Author and style guru Amanda Brooks visits Grey Gardens

Too bad there aren't more photos, but this looks great!

From I Love Your Style, by Amanda Brooks, on November 26, 2010

Snapshot: Grey Gardens

I slept in Little Edie Beale's bedroom last weekend! Here's what it looks like now.

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Grey Gardens joins the Library of Congress's National Film Registry

Congratulations! What an honor!

From Variety, by Paul Harris, on December 28, 2010

Library of Congress selects film preserves

25 films, including 'Exorcist,' 'Airplane!' join Film Registry

With a typically eclectic mix, the Library of Congress' selection of 25 pics to join the National Film Registry runs the gamut of obscure experimental and avant-garde works to mainstream hits including "The Pink Panther," "The Exorcist," "All the President's Men," "Saturday Night Fever," "Airplane!" and "The Empire Strikes Back."

Other titles include the Maysles brothers' far-reaching 1976 docu "Grey Gardens"; 1931 newspaper potboiler "The Front Page"; and John Huston's 1946 war docu "Let There Be Light," which the Pentagon banned for 35 years because it depicted combat veterans suffering from psychological traumas.

The selections were chosen from 2,112 titles nominated by the public and members of the National Film Preservation Board as well as Library of Congress staffers. The 2010 selections bring the number of pics selected by the Library of Congress for preservation to 550. The Registry was created in 1989 by the National Film Preservation Act to ensure the survival of works deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."

The list encompasses several works featuring prominent biz figures who have recently died, including Blake Edwards, helmer of "The Pink Panther" (1964); "Empire Strikes Back" (1980) helmer Irwin Kershner; and "Airplane!" (1980) star Leslie Nielsen.

Early Hollywood pics on this year's list include the 1914 William S. Hart starrer "The Bargain" and W.C. Fields' "It's a Gift" (1934). Elia Kazan's first feature, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" (1945), made the cut, as did Robert Altman's offbeat Western "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" (1971) and Spike Lee's 1992 biopic "Malcolm X."

Among the obscure gems is "Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB," the 15-minute film made by George Lucas during his days at USC. The film drew the attention of Warner Bros. and led to Lucas' first feature, "THX 1138," produced by Francis Ford Coppola. "A Trip Down Market Street" (1906) is a 13-minute chronicle of San Francisco's Market Street, as seen through a camera perched on the front of a cable car. It was likely shot a few days before the city was hit by the April 18, 1906, earthquake, according to the Library.

The oldest entry is 1891's "Newark Athlete." Pic was made at the Edison Laboratory in West Orange, N.J., by W.K.L. Dickson and William Heise, who made important technical contributions that led to the invention of the Edison Kinetograph motion picture camera.

Other esoteric picks include "Cry of Jazz" (1959), a 34-minute study of Chicago's black neighborhoods by helmer Ed Bland that is recognized as an early and influential example of African-American independent filmmaking; and Luis Valdez's "I Am Joaquin" (1969), a 20-minute short about Chicanos, based on the epic poem by Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales.

Librarian of Congress James Billington emphasized that the goal of the Registry is to highlight works of cultural significance and the importance of preservation efforts. The Library works with the owner of each title to ensure that a copy of the film is preserved at the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation, home to 6 million films, TV programs, radio broadcasts and sound recordings.

"The National Film Registry is a reminder to the nation that the preservation of our cinematic creativity must be a priority because about half of the films produced before 1950 and as much as 90% of those made before 1920 have been lost to future generations," Billington said.

Nominations for titles to be considered for next year's Registry selections can be made online at loc.gov/film.

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Moth's Grey Gardens-inspired music video for No-one Can Play Me

Grey Gardens is inspiring quite a few artists these days!

From YouTube, by Cubinoid, on December 15, 2010

Grey Gardens tribute "No-one can play me" – Moth music video

Moth website – tinyurl.com/mothbanduk
You know, our music is available on iTunes, amazon...etc.

After watching Grey Gardens, Tixia was inspired to write this song about Big and Little Edie, and their relationship. We wanted to make a music video that captured the spirit of Grey Gardens; not an exact copy, just imagery inspired by the original 1970s film.

A big thanks to our amazing cast and crew:

Maria Ahearn as Little Edie
Tixia as Big Edie

with:
Jasmine Henderson
Joanna Scislowicz
Michael Walsh

Melanie Heim – line producer
Sean Phelan – camera
Patrick Bloomfield – set dresser
Bruce Whitehall – 'making of (coming soon)'
Peter Kopinski – animal trainer / location manager – Harps Oak
Amit Patel – location manager http://www.thenelson.co.uk/
Michael Davies – refreshments

Directed and produced by Ben Henderson

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Photographer Mariell Amélie's Grey Gardens-inspired photo shoot

Yes, I definitely see Grey Gardens in this photo shoot!

From Ponygraph and Mariell Amélie, by Mariell Amélie, on December 14, 2010

Grey Gardens

I've updated my website. Here is the editorial I shot today with Kimmie Endresen on styling, Ole Elias on makeup, Elliot Gretch on hair and models from D1. The shoot was inspired by the documentary Grey Gardens (1975).

Callan's delightful drawing of Big Edie Beale

I love this! The placement of the cats is especially brilliant!

From Callan's Sketchblog, by Callan Molinari, on December 14, 2010

Grey Gardens

Grey Gardens is a documentary about the the reclusive bouvier beales, who lived in a ramshackle mansion filled with cats and raccoons and bad memories. This is a little drawing of big edie.

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Grey Gardens returns to Broadway, sort of

Grey Gardens was recently spoofed in BC/EFA's annual celebration at the New Amsterdam Theatre. It looks quite delightful!

This raccoon is sorry to have missed this event, but thanks Mary Ellen for sending this in!

From TheaterMania, by Brian Scott Lipton and Tristan Fuge, on December 8, 2010

Hello Gypsy of the Year!

Stacia Fernandez and the cast of Broadway's Mamma Mia! spoofed TV's Hoarders, Broadway's Cats and Grey Gardens, and their own show in "Another Winter (Garden)" at the 2010 Gypsy of the Year ceremony at the New Amsterdam Theatre on December 8.

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Grey Gardens 2010 Holiday Gift Guide

This year, I opened up the annual Grey Gardens Gift Guide to suggestions. Thanks to those who contributed their suggestions!

Mike recommended some items along the lines of Recreating Grey Gardens, inspired by the HBO film.

1. He found this amazing pillow sham, reminiscent of Kalina Ivanov’s design for the living room at Grey Gardens:

   Sunflower Pillow Sham

2. As well as the 50 All-Time Greatest Hits album by Eddy Duchin:

   50 All-Time Greatest Hits album
   by Eddy Duchin

   It includes the songs How Do I Rate With You? (prominent in the HBO movie when Little Edie recites poetry on the beach with Jackie) and I won't Dance which Jessica Lange and Malcolm Gets sing.

Fusae was inspired by artist Lois Wright, and recommended some of the recent items to hit the Grey Gardens market, as well as Wright’s book.

3. Bijoux goes to Grey Gardens
   by J.C. Burdine

4. Lois Wright's posters of the Beales

5. My Life at Grey Gardens
   by Lois Wright

6. Another great poster idea is the reproduction Grey Gardens poster, which is also much less expensive.

   Grey Gardens 11" x 17" Reproduction Poster
   (Framed version here)

This raccoon is inspired by historic Grey Gardens as well. Every Grey Gardens fan should have a copy of Anna Gilman Hill’s book. Hill owned Grey Gardens before the Beales did, and her famous walled garden gave the house its name. It has phenomenal photos of the garden, and Hill explains her garden design decisions.

7. Forty Years of Gardening
   by Anna Gilman Hill

But perhaps you want a Grey Gardens coffee table book with photos of the Beales? See the books by Sara & Rebekah Maysles and Eva Beale.

8. Grey Gardens
   by Sara & Rebekah Maysles

9. Edith Bouvier Beale of Grey Gardens
   by Eva Beale, et al.

And every Grey Gardens fan should have a handful of DVDs in their collections!

10. Grey Gardens &
    The Beales of Grey Gardens
    Criterion Collection DVD Set

11. Grey Gardens
    Criterion Collection DVD
    (Digital version here.)

12. The Beales of Grey Gardens
    Criterion Collection DVD

13. Grey Gardens
    Masters of Cinema DVD

14. Grey Gardens
    HBO Films DVD
    (Digital version from Amazon.com here.)
    (Digital version from iTunes here.)

And that’s it! View the gift guides from previous years (2007, 2008, 2009) for other suggestions. Happy Holidays!

Celia Maysles' documentary about her father David Maysles, now available for purchase

Wild Blue Yonder DVD

The controversial documentary about Grey Gardens filmmaker David Maysles by his daughter Celia is now available for purchase on Amazon.com. Parts of the documentary were filmed at Grey Gardens itself, and Lois Wright herself factors in quite beautifully into the story.

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