Thursday, December 17, 2009

More from the Sharon Tate Art Gallery ;) & News on Polanski Plus a Nicely Written Tribute to Sharon

Sharon Tate Art Gallery Part 3:


Speaking of Sharon art this week I found a few more art images on Deviant Art and google's search engine that remind me of Sharon, some remind me of her makeup, hair, ect.:











And I can't post any Sharon related art without including the great Kerstien Matondang:

We love you Kerstien!  Thanks for all your hard and beautiful work!

The latest news on Polanski here:


And a great tribute to our Sharon on this blog:


Wednesday, December 16, 2009

New Book Coming Out About "Valley of the Dolls" Designer Travilla that will include Sharon Tate

Kimberely Ashley is in the process of writing a book about Travilla and it will include Sharon and designing clothes for her for "Valley of the Dolls."  The biography is called "The Gentleman Preferred Dressing the Blonde, the glamorous life of Bill Travilla."

Ashley was very kind to send me a little infomation on the book and two photos, one of Travilla and one of him with Sharon:



This is the information Ashley shared about the book:

"Sharon was one of Bill Travilla's favorite people to work with. He was deeply affected by her death shortly after Valley of the Dolls.  It is premature to reveal any book excerpts yet at this early stage. I am, however, at liberty to share these two images below with you for use on your blog, and would appreciate any mention of our upcoming book and title. Within the book is a chapter that includes stories about filming of The Valley of the Dolls.  The release date will be in early 2011 about a year from now. I appreciate your thoughtfulness in posting an announcement of my book on your blog. I have such continous intense interest in it from people."

She said she will keep us posted on an exact release date.  I am sure all of Travilla's and Sharon's fans will be looking forward to this. 

I also found this information online at this link:

http://www.lons.com/specoff.html

Where:



Lon's at the Hermosa (map): http://eventful.com/paradisevalley/events/lons-features-/E0-001-026062351-6

5532 North Palo Cristi Road (Hermosa Inn)
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
Special Guests: Kimberley Ashley & Robert Black

Friday, January 22, 2010 at 6:30 PM

Hollywood's golden era of fashion is coming to Lon's with "Designing Marilyn: Hollywood's Travilla Glamour." High fashion designers Kimberley Ashley and Robert Black will present the iconic designs of Bill Travilla, best known for creating Marilyn Monroe's illustrious film costumes including the most famous dress in the world - the white halter dress for "The Seven Year Itch" and for television epics including, "Dallas," and "Dynasty."

Kimberley Ashley and Robert Black

Kimberley Ashley, a respected haute couture designer with her own signature line, has outfitted both socialites and celebrities and is a member of the elite Fashion Group International. Author of the Travilla biography, "The Gentleman Preferred Dressing the Blonde: The Glamorous Life of Hollywood's Travilla" and co-author of the upcoming book, "The Legendary Style of Bill Travilla," Ashley has become the single authority on Travilla's life, She also is the founding director of The Ashley Travilla Fashion Foundation.

Robert Black, synonymous with fashion and the most beautiful faces in Phoenix, created the Southwest's top model and talent agency, the FORD/Robert Black Agency. As the acquisitions director for The Ashley Travilla Fashion Foundation, he partnered with Ashley to co-author "The Legendary Style of Bill Travilla." As a long-time collector of vintage fashion, Black recently opened the new upscale vintage boutique, Fashion by Robert Black, in Scottsdale. He also is a member of Fashion Group International.

Bringing to life the golden era of beauty and glamour, a presentation will follow dinner on the design and art of fashion, with a fascinating journey of the Bill Travilla collection. Models from the FORD/Robert Black Agency will provide a private fashion show of Travilla costumes -- some unveiled for the first time -- from The Ashley Travilla Fashion Foundation collection.

The dinner is in partnership with the Ashley Travilla Fashion Foundation.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

More Great Sharon Tate Christmas Art!!!

Here is more wonderful Christmas art from the great Kerstien Matondang.  Thanks Kerstien!  Just click on the photos for a bigger display:








Also, she has some new art on her website for Sharon.  Check it out here:

http://www.kerstien.se/sharoninart.htm

Enjoy!  I hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Ellen Graham and Sharon Tate

Thanks to Melly for sharing this article on photographer Ellen Graham and Sharon Tate:

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/node/4159

Ellen Graham’s eye on the world: Sharon Tate

I first knew Ellen and her husband Ian Graham in Los Angeles where they have a wonderful house in Beverly Hills and often entertain with cocktail parties. Ellen’s fabulous photographs are kept mainly in one large room, a gallery/library. There are so many famous faces in fascinating places that you can’t resist being distracted by them. Many times you’d see the same faces out on the Grahams’ terrace or around the pool during cocktails. In 2004 she published some of them in her “The Bad and the Beautiful” (Harry Abrams) with Christopher Walken on the cover.

Sharon Tate

The photograph (above) was taken in May of 1969. It was a beautiful spring day in Beverly Hills around four o’clock in the afternoon when the light is right, on the lawn of the house on Cielo Drive that she shared with the director Roman Polanski.

She was one of the most beautiful women I ever photographed – one of three at the time – Julie Christie (see NYSD 2.9.08) and Candy Bergen being the other two. Those are faces of perfection, with all the beauty of the old movie stars like Swanson and Garbo – the bone structure, the eyes, the skin.

She was very sweet, very much of a lady, very cooperative and very much appreciative. She trusted me completely but I didn’t have to tell her anything. She knew what to do (and she didn’t have to do anything because she was so beautiful; nobody could look better).

Ellen Graham

She was pregnant expecting her first child. She trusted me completely. I was overwhelmed with her beauty and her kindness. There were no press agents, no handlers, no stylists, no makeup people, unlike today when those people are always around. Without them, you have an intimacy with your subject –there’s no one to get in the way (these people don’t know anything; anyway).

Sharon Tate didn’t need that; she loved the camera and the camera loved her. The session lasted about an hour – I try not to go beyond that because people get tired. She changed her clothes a couple of times. It was a very easy session and she was pleased enough with it that she told me she wanted me to photograph her baby.

Three months later that hideous tragedy which occurred in that very house ended all that might have been for this beautiful woman and her child. When I saw Roman several years later in Paris, I said, “I have some beautiful pictures of Sharon.” He said, “I don’t want to be reminded.”

I understood. But looking back, I now think we should all be reminded.

— Ellen Graham

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Photo Comparison of the Week, Marilyn Monroe and Sharon Tate and more

I found a great photo of Sharon were her hair and make up where done up like Marilyn Monroe:




Speaking of these two beautiful ladies, I found many comparisons that they have in common:


Both were great beauties inside and out.  It makes me think of Mia Farrow's quote about Sharon: "She was like a princess in a fairy tale; as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside."


Until people got to know them better, some thought both Marilyn and Sharon were naive and not very bright.  Both were more intelligent than what was actually known.


Both began as models and moved on to acting.  Likewise, both were also groomed for stardom by the old Hollywood system.


Both had known the Kennedy's: Marilyn knew John and Bobby while Sharon and Roman dined with Bobby Kennedy the night before he was assassinated.


Both adored animals small and great.


Both were also featured nude in Playboy magazine.


Both were well known as hollywood blonde bombshells and sex symbols.  Both of them wanted to go on to more serious work and to be looked at as "serious actresses."


Both were in films written by their husbands; Marilyn in "The Misfits" by Arthur Miller and Sharon "The Fearless Vampire Killers" by Roman Polanski.


Both died tragically in the month of August, both were discovered by their maids and both died in their own homes. 


Both were Studio Club girls, Marilyn stayed there first then Sharon was there 15 years later.


Both wanted children badly but, for different reasons, were not granted that opportunity.  They both had a nuturing nature towards animals and children alike.


Both were in films from 20th Century Fox Studios and Columbia Pictures.

Both had the great William Travilla design clothes for their films.


Both died at an age ending in 6, Marilyn was 36, Sharon was 26.  Both are said to be taken 'before their time.'


Both smoked but quit for different reasons.  Marilyn because it made her teeth yellow and Sharon because Roman didn't like it and shortly after they were married, she became pregnant.


Both had connections to Jean Harlow; Marilyn idolized her as a child and teen and Jay Sebring (Sharon's ex but still great friend) ended up owning the house that Jean had had when she was married to Paul Bern.  Furthermore, when Marilyn married Joe DiMaggio, the couple moved into a home at 508 N. Palm Drive in Beverly Hills next door to Jean Harlow's last home.


Both made motion pictures in London and loved it there.

Both had two siblings: MM had a half brother and sister while Sharon had two sisters.


Both were photographed by Bert Stern in similar poses and camera angles in photo shoots.  And both were photographed by many of the same legendary photographers such as Richard Avedon and Philippe Halsman.


Both preferred the comfort of being barefoot although of course, they did wear shoes.


Both married Jewish men in the their short lifetimes.


Both had Sydney Guillaroff do their hair for a movie.


Both had lived at the Chateau Marmont at one time or another.

Both studied under Lee Strasberg and lived in New York at different times.

Both loved the fashion designer Emilio Pucci and both were buried in that designer's clothes.

Both have become legendary and are more known now than ever.

Both were living in similiarly designed homes when they died. Single story two bedroom houses with a maid's room at the other end of the house. Both houses had pools accessed from the master bedroom.  In addition, the last houses Marilyn and Sharon lived in had been moved into in February month of the year.  Also, both lived in the homes they died in less then six months.





Both died on a Saturday.  Marilyn died on Saturday night, August 4th, 1962. Although she wasn't declared dead until early Sunday morning, August 5th. Coroner's report as well as the accounts of those present place her as having died around 8 pm in the evening. From the accounts available, Sharon died after midnight, probably between 12:30 am; 1 am early Saturday, August 8th, 1969.



Both were having work done on their homes when they died. Marilyn was having her bathroom re-done and updated. Sharon was working on having the maid's room converted into a nursery.



Both had bad relationships with Elizabeth Taylor.  Taylor was never friendly with Marilyn, although now 40 some years later relates an empathy for her in print. When Marilyn was living, Taylor was belittling to her. Once at a party when Marilyn tried to befriend Taylor, Taylor turned to her date and said in a loud voice, "Keep that **** away from me, will ya?" Taylor had Sharon's scenes in "The Sandpiper" cut either over jealousy of the young starlet's beauty or jealousy of her new husband Richard Burton's wandering eye and that he might try to pick up Sharon.



According to the Internet Movie DataBase, Sharon and MM both were around 5' 5' in height.
 
Both had early bit parts in films where their scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.
 
CMG now handles both celebrity merchandise legally for Marilyn and Sharon.
 
Both are burried in California cemeteries.



Both played characters that died in their films; Marilyn Monroe in "Niagara" and Sharon in "Valley of the Dolls."

Both were well known for their great smiles.  MM for her open mouthed smile and Sharon for her often described "Mona Lisa" one.

Both were known to wear glasses.



At the time of their deaths both were big box office, MM was even in development for more roles in films like "What a Way to Go!" and "The Stripper." While Sharon was enjoying box office success with "Valley of the Dolls" and the Matt Helm film, "The Wrecking Crew." In addition, Sharon was in development for major films roles as well with "The Story of O","Tess" and an unknown western Polanski had an idea for.


Both have had songs written about them and performed by rock bands and pop singers.


Both were part of Fellini films in some way: MM was referenced in the dialogue of "La dolce vita" (1960), in the context of dieting. And Sharon and Roman were in "Ciao Frederico" visiting the well known director on the set of a 'making of' documentary.


Both have appeared on European postage stamps.


Both have been portrayed by other actress. MM has had many actresses play her while Sharon has so far had at least three actresses play her in biographical type material.


Upon their deaths, rumors were fueled that there was sloppy handling of evidence in both cases.

Both had to do many takes in the movies they appeared in. Marilyn fumbling her lines of dialogue caused many retakes while Polanski--ever the perfectionist--made Sharon do many retakes on her scenes in "The Fearless Vampire Killers."


Both had ties to director J. Lee Thompson. He was suppose to direct Monroe in "What a Way to Go!" (He was on MM's list of approved directors.) He did direct Sharon in "Eye of the Devil."


Thomas Noguchi performed both Marilyn's and Sharon's autopsies.


Both had connections to Orson Welles. In 1947, while briefly involved with Orson Welles, Marilyn joined Welles in his popular magic stage show, The Mercury Wonder Show, being sawed in half by Welles using the "Buzz Saw" illusion he had previously used on both Rita Hayworth and Marlene Dietrich. Meanwhile, one of the major reasons why Sharon wanted to make what would be her last film, "12 + 1" was the chance to work with the legendary actor/director Welles.


Another two bits of trivia: Martin Ransohoff wanted to make her the next Marilyn Monroe. Sharon even played Jennifer North a tragic blonde character not unlike Monroe herself.
 
Can anyone think of anything else?  Add a comment and let me know?  It's fun to do comparisons every now and then.

Another great and interesting review of Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" here:

http://rwufilm.blogspot.com/2009/12/rosemarys-baby_12.html

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Sharon's Films Remembered and More on Roman Polanski

Judy Garland and Sharon share same outfit for different dress promo photos for "Valley of the Dolls":





Sharon's films are remembered by other bloggers with great photos:

http://neptsdepths.blogspot.com/search/label/Sharon%20Tate

http://whysoblu.com/?p=4713

Polanski's film picked up by 'Twilight' studio:


http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=446778>1=28102


More on Polanski with some interesting links to more articles on him at the bottom of this link:

http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-movies/attorneys-ask-court-to-237758.html

Tomorrow: Photo comparison of the week.  Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Speed and Swagger: The U


From 1983 to 1991, no college football program was as dominant as the one at the University of Miami. Over nine seasons, the Hurricanes won four national titles – including two perfect seasons – and they were this close to two others. And yet what defined those Miami teams, even then, wasn’t all the winning so much as they way the Hurricanes won – with speed, intensity, relentlessness, intimidation and unrestrained swagger (read: showboating). It’s fitting then that Billy Corben’s documentary about the de facto "Team of the 80s" doesn’t just remember its subject but also resembles it. The U, the seventh entry in ESPN Films’ “30 for 30” series, is confident, unrelenting, overpowering and fast, fast, fast. How fast? The U was three quarters of the way through before I realized that it was going to wind up being twice the length of the other “30 for 30” films thus far.

Given that Corben’s documentary has more time in which to tell its story, it’s no surprise that The U is the most comprehensive film in the series. What is a surprise is that The U is so compelling despite resorting to the sports documentary equivalent of Student Body Right and Student Body Left. Corben’s film is little more than 101 minutes of archival sports highlights paired with recent talking-head interviews. There’s nothing fancy about its approach. But as so often happens on the playing field, speed wins the day. The U is as incessant as a no-huddle offense. One interview leads to the next, leads to the next, leads to the next. Boom, boom, boom. Most of the interview subjects are former Hurricanes players whose anecdotes and reminiscences flow together like song lyrics – without punctuation and as if they know the words by heart. The U isn’t notably cinematic, but it’s a triumph of film editing.

It’s also good solid journalism, authored by a reporter savvy enough to recognize the magnetism of his subjects stay the heck out of the way. When I say that one can’t detect Corben’s presence in the picture, I’m not simply referring to his lack of screen time. What I’m talking about is that not one of these interviews feels directed. In fact, they hardly feel like interviews, which require two active participants. More like confessionals. Some of the best journalism seems to write itself, and The U has a similar appeal. As eager as the Hurricanes were to detail their greatness back in the 80s, the former players and coaches captured here might be even more eager now. Each interview – and there are more than 20 subjects – is a solo, and yet The U feels like a reunion. The camaraderie of the men is felt in the way they seem to finish one another’s sentences.

You’ll find it hard not to like these guys, and that’s the biggest surprise of all. Because few, if any, college football teams have ever been as despised as the 80s-era Hurricanes. People hated them because they were dominant, because they were cocky, because they seemed to have no concept of sportsmanship, because they were always in fights, because their roster included guys with criminal records, because they were ferocious and, oh yeah, because they were mostly African-American. Not everyone hated them for all of those reasons, of course, but most sports fans outside of Miami loathed the Hurricanes for something. The Hurricanes knew this and embraced it, and it’s interesting to see just how much of their “us against the world” mentality came from the second coach of that era, Jimmy Johnson. Johnson says in The U that he identified with the Miami players, having been the first in his family to go to college, and maybe that’s true. But bank on this: Johnson identified that taunting, hard-hitting, mask-wearing black men scared the shit out of a lot of white folk. Competitively speaking, it was to the Hurricanes’ advantage to be despised.

That Johnson giggles while recalling the behavior of a team that engaged in a lot of unquestionably unsportsmanlike behavior, and that he indeed seems to have no remorse about actually encouraging such antics, will remind people why the Hurricanes were so genuinely contemptible. (And remember, Johnson wasn’t even the “players’ coach” of that era. That was his successor, Dennis Erickson.) But The U doesn’t have to work very hard to remind us how much of the anti-Miami sentiment was influenced by race. The clearest example comes from highlights of the Hurricanes’ 1985 matchup with Notre Dame. After getting out to an early lead, Miami never stopped passing, even when the reserves took the field. The final score was 58-7. Excessive? Sure. Unsportsmanlike? Maybe. Criminal? Hardly. The Hurricanes were playing mighty Notre Dame. If the score had been reversed, few would have cried for the ‘Canes. But when the largely black squad recruited from low-income neighborhoods took it to the white Catholic kids, the commentators on CBS acted like they were watching a grown man kicking a puppy down the street.

The U never pretends that some of the disdain for the Hurricanes wasn’t deserved, because it was. Where there were no rules, the ‘Canes made them necessary. Where there were rules, the ‘Canes broke them. Corben’s film confronts this. It goes into the famous fatigues incident prior to the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. It details 2 Live Crew rapper Luther Campbell giving money to players in violation of NCAA regulations. It even touches on some of the players’ criminal entanglements off the field. It does this openly and, because these stories often come from the transgressors themselves, somewhat lightheartedly. And that’s enough. These Miami teams have been condemned plenty. The U makes sure the Hurricanes get their just due. You needn’t embrace those teams to recognize that they sometimes got a raw deal. You needn’t condone their behavior to realize that maybe you kind of miss them. For better or worse, the 80s-era Hurricanes were undeniably compelling. Still are.


The U premieres tonight on ESPN at 9 pm ET, and will rerun frequently thereafter. The Cooler will be reviewing each film in the “30 for 30” series upon its release. The next "30 for 30" picture won't be released until March 14.