(no subject)

[alexsarll]

Cristina Odone was the one with the 'some of my best friends are gay but they can't have children so I wouldn't want them running the country' article of past blogosphere notoriety, wasn't she?* Certainly a quick Google confirms that her politics are odiously Catholic. Anyway, she was just on Newsnight, backing David Cameron's defence of parents who lie about faith to get their children a decent education. And even if I didn't know her past form, her poisonous, sanctimonious manner and pernicious arguments would have seen her added to the list headed "I wouldn't normally hit a woman, but..."

I only caught this because I'm finding What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? a bit much, and having to take it in instalments; the supporting cast are almost uniformly dreadful, but at its heart are Joan Crawford and Bette Davis giving the performances of their lives. It's a bit like Gaslight except so much better because, in their own very different styles, they're *both* driving each other doolally. Hollywood Gothic at its best. In fact, is there any other Hollywood Gothic? Perhaps not. Oh well.

Torchwood somewhat back to its bad old ways this week, but still with enough silliness in the margins to redeem it from the first season's low points. Fingers crossed for the rest, eh?

*edit: bathtubgingirl reminds me that that was in fact Lowri Turner. My mistake, though I'm pretty sure they'd get on. Not get off, though. That would be gay, and thus evil.

Comments

[charleston.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Joan and Bette are incredible in that film... it's kind of close to the bone, I mean you can tell they really hated each other, or at least, were really competitive with each other...

[charleston.livejournal.com]

Ha, and guess what, I just did a quick search on the internet to check my theory, and Wikipedia says:

"During production, Bette Davis had a Coca-Cola machine installed on the set to anger Joan Crawford, whose late husband had been CEO of rival Pepsi-Cola and who herself was on the board of directors of that company."

"During the kicking scene, Bette Davis kicked Joan Crawford in the head, and the resulting wound required stitches. In retaliation, Crawford put weights in her pockets so that when Davis had to drag Crawford's near-lifeless body, she strained her back."

oh and this one: "While touring the talk show circuit to promote the movie, Bette Davis told one interviewer that when she and Joan Crawford were first suggested for the leads in this film, Warner Bros. studio head Jack L. Warner replied: "I wouldn't give a plugged nickel for either one of those two old broads." Recalling the story, Davis laughed at her own expense. The following day, she reportedly received a telegram from Crawford: "In future, please do not refer to me as an old broad!""

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

This is possibly the first film in which I've seen Crawford where her face is not the scariest thing on screen. I think that might apply even had she starred in a premake of Ring.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Mutterings about that sort of thing are part of what got me interested in it; well, that, the appearance in the new League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and the need to find something cheap to get free delivery on my last Amazon order. There were real injuries during filming, weren't there?

[charleston.livejournal.com]

what appearance in the new League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? and which is the new one please?

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Black Dossier includes one page of it retold in the style of an old children's picture magazine, in amongst various other forged documents. It's not officially available outside the US, because DC comics is run by a spiteful fool, but Gosh has some, Amazon.com is pretty affordable, or geeks of your acquaintance may be able to offer loans...

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

The TV has now moved on to Bollywood Parkour, between which and your comment I can only conclude - these days they have everything, everywhere.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

And even there is cheap compared to Iceland, right? Which in turn is probably cheap compared to illicit booze in Saudi...

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Oops! Still, Odone is plenty loathsome even without that one on the charge sheet.

hollywood gothic

[ksta.livejournal.com]

does all about eve count?

Re: hollywood gothic

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

It could do, couldn't it? It has something of the life-stealing, if not quite the same lurid quality.

Re: hollywood gothic

[perfectlyvague.livejournal.com]

Sunset Boulevard

Re: hollywood gothic

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Now, I was thinking about what little I know of that film while watching this one, but somehow I've never seen it, so I can't really comment. I do want to, though.

[tintintin.livejournal.com]

Lowri Turner is a disgustingly condescending midget baby factory who has frequently inserted barely-disguised homophobia into the archetypal Woman's Pages in whichever regional rag she writes for. Hateful little dwarf.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Oh, then she'd *definitely* get on with Odone. Assuming their kids weren't up for the same indoctrination camp, of course.

Joan Crawford and Bette Davis giving the performances of their lives

[the-roofdog.livejournal.com]

Oh come come now, it's a piece of mildly disturbing schlock, it's hardly Mildred Pierce or... anything else that Bette Davis was ever in, is it?

Re: Joan Crawford and Bette Davis giving the performances of their lives

[the-roofdog.livejournal.com]

Is schlock even a word? I'm beginning to doubt myself. It's not, is it. Certainly not a noun. I mean like kitsch, but rubbish kitsch.

Re: Joan Crawford and Bette Davis giving the performances of their lives

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

It is definitely a word, meaning...melodramatic trash, I guess. WEHTBJ? is schlocky, maybe, but not schlock.
And Mildred Pierce is...I don't know, it's good, but it's still just a very good entry in the genre Women's Pictures, whereas this one stands alone. And while I like Bette Davis usually, I like her in a backgroundy sort of way - films I watch with pleasure and then forget. Except All About Eve, but like I said above I find that similar to this, but less so.

[rentaghost31.livejournal.com]

oh I love "whatever happened". Such a marvellous film.

and re Odone: SHE WAS THE EDITOR OF THE CATHOLIC HERALD! Were you seriously expecting a sensible liberal outlook?

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I didn't know who she was! She was just on the TV being crazy when I stopped the DVD, and I recalled only that I recognised the name from *somewhere*...

[rentaghost31.livejournal.com]

she used to be on newslight review all the time, in the glory days of the Paulin - Odone - Greer triumvirate. Perfect television for throwing heavy objects at the screen

[rentaghost31.livejournal.com]

sp. newsnight.

although news'light' would be good. I think i want to hear more of paxman's views on underpants. and what kirsty wark thinks of britney spears, that kind of thing.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I thought it most unfair the way some papers seized on the Paxman pants comments as though he'd been on his public soapbox about it when in fact it was a private letter which some unprofessional sod at M&S leaked.

[miss-newham.livejournal.com]

Yes! I couldn't get through Whatever happened to Baby Jane? because it made me feel so uncomfortable! I watched one instalment and couldn't bring myself to watch the second...

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

So long as it wasn't just me being uncharacteristically squeamish.