De-Lovely

[ITG]

I just got through watching the new DVD movie "De-Lovely" with Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd. It's based on the life of Cole Porter. Afterwards, I started watching the Featurette. Initially I thought the costumes were fabulous (but I'm not expert), however, in watching the Featurette, I found they had a special person doing the costumes...Giorgio Armani. In the Featurette, Armani says:

"This movie is set in an era that reflects what I love about fashion-the ideal time for fashion. For instance, for each stage of Cole Porter's life, we created a different look, for the '20s, '30s, and '40s. Therefore we have created some formulas for coats, pants, each pertaining to its own time, staying as truthful and faithful as possible because I believe my work is about today's modern generation. And if today's generation still keeps one eye towards the past, because those were times that reflected beauty, then I will satisfy this need, this eye on the past."

Anyway, when I heard him speaking, I knew I had to post that here. The movie was interesting...good but interesting. I say interesting because I don't agree with Porter's lifestyle but it's a reflection of someone's actual life, and that was creatively done. I was impressed with Alanis Morsette's singing in the movie. MK, the makeup done on the old Porter looks fantastic to my amateur eye.

And for you Indy fans out there...they do sing "Anything Goes."

 

[Renderking Fisk]

I started to review that movie... I loved it but it was too painful.

Let's face it... men are screw-ups and any woman out there is better then any of us deserve. Cole Porter set that to music.

 

[ITG]

RK, you should review it. I'd love to read your take on it.

 

[MDFrench]

ITG,

Armani also did the costuming for The Untouchables.

Just FYI,
Mike

 

[ITG]

Mike I did not know that. Thanks! It'll give me another light to watch The Untouchables in.

 

[Wild Root]

When I saw it, I wanted to puke. The ladies costumes were grand, but the men's wasn't that bad, but the hats were just well, ugly! Yeah, the stuff that happened behind closed doors should have stayed that way, CLOSED! I don't want to know if Cole was a bi, it's not something that I benefited from.

The music was WHORIBIL! Not true to the time period at all! If you want to see a film that was true to the period, AVAITOR is the film to see.

De-Lovely or, De-Ugly you chose.

Root.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

There is actually an "alternative" soundtrack album called "It's De-lovely" which features music by Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, the same modern-day New York orchestra that did the music for the Aviator. They have an incredible sound that perfectly emulates the hot dance style of the late 20's to mid 30's.

 

[Wild Root]

Really, well that's good news. To bad they didn't use that outfit for the film! It was bad!

Root.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I didn’t care for this movie, either. The idea behind it was interesting, but I don't feel it was very well executed. I didn’t find the costumes to be too special, and I felt the choice of modern day musicians was odd at best. The DVD will probably end up in my collection simply because it’s ‘vintage’, but I think there are better period films out there!

Speaking of which, has anyone seen “Being Julia� or “Charlotte Gray�? I haven’t rented the first, but I picked up a copy of the second and was rather pleased! The costumes are good (of course, I tend to focus on what the ladies are wearing), and I think Cate Blanchett fits well in period movies.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I saw "Being Julia" before it was released at a film club screening. I was totally underwhelmed. Besides Annette Benning's grandstanding performance, which I found very grating (for a start, trying to pass her off as English while she's surrounded by English actors with *real accents* didn't work at all for me), it telegraphed nearly everything that would happen well in advance.

Oh, it's of some value because of its classy supporting cast and sort-of-interesting theatrical setting - and, of course, the lovely thirties clothes and furnishings - but it's essentially only a trifle. Extremely lightweight.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Darn, I was hoping it would be at least decent. I will sit through it anyway, if just to admire the clothing!

 

[JeffOYB]

De-Lovely: OUCH!

I just had to post my two-bits warning about this flick, to protect would-be watchers.

I don't mind the (superlame) "bi" aspects. I see an old archived report that this flick is for the "Will & Grace" crowd---women and gay men. Not. At least W&G had (superlame) attempts at humor. De-Lovely is just a dull movie built around great material. I'm not even being picky. There is ZERO emotion and ZERO plot development along romantic lines between ANY characters. Way too little creative development either. They have a guy sitting behind a piano, then they have great songs. How the two connect isn't explored much. OK, a little.

Now, I don't know anything about period correctness---and I see posts here that give it half-bad marks there, too. I liked a lot of the music. The whole musical-flashback set-up is fine by me. The outfits and sets are dandy. It's just seems like that's all Hollywood can do these days: spend $ on technicalities.

The "bi" angle is pushed so hard and steady throughout, entirely in place of plot, that it does become a source of pain. But there isn't even any sexual vibe. Just a stereotyped drumbeat. The scenes are OK as set-pieces, though.

All this is to say to be prepared to be really underwhelmed. Then you might not be disappointed! And then you can enjoy some parts.

But I shouldn't be too harsh. There are moments, even frequently maybe, where humanity, romance, emotion do surface briefly. There were real people working on this flick, after all! And there's the music, the fashion. Just enjoy the light ride and be prepared for repeated trotting out of undeveloped scenes.

(Is it the corporate/committee aspect that removes almost all human trace from most recent Hollywood product?)

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I actually liked this film. I found it touching how they had him reflecting on his own life. Like ITG says, it's interesting. I have watched it a few times.
Thanks for the info on the costumes. I didn't realize that Armani did them. Funny, I'm not an Armani fan at all, at least not his modern clothes. The women's costumes in this were great. Wouldn't it be nice if he started a line of clothes based on these costumes, and sold them at half the price he sells his other clothes at!

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

There is actually an "alternative" soundtrack album called "It's De-lovely" which features music by Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, the same modern-day New York orchestra that did the music for the Aviator. They have an incredible sound that perfectly emulates the hot dance style of the late 20's to mid 30's.

That's good to know, I've got both "Aviator" soundtracks on my iPod, and love the songs done by this band. I will have to see if they have "DeLovely".

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Daisy - What was really super about Aviator is something not a lot know. Absolutely brilliant IMHO, and myself, I probably would have put an on-screen title at the start of the film alerting everyone to it.

In the different eras of the film, they made it look like it was filmed with the film stock and processing techniques that were used at that time in Hollywood. It really stands out in the Errol Flynn/Kate Hepburn nightclub scene, the peas and other green items look more turquoise or have a bluish cast to them - they were making it look like the 2-strip Technicolor used at that time in Hollywood movies. As the movie moves on, the look changes to mimic the newer processes and types of film in use at the time.

Jumping back to De-Lovely - the nightclub scene with "Love for Sale" was shot as one continuous take - no edits, no cuts. It's depicting several visits to the club and the actors, singers, dancers & extras were changing outfits off camera as the scene progresses and jumping back in to be filmed in new outfits, then changing again. And not just clothes - hairstyles, make-up, jewelery, etc. on some changed and it was all shot in one take. Truly amazing.

 

[fortworthgal]

Speaking of which, has anyone seen ?¢‚Ǩ?ìBeing Julia?¢‚Ǩ? or ?¢‚Ǩ?ìCharlotte Gray?¢‚Ǩ?? I haven?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t rented the first, but I picked up a copy of the second and was rather pleased! The costumes are good (of course, I tend to focus on what the ladies are wearing), and I think Cate Blanchett fits well in period movies.

Charlotte Gray is an excellent film. I've heard many negative reviews, but I really enjoyed it. The film gave an excellent depiction of life in occupied France, and I completely agree that period films are Cate Blanchett's true calling.

 

[Feraud]

I thought De-Lovely was disappointing. The story was lifeless (odd considering the subject) and made me not want to watch for the costumes.

 

[Fletch]

I thought it was a lark, but I had no illusions that they were going to portray Porter's real life faithfully – or even try. I took it more as you'd take a light revue, which made it fun.

Plus, Alanis Morissette was delicious in '30s ing?©nue getup.