Monday Muses: Liv Ullmann

Mondays are rough... let's just get that truth out of the way, shall we?  I've been thinking of ways to train myself to feel otherwise but it's pretty difficult.  For me doing little things to make the day more enjoyable is the key, really.  Treating yourself to a nice lunch, finding a new-to-you band or playlist to listen to, taking 10 minutes to catch up on your favorite blogs, better yet, taking yourself out for a Monday night movie -  do these things and you'll soon start to see the potential of Mondays, I promise.

More than most any other day, Mondays are in desperate need of some inspiration. With that in mind, I am starting a series of Monday posts to jumpstart our creative brains and fill our eyeballs with inspiring and beautiful images, clips and people.  To start “Monday Muses”, weekly posts featuring talented women who have acted as muse for their equally talented collaborators.  First up, Scandinavian film star, Liv Ullmann.

I've been watching a lot of Swedish films lately - trying (probably in vein) to get any sort of grasp on my ancestral language.  Most recently I watched the Ingmar Bergman film, "Persona" which stars today's muse.  For those of you unfamiliar, Liv Ullmann is a Norwegian actress / director best known for her work with Bergman. They made 10 films together and, though they were never married, they were involved romantically and had a child together.  I’d seen “Scenes from a Marriage” quite a while back which I liked but her performance in “Persona” is really incredible - especially considering she plays an actress who one day suddenly stops talking.  She has such a mesmerizing face that conveys so much to the audience without the need for words.  In the US you don't hear too much about Liv which is why I wanted to devote a post to her.

 

Suggested screenings: PERSONA & SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE - proceed with caution on that last one as the divorce rate in Sweden reportedly doubled the year it was released! ;) Both are strange but beautiful films and Liv is incredible in them. 

reckless daughter film report: Qui êtes vous, Polly Maggoo?

Recently, I sat down to watch a film I had been meaning to see for ages: Qui êtes vous, Polly Maggoo? It is one of those iconic 60s films that I knew I should watch but one that also collected dust in my Netflix queue for (quite literally) a year. Though I could easily let the photos do the talking, I may as well give you a bit of insight into the plot. 

The film centers on a young American Supermodel (Polly Maggoo!) who is being followed around by a Television crew for a tv special. 

 There are several other narratives swirling around: the mad Editor-in-Chief of a fashion magazine (loosely based on Diana Vreeland) and her posse of "Yes women",  the Prince of a small nation who is obsessed with marrying Polly, a fashion designer who uses galvanized steel and aluminum as "wearable" materials, etc...

For me one of the best things about the film is the irony that  lies within it. Despite taking very clear satirical aim at the fashion industry and all the narcissistic / materialistic silliness perceived to be ingrained in its fabric (pun intended), the costumes and production design are truly gorgeous. Every other scene looks like an editorial straight out of 1966's Vogue.  I suppose, if you are going to really go after a subject you need to do your homework to get the point across or risk looking out of touch.

Regardless, I appreciated both sides of this cinematic coin. And, while there isn't necessarily a moral resolution for the heroine you get the sense that things will change for her in the near future. 

If you are a fan of 60s fashion and cinema you'll definitely appreciate this film.
 

photos from killerslikecandy & shelley.se

a single man - - written & directed by Tom Ford

Yep, that Tom Ford...



It's like a gucci ad come to life! comes out in the next month or so.