Jun 18, 2011

Louise, the Flapper or Lulu in Hollywood






"All my life it has been fun for me"

Mary Louise Brooks
November 14, 1906  Kansas U.S. - August 8, 1985  New York, U.S.
the silent movie star ... the flapper, the bobbed haircut ... 
worked with WC Fields 3 times
fall in love 100 times ...

married 3
24 movies
and was happy


Independent spirit, remarkable beauty, and a  trademark hair style ...  


At the age of 4, she was on stage. 
At 15 years old, decided to go alone, to NY, and joined the  Denishaw Dance Company, the main american modern dance company. 
In 1925 joined the legendary Ziegfeld Follies Group, where she's the main attraction.
Makes her first movie "The Street of Forgotten Men" in 1925.
Signed with Paramount Pictures a 5 years contract, and in 1927, goes to live in Hollywood.
In 1928, they denied her a higher cachet, and Louise, leaves Paramount, and goes to Germany, to film Pandora's Box, Directed by G.W.Pabst.
The best she could do, in fact.


Pandora's Box - 1929

 In 1933, she married a Chicago millionaire, Deering Davis ...
... 1933 Chicago (I was there too)

Latter, when movies started to have sound, and still sad with Paramount, Louise,  refuses a 
US$10.000 offer to double her own voice in the "Canary Murder Case", produced without sound and unreleased. Producers, were furious, and they start spreading the rumor, that she had a horrible voice.

That lie, had a huge effect on her career, and left her without work in the cinema.
She was a wonderful model too.
Latter, she works on CBS radio, and show the world, her voice. 
In the following years, forgotten by the cinema and the public, she had to work at the Sack's Fifth Avenue, as a seller.


... how much more sophisticated we can get here?
Brooks,  enjoyed the speculation about her sexuality, cultivating friendships with lesbian and bisexual women. 



... and a one-night affair with Greta Garbo, that she described "as masculine but a charming and tender lover"




She considered herself neither lesbian nor bisexual, she just played with people's imagination.


"When I am dead, I believe that film writers will fasten on the story that I am a lesbian... I have done lots to make it believable [...]" 


a flapper and a teaser ... and an Actress, that I love.
a woman ahead her time ... 


Here's my tribute to Louise "Lulu" Brooks, that I met,  somewhere, in the 30's.

I love you, Louise ...








p.s.
I'm sure, she will love to have an Henry Mancini soundtrack 


Lujon



...

Mar 10, 2011

Rome and feathers ....







Well, in ancient Rome, Carnival, lasted for 7 days; between 17th and 23th December.
December?.... 
Yes, cause it was warmer, I guess ...  
How can you get wild, with a -10º?...
And I think, there's a strange connection, between getting lost, and undress.


Pagan Party.... and the traveling machine, that I catch, once in a while ... 
(a friend from NASA, gives me a ride).


...a wild Roman party, as some of us, can imagine ... others not.
...all moral restrictions were relaxed ...
...alienation .. 


Humans, need alienation, since the beginning of times; it's important, as the soul stuff.
...set free the devils in you, get them out; they're not supposed to stay there, inside ... 
or maybe ... 
"...if I let my demons out, well, my angels may leave too...and when they leave, they're so hard to find."
Tom Waits 


In Rome, people changed Carnival gifts; perhaps rare fruits, silk tissues ... maybe scarlet was fashionable, those days...
And then, they'll just cover, with a smooth and lascivious silk, a small part of their body's ...  
Beauty ...
...also jewls and perfums ... vanilla, spicy stuff, and more ...
drinking deep red wine, from big golden cups ... loud laughing
...and beautiful, tall, black waiters, offering the guests, little sliver plates, with some drugs, home made ...alienation ... 
...they all danced and laughed, even more, making their long wigs, made of silver string, fly ....


Yes, they had all that, and even more ... they had SPA's, philosophers, saunas,  Gods, and they were vicious.


And all slaves were free, during those 7 days; all kinds of business were suspended, cause nobody was in the mood, anyway.
They were busy, choosing a new King, that would rule, only for 7 days mad days; and he'll be, in command of Carnival.
The Saturnalicius Princeps.


Romans remove the wool yarn, from the Saturno's statue, like a invitation from the city of Rome, for him to  participate in their madness .... The Roman God Saturn.






Much latter, at the Renascence ...  the luxury.
Rich Ball's, where Lady's used feathers and weird hats, and gentleman, with wigs and powdered faces.
... and the masks ... mystery and madness ... behind Carnival, itself.


With the "evolution", the Carnival, became less interesting and poor, or either,  pathetic.
Rio de Janeiro, is the City, and Brazil, is the place. 
Some Roman souls, always make reservations, at the Copacabana Palace, I've heard 
...


Hot, wild, lost of track, lost in space, complete freedom of ... whatever ...


So, let us be Romans, once in a while, but don't take it too serious, or you may get lost, forever, and the fun will be over.






And why the music should fit with the text?
It doesn't.


So, I breathe with Jamie Cullum; you know him, the wise old man ...




... can you hear him breathe?

Feb 13, 2011

Wind and Cigars


I bought some wind ... 
the cigar, just showed up ... 

too hot to wear a Hat
too hot to bother
too darn Hot ... 
and I don't give a damn

But a flood light will do ... 

Art is my situation
and sharing the things we know and love
a lot to give

I love cigars ... 
Groucho cigar
Allen's mood
comedy ...
and then again,  getting smooth

Cinema, a face for ... they say ...

whatever...

But, anyway,  I bought some wind!


Maria Lisboa



Invitation by Patricia Barber

Jan 17, 2011

I'll be home, late tonight ...





photo by Laura


crossing the equator, and staying here ...  on the other side ... 
changes souls,  or just let them come out, the real you, the inner thing .... 


a different LOOK ... a state of mind .... a way of living ...  with more meaning ...


small stuff, huge stuff .... 
sweet and rough ...




yet ...  nothing flows, if one of my fancy shoes, is still on the other side .... 


so, now, I'll walk barefoot in the beach, feeling the warm water on my feet ... 


e... depois, vou a Ipanema, comprar uns sapatinhos novos, cheios de vida!


velvet mood, the real one ... RED ... no cheap and sad imitations ... 


no average Joe ... 




Bye Bye Limbo ... 


Bye Bye Blackbird ... 




and Patricia Barber, composer, piano player and singer ... in a wonderful low register.

Dec 12, 2010

A Maldição do Samba




photo by Maria Lisboa



está tudo junto, ligado e misturado ...
na terra do fogo e da árvore vermelha
os 40º do Rio ... em brasa ... de Brasil zil 
os verdes e o meu PB
contrastes chocantes e fascinantes, cores alucinantes


guerra e paz ... Gaza e Ipanema
mundos paralelos
helicópteros e rodas de samba
somos elegantes aqui, outros morrem, mesmo ali ... 
intenso mel 
serenos olhares e tempestades tropicais


saindo de um limbo ... de barquinho.
ficando aqui... assim ...na terra de D. Pedro ...  e  tanto carinho...




Marcelo D2  


Segura!

... ninguém faz samba porque prefere ...
sobre o poder da criação nenhuma força do mundo interfere ...
passo a passo tomando conta de mim ...
e sabe o quê que é isso?
a Maldição do Samba

... subiu no morro e bebeu cachaça 
fumou maconha e obteve a graça
depois do samba, a sua vida nunca mais foi a mesma ...

essa daqui ó 
é a tal da maldição

a maldição de fé está no Rio de Janeiro ... 

vai! ... "


Oct 2, 2010

UTC-4:00


Maria Lisboa by Eduardo Rosas




... neste canto do mundo ...


... de onde é que ele virá ...


... do meu sonho profundo ...  ou do fundo do mar ... 


... neste canto do mundo ...
... de onde virá o amor ...


...........................


time zones ... mellow voices ... 




long distance calls ... 



povo mestiço ... terra de fogo ... um ar real de selva, dor e amor ... 




Lázaro Ramos sings in  Ó Pai Ó 


Sep 25, 2010

Estate ...


Maria Lisboa by Eduardo Rosas






Estate 


sei calda come i baci che ho perduto
sei piena di un amore che è passato
che il cuore mio vorrebbe cancellare


Estate


il sole che ogni giorno ci scaldava
Che splendi tramonti di pingeva
Adesso brucia solo con furore
Tornerà un altro inverno
Cadranno mille petali di rose
La neve coprirà tutte le cose
E forse un po' di pace tornerà


Estate 


che hai dato il suo profumo ad ogni fiore
L'estate che ha creato il nostro amore
per fare me poi morire di dolore ....










Estate

João Gilberto/Bruno Martino

Sep 20, 2010

Tenderly ...




Maria Lisboa by Eduardo Rosas







Sep 14, 2010

Close up ...


photo by Laura



some ice and some warm  ...
B&W
my thing ...

missing the director...
the actor...
the photographer...

some melting ice here....
some mellow stuff...


" ... Of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower; 
We will grieve not, rather find 
Strength in what remains behind .... "



by William Wordsworth. 1770–1850




Sep 9, 2010

Laura's Cinema II - The Errand Boy by Jerry Lewis



... my kind of thing ... 


Lewis, Jerry

1st class humor ...
genious ...
physical comedy ...
great music knowledge ...
culture ...
highly criative ...
perfect timing (vital for comedy)
talented ....
and a lot of work ...


... so much to learn ... I have it all over me .... since a long time ... 



a masterpiece ...



p.s. I guess Jim Carrey was into that a lot.

Sep 3, 2010

Trump



photo by Laura

Aug 30, 2010

HOPE ... Bob


Bob Hope


and the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award 


for those who care...
for those who can do,  and do it...
for those who go out in dirty places and watch human beings in limit situations...


Hope for Haiti ...
Hope for Darfur ....
Hope .... 


imagine the world, if everybody who can do something, would actually do it?...




George Clooney






forget the coffee machine .... 



Maria Lisboa





Aug 29, 2010

Rio de Janeiro - 1972










steppin' out 

steppin' in

in my 1972's house floor

my retro waves

my vintage states

my red blues 

a tropical island
in
Rio de Janeiro

long legs took me here

empty arms 

no dust

no sorrow

dancing floor

lay down

a Woman

 and 3 time zones

my hummmm....

shoes

following the stones

technicolor me

cinema and soundtracks

smooth nights

signs of life

signs of beauty

follow ....


"you'll never walk alone!!"

George C.








photos by Laura


sounds....


Tom Jobim 

Jul 14, 2010

Carlota Joaquina de Bourbon e Bragança, Princesa do Brasil

Mad, crazy woman ...
A Louca de Queluz ....


Infanta de Espanha .... Princesa do Brasil ... Rainha de Portugal ... 
personalidade forte .... ambiciosa ... conspiradora ... 


O Brasil, para onde não queria ir, por nada! Jamais!
E no Brasil, se revelaram outras facetas da sua personalidade.


"uma alma ardente, ambiciosa, inquieta, sulcada de paixões, sem escrúpulos, com os impulsos do sexo alvoroçados "
 Octávio Tarquínio de Sousa in História dos Fundadores do Império do Brasil.


Aranjuez-25/04/1775 - Palácio de Queluz-7/01/1830)






color...


red princess .... seduction .... power and domination ... Red 
sabia do poder das cores ....


E Carlota Joaquina era também uma notória ninfomaníaca ...




and shoes .... the fetiche ... milhares .... 



photos by Laura 


p.s.
fortemente influenciada pelo meu Director favorito, e querido amigo, Wolf Maya  ,aqui dirigindo a maravilhosa Betty Lago , como Carlota Joaquina, em "O Quinto dos Infernos".