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BritishThe final five Nancies on the U.K.'s "I'd Do Anything"Back in March I blogged about the start of the BBC's new musical talent competition I'd Do Anything, which searches for a girl to play Nancy in a new U.K. stage production of Lionel Bart's Dickens-based musical Oliver! With a judging panel that includes Andrew Lloyd Webber and a selection process that combines the public vote with ALW's decisions, the original 12 finalists have now been whittled down to five. They're still quite a diverse lot, ranging in age from 17 to 28. And no fewer than three of them are Irish, raising the interesting question of whether Nancy needs to be played as a born-and-bred London East End girl, as she has traditionally been played, or whether she could in fact have an Irish background. The youngest of the five finalists is 17-year-old Catherine Zeta-Jones lookalike Samantha Barks, who comes from the Isle of Man (temporarily renamed the "Isle of Sam" in her honor):
Although I wonder if she'd really have the stamina and experience to hold the role, she's certainly done very well in the last couple of weeks, performing "Sway (Mucho Mambo)" and Destiny's Child's "Survivor" with plenty of confidence. She has never yet been in the bottom two (i.e., the two contestants who have received the lowest amount of public votes that week, one of whom is then saved by ALW, the other sent home). … continue reading Submitted on May 12, 2008 at 2:00 pm Helen Mirren's autobiography: She's nothing like a dameIn my weekly perusal of the wonderful wowowow.com, I came across a non-gossipy tidbit from Liz Smith recommending Helen Mirren's memoir, In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures. Wait. Queen-of-my-heart Dame Helen Mirren has a memoir that I didn't know about? How could this happen? A few clicks later, I discovered that Mirren's book, which was released in the U.K. last fall, didn't make it to American shores until a few weeks ago. OK, I'm not as far behind as I feared. But something is amiss. Take a close look at the book cover. Now look at the woman holding the book.
The same woman? Yes. The same beauty? Not even close. The lovely lady's character lines have disappeared in another unfortunate encounter with an airbrush. … continue reading Submitted on April 28, 2008 at 5:00 pm Sally Hawkins is "Happy-Go-Lucky"Even before she starred as a Victorian lesbian pickpocket in the BBC's 2005 adaptation of Sarah Waters' Fingersmith, I was a fan of British actress Sally Hawkins. I had caught sight of her the year before in a very different role: as a shy, quiet, affluent girl called Susan in Mike Leigh's drama Vera Drake. Susan is raped by a man whom her mother was pushing her toward, and later has to go for an abortion. Hawkins' totally understated portrayal of her character's shame and misery — along with her inability to communicate with anyone about her experience in the England of the 1950s — was probably the most powerful thing in the film for me. If I'd had a better memory, I might have realized that I'd seen Hawkins in a role even before that: as Diana Lethaby's feisty maid Zena Blake in the BBC's 2002 adaptation of Tipping the Velvet. Like her role in Vera Drake, however, that was a supporting part that only gave Hawkins a limited opportunity to show what she could do.
But now Hawkins has a role that puts her center-stage, as the lead character in Mike Leigh's new film, Happy-Go-Lucky. Currently screening in the U.K., the film has already won Hawkins the Silver Bear for best actress at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival and is due for release on Sept. 26 in the U.S. … continue reading Submitted on April 28, 2008 at 10:00 am British artists, American music videosYoung Welsh soul singer Duffy has already made a serious splash in the U.K., with her second single "Mercy" going to No. 1 in February on downloads alone. Her management must be hoping that when her album Rockferry is released in the U.S. on May 13, she can repeat the huge crossover success of Amy Winehouse in moving from Britain to America. Looks-wise, I'd say Americans are in for a treat, as the '60s-inspired Duffy resembles a cross between Dusty Springfield and Julie Christie (with maybe a little bit of Kristin Chenoweth thrown in for good measure):
When Duffy's "Mercy" appears on U.S. television, however, American viewers will be getting a slightly different first look at her than British viewers have had. For purposes of comparison, here is the original British version of the video:
Submitted on April 9, 2008 at 3:13 pm A lesbian/bi Nancy on “I’d Do Anything”?So, the BBC has recently launched the latest in its line of three musical talent contests, and I admit that I’m watching. First there was the 2006 show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, which searched for an unknown girl to play Maria in a new West End production of The Sound of Music. Then there was the 2007 show Any Dream Will Do, which searched for an unknown boy to play Joseph in a new West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Now there’s I’d Do Anything, which searches for both a girl to play Nancy and a boy to play Oliver Twist in a new stage production of Lionel Bart’s Dickens-based musical Oliver! Thankfully, the producers have decided that it’s just too cruel to put the small boys auditioning for Oliver through the usual American Idol–style humiliation of panel criticism and a public vote — so that decision will be made privately, although the audience will be let in on footage of the boys preparing and performing.
But the girls — who have now been narrowed down to twelve finalists aged between 17 and 28 — are judged to be old enough to cope. Consequently, there’s been all the usual gratuitous upping of their angst, as the panel (which includes Andrew Lloyd Webber) make them stand and wait for the initial decisions, and hint that they’ve been dropped just to see them squirm. Why do I keep on watching, given how obnoxious that behavior is? Well, for one thing, I love musical theater. And for another, there are worse ways to spend your Saturday evenings than in watching 12 talented women singing their hearts out. Back in the days of the first contest, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, the show was considerably enlivened by the gorgeousness, as well as the talent, of one of the competitors, Siobhan Dillon: … continue reading Submitted on March 26, 2008 at 10:00 am Are these the top 10 songs in movies?Another list? Darn tooting! This time it’s about two great things that go great together: movies and music. CNN’s Screening Room has named its Top Ten Songs in Movies. Not soundtracks, not scores, but singles used during a particular scene. As expected, the list is heavy on the male-dominated scenes and, somewhat less expectedly, fairly violent.
Now, I love Nos. 7–5. I had a poster of Lloyd’s grand romantic gesture from Say Anything on my dorm room wall. And I dare you not to feel unbridled joy as Muriel and Rhonda come out in their white ABBA outfits in Muriel's Wedding. This movie made me forever love Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths. Heck, let’s watch it again, just because we can. As for the other selections on CNN’s list, I would have picked a scene from Wes Anderson’s film Rushmore instead of Tenenbaums. And I would have gone for the “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” Uma scene from Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction instead of the unfortunate Van Goghing of a victim’s ear in Reservoir Dogs. Also, no mention of The Graduate anywhere on this list? Didn’t that film practically pioneer the use of popular music in movies?
To balance out the bloody and the manly, I thought I’d add some gay, girly and (whenever possible) gay girly selections to the list. Since CNN’s list makers seemed impressed by showy outer death and destruction, how about some quiet inner devastation? In Love Actually, Emma Thompson realizing her husband is being unfaithful — set to Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” — will break your heart, guaranteed. … continue reading Submitted on March 25, 2008 at 6:03 pm The 2008 London Lesbian and Gay Film FestivalIt’s that time of year again. Now celebrating its 22nd birthday, the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival will screen at the British Film Institute on London’s South Bank from March 27 to April 10, offering queer-themed shorts, documentaries, and feature films from around the world. The Chinese Botanist's Daughter You can view a complete list of the films on offer here. Among the ones reviewed or mentioned by AfterEllen.com are the romantic tragedy The Chinese Botanist’s Daughter (pictured above), the American TV pilot Don’t Go featuring Guinevere Turner, and the Oscar-winning short documentary Freeheld, about the fight of dying lesbian policewoman Laurel Hester to see her pension go to her partner Stacie Andree. There’s also the Taiwanese romance Spider Lilies, the German drama Vivere, the French coming-of-age film Water Lilies, and the South African period romance The World Unseen. The World Unseen There’s the 1996 American documentary It’s Elementary — Talking About Gay Issues in School, and its 2007 follow-up, It’s STILL Elementary — The Movie and the Movement. And there’s the HBO film Life Support, starring Queen Latifah as an HIV-positive charity worker (although unfortunately her character isn’t a lesbian).
A program titled "The Face of Another: Imagining Lesbian Desire" offers a chance to see Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring fall in love in Mulholland Dr. It also includes films that explore female relationships but are not so overtly lesbian-themed, like Ingmar Bergman’s Persona and the Madonna–Rosanna Arquette flick Desperately Seeking Susan. … continue reading Submitted on March 24, 2008 at 11:59 am The best female buddies on film and TVIt seems like every couple of years or so, someone will release another one of those lists: You know, the ones that talk about the greatest on-screen partnerships and duos. There will be a top ten: Hepburn and Tracy will be mentioned, as will Bogart and Bacall. In the realm of (allegedly) non-romantic pairings, there will be Paul Newman and Robert Redford as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and maybe Laurel and Hardy, or the guys from Lethal Weapon. What there reliably never will be is any female-female buddy relationships. Well, I think that’s nonsense — so without any further ado, here is a list of my favorite (allegedly) non-romantic female partnerships on film and television: Dorothy (Jane Russell) and Lorelei (Marilyn Monroe), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
The '50s showgirls of this classic film travel together, trade banter, stick up for each other in the face of outsiders, and even walk up the aisle together at the end in matching wedding dresses. Sadly, they weren't actually marrying each other — even though the picture does make it look like it. Kate/Offred (Natasha Richardson) and Moira (Elizabeth McGovern), The Handmaid’s Tale (1990)
Trapped in the dystopian future imagined by Margaret Atwood's novel, in this film adaptation Kate gets strength, courage, and some much-needed humor from her rebellious lesbian friend Moira. Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon), Thelma and Louise (1991)
In this iconic reworking of the traditional road movie, the waitress-and-housewife-turned-stickup-artists became so close that by the end, as Sarandon has said, "they were finishing each others' sentences." … continue reading Submitted on March 20, 2008 at 4:52 pm Cinematic pairs: partners or lovers?Lately I've been thinking about lover Cindi on The L Word. Well, not Cindi herself, but the "lover" thing. It's hilarious every time Dawn Denbo says it, mostly because the word lover has gone out of favor. It used to be a common term in the gay community — or anywhere, really. Especially in the '70s. But now lover has the connotation of "f--- buddy," while partner or girlfriend is generally the preferred term for the people you want to keep around for more than just sex. Or at least that's how it seems to me. So what makes a partner, and what makes a lover? Armed with my trusty (and dusty) DVD collection, I have conducted a sort of survey. I don't suppose it's educational in any way, but it was fun. 1. Cay and Vivian (Patricia Charbonneau and Helen Shaver), Desert Hearts
I just had to begin with a tricky one, didn't I? Cay and Vivian definitely start out as lovers, but if Vivian had stayed, they might have become partners. Still, when I think of them, I don't think of fun times or tender touches or home improvement. I think of steamy sex and mind-bogglingly deep kisses. Verdict: Lovers (they have to remind themselves to stop long enough to get some food!) 2. Claude and Lucy (Alison Folland and Leisha Hailey), All Over Me
These two are so cute, I don't care what you call them. But when they walk along with their ice cream and Leisha grins like that, it seems like a love that's built to last. Verdict: Partners (in a happily ever after sense) 3. Corky and Violet (Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly), Bound
Hmm. These two are carnal and star-crossed, but they also seem destined to be together. And the sizzle is accompanied by a sense that they're on the same wavelength — they have a meeting of bodies and minds. I think I have my first tie. Verdict: Partner-lovers (lesbian bed death will never strike!) 4. Agnes and Elin (Rebecka Liljeberg and Alexandra Dahlström), Show Me Love / F---ing Amal … continue reading Submitted on March 19, 2008 at 7:14 pm Emma likes Hayley just the way she isIt seems like every time I think an actress is particularly gorgeous, someone in Hollywood decides to tell her she’s too fat. A case in point: up-and-coming British actress Hayley Atwell, whose projects this year include the Woody Allen film Cassandra’s Dream (out in the U.K. on May 9), the Keira Knightley flick The Duchess (out in the U.K. on August 29, and the U.S. on September 12) and the big-screen adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel Brideshead Revisited (out in the U.S. on July 25, and the U.K. on September 23). Now, I don’t know about you, but Atwell looks pretty perfect to me:
But apparently Miramax Films (the studio behind the new adaptation of Brideshead) didn’t think so. According to U.K. website The First Post, Atwell has reported that she was asked by the film company to lose weight for her role as Julia Flyte. It was only when co-star Emma Thompson (who will play Lady Marchmain) heard the news that things got resolved:
Submitted on March 13, 2008 at 1:52 pm Tilda Swinton transcends HollywoodI’ve always thought Tilda Swinton was a fascinating woman, but ever since the Oscars, I’ve upgraded her to amazing. While the fashionistas ripped her makeup-free face and Hefty-bag chic, I though she was one of the most striking women on the red carpet (OK, fine, the trash bag was weird, but she still managed to almost pull it off). That blaze of red hair and those porcelain angles make it nearly impossible not to stop and stare. And have I mentioned the suits?
Tilda graces the cover of Out magazine’s April “Transgender Issue.” While the Oscar-winning actress isn’t trans, she does delightfully blur the boundaries with her style, attitude and roles. Anyone who saw her in 1992’s avant garde epic Orlando knows she can gender-bend with the best of them. Also, sweet fancy Moses, does she ever look good in a suit.
And what’s great about Tilda is that the more I read about her, the more amazing she becomes. Like, what did she want to eat during her Out interview? Mashed potatoes or “anything I can eat with a teaspoon, basically. I’m not really up to a fork.” How delightfully weird. But there’s nothing weird about Tilda’s take on making art. “I’ve never been comfortable calling myself an actress or an actor. It sounds pretentious to say, but it’s actually me trying not to be pretentious. I just don’t know how to act, particularly. I think of myself more as an artist’s model than anything.” That self-analysis may be one of the best descriptions of her I’ve ever read. Throughout her career, Tilda has tended to make art, and not necessarily entertainment. Her films are sometimes difficult to watch, sometimes bordering on awful. But she has this way of turning herself into a canvas where the character paints itself with bright, vibrant tones. … continue reading Submitted on March 12, 2008 at 6:14 pm The London Mediatheque loves lesbiansIf you live anywhere near London (or if you travel to London often), allow me to strongly recommend to you the British Film Institute’s new Mediatheque. Well — new is a relative term. The service was first launched in March of 2007. But I hadn’t heard of it until recently, so there’s a possibility that you may not have, either. Anyway, the point is that it’s awesome. Basically, the Mediatheque is a room with about 20 viewing stations in it. You stroll in, you register for a two-hour viewing session at the reception desk, and then you sit down and watch something from their archives of films, TV dramas, and documentaries — many of them lesbian-themed — at your own individual screen. It’s possible to book in advance, but based on my own experience this past weekend, your chances are quite good of getting a screen even if you just turn up on the day. You don’t have to be a member; you don’t have to be anything. It’s just there, and it’s free of charge. Nice, huh? Take a look at the complete list of of archived films available to view. They’re not all lesbian-themed, of course (and I’ll admit I don’t quite understand the process by which they’ve been selected). But if you scan down the list, it won’t take you long to find a range of British lesbian favourites. There are classic dramas, like Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, A Village Affair and Fingersmith.
And there are short films — including the fantastically titled Came Out, It Rained, Went Back in Again, which I watched this weekend. Made in 1991, it features Absolutely Fabulous actress Jane Horrocks as a young “learner lesbian” who travels down to London for the first time and goes through a range of dilemmas that will be utterly familiar to anyone who’s gone through the coming-out process. … continue reading Submitted on March 5, 2008 at 10:00 am |
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