modernity and graphic
style of her face and expressions in this 1929 silent movie, so intense that she literally illuminated the screen! I have seen several films with Louise Brooks but this one was a kind of revelation.
At the same time, I was also really interested in another beauty called Betty Page. Later I learnt that Louise Brooks was an icon for the feminists and lesbians as she is referenced in Maria Beatty
experimental films.
As I was running my label Optical Sound, the French/ UK artist, Olivia Louvel, contacted me and submitted an album project called Lulu In Suspension. For me it was the perfect link between the
roaring twenties and the beginning of this century. Also the title contains the word "suspension" which reminds me of bondage practice. All the tracks Olivia produced are deeply melancholic and strong with an electronic cabaret feel, delivering a real and intense homage to Louise Brooks'
career and spirit.
Pierre Belouin
Louvel's music is something unusual. Louvel is a producer and performer, crafting electronic songs for laptop and voice. Initially trained in classical singing, she began to work as a singer for the renowned flying trapeze circus "Les Arts Sauts," performing in the air the Meredith Monk composition, "Madwoman’s vision." She toured with the circus for 3 years. From 1996 to 1999, she attended the National Superior Conservatory of Dramatic Arts of Paris, and graduated in 1999. She released her debut album, Luna Parc Hotel, in 2006.
Just recently, I became aware of Lulu In Suspension (more info here) and reached out to Louvel and Belouin, asking each about their interst in Louise Brooks. Here is what they wrote.
*****
Many years ago I came across Louise Brooks' autobiographical book Lulu in Hollywood, a collection
of her essays which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I composed some tracks, taking an inspiration from the imaginary landscape it created in my mind,
and also more directly from the Georg Wilhelm Pabst film Pandora's Box. At times I tried to embody Louise herself, at other times, perhaps, a modern Lulu from Berlin ("Club Tanzerin") wandering through to Chicago ("Let's go to Chicago") via Hollywood; the first cinematic orchestral track ("Lulu a Hollywood") works as an overture to the album and becomes a kind of transposition from the cabaret to the digital era.
I was an actress for a while. As a student at the national conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Paris, I was also familiar with Louise and her non-dramatic, non-theatrical approach, how she would do very little in front of the camera in contrast to her fellow actors who were seemingly emphasizing their traits and possibly over-acting. Even though quite a few people during this era were critical of her dramatic style, she had the intuition that in front of the camera less was more.
She was ahead of her time, anticipating how acting would evolve as a much more psychological art.
Louise had this kind of effortless attitude, careless, and she was stunning!
Why I am drawn to Louise?
Because of her multiple layers. Her wildness, her impertinence, her sensuality, her effortless beauty, effortless being but also her chaos. She is an icon of femininity.
In Lulu In Suspension, I am at times, Louise, Lulu or simply me.
Olivia Louvel
*****
15 years ago I saw my first Louise Brooks movie, Loulou (Pandora Box) by Georg Wilhelm Pabst, it
was broadcast on French TV at Christmas. I was completely amazed by the modernity and graphic
style of her face and expressions in this 1929 silent movie, so intense that she literally illuminated the screen! I have seen several films with Louise Brooks but this one was a kind of revelation.
At the same time, I was also really interested in another beauty called Betty Page. Later I learnt that Louise Brooks was an icon for the feminists and lesbians as she is referenced in Maria Beatty
experimental films.
As I was running my label Optical Sound, the French/ UK artist, Olivia Louvel, contacted me and submitted an album project called Lulu In Suspension. For me it was the perfect link between the
roaring twenties and the beginning of this century. Also the title contains the word "suspension" which reminds me of bondage practice. All the tracks Olivia produced are deeply melancholic and strong with an electronic cabaret feel, delivering a real and intense homage to Louise Brooks'
career and spirit.
Pierre Belouin
This blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society™. Launched in 1995, the Louise Brooks Society is a pioneering website and online archive devoted to the legendary silent film star. The Louise Brooks Society operates with the consent of the Estate of Louise Brooks (Louise Brooks Heirs, LC), and have its permission to use the name and likeness of the actress. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. CONTACT: louisebrookssociety (at) gmail.com
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Happy New Year from the Louise Brooks Society
This blog is authored by Thomas Gladysz, Director of the Louise Brooks Society™. Launched in 1995, the Louise Brooks Society is a pioneering website and online archive devoted to the legendary silent film star. The Louise Brooks Society operates with the consent of the Estate of Louise Brooks (Louise Brooks Heirs, LC), and have its permission to use the name and likeness of the actress. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. CONTACT: louisebrookssociety (at) gmail.com
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