On this day: Dietrich Ascends, Elvis Screen-Tests, and Leslie Cheung Dies

on this day in history as it relates to showbiz...

Lon Chaney as The Phantom of the Opera1776 Pioneering mathematician Sophie Germain born. She's mentioned in the movie Proof but where's her biopic? There are so many 'hidden figures' out there to tell stories about
1883 Silent film star and "Man of a Thousand Faces" Lon Chaney is born. Becomes legendary doing monstrous film roles with early horror makeup: clowns, phantoms, hunchbacks, you name it...

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Lange Gets Legendary

NY Magazine's "The Cut" has treated us with a marvelous photo collection of Jessica Lange as eight pioneering women. The Sandro shoot was likely inspired by Lange’s upcoming Joan Crawford role in Feud.  You’ll see Lange in top form (and significant makeup) as ladies like Frida Kahlo, Mae West, and Janis Joplin. The Cut article also includes side-by-side photo comparisons of the original photographs that inspired the portfolio, as well as a one-minute video piece of the shoot itself (which contains a few of Jessica’s patented, glorious hate glares).  

It all feels inspired and particularly timely, hot on the heels of the Womens’ March and tantalizingly close to the hopeful pleasures of watching Lange go toe-to-toe with Susan Sarandon as two other major figures of Hollywood.  It’s also a surprising and curious concept for a shoot, since Lange, while one of our best and certainly most live-wire actresses, isn’t known for transformation …so it has a particular kick. 

Which of the photos is your favorite?  Her Diana Vreeland more resembles Cherry Jones(!), and her Marlene Dietrich conjures good and bad memories from AHS: Freak Show.  But I love the I’m-smarter-than-all-of-you energy she captures in her Gloria Steinem, and her Georgia O’Keeffe captures the inherent intelligence of the original subject but seems to cross over to what is markedly Lange:  a deep well of sadness, fearlessly looking at the journey ahead.

HMWYBS: Marlene Dietrich Double Feature

For this week's Best Shot episode we featured two Josef Von Sternberg & Marlene Dietrich pictures. The famous Director/Muse pair made seven films together but we asked Best Shot volunteers to do either Morocco (1930) or Blonde Venus (1932), their first two Hollywood pictures. Let's get right to the choices - click on the photos to enjoy the corresponding articles and participating blogs...

MOROCCO (1930)
Directed by Josef Von Sternberg. Cinematography by Lee Garmes
Nominated for 4 Oscars including Cinematography

What becomes a legend most?
-Dancin Dan on Film

It bizarrely holds together even when the seams look like they are going to burst apart at any second from being buffeted by sand...
-Scopophiliac at the Movies

She strikes quite a figure though throughout the film...
-Sorta That Guy 

BLONDE VENUS (1932)
Directed by Josef Von Sternberg. Cinematography by Bert Glennon

An impression she gives you in one moment she might take back with force in the very next...
-The Film Experience

The frame is much less fussy when Helen is in her element.
-Film Mix Tape 

Dietrich, you little so and so!

For this week's Best Shot Episode: Marlene Dietrich. I asked participants to choose either Morocco (1930) or Blonde Venus (1932).

Her most fascinating scene in Blonde Venus: the confession.

Is Marlene Dietrich a good actress? This question haunted me while watching Blonde Venus, the fascinating Pre-Code movie in which Dietrich plays dozens of archetypes within a brisk 93 minutes: loving mother, drunk floozy, hot temptress, frigid lover, forest nymph, martyred saint, gold digger, confident androgyne, isolated immigrant, jaded bitch, dazzling entertainer. It's enough to give you whiplash if you're trying to get a bead on Helen Jones, her cabaret singer / struggling mother in Blonde Venus (1932).

On the one hand she does everything "wrong." She rarely modulates her voice. Her characterizations aren't especially cohesive -- an impression she gives you in one moment she might take back with force in the very next...

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"Best Shot" Schedule for May

'Here's what's coming up the rest of this month on Best Shot if you'd like to join us. It's easy. You...

1) watch the movie
2) pick a shot, post it and say why you love it
3) let us know you did via twitter, email or comments and we link up 

May 24th Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
We pushed this back a month since it wasn't yet available to rent but it's time to revisit future jedi Rey as she takes on the patriarchy the resurgent Empire and evil Emo brat Kylo Ren with her newfound gifts (and swooning sidekicks Poe & Finn.)

May 31st A Dietrich Double!
Morocco (1930) and/or Blonde Venus (1932) 
The Film Experience obviously loves Old Hollywood sirens so why have we given Dietrich so little attention? Let's rectify that weird gap and close our "Girls Gone Wild" month (yup, that's the theme for May) with either or both (your choice if playing) of these Von Sternberg classics as Marlene Dietrich breaks through from singing foreign curiousity to Hollywood superstar by way of androgynous seduction and chain smoking.