50 Foot Woman (RIP)

Though I can't remember why I was watching Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958) a few months back and thinking of maybe writing something up on it. (I thought I'd look at the 1990s Daryl Hannah remake too.) Needless to say that never came to fruition but this morning I read some horrific news. Yvette Vickers, the star of that infamous Bad Movie People Love about an angry adulteress who rampages once she's giantized, was found dead this week in her home in Benedict Canyon. She was 82ish.

The worst part of the story is this gruesome detail: her body was mummified indicating she'd been dead for a long time, possibly a year. That nobody checked in for that length of time -- neither friend nor neighbor (she had no surviving family members) -- is scarier than any horror movie.

Her first film appearance was in the showbiz classic, Sunset Boulevard. May she rest easier than those Hollywood ghosts.

Audrey Hepburn Circa 1953

may flowers

Audrey Hepburn around the time of Roman Holiday's release, making her a legendary movie queen or at least future royalty princess instantly.

She would have turned 82 today. What's your favorite Audrey?

Complete the Sentence

I can't wait to see ____________________________

Red Carpet: Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington, Kerry Washington, Kerry Washington and Kerry Washington. Perhaps I should explain?

We haven't done a red carpet lineup in awhile and there were a ton of glitzy events this past week. The true marvel was that Kerry Washington went to all of them, from left to right: The Time 100 Gala (Friday, NYC), Washington Correspondents Dinner (Saturday, DC), Mary J Blige Honors Concert (Monday, NYC) and the Costume Gala at the Met (also Monday, NYC). Maybe we'll look at a few more dresses tomorrow -- the Met Gala is annual awesomesauce -- but tonight let us marvel at Kerry's stamina in stilettos. Is this, like, her full time job now?

Someone please hire her for a meaty role / major movie. FACT: In the afterlife all Hollywood power brokers who held great actresses back from the careers they were meant to have will answer for those sins.

Remember when Kerry had that blink and you'll miss her part as blind Alicia in Fantastic Four? Maybe she should have played Multiple Man Jamie Maddox in the X-Men movies instead? She goes to everything!* Note how in one single week she doesn't wear the same color or hairstyle once and even switches it up hourly if there are two events. Note that on Saturday she went to the Pre-Party in for the Washington Correspondents Dinner with loose curls and leopard print top (left with Rosario Dawson -- I couldn't find a full body shot for the lineup, damnit) and then -- moments later? -- she's working a tight braided bun with an Asian influenced gown.

Four red carpet wins in five nights = too much time on her hands. BACK TO WORK WITH HER HOLLYWOOD. Get on that. Force her to stay home a couple of nights, blistering her fingers with all the page turning from that stack of scripts you've just sent her.

What kind or role would you love to see Kerry tackle?

*Nathaniel promises that he does not stalk Kerry Washington. Unless stalking includes Google Alerts in which case... guilty!

Links: Poitier & Tarantino, Poppins & Gaga, Miyaga & Felt?

Movie|Line Quentin Tarantino loves Sidney Poitier.
Cineuropa Tarantino and Christoph Waltz will reteam for period film about an escaped slave Django Unchained.
IndieWire Focus Features will distribute Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom.

Salon on hot actresses pandering to fanboy culture.
Playbill gets quotes from the Tony Nominees
i09 wonders what this summer's surprise hit will be. I'm confused about how Super 8 could count as a surprise though. So much huzz on that one.
/Film Cameron Crowe reveals We Bought a Zoo images.
TOH! The Webby Award winners: Angry Birds, The New Yorker, Funny or Die, Web Therapy, etc...
MTV Keanu Reeves sidesteps the  'James Franco My Own Private Idaho Art Exhibit' question; he hasn't seen it.

Pretty Pictures
You may have noticed I've renewed my love of illustration of late. So here's a piece from the artist SAUL ZANoLARi called "Echnography of Change" which is using Lady Gaga and Julie Andrews to represent tradition and transgression. My first response is only that Gwen Stefani is going to be so jealous of Gaga [cue "Lonely Goatheard" yodelling]

"Echonography of Change" by Saul Zanolari

Anyway... Remember that "lesson" I drew up, about rewarding students with chocolate, a grand lesson delivered by Michelle Pfeiffer herself? Well I was clicking around to see other Illustrations for that same theme (it's a weekly art party) and I did find one other piece that used movies as a jumping off point. When2FeltEm has a really fun almost tangible looking take on The Karate Kid's Mr Miyagi. Love it.

I also enjoyed this bittersweet universal lesson from Letile and two funny efforts from Vhrsti, lord of the flies, and Hello Auki. Bunnies are always trouble!