Links on the Bubble

Variety Baz Luhrmann has found his lead for his Netflix music series The Get Down. It's an unknown singer songwriter named Herizen Guardiola 
THR 13 shows on the bubble. They'll be renewed or cancelled by early May. I'm rooting so hard for Agent Carter but you never know
The Guardian Matthew Vaughn (The Kingsman) to reboot Flash Gordon. Oh dear
/Film that was quick - Daredevil (Charlie Cox) will officially be in Avengers: Infinity Wars movie in some capacity. But that's like a billion superhero movies away so we'll see if it comes to pass

Awards Daily Meryl Streep does everything: she's now written a foreword to a new cookbook
THR industry folks rank New York's film critics 
Variety rave reviews for Imelda Staunton's Mama Rose in London's current revival of Gypsy
Comic Alliance the Wonder Woman film lost its director (Michelle McLaren) and now has a new one Patty Jenkins -- the same Jenkins who was supposed to do Thor and didn't. Ah musical chairs
Time the list of 100 Most Influential People is out. Movie peeps that made the list: Richard Linklater, Julianne Moore, Bradley Cooper, Chris Nolan, and Chris Pratt 

LGBT Interest
Out also has an annual power list out. While most of the showbiz entries lean heavily towards TV there are a few movie players: Megan Ellison, Scott Rudin, Lee Daniels (though he surely made the list due to Empire), Dustin Lance Black and Ellen Page.
New Now Next the 13 greatest sissies of all time from Quentin Crisp (you must read his writing about movies) to Liberace

SJP a few days ago in NYC

MNPP Rock Hudson's ex lover speaks
The New Civil Rights Movement (long read) "Maybe Yesterday, But Not Tonight" on gay marriage and the inner and outer turbulence of our changing world

Finally
It's not news per se since we've known about it for a long time but it's now official that Sarah Jessica Parker is returning to HBO Comedy series stardom with Divorce. SJP is fearless. Think of the way people treat Madonna. Once women are past a certain age people want them to disappear. Only the brave soldier on so I hope this series is brilliant and all best wishes her way. But can we talk about how rude it was for Gothamist to illustrate the news of this series order by HBO with a photo of Sarah caressing her husband Matthew Broderick's face? 

Here She Is Boys! Here She is World! Here's Natalie!

Presenting... Natalie Wood Week for her 75th anniversary. Anne Marie kicks it off as Natalie flings her kit off.

Let’s get this out of the way now: GYPSY is not a great movie musical. It’s not even a good movie musical. It’s not the best Natalie Wood musical, nor is it her best performance in a musical. In fact, you’d be forgiven for almost missing her entirely behind Rosalind Russell in full Auntie-Mame-mode, all personality and no pipes. But despite these glaring flaws, Gypsy is a significant film; significant to Natalie Wood’s career, significant to us as star worshippers, and significant to the countless young actresses since who have tried to mature their images. It’s significant because this is the movie where Natalie Wood (literally) strips herself of her ingenue status and steps into full-blown sex symbol stardom. [more...]

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Bunheads: Pantsuit

SusanP here, back for more Bunheads fun. The more I watch the show, the more it surprises me. Even in episodes that I find less engaging, there’s always something to pull me in. I think that has a lot to do with how the show is structured: The first third of the hour tends to play for laughs; the last third doesn’t necessarily drop the humor, but it closes the deal with an emotional payoff. In thinking of Monday’s episode, “There’s Nothing Worse Than A Pantsuit,” you could almost say that the show starts off wearing sweats or jeans, but finishes with a pantsuit (with lots of pockets).

This Week on Bunheads
The idea of acting or auditioning is at the heart of “There’s Nothing Worse Than A Pantsuit.” The episode, directed by veteran character actor and director David Paymer, is in some ways lighter than the last two episodes, but still offers an unexpected gut punch for Sutton Foster’s Michelle.

Each of the characters is trying on a new part...

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Curio: Gypsy Rose Lee

Alexa here.  In honor of Magic Mike opening this weekend and Nathaniel's Stripper Week -- yes, the blog is going there -- I thought I'd celebrate my favorite film stripper, Natalie Wood as the titular Gypsy Rose Lee (née Louise Hovick). Of course, the film is far from one of the best musical adaptations put on film; if only Ethel Merman had been given the chance to put her Broadway signature performance of Mama Rose on screen (Rosalind Russell was such a drag).  But it is probably the rabid Natalie Wood fan in me that can't see anyone else as Gypsy.

Here are some curios (and one of my own) in celebration of the charming ecdysiast.

My vintage tie-in paperback, complete with striptease filmstills.

Click for more including a gorgeous illustration and a bizarre marketing tie-in from 1962.

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Curio: Hollywood's Garage Sale

Alexa here.  The 2012 Hollywood Legends Auction, held recently by Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, made some news because it included the first sale of Whitney Houston's belongings since her passing. I recently perused the catalog and was interested to see many items from Rue McClanahan's estate (Golden Girls caftans!) and artifacts from Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's life together (including some patio furniture). There were hundreds of interesting film curios, including costumes, original artwork and odd, lifelike mannequins. Also fascinating was how much many of the items went for.  Why did Debbie Reynolds' Singin' in the Rain Costume fetch $10,000 more than Natalie Wood's Gypsy ensemble? Who knows.  Here is a small selection of the hundreds. You can flip through the catalog here.

Orson Welles self portrait, sold for $8,960.

Eyes Wide Shut mannequins, sold for $1,408.

Cabaret, Cleopatra, Gypsy and more after the jump...

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