Black & White and Chic All Over
Coco Chanel’s design aesthetic was partly influenced by the time she spent in the Aubazine convent in central France.
Sure, this chic mini-film is a commercial for the mighty brand, but it’s fascinating to consider Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (Aug. 19, 1883 – Jan. 10, 1971) and her rise from poverty to power.
Meanwhile, showing tonight on TCM: “Double Indemnity” (at 7 p.m. EST), “Gun Crazy” and “The Big Sleep.”
“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”
“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”
“You live but once; you might as well be amusing.”
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”
“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.”
“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.”
“I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little – if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.”
“You can be gorgeous at thirty, charming at forty, and irresistible for the rest of your life.”
“How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone.”
“Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity.”
“I wanted to give a woman comfortable clothes that would flow with her body. A woman is closest to being naked when she is well dressed.”
— Coco Chanel: Aug. 19, 1883 – Jan. 10, 1971. Image: My Vintage Vogue
The City of Lights City of Angels (COL•COA) film fest at the Directors Guild in Los Angeles ends Monday night. On the slate are free screenings as well as announcements about awards and contest winners.
In the mood for a trip to Paris? In addition to the City of Light’s usual coolness, I found out about these two shows. Also, as always, there are noteworthy noirista events in New York and Los Angeles.
“The Enchanted World of Jacques Demy,” at Cinémathèque française, presents film clips alongside costumes, photographs, paintings, drawings and sculptures created by artists who were influenced by the New Wave director. Closes Aug. 4.
A 200-foot long garden, created by landscape designer Piet Oudolf, marks the entrance to “No. 5 Culture Chanel,” an exhibition opening May 5 at the Palais de Tokyo. Coco Chanel launched No. 5, now a world-famous fragrance, in 1921. This show surveys art, photographs, films and music from that era, and highlights her plummy social network. (High-profile chums included Picasso and Jean Cocteau). Curated by Jean-Louis Froment. Closes June 5.
The Plaza Hotel in New York is hosting “The Great Gatsby Getaway” contest. One winner and a guest will win film-premiere tickets, a night at The Plaza, plus an f&b credit. The movie hits theaters May 10. Broadway nitty gritty: Alec Baldwin plays a gangster on the lam in “Orphans,” a revival of Lyle Kessler’s 1985 play at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. Closes June 30.
“Blade Runner” is one of many great movies showing as part of AFI’s event.
The American Film Institute (AFI) Night at the Movies, a one-night-only event, takes place Wednesday, April 24, at the ArcLight Hollywood, 6360 W. Sunset Blvd. This is a chance to see classic movies with the filmmakers and stars who made them. It’s a great lineup, boasting some top-notch noirs. You can also see the schedule for Classics in the Dome, eight films that will show early next month.
The much-anticipated Turner Classic Movies Film Festival starts Thursday, April 25, and runs through Sunday, April 28. This year’s theme is cinematic journeys. We at FNB will be out at this fest in full force, natch.
The Los Angeles Visionaries Association (LAVA) will host a Dashiell Hammett evening on Saturday, April 27, at the Los Angeles Athletic Club (downtown). Hammett is remembered for for his contributions to hard-boiled crime fiction and his stand against McCarthyism. Join Hammett scholar and granddaughter Julie M. Rivett as she explores her grandfather’s controversial political life, his relationship with Lillian Hellman, and the decades of consequent troubles that have tangled Hammett’s estate. Ticket includes dinner and parking; cash bar.
From FNB readers