Watch Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.  In this 1964 flick, martian children are enraptured with Earth programs and Santa Claus, so much so they do not eat or sleep, and this causes the leader of Mars to seek the advice of the planet elder, who tells them that martian children, who have never had fun, “need a Santa Claus”.  The leader then decides to kidnap Santa and bring him back to Mars.  Since the film was made during the Cold War, there are even references to the Soviets when the martian ship is noticed on US radar.

The film is beyond campy and cheesy.  It’s a wonder these actors ever kept straight faces especially either wearing or interacting with the martian costumes, which includes a scuba mask upside down, and delivering lines like “Mrs. Claus has positively identified the kidnappers as martians”.  There is plenty of sad visual effects as well, including an overwhelming use of stock footage and the most pathetic polar bear costume you’ve ever seen along with a robot that looks like a ten year old made it out of the old washing machine box and some duct tape.

The perk and, in my opinion, stunning thing about Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is that a good majority of the furniture in the martian homes is very modern and  includes many highly sought after mid-century furnishings, including Jacobson’s famous Egg Chair and Saarinen tables.  However not even that can save this mind-numbing flick.  The best way to watch Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is with Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot in the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version of the film, which offers up witty retorts to some of the embarrassingly bad acting and keep you laughing.

There is no doubt that the film is the epitome of the kitchy B-Movies of the 1960s, and you enjoy those movies that are “so bad, they’re good” you’re sure to love Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

No Wednesday Wardrobe today, instead I want to take time to reflect on an actor that defined a generation with only three films: James Dean

On this day, in 1955, James Dean and his mechanic Rolf Wutherich set out for a race in Salinas in Jimmy’s new Porsche Spyder that he nicknamed “Little Bastard” (the name and number 130 was painted by George Barris just days before).  They had lunch with Jimmy’s father and a few hours later, just outside of Bakersfield, Jimmy got a speeding ticket – 65 in a 55 mph zone – it is the last time he will sign his name.  Then at 5:45, at the intersection of routes 46 and 41 near Cholame, Jimmy collided with a Ford that is turning, it was driven by Donald Turnupseed, who walked away from the crash, Wutherich was thrown from the car, surviving, but Jimmy died instantly.

There have been many stories surrounding James Dean and his infamous Porsche.  Some claimed the car was cursed, some say Jimmy had a death wish (while others strongly are against that claim, saying he was a young man who loved life).  But there are many ironic events surrounding the time of Jimmy’s death.  On September 17, while on the set of Giant, Jimmy did a commercial about driving safety for the National Highway Safety Committee.  The last thing he said was “Take it easy driving. The life you might save might be mine.”  Additionally, the last scene that he filmed was the “Last Supper” scene for Giant.

Born on February 8, 1931 in Indiana, James Byron Dean was the only child of Mildred and Winton Dean.  The family moved to California and in 1940, Mildred died of cervical cancer.  Jimmy accompanied his mother’s body back to Fairmount, Indiana and Jimmy then lived with his aunt, Ortense and uncle, Marcus who owned a farm.  During his growing up, Jimmy was involved with theatre, speech and debate, as well as being on the baseball and basketball teams in high school.

After graduating in 1949, he left for California were he attended Santa Monica City College and UCLA, participating in theatre and lands his first “professional” acting job – a TV commercial for Pepsi, where he drops a coin into a player piano and he and claps his hands while singing “Pepsi-Cola hits the spot”. He receives $30.00.  Jimmy did other theatre and TV movie specials while in California, but late 1951, on the advice of his acting coach, heads to New York.

In New York, Jimmy continued to do more bit parts for film and stage, including a Broadway production, See the Jaguar, which lasted three nights.  Meanwhile he also auditions  for and joins the esteemed Actor’s Studio.  This is where he met fellow actor Martin Landau.  In 1954, he took to Broadway again with The Immortalist, however he doesn’t spend much time there either, because he signs on for East of Eden, his first major role and heads back to California.  The role will also earn him an Oscar nomination – the first ever posthumous nomination in Oscar history.  In early 1955, he beagn shooting Rebel without a Cause, his most famous role and shortly after is signed for Giant, which earns him another posthumous Oscar nomination.

Jimmy’s road through Hollywood was also was tainted with his many difficult romances, most notably with Pier Angeli, whom many say was Jimmy’s true love.  Angeli broke off the relationship due to much pressure by her mother, since Jimmy was not Catholic.  Angeli married singer Vic Damone, and it is said that Jimmy went to the church where the wedding was being held and as the couple exited the church, he revved his motorcycle and sped off, though many friends, including Dennis Hopper believe Jimmy would not have done this.  Additionally, many have claimed that Jimmy was a homosexual or at least bisexual, but others believe that any homosexuality that Jimmy may have been involved with was only to chalk up with experience for future acting positions.

My fascination with James Dean began at an early age.  I had for a long while already been interested in oddities such as Jack the Ripper, and the Titanic, along with my passion for the 50s and 60s.  I think Jimmy fascinated me on the same level as the Titanic – each had such potential, each epic and their fates so ironic with their expectations and rumors surrounding them.  When I was eight, we went to the James Dean memorial, which is located at the crash site, where I bagged some dirt at the location.  The bag still sits on my bookshelf were I keep my Jimmy books (I own every biography of him published).  He had such an air of mystery about him, along with being a fantastic actor of a time period I love and he raced cars and was damn attractive to boot.

Obviously, I could go on and on about Jimmy…but I’ll end on this: James Dean’s short life was filled with complications and rumor.  Many who had brief encounters with him or actual relationships seem to enjoy embellishing upon them endlessly, each claiming to have know the “real” Jimmy.  His short, yet explosive, career has made him the stuff of legend, and will forever remain iconic.

*WARNING* This entry contains SPOILERS!

The year is 1953, and L.A. is plagued with drugs, gambling and prostitution, all overseen by vice king Mickey Cohen, but when he is put away under tax evasion, his kingdom is up for grabs until someone with “balls or brass” comes to claim it.  Soon, we are introduced to three very different cops: Bud White, a man who comes off like a brute, but has a kind heart, Jack Vincennes, who has let his job go to his head since he became the technical adviser on a popular cop show, and Ed Exley, a young cop trying to prove himself against his cop father.  Thus begins L.A. Confidential.  Based upon James Ellroy’s best selling novel, L.A. Confidential is a truly thrilling film that harks back to the classic film noirs of the 1950s.

I’ll say this, I adore L.A. Confidential from beginning to end.  It is entertaining and has brilliant characters, but it isn’t perfect in terms of period correctness…first off, I want to point out the use of typography in the film, as pointed out by Mark Simonson. Much of the typography used in the film was not period correct.  Additionally, in the “Movie Premiere Pot Bust” scene, Jack takes a bag of marijuana, these are in small “ziploc” type bags, which were not invented yet – plastic bags at this time were the fold over kind.  In the scene where Bud kills one of the rapists, a milk carton with the folding spout is seen on the coffee table, these types of cartons were not introduced until the mid-1960s.  One of the film’s classic scenes is also one of a garish error.  There is a scene where Jack and Ed find Johnny Stompanado and a girl who turns out to be Lana Turner.  It is true that Stompanado and Turner did date, but that was not until 1957 and their relationship lasted until his death in April 1958, when Turner’s daughter stabbed him to death.  But the witty writing, stellar cast, and stunning costumes smooths over these errors and a wonderful and entertaining film is still presented.

Yesterday afternoon and evening was a very Ellis family moment…being the car buffs and retro enthusiasts that we are, my dad, my brother, Jeremy, his wife, Erin, my boyfriend, Patrick and myself made what I would deem a pilgrimage to the Dallas Motor Vu drive-in to see American Graffiti and Grease. My dad drove his little ‘29 Model A, and Jeremy drove his latest toy.  After Mapquesting the trip, we drove all 77.15 miles from Eugene to Dallas along old Highway 99.  Patrick really didn’t have much experience riding in the Model A, but I had, so I rode the trip in the rumble seat, while Patrick took the front seat by my dad where there was less wind.  Even with my hairclip, the wind whipped my face and a tangled mess ensued. (I don’t use scarves, since they always blow off) But thankfully I remembered my hairbrush and at every stop, I brushed it out.

Once we arrived, we were the third and fourth cars in line and took the opportunity to take car pictures in front of the sign.  The Dallas opens its gate at 7 pm, so for this night, that was roughly an hour before the movie would start.  Other cars began to crawl into the line, and we talked with other patrons.

The lot began to fill up as the evening grew darker, and while the cruise in was to be the next night, we figured some other vintage car owners who were in our same situation (unable to come that night) would show up, but they didn’t, and we ended up being the only old cars there, which my brother said was okay, since “It was neat being the center of attention.”  Before the show started, we went to the Snack Bar where we purchased the usual drive-in treats (I’ll admit, I was disappointed, my corn dog was soggy, my Coke was flat, and I didn’t much care for the popcorn – a very far cry from the quality at the 99W). We also took opportunities at taking pictures (more available on my Flickr) and chatting with other folks, and much car talk was exchanged.  But darkness crept upon us, and before we knew it, it was showtime…

When I lived in Tigard, my mom and I enjoyed weekends at the Newburg 99W drive-in.  I loved every second of it, aside from the entire experience, the 99W went all out.  Once the sun set, the owner would announce a hardy welcome, birthdays of patrons (which gave an opportunity to honk horns and flash headlights), followed by a vintage reel of the “Star Spangled Banner” (another time to honk and flash headlights) and then a reel about the decline of drive-ins.  It showed various abandoned drive-ins followed by a bold “CLOSED”.  At the end it read, “America used to have 4,063 drive-ins – Only about 400 survive today” and thanked us for coming to this one.  No such experience existed at the Dallas Motor Vu.  The first thing that came up on the giant screen was an ad for Olay body wash, then the previews.  No announcement, no “Star Spangled Banner” – nothing.  I was sorely disappointed.  I guess one could say I was spoiled, but I didn’t think so.  Intermission came after American Graffiti, and like many others, I dashed to the bathroom.  Upon returning, I noticed no intermission reels, my mind and mouth worked at the same time, “This drive-in sucks” (okay that was a little harsh).  The 99W intermission is filled with great old intermission reels! But after a few more minutes, some did crop up, thankfully!

Oregon has only four surviving drive-ins (Dallas Motor Vu, Milton-Freewater, La Grande and the Newberg 99W), and I see them as a true American icon.  A reminder of a time that in reality was quite complicated, but at the drive-in, it is easy to forget about the red scare and the cult of domesticity, especially while watching flicks that offer up the rose tinted version we all like to remember and look upon with nostalgia.

In the 1950s, the drive-in was a place for teenagers to escape from the clutches of their parents.  Drive-ins experienced a downfall in the late 1960s, and were often resorted to XXX cinemas by the 1970s, but today, the drive-in is making a comeback, and it is now a place to bring the family.  There are more pick ups and hatch back cars where families fold down backseats and pack in the pillows.  Radio stations have replaced the iconic speakers (due to theft) but still, the experience is the same.  So, if you have a drive-in close to you, please attend it.  Click here to find a drive-in close to you.

Usually, my Thursday Cinema consists of period movies, and I sit here with my little blog and point out all of the historical inaccuracies.  Today, I’m not going to do that.  Instead, I want to spotlight a film that has its roots in the golden age of comic books, and was transformed for the silver screen in today’s modern age, The Spirit.

Created by comic book legend Will Eisner, The Spirit began in 1940 and lasted through 1952, but has been republished as well as reinterpreted, after Eisner’s death, and new issues are available today.  The storylines of The Spirit were often comical – as was the comic book tradition then – but also had some “hard-boiled” noir aspects as well.  In 2008, graphic novel writer and director, Frank Miller brought The Spirit to the big screen.  This interpretation would be greeted by a rather dismal reception.  Many, not knowing the roots of The Spirit, expected to see another Sin City.  The Spirit was however quite the opposite, it was filled with humorous tongue-in-cheek quips and very comic book moments, including having the Octopus’s henchmen’s names printed on their shirts.

That all aside, The Spirit is very interesting in terms of its art direction and production design.  One moment it looks as if it could take place in 1949, men wear broad brimmed fedoras and women wear seamed stockings, but the next  moment a modern TV camera is used, and a cop is whipping out a cell phone.  Cops still wear their caps, and drive old Buicks, but the SWAT team is all up-to-date with modern helicopters and technologies. In the special features for the film, they said that despite the style of The Spirit, it is always modern and the technology keeps with the times.  Additionally, in pickings props, they said they flipped through books and picked what looked the coolest.

If you want my opinion the film itself, I loved every moment of it.  I laughed so hard I cried.  I saw it with my dad and there were times where he and I were the only ones laughing.  I grew up on the old 1960s Batman staring Adam West – hell, I was obessed at 16 months old, but that’s a whole other story.  The point is, he and I got what the film was doing, the campy jokes and slapstick moments were deliberate, because that is simply how comic books were back then.  And I will shamlessly admit that I saw it three times.  The second time was with a few friends who also had watched West’s Batman, and got the slapstick.  So, if you dig style, and 1960s Batman humor, you should love The Spirit.

The year is 1951, and the Red Scare is rampant, especially since The Hollywood Ten has hit the headlines.  Film writer Peter Appleton (Jim Carrey) has been Blacklisted and while out driving has a car accident.  He finds himself on a beach of a small town, with a clue who he is.  One man, Harry (Martin Landau), believes Peter to be his son, Luke who has been missing since the war.  Peter, with not idea of who he is, believes himself to be Luke, along with the rest of the town, and he and Harry restore the cinema to its former glory, meanwhile the FBI are on the hunt for Peter and the film produces a climax that reminds us what it means to be a citizen of the United States.

The Majestic certainly isn’t lacking in heart or story.  While the town is called Lawson, The Majestic was actually filmed in Ferndale California, a town vertually untouched, with wonderful old store fronts, which are well maintained to keep their old charm. Each store front bears service photos in period correct frames and  service flags.  Cameras as well as items stocked in stores are correct and the clothing is stunning, however stockings on women are never shown.  A poster for It’s a Wonderful Life is shown in the background when Harry is discussiong renovating the cinema.  This makes perfect sense to be the last picture shown or upcoming, because he says he closed the theatre after the war, which ended in 1945, and It’s a Wonderful Life was released in 1946.  Additionally, all of the films which are shown or have posters for are pictures which were released in 1951.  One error occurs during the welcome back party; the song “Stranger on the Shore” while fitting, (due of Peter’s entrance to Lawson) was not released until 1961, ten years after the film takes place.

The film has other fun elements.  In Appleton’s first film, Sand Pirates of the Sahara, personal favorite, Bruce Campbell stars, plus the idol from Raiders of the Lost Ark gets a cameo appearance as well.  I will also admit that I couldn’t stand Jim Carry before  seeing this film, and I think it proved his worth as an actor.

A valentine to the movies, The Majestic is a film that sheds light on the darker side of the 1950s while also reminding its audiences of the magic of what the cinema was all about.

In 1964, Frank William Abagnale ran away from home and quickly became the youngest and most successful “paperhanger” in the United States.  Donning a pilot’s uniform, followed by acting as a resident supervisor at a hospital, then a lawyer, and even a sociology professor, Abagnale cashed over $2.5 million in fake checks.  In 2002, director Steven Spielberg took Abagnale’s true story to the big screen under the same title as Abagnale’s memoir, Catch Me If You Can with Leonardo DiCaprio in the leading role.

With such a complicated tale, not all can be told, and from the get-go Spielberg made that clear to Abagnale, “this is a film, one meant to entertain…an interpretation” Abagnale said, although he claims that “90 percent” is accurate in the scams he conducted.

The crew on board this entertaining film went to great extents to get a lot of things accurate.  They had an FBI technical advisor who told them everything with regards to the FBI portions of the film, right down to the door frames and windows.  The costume designer, Mary Zophres, said that all the women in the film wore period correct bras (meaning pointy bras), which made the period clothing fit better, she even admitted that they “could not cast women with breast implants because they do not fit into that pointy silhouette”.

But despite their efforts for period correctness, including Zophres watching Pan Am stewardess footage and bringing in magazines from the period, she made a mistake with regards to the postal worker uniform that Abagnale’s father wears in a scene.  In the scene the patch on the uniform reads “United States Postal Service”.  My grandfather was a postal worker during this time the postal service was under the name the Post Office Department.  This changed to the United States Postal Service in 1971 under President Nixon.  Another error is that of modular telephones.  Many of the phones in the film are modular (one where the receiver can be easily disconnected), however modular phones were not invented until 1970.

Overall, Catch Me If You Can is fairly accurate, while also being highly entertaining and has remained one of my all-time favorite movies.

Remember, to check out past Wednesday Wardrobes, click the “Clothing” category on the left.

Today’s Entry: Bridget von Hammersmark

• Hat: Vintage, Dunlap, given as a gift
• Jacket: New, Target, $12.99
• Cami (unseen): New, Target, $7.99
• Skirt: Vintage, Prestige, The Clothes Horse, $14.00
• Shoes: New, Predictions, Shopko, purchased awhile ago, I think they were $12.00

Total Cost: $46.98

Actress Diane Kruger wears a cream blouse in the film, not owning a cream blouse, I chose to scratch the blouse, and instead am wearing a simple white cami to provide a buffer between myself and the jacket.  I felt that a white blouse would detract and look strange since I have no other white going on.

Titillating Tip

As mentioned in my previous entry about Inglourious Basterds, I simply loved the clothing that the two female characters wear is stunning and makes me long for the glamor of yesteryear.  But with a simple flip through my closet, I was easily able to pull together an outfit that made me feel like I stepped back in time.

When it comes to dressing 40s, shoes are key – more 40s shoes were really round in the toes.  Also make sure you wear skirts that are at your waist – not your hips!  As for fedoras, none of the new ones will do – you need a vintage one.  Fedoras back then, and through the 1950s had broad brims.  The fedoras of today are too stingy brimmed, which make them more 60s.

My goodness, it’s a satisfying feeling when I can go to my closet and whip up a costume with what I have.

Director Quentin Tarantino is known for his blood, gore and cursing, however, he should be looked at in a bit different light after Inglorious Basterds hits more audiences.  Inglorious Basterds opens with a very dramatic and serious scene which is well acted, and ends with a major shoot up, but spares its audience with  blood.  For the most part, I would say Basterds is a tongue-in-cheek drama with some scenes of prolonged and at times very bloody violence along with some humorous quips worthy of a good chuckle and overall is a very good film and highly entertaining.

Now, getting to period and historical correctness…throw what you know about the ending of WWII out the window.  And, sure, the film was based on true events, however the large majority of those events have been…shall we say, enhanced?  Not to mention there is utter revisionist history going on at the end.  Oh how I wish that is how it really happened…Anyhow, since the film was gripping, heart-pounding, on the edge of your seat exciting, not to mention a good chunk of it is subtitled, I had difficulty picking out mistakes, and I am not all that familiar with German military gear.  However, two mistakes did stand out to me.  First off, at the film premiere, there are cigarette girls walking about in the most adorable of costumes, however, their stockings were incorrect; they were not double welted or seamed.  Secondly, after the film’s climax, there is a scene between Brad Pitt’s character and Christopher Waltz’s character where the two are sitting at the table, and on the table is a telephone.  This phone has a coiled cord, however these were not yet invented.

Costume wise, the film is stunning with outfits that are do die for.  (Maybe I’ll go as Bridget von Hammersmark, played by Diane Kruger – seen on the right – this Halloween.)  However costume designer Anna B. Sheppard is an old hand at WWII era costuming with films like The Pianist and Schindler’s List as well as the mini series Band of Brothers under her belt.

Do I recommend Inglorious Basterds? You can bet I do.  I’ll be buying this on DVD they day it comes out.  While some may lable it “violence porn”, I found it to be a meticulous and well thought out story with entertaining characters (including some kick-ass and well dressed ladies) that hold your interest throughout.

In March of 1954, broadcast journalist, Edward R. Murrow, took Senator Joseph McCarthy head on and investigative broadcast journalism in a new direction.  Fifty years later, George Clooney in his second film for him to sit in the director’s chair, tells this story in his film Good Night, and Good Luck, which was nominated for six Oscars. Filmed in black and white through wisps of cigarette smoke, and using real footage of McCarthy, Good Night, and Good Luck is both stunning and evocative.

As far as period correctness goes, the film is virtually flawless.  From clothing to typewriters to the hair dryer in the make-up room, Good Night and Good Luck is near perfect with the exception of one rather bad historical inaccuracy, and one understandable and common error.  The first, and worst, error is in the very beginning.  The film opens with Murrow’s famous “Wires and Lights In a Box” speech, which was given at a Radio and Television News Directors Association dinner.  In the film, the date of the dinner is 25th of October, 1958.  In reality, the date was really 15th of October, 1958.  What I don’t understand is how such an error could be made, especially since the script, which is provided in the book Good Night, and Good Luck. The Screenplay and History Behind the Landmark Movie, gives the correct date of the 15th.  An understandable error is seen in the Warshba bathroom while Shirley is getting ready.  A three prong outlet is seen, however these were not yet used in households yet.

There are other historical inaccuracies, ones which I believe to be deliberate, and understandably so.  During the course the film takes place, CBS newsman Don Hollenbeck committed suicide by turing on his gas stove and oven.  In the film, Hollenbeck is seen in his chair, wearing a button down shirt, and presumably wearing the rest of his work attire as the the gas fills his apartment.  However, in reality, Hollenbeck performed his suicide in his bathrobe and boxers.  I think this change was to offer some dignity to Hollenbeck who was a continuous victim of columnist Jack O’Brian.  Additionally, the death occurred two months after the date presented in the film.  George Clooney admitted to “telescoping” (moving around dates for dramatic purposes) this moment in the film’s commentary.  The other change is that of the “Wires and Lights in a Box” speech.  Much of it was edited, and left portions out.  The film version, I must admit, is much more dramatic.  The full text of the speech can be found here.

I commend Clooney and Grant Heslov for doing their research and involving those who were there working with Murrow and asking them what happened during those times when there was no documentation of what occurred.  Both Joe and Shirley Wershba are still alive, and Clooney and Heslov used them, as well as Milo Radulovich.  Fred Friendly’s son was also talked to in the production of the film.  Interviews with them can be seen in the special features of the DVD.

Overall, Good Night, and Good Luck is a film that is close to flawless, and does one of the most important journalistic heroes and his team justice.