Louise Brooks influence on contemporary (ac)tresses

Just last week, an article ran on the AfterElton website about the making of Cabaret, the 1972 film based on Christopher Isherwood's The Berlin Stories. The piece included interviews with some of the principals involved in the hit movie. Liza Minelli said this:

Well I was sitting with my dad, who was the quietest man, and he helped me so much with the look of Sally. I had thought that Sally should look like Marlene Dietrich. I thought, that's what the '30s was! But my dad said "No, no" and he showed me pictures of Louise Brooks, Louise Glaum, Theda Bara - so I got interested in it. And I designed the makeup before I went over there.

The influence of Louise Brooks on the look of Sally Bowles (as played by Liza Minelli) has been mentioned before. It is also one of a number of instances where Brooks' look - especially her hair - has affected the appearance and behavior of a movie character. Other widely acknowledged examples include Cyd Charisse in Singin' in the Rain (1952) and Melanie Griffith in Something Wild (1986).

Another instance of Brooks' influence just recently came to my attention. Molly Ringwald hairstyle in Pretty in Pink (1986), apparently, was also based on Brooks' bobbed hair. In her 2010 book, Getting the Pretty Back, Ringwald writes: "I decided that I was not going to be one of those "long hair" girls. . . .  I was better off creating my own look and embracing it. I looked to the past for inspiration. Louise Brooks for the bob in Pretty in Pink. . . . " Later in her book, Brooks is evoked again.

Louise Brooks: Icon of Silent Film in Italy

Louise Brooks is the focus of a series of screenings in Rome, Italy. The series, "Louise Brooks: Icon of Silent Film," features The Show Off (February 9th), The Canary Murder Case (February 16th), Pandora's Box (February 23rd), and Diary of a Lost Girl (March 2nd). The series is being put on by the House of Cinema at the Villa Borghese (Largo Marcello Mastroianni, 1). Here is the Italian description of the event.

Attrice leggendaria, diva affascinante e enigmatica, Louise Brooks è stata una delle donne più belle e celebri di Hollywood. Dal 9 febbraio al 9 marzo la Casa del Cinema omaggia la grande attrice del cinema muto con la proiezioine di una serie di film: “The Show Off”, “La canarina assassinata”, “Lulu” e “Diario di una donna perduta”.

La vita di Louise Brooks fu attraversata da un senso spiccato per la verità, la libertà e la sessualità senza permessi di “buona condotta”. La sua straordinaria e conturbante bellezza, che ne fecero subito il prototipo della donna seduttrice e l’incarnazione del sesso (ispirò il fumettista Guido Crepax per il personaggio di Valentina ), irruppero nel perbenismo di quegli anni.

Mal vista a Hollywood negli anni Trenta per la sua innata incapacità di piegarsi alle richieste dei produttori, dovette accontentarsi di parti minori e di qualche soap opera radiofonica. Lasciò il cinema e la celebrità a solo 36 anni.

Here is a scan of an article, "La diva che uscì dal vaso di Pandora," which appeared in today's Rome edition of Corriere della Sera, Italy's leading newspaper. Thank you Gianluca (Italy's leading Louise Brooks fan/scholar.)

Cool pic of the day

Cool pic of the day: Louise Brooks dressed for her part in William Wellman's  Beggars of Life (1928).

Louise Books for sale

Don't forget, there are some rather swell and somewhat unusual Louise Brooks and Jazz Age related books for sale through this blog. Just click on the "For Sale" tab.

Every woman is potentially a VAMPIRE

This is post number 600 on the new LBS blog: Presented here, a 1925 newspaper advertisement for Motion Picture magazine. It's the battle of the vamps! (Louise Brooks was considered a "Junior Vamp.")

Cinephilia :: Louise Brooks

Louise Brooks is a world wide phenomenon. Check out this 2009 postage stamp from the Republic of Benin (French: République du Bénin), a country in West Africa.

Or, check out this link to a webpage slideshow from Greece. Louise Brooks: Οι εικόνες μιας σταρ. (Louise Brooks: Images of a star.) Μια σειρά φωτογραφιών της Louise Brooks.

‘The Chaperone’ heads to the big screen

As readers of this blog know, Laura Moriarty's exceptional novel, The Chaperone, involves a character based on Louise Brooks.

Now comes word that Fox Searchlight has selected Simon Curtis to direct The Chaperone with Downton Abbey’s Elizabeth McGovern starring, to be scripted by Julian Fellowes, also of Downton Abbey.

For more on this story, see deadline.com and other news outlets.

For more on Louise Brooks and Downton Abbey, see an earlier LBS blog.

Louise Brooks - Don't Put A Tax On The Beautiful Girls

Presenting a new YouTube video "Louise Brooks - Don't Put A Tax On The Beautiful Girls."