Free stuff: Win Criterion Jean Vigo set and CIFF T-shirt

October 4, 2011 by

Tomorrow is the 77th anniversary of French filmmaker Jean Vigo’s death, at age 29. As part of the poetic realist movement of the 1930s, Vigo influenced both film noir and the French New Wave. The winner of October’s reader giveaway will receive a copy of Criterion’s new DVD release of The Complete Jean Vigo.

(The winner of the September reader giveaway is Ashley B., congrats to her and thanks to all who entered!)

This set includes all of Vigo’s titles, described by Criterion as follows: “À propos de Nice,” an absurdist, rhythmic slice of life from the bustling coastal city; “Taris,” an inventive short portrait of a swimming champion; “Zéro de conduite,” a radical, delightful tale of boarding-school rebellion that has influenced countless filmmakers; and “L’Atalante,” widely regarded as one of cinema’s finest achievements, about newlyweds beginning their life together on a canal barge. These are the witty, visually adventurous works of a pivotal film artist.

You can see a clip and learn about the special features here.

The winner will also receive a T-shirt from the Chicago International Film Fest, which runs Oct. 6-20.

To enter the October giveaway, just leave a comment on any FNB post from Oct. 1-31. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month and announced in early November. Include your email address in your comment so that I can notify you if you win. Your email will not be shared. Good luck!

Filed Under: Noir Stuff, Noir Style

fffashion L.A. shows work of eco-conscious designers

September 29, 2011 by

About 300 guests attended last Thursday’s fffashion L.A., a fur-free fashion show, at Wonderland nightclub in Hollywood. Organizers call it a showcase of “cutting-edge fashions that are friendly to animals and the environment.”

The show is a project of Born Free USA, a nationally recognized leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. The group is the U.S. affiliate of the U.K.-based Born Free Foundation, founded by “Born Free” stars Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna.

The band 8mm performed before the show. Here a few runway highlights; you can see more photos here.

KissinCussin two-piece, Donna Salyers faux fur vest, Tea Tree Designs jewelry

 

Sherri Hill dress

 

Dalia MacPhee gown

 

Ashley Cook ensemble; Imoshion bag

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Juliette Beavan, frontwoman of the band 8mm, modeled in the show. She wears a black Sherri Hill dress.

Photos courtesy of Bliss Media

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Dig in: Dolce & Gabbana decadence is a tonic for excess

September 26, 2011 by

Chocolate by Dolce & Gabbana

Mondays are when I atone for weekend indulgences such as chocolate bobka, chocolate cake and cherry pie (well, it was a birthday party, what can I say?).

I am weaning myself off celebratory desserts with Dolce & Gabbana’s Chocolate, $20, the latest addition to the Intense Nail Lacquer collection. Rich and intense, the lacquer provides excellent coverage and a shiny finish. This shade is a deep enough brown to function as a neutral and the collection overall has a great palette, from subtle nudes to dramatic pops of color.

Also, unlike the real stuff, this form of chocolate stays put and lasts for days.

Product Source: From my own collection. I did not receive product or compensation from Dolce & Gabbana.

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The Falsies Volum’ Express offers benefits without the bother

September 16, 2011 by

The Falsies: What's wrong with a little trickery?

You can always count on Hollywood for high-drama makeup. False eyelashes were reportedly invented by legendary director D.W. Griffith, the man Charlie Chaplin called “the teacher of us all.” During the making of 1916’s “Intolerance,” Griffith wanted actress Seena Owen’s lashes long enough to graze her cheeks.

Obviously, the idea caught on. If you happen to be going to a ’60s party à la Twiggy and you have tons of time on your hands as well as unlimited patience, falsies are great. But if you want stand-out lashes for everyday, Maybelline has a product that offers benefits without the bother. The Falsies Volum’ Express mascara gets you fat in a good way as it creates plump, thick, clean lashes.

Twiggy turns 62 on Sept. 19.

According to the company, the product’s patented spoon curler brush and flexible wand separates and lifts lashes while the “Kera-fiber” formula builds volume. I’ve been using it for several weeks now and it makes my lashes look thick and well defined. I had no problems with flaking or smudging and, at $8 a tube, it’s a fantastic value.

The Falsies Volum’ Express is contact-lens safe and ophthalmologist-tested. It’s available in washable and waterproof formulas. For best results, do not dry between coats.

Product Source: I received a review sample from Maybelline. I did not receive compensation for this post.

P.S. If you want to catch up with Fashion Week, you can watch highlights from Maybelline here.

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Free stuff: Win ‘The Killing’ and try Cafecito Organico

September 6, 2011 by

The winner of the August reader giveaway has been selected. For September, I am giving away a copy of Criterion’s new DVD release of “The Killing” (1956).

Stanley Kubrick directed this racetrack-robbery noir; pulp novelist Jim Thompson wrote dialogue. The impressive cast includes Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Timothy Carey, Elisha Cook Jr., and Marie Windsor.

Criterion’s new digital restoration features a slew of great special features, namely:

*a new interview with producer James B. Harris

*excerpted interviews with Hayden from the French TV series “Cinéma cinemas”

*a new interview with author Robert Polito about Thompson

*restored high-definition digital transfer of Kubrick’s 1955 noir feature “Killer’s Kiss” and a video appreciation of “Killer’s Kiss” featuring film critic Geoffrey O’Brien

*trailers and a booklet featuring an essay by film historian Haden Guest as well as a reprinted interview with Windsor.

Additionally, I am giving away a T-shirt and 12-ounce bag of Espresso Clandestino from Los Angeles-based Cafecito Organico. Their coffee is sustainably grown and locally roasted, which results in a rich, robust flavor that’s also uncommonly smooth – there’s no trace of bitterness or harsh acidity.

Perfecting summing up how many noir denizens feel first thing in the morning, Cafecito’s motto is Café o Muerte (Coffee or Death).

To enter the September giveaway, just leave a comment on any FNB post from Sept. 1-30. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month and announced in early October. Include your email address in your comment so that I can notify you if you win. Your email will not be shared. Good luck!

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Noir in a tube: Gloss in Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Genre, Chase

September 5, 2011 by

Chinatown in Crime is a hot pink.

On the 1974 movie “Chinatown,” by director Roman Polanski, Faye Dunaway reportedly touched up her makeup between every take. Bee-stung lips are a bit high-maintenance. Too bad she didn’t have a Chinatown Glossy Pencil from Lipstick Queen, $20.

The easy-to-use pencils combine vibrant, subtle color and super-sheer texture. The moisturizing gloss feels light on your lips with zero stickiness. And it comes with a sharpener.

The Chinatown line was inspired by Polanski’s movie as well as the fact that the company’s New York office is near the Canal Street subway. Colors include: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Genre and Chase.

Poppy King

“I wanted lipsticks that gave me the look of the 1940s,” says founder Poppy King, a Melbourne native who started her first lipstick brand in 1992. She was 18 at the time, having finished high school with “lackluster grades and 101 ways to get out of phys ed.”

My kind of girl.

To buy the product, look under Stores and find one near you – if you order directly from the Lipstick Queen site, you may get frustrated as it seems many items are out of stock.

Product Source: From my own collection; I did not receive product or compensation from Lipstick Queen.

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Putting on the spritz: Givenchy, Ford, Kurkdjian, Saab

August 31, 2011 by

Mariacarla Boscono is the face of Dahlia Noir.

This fall, there’s much to covet at perfume counters.

My No. 1 choice: Givenchy’s Dahlia Noir. The first fragrance developed under creative director Riccardo Tisci, this floral chypre scent, in a decidedly unfussy bottle, is based on rose, iris and mimosa with woody facets such as sandalwood, patchouli and tonka bean. The 1.7 ounce eau de parfum is $90.

Says Givenchy: “Dahlia Noir embodies a mysterious and atypical woman.”

Full-on floral: Tom Ford’s Violet Blonde is “a new scent for a new era of feminine glamour” as represented by model Lara Stone. Compositional elements include violet, of course, along with pink pepper, mandarin, iris, jasmine, musk, cedar and vetiver. VB is $100 for 1.7 ounces of eau de parfum; available exclusively at Saks. Through Sept. 18 or while supplies last, online customers will receive a Violet Blonde eau de parfum mini with any Tom Ford purchase.

Sexy strength: The new fragrance from Francis Kurkdjian, Aqua Universalis forte, combines bergamot, Sicilian citron, white flowers, Egyptian jasmin, Moroccan roses and light wood notes. It’s citrusy and fresh, regal and sophisticated. $155 for 2.4 ounces of eau de toilette.

Elegance inside and out: Kurkdjian was also the creative force behind Elie Saab’s first fragrance, which has notes of orange blossom, jasmine, patchouli, rose and cedar. I love the bottle, designed by Sylvie de France; $90 for 1.6 ounces of eau de parfum. The ad campaign features Anja Rubik.

I did not receive product or compensation for this post.

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My quest for the perfect eyeliner: Part Six

August 19, 2011 by

Dior Style Liner is long lasting.

“Take a cue from the femmes fatales of the red carpet and play the card of pure seduction,” says the ad copy for Dior’s Style Liner Intense Liquid Eyeliner, $33.

OK, I’ll bite. It’s hard-core research for my job, no? Happily I was not disappointed. The product is easy to apply, dries quickly and leaves you with a supple line that lasts for several hours.

As promised, Style Liner is an intense black so use sparingly for daytime – just a bit of liner will likely be enough. (When you pull the brush from the tube, the brush is fully loaded and you probably won’t need all that.) I’m a bit puzzled as to why it doesn’t come in at least one other color. From time to time, I like to spice up my playing cards with a rich cobalt or forest green.

Product Source: From my own collection. I did not receive product or compensation from Dior.

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Lancôme’s Bi-Facil is quick, clean and efficient

August 10, 2011 by

Bi-Facil tackles stubborn makeup.

One of my vanity-table staples is Lancôme’s Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover, $26 for 4.2 ounces. I’ve used it for more than 10 years and have not found anything that outperforms.  Bi-Facil dissolves eye makeup (even waterproof) in a flash and, while moisturizing, doesn’t leave a heavy or oily residue.

It doesn’t seem like that would be a particularly tall order, but I have tried other brands (drugstore and department store) thinking I could save a few dollars. Not so much. Other products were ineffective at thorough removal and I found myself tugging at the underye skin in order to complete the job.

Lancôme’s site refers to a bi-phase formula. The lipid phase lifts off eye makeup, while the water phase contains emollients to refresh and condition skin. Lancôme also notes that Bi-Facil is ophthalmologist-tested for safety, making it ideal for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers.

Another plus: A little goes a long way, so a bottle will last several months.

Product Source: From my own collection; I did not receive product or compensation from Lancôme. Photo from Lancôme.

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Free stuff: Win ‘The Big Lebowski’ Blu-ray limited edition

August 6, 2011 by

The winner of the July reader giveaway has been selected. For August, I am giving away a copy of Universal’s new Blu-ray release of “The Big Lebowski,” the much-loved 1998 neo noir by Joel and Ethan Coen, and starring Jeff Bridges as the Dude. I’ll run a review on Aug. 16, the official release date. For info on upcoming fan events, visit Lebowski Fest.

To enter the August giveaway, just leave a comment on any FNB post from Aug. 1-31. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month and announced in early September. Include your email address in your comment so that I can notify you if you win. Your email will not be shared. Good luck!

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