Thursday, November 13, 2003

Neve Campbell w roli Lulu

[ An article in Polish about Neve Campbell's desire to play Louise Brooks. ]

Neve Campbell w roli Lulu

Neve Campbell ("Krzyk", "Krzyk 2", "Krzyk 3") przygotowuje się do roli w filmie opowiadającym o życiu Louise Brooks, legendarnej gwiazdy kina niemego. Obraz pod tytułem "Lulu" przedstawi okres sławy aktorki, a potem zaskakujące porzucenie przez nią kariery ekranowej. Campbell sama nabyła prawa do scenariusza projektu, a obecnie poszukuje producentów i reżysera.



Louise Brooks urodziła się w 1906 roku w stanie Kansas. Karierę rozpoczynała jako tancerka rewiowa, pojawiała się także na Broadway'u.

Na ekranie zadebiutowała w 1925 roku. Po występie w kilkunastu filmach hollywoodzkich (m.in. "Amerykańskiej Wenus" i "Dziewczynie w każdym porcie") przeniosła się do Europy, gdzie dwoma dziełami (i niezwykle charakterystyczną fryzurą) zapewniła sobie ważne miejsce w historii kina.

Tytułami tymi były zrealizowane w 1929 roku "Puszka Pandory" i "Dusze bez steru" niemieckiego reżysera Georga Wilhelma Pabsta. Louise Brooks stała się jednym z klasyczych wampów ekranowych.

Po powrocie do USA niepokorna i niezależna aktorka zagrała w jeszcze kilku obrazach i... w 1938 roku definitywnie rozstała z kinem. Zarabiała na życie jako tancerka, poświęcała się malarstwu i lekturze, a z czasem została cenioną pisarką. Wśród jej licznych książek znalazła się również autobiografia.

Louise Brooks zmarła na zawał serca w Nowym Jorku w 1985 roku.

Neve Campbell chciała przenieść historię gwiazdy na ekran już od wielu lat. Teraz, gdy kupiła scenariusz "Lulu", który napisali Peter Nickowitz i Bill Oliver, znalazla się bardzo blisko realizacji tego celu.

Kanadyjska aktorka wystąpiła niedawno w opartym na własnym pomyśle filmie "The Company" Roberta Altmana (była także producentką tego projektu) i komedii "Churchill: The Hollywood Years" z Christianem Slaterem.

Wśród kolejnych planów Campbell są m.in. thriller "Blind Horizon" z Valem Kilmerem oraz dramat "When Will I Be Loved" Jamesa Tobacka.

Monday, November 10, 2003

Empty Saddles / Overland Stage Raiders

The other day, I got a flier in the male from Grapevine Video. Among their new offerings is a "Louise Brooks Double Feature" dvd-r featuring Empty Saddles and Overland Stage Raiders. The item number is #LBDFDVD abnd it retails for $14.95.

As was announced earlier, Grapevine is going out of business. So, if you are interested in this release or any of their earlier dvd-r or vhs items, the time to order is now. More info at http://www.grapevinevideo.com

Sunday, November 9, 2003

Nude on eBay

There is an image for sale on eBay which is described as "NUDE LOUISE BROOKS AS ZIEGFELD GIRL, photo."

To my eyes, this is not actually Brooks, but just someone who merely resembles her. (The face doesn't quite resemble the actress, and her partially exposed breast seems too big. Brooks had small breasts, like "little pears.") Many Ziegfeld Follies girls wore bobs, and many posed for this sort of cheesecake photo.

What do you think ? There are a couple of copies of this image for sale, both from the same seller. Here is a link for those interested.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3637182104&category=2211

Saturday, November 1, 2003

Recent research

I managed to borrow a few years of the Musical Courier, a performing arts trade journal. That publication yielded some articles, reviews and advertisements for Brooks' appearances with the Denishawn dance company. I also found some brief reviews of Brooks' films when they showed in NYC.

Some of the newspapers I have been looking at of late include the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, St. Louis Times, Milwaukee Leader, and Louisville Courier-Journal.

Friday, October 3, 2003

Greta Garbo biography by Barry Paris

Finished reading Barry Paris' excellent biography of the Swedish-born actress Greta Garbo. In many ways, she is as elusive a personality as Louise Brooks. But, her mystery - her appeal - comes from somewhere else. After having read Barry Paris' biographies of both film stars, I am certain there was more going on in Brooks' head (as well as deeper motivations) than in Garbo's. 

Reading Garbo got me onto a Garbo jag. I am wanting to read more. Scouring the bibliography in the back of Paris' book led me to track down and purchase over the internet two early books on the actress, The Private Life of Greta Garbo by Rilla Page Palmborg (published in softcover in London in 1931), and Greta Garbo: The Story of a Specialist by E. E. Laing (published in London in hardcover in 1946). I am looking forward to receiving each of these books.

p.s. When I saw Barry Paris a few years ago, he gave me a special Garbo bookmark which was made by a friend of his. I keep it in my copy of his book. It measures approximately 2.5 inches wide by 8 inches tall, and is reproduced below. 

Tuesday, September 2, 2003

LBS Research update

My quest to uncover more articles and reviews related to Louise Brooks' career as a dancer and film actress continues. Some of the publications I have been looking at lately (on microfilm via inter-library loan) are the Kansas City Star, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Pittsburgh Dispatch, Houston Chronicle, Salt Lake Telegram, Syracuse Post-Standard, Miami Herald, Minneapolis Star and Indianapolis Star. I was able to find some material in each of these papers. The Pittsburgh Dispatch, it might be noted, is now defunct. It ceased publishing not too long after Louise Brooks and the Denishawn dance company passed through town. Other newspapers I have looked at in my research have also closed, have changed names, or have merged with another publication. 

My goal is to survey the leading newspapers in the 20 largest cities in America in the 1920's. I have also looked at - or plan to look at - newspapers from each region of the United States. All together, the accumulated results should offer a representitive critical perspective on Brooks and her films.
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