In LA The Jacaranda Trees Usually Bloom In June…….
but for the last several years their purple blossoms have carpeted the Golden Town in May. Is this global warming?
Update: May 3, 2016. NOW, nine years later, the Jacarandas are blooming in April!
but for the last several years their purple blossoms have carpeted the Golden Town in May. Is this global warming?
Update: May 3, 2016. NOW, nine years later, the Jacarandas are blooming in April!
I’m talking about Gillo Pontecorvo‘s, THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS. We came home from dinner & it was on Turner Classic Movies. Seeing it now–in light of our country’s “war on terror”–is astounding. Made in1965 by an Italian director, it covers the years 1954 to 1962 when the FLN, a group of Algerian nationals, began an armed struggle to oust the French from their country.The winner of many awards, the fact-based black & white pseudo-documentary is a masterpiece. UNFORTUNATELY, its resemblance to today’s Iraqi bloodbath is uncanny. In scene after scene Algerian men, women and children take part in assassinations & bombings to win independence for their homeland. The only thing missing is suicide bombers.This film was nearly FORTY YEARS OLD, dealing w/ events that took place NEARLY HALF A CENTURY BEFORE, when it was screened around D.C. prior to the Iraq invasion!!! Obviously the Washington big-shots thought their attempt at “nation-building” would work out better than it had for the French, who had a troop build-up in Algeria of a half million. LESSONS NEVER LEARNED. Also, lest we forget, Vietnam was another French colony until they bailed & we moved in!!!
The Democrats signed the Iraq War funding bill that Bush wanted. What’s going on? Can they ignore why they were elected? Bill Maher had on obstetrician/congressman Ron Paul, who is running for President as a peaceful, intelligent, forward-thinking Republican. He talked about many things–including the “blowback” our gov’t has experienced in the Middle East. We installed the Shah of Iran & ousted Mossadeq, a prominent leader who had nationalized the Iranian oil fields, in a CIA coup; supported Bin Laden & the Mujahideen in Afghanistan when they were fighting the Soviets & there was the alliance w/ Saddam in the 80s when he was at war w/ our arch enemy, Iran. All these carefully orchestrated moves eventually turned sour–hence, blowback. Of course they’re trying to throw Ron Paul out of the Republican debates. He’s not singing the party anthem……..
1. I love all the characters on The Sopranos. David Chase has created some of the most memorable in cinematic history. But I’ve got to give it to my new favorite: troubled pre-teen Goth kid, little Vito. You just have to love him. Kudos to director Timothy Van Patten on another great job. In his debut episode we saw chubby little V, w/ perfect attitude & makeup, manage sitdowns w/ 2 mob bosses – while never giving an inch. When taunted in the school locker room little Vito really stirred the sh*t – by actually defecating!!! P-HEW!
2. In a dark, but ultra exclusive recess of sunny LA is the store that revolutionized luxury retailing: Maxfield. The innovative concepts of the singular outpost on Melrose Ave. have been copied by exclusive stores across the globe for more than than a generation. The owner, Tommy Perse, always had IT. W/ an incredible eye & an attitude of complete disdain for the customer, he is Little Vito all grown up & calling the shots. I hadn’t been to Maxfield in a while, but it is still breaking ground.. now in a very personal, all-Tommy way. A friend was in from NY & wanted to shop. At Maxfield, Tommy’s decadent curio collections currently have equal space w/ the clothes. I’d bet most are eBay purchases marked up into the stratosphere & carefully chosen consignments from tony Melrose Place antique shops. The private fetishes of Tommy Perse are on display & for sale: shrunken heads; vintage porn; strutting stuffed chickens wearing the most finely wrought skull jewelry imaginable, & the ultimate in hard-ons—giant rock crystal dildos. All are mixed w/ clothing from Balenciaga, Prada, Hermès etc. I’m positive he did paid major $$$$ for his highly provocative showpieces– those primo examples of exotic cat taxidermy. The 2 huge stuffed leopards that prowl the front counters could scare lesser mortals than Roy Horn & make PETA scream. I imagine the shock value of the snarling embalmed predators is priceless to the proprietor. Deyrolle in Paris is the place that has been quaintly doing the “Ye Olde Curiosity Shop” thing since 1831—but it took Tommy Perse to bring it here – & pervert it. Anyway, my friend made a hefty purchase, and on the way out we ran into Perse—now an aging boomer sporting super long white rock & roll hair & clothes. How did he greet us? True to form—w/ trademark disdain. I was always struck by his taste & nerve, although I recognize everything he’s touting now is about one thing – death.
The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough daily clicks to meet their quota for free food donations. It takes seconds to go to their site or HOT LINKS here & click on “FUND FOOD FOR ANIMALS.” It’s free. Corp. sponsors monitor the # of daily visits & donate food in exchange for advertising. Pls tell friends about this!
“Women sometimes ask me how I can live with such a monster… It’s easy. Watch.” – JUNE NEWTON
We went to the new CAA on Avenue of the Stars in Century City to see a screening of June Newton’s documentary, HELMUT BY JUNE. The CAA building is huge & very cold–all hard surfaces & sharp-edged. Give me the classic old MCA building (designed by Paul Williams) on Crescent Dr. & little Santa Monica in Beverly Hills any day.
The screening was hosted by director Brett Ratner. He produced the documentary & seems interesting because he has a sense of Hollywood history. Ratner grew up in Miami around Al Malnik, the mysterious lawyer/businessman who, allegedly, had deep ties to Meyer Lansky & now the Saudi royals!!!! The quick loan business, Title Loans of America, is part of the portfolio of this 73-year-old Miami humanitarian. In LA, Brett is close to Robert Evans, the controversial former studio head. Through Bob Evans he met the Newtons. People like Michael Chow, whom I consider a genius architect/designer, the lovely Lisa Love, Courtney Love (NO RELATION), Jacqui Getty etc., were there–but not June.
The film features June’s videos of Helmut–around the house, etc. & on many of the iconic nude shoots. I found it fascinating. A superb portrait of a monumental artist as seen by his wife of 56 yrs!!! You see what he thought & how he did it. June always takes her film back to the source–Helmut Newton‘s still images.
Honest, raw, provocative, loving. It’s from HBO & will premiere April 30 on Cinemax.