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Discovering the anti-heroines (Femme Fatales) Dolores Haze, Lola Montes, and Louise Brooks
The young woman with a troubled past is a cliche that appears frequently in both literature and film. Her enigmatic demeanor engages in conversation with the audience, providing them with the assurance of a steady presence as well as the fascination of a riddle. She seems to exude a certain “je ne sais quoi” that distinguishes her from others. This “it” factor appears to be unique to her. Whether this quality is tangible or intangible, it is undeniable that this mysterious “je ne sais quoi” endows her with an air of mystique and a charm that sets her apart from the rest. Anti-heroines serve as a reminder that tenacity is…
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Eyes Wide Shut, an Allegory of Alice’s Dreams
Eyes Wide Shut: The Dream Story of Alice The film’s leitmotif is domesticity, sexual disturbance, and dreams, all conveyed in an enigmatic manner. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) is Stanley Kubrick‘s final film, the director’s final outing before his death at the end of the 20th Century. The picture begins with the distinctive surroundings and vividness of a dream. In the film, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman play Bill and Alice Harford, a couple who have been married for nine years. Their seven-year-old daughter Helena (Madison Eginton) is left with a babysitter while they attend a holiday dinner hosted by wealthy attorney Victor Ziegler (Sydney Pollack) and his wife Illona (Leslie…
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On the Rumored Relationship Between Louise Brooks and Kenneth Tynan
Kenneth Tynan was born in 1927 and became a prominent theater critic in the 20th century. The 1920s were the peak of Louise Brooks’ career as a silent film actress. It was in the late 1970s, while doing research for his essay The Girl in the Black Helmet, that he first saw Brooks, initiating a series of encounters that would have a profound impact on his life. Although Tynan and Brooks were separated by nearly fifty years of age, they managed to become friends and remain so until Tynan’s untimely death in 1980. They corresponded frequently, discussing books, art, and each other’s works that they both admired. A letter from…
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Charlotte Brontë and Louise Brooks, Connections and the Art of Writing
For film lovers, the name Louise Brooks commands a position of high esteem. The silent film actress was a breathtakingly talented woman who achieved impressive acclaim in dance and literature. Charlotte Brontë, a towering literary figure, created nothing less than art when she introduced Jane Eyre to the world. Here, we examine what these two highly revered figures share in common. Louise Brooks, Timeless Ghost of the Silver Screen Most will know Louise Brooks for her unforgettable performances in silent film, especially from the works of Austrian director and cinematic artist extraordinaire, G.W. Pabst. She captivated audiences in films like Diary of a Lost Girl, and Pandora’s Box. There were…
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Legends of Dance, Ruth St. Denis, Martha Graham, Isadora Duncan, and Denishawn
When talking about the world’s greatest dancers, the names of Ruth St. Denis, Martha Graham, and Isadora Duncan come to mind. These women took the dance floor by storm and in the halls of memory, have performed some of the most exquisite dances the world has ever seen. Here’s what dance enthusiasts should know about these extraordinary dancers, and how these souls influenced dance. We will also touch on the Denishawn school of dance and the impact it made. What Is Denishawn? Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts was an advanced and respected dance school that was founded by legendary dancer Ruth St. Denis. The name is a derivation…
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The Relation of ‘Lulu in Hollywood’ to ‘Alice in Wonderland’
Anyone looking to delve into the thoughts of the legendary actress Louise Brooks can find some delightful insights into the similarities between Lulu in Hollywood, Alice in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass. The big connection between the two is that Lulu’s Hollywood is a version of Alice’s Wonderland, seeing that all of the good people are sucked in under the power of producers. Comparing Lulu and Alice Perhaps one of the most direct most palpable connections between Lulu in Hollywood, Alice in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass is the portrayal of Hollywood as a realistic sort of Wonderland. Anyone who has ventured to the streets of Hollywood can…
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Parallels in Film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Blue Velvet, Lolita, Diary of a Lost Girl, and Pandora’s Box
For those of us who seek to explore the history of film looking for patterns, we have to go deep into cinematographic history. We must go all the way back to the silver screen and leave no stone unturned. We can discover some form of commonality between the five distinct films. As we shall discover, there are certain shared attributes between the films Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Blue Velvet, Lolita, Diary of a Lost Girl, and Pandora’s Box. What Are the Patterns in These Films? Perhaps the most discernible and pronounced pattern that connects these five films, is the current of psychoanalytical thought coupled with themes of irrepressible…
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The Mystery Surrounding Louise Brooks and ‘Naked on My Goat’
The legendary, yet tragically overlooked silver-screen actress, Louise Brooks was mostly admired for her hauntingly graceful beauty. For those looking to find a deeper appreciation for this woman of remarkable talents, there is certainly more than meets the eye. Louise Brooks was much greater than her mere physical appearance alone. It is her intellectual talents that are the most underappreciated. Here, we take a look at her impressive intellect. The Actress who Read Proust and Schopenhauer When growing up, Louise Brooks’ father was such an avid collector of books that he was literally sinking the family home with the weight of his cavernous private library. Her father would often retreat…
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Influence of Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud on filmmakers G.W. Pabst and David Lynch
The great Austrian director G.W. Pabst graced the film world with some of the most thought-provoking movies to hit the silver screen. Some of his most intriguing works featured sophisticated inclusion of the kind of psychoanalytical thought that was prevalent at the time. Here’s what connoisseurs of silent films with a penchant for the intellectual should know about Pabst’s use of figures like Sigmund Freud. We will also visit the influence of Carl Jung in David Lynch’s work. ‘Secrets of the Soul’ There is, perhaps, no other film in Pabst’s portfolio that borrows so heavily from the psychoanalytical thinking of the times than Secrets of the Soul. What Pabst left us within…
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On Louise Brooks’ ‘The Fundamentals of Good Ballroom Dancing’
For those fortunate enough to know the name Louise Brooks, the very mention of her stir the curiosities like one would stir a Manhattan. Many would be pleased to know that Louise Brooks, a woman of many talents, went far beyond the confines of acting. She was also an accomplished and exceptionally talented dancer and writer. Here we will cover one of her most delectable publications, The Fundamentals of Good Ballroom Dancing. Louise Brooks, the Starlet Shrouded in Mystery Many will know Louise Brooks for her outstanding work in silent film. Movies like Pandora’s Box still carry great importance and are deserving of study today, nearly 100 years later. If…
