dvd of the week: bonnie and clyde

Somewhere on a dusty road on a sleepy dot on the map in Texas...
BONNIE: I'm going to work, anyway.
CLYDE: You goin' to work, huh?
BONNIE: Yeah.
CLYDE: What kinda work you do?
BONNIE: None of your business.
CLYDE: I bet you're a movie star.
BONNIE: (laughs)
CLYDE: A lady mechanic?
BONNIE: (laughs) No.
CLYDE: A maid?
BONNIE: What do you think I am?
CLYDE: A waitress.
BONNIE: (pauses) What line of work you in, when you're not stealing cars?
CLYDE: Well, I can tell you I'm looking for suitable employment right at the moment.
BONNIE: What'd you before?
CLYDE: I was, uh, I was in state prison.
BONNIE: State prison?
CLYDE: Uh huh.
BONNIE: Well, I guess, uh, some little old lady wasn't so nice.
CLYDE: It was armed robbery.
BONNIE: My, my. The things that turn up on the streets these days.

The 40th anniversary of Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde" is being commemorated with the release of a special two-disc deluxe edition DVD today. Equal parts counter culture revolutionary middle finger to the studios and sexy, violent breath of fresh air, "Bonnie and Clyde" hits as hard as those bullets penetrating the anti-heroes during the balletic and poetically bloody ending. A must-see, even forty years later.

And because I couldn't find a clip that did the film justice, this will do:

girlz in the hood

There are no words for this.

photo courtesy of dlisted

marc jacobs

Have you ever wondered what must like be to in the mind of the wildly transgressive mind of Marc Jacobs? Judging by his spring collection, it percolates with a feverish intensity for the ironic, bizarre, and mundane but most importantly, tinged with a smack of sex. The two hour wait that will surely gain infamy for years to come was the foreplay that lead to a unique climax of deconstruction, revision, and interpretation. It was a bold move after the sublime 70s French Vogue/"The Conformist" show from last season. Millinery that payed homage to Elizabeth Taylor, slashed seams, innovative shoes that scream pleasure/pain, video projections of the models in their undergarments, and the show in complete reversal. The sum of the shows parts added up to a complicated and broad end that as all good art should, provokes us to think in a new direction and push us along for the fantastical ride. But what does it all mean?

The past few years Mr. Jacobs has become increasingly a provocateur of American ideas and traditions in the form of performance presentations. (past shows have included the University of Penn marching band, lawn inspired runways, and homages to himself) As his brush stroke has grow into something more dense and probing, the canvas becomes just as grand to reveal his narrative for the season. For spring a Marc Jacobs woman is dashing into her cab after a night of joyful sex. The proper dose of skin, the high slits, and unusual layering and draping look as if a woman has reassembled her clothes into a surreal cocktail of exposed primness. The whirl of the night remembered was the spirit of the show. The mood was also extremely post-coital and I get the impression Mr. Jacobs wants us to not just see sexy clothes but think about these sexy clothes. These are clothes that will stay with us, much in the same regard as memorable and rewarding sex. The memory may fade or confuse over time but the mussed hair, the ripped clothes, and the panties (those panties!) will always linger. Mr. Jacobs referenced Elizabeth Taylor's raw sensuality in the slip dressing from "Butterfield 8", but made it extremely modern and avant garde. This isn't your traditional take on sportswear. It's a little dirtier and appropriate for a cab ride home when the hem of a skirt is the source of constant fidgeting and the zipper on a dress doesn't want to comply. It's activewear and luxury in a new context. It's also a very personal statement as we have the privilege of visiting Mr. Jacob's wicked wet dream that leaves us feeling as if this might be one of his most personal collections, which in essence is as revealing as seeing Mr. Jacobs himself in his underwear.

The right amount of indulgence, spectacle, thought, and execution established this as one of the strongest shows of the week. However, I do pose the question, are such antics only acceptable because it's American fashion's leading enfant terrible? Jacobs can keep us waiting for whatever mood he's in for the season because as we learned from his show, the payoff is always a little quirky, a little awkward, and a lot sexy.

And for your viewing pleasure because so much of this show is about its stunning visual communication:


Bitch, Please on:
Heatherette
JustSweet
Thakoon
Anna Sui

Gold Digger on:
Marc Jacobs post-show fallout gossip

it's britney, bitch.

Britney Spears, "Gimme More"

Who would have thought the bubblegum pin-up of the late 90s would have evolved into a cultural whipping post for all things wrong and evil in the world? Britney Spears managed to shock and entice us with her Lolita brand of pop sexuality, but now with two kids, twice divorced and her cooter available to all via the easiest Google image search, where does she stand amongst the new female titans of pop (Fergie, Gwen, Nelly, Beyonce)? Her contemporaries morphed into would be movie stars (sorry Mandy), sexpots not quite in on the joke (yes, that would be you Jessica), and wait--relevant, multi-platinum selling, genre-defying superstars (thank you, X-Tina), therefore this would seem somewhat of an opportune time to jump back into the game and prove to the world that you were once the leader of the pack. Granted, her sound is not entirely discernible (breathy come ons and slick production?), but throughout her career she has contributed some of the most perfectly odd-sounding and catchy pop/dance music, namely "Slave 4 U" and "Toxic." Unfortunately, with her current fall from pop grace (the shaved head, the crotch flashing, the K-Fed, the baby bottles filled with Coca-Cola) it's so much more difficult to not be distracted by her wild public life when she do desperately wants to turn attention to her "craft." Word of a comeback album has been in the works for a while and if there is anyone who could resurrect her career it is super producer Nate "Danjahandz" Hills, who co-producer such pop gems as "Promiscuous" and "My Love." This song could have easily been produced for any r&b honey or pop princess but that trademark Spears come-hither pulse in her voice is there and makes this song not entirely forgettable or regrettable, on her part. It's catchy and will probably be a hit on the radio, and in a way reminds us of a Britney from days gone by. This isn't retread but she is in no way pushing popular music forward at any stretch of the imagination. My suggestion to Ms. Spears is although she seems to have found the right sound to woo our hunger for decent pop music, it's the public's interest, or disinterest at this point, that she will have to woo over. The veil of mystery has been lifted a little bit on Ms. Spears as of late, so here's hoping she has a few secrets left in her and her life of meltdowns, rehab, and bad wigs are things of the past.

young folks

I try to keep this blog as focused as possible but from time to time it does stray a little bit and tiny morsels about me are revealed along the way. I try not to be so intentionally elusive and mysterious, but I think pontificating about Bunuel or Hilary Rhoda's eyebrows is far more interesting than updates about my little life. However, I have been relatively absent for a while due to intense planning for what was an event beyond belief. I have officially lived in my new apartment for a little over a month and what better way to celebrate than by throwing a late night soiree? Friends, co-workers, and the assorted beautiful people made their way through my new place and noshed on everything from stuffed portabella mushrooms, sushi, fresh pico de gallo, brie, bruschetta, and of course, cupcakes. Naturally dancing ensued and I think a good time was had by all, but the party was a true success when two silly ideas were well executed. One: "La Dolce Vita", "Marie Antoinette", and "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" screening on mute as music (Daft Punk, Isaac Hayes, Serge Gainsbourg, and Prince just to name a few) played in the background, inspiring us to party a little harder along the way. Two: A lovely wall of lights framing the partygoers, bathing them in a sexy glow. Highlights:



Even though they're all a little blurry and off, that in a way perfectly describes the evening. I can't say it enough but I thank everyone who came and contributed to an evening of good food, good drinks, and good times. What more can you ask for?

the girl just can't help it

And just when we thought she was ready to get her career back on track, TMZ informs us that Lindsay Lohan is still a fan of the sauce and nose candy. At this point you have wonder if she's even interested in maintaining a film career. It makes it difficult to sit through a Lindsay Lohan film without trying to look for white residue around her nostrils or wonder if she'd just woken up from a night of too many vodka and Red Bulls and Calum Best. I guess time will only tell, but for a brief moment I was certain that Miss Lohan was going to take us places we'd never been before. She starred in of the smartest comedies in recent years and managed to be under the tutelage of Robert Altman before his untimely death. She's worked with Meryl Streep, Jane Fonda, and Tina Fey, all women who can serve as models to the impressionable Miss Lohan and show her perhaps it's not all about late night clubbing with Charlotte Ronson or fittings with Karl, but instead more important to carve out a bold, varied, and dynamic career that can achieve a sense of vitality and relevance. She might be especially careful in the dog eat dog world of young Hollywood and the dearth of challenging and complex roles for younger actress. Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, and any other mildly attractive ingenue desperate for any high profile gig that bore their leading contemporaries Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman are constantly chomping at the bit and come across as less scandalous and less of a liability. DUI's, arrests, rehab may be her forte, but losing your career at 21 might be her greatest fall that she will struggle to come back from.

For further articulation on the tragic La Lohan click here.