Journeyed to Bendigo to have a terrific catch up with my best friend Helen over the weekend. While I was there, we went to see the Edith Head exhibition at the Bendigo Art Gallery. Edith Head was a Hollywood costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design. An unassuming woman, dressed always in black, white or grey with an intense bob of black hair and heavy dark rimmed glasses; Edith dressed the classic beauties of the silver screen.
Glamazons like Ginger Rogers, Mae West, Bette Davis, Shirley MacLaine, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Fonda were all costumed by Edith Head, so needless to say, the collection was extensive and really very interesting. Edith designed the most beautiful and intricate pieces, many of which would not at all look out of place on stars of today; her aesthetic was simply timeless.
Many people think that the costume designer Edna Mode from the Pixar movie The Incredibles was based on Edith Head, but the director insists that that is not true. However, the physical similarities are pretty unmistakeable, so coincidence or not, Edna certainly does look like Edith and has a very similar profession.
She certainly knew how to dress woman that's for sure, and she was famous for saying truly inspirational quotes like "You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it" and other cheeky but no less important tidbits like "Your dresses should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to show you're a lady."
Above all else, Edith Head was respected, smart and successful. Through her, many stars got to shine a little bit brighter on screen and she spearheaded more fashion trends than anyone else during her fifty plus years of Hollywood design. A legend like that certainly deserves attention and adoration, so if you ever get the opportunity to go and see an Edith Head exhibition, I strongly encourage you to.
Edith did extensive work for director Alfred Hitchcock during her career; dressing Ingrid Bergman in Notorious, Grace Kelly in Rear Window, Kim Novak in Vertigo and also for my personal favourite Hitchcock film, Tippi Hedren in The Birds.
Glamazons like Ginger Rogers, Mae West, Bette Davis, Shirley MacLaine, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Jane Fonda were all costumed by Edith Head, so needless to say, the collection was extensive and really very interesting. Edith designed the most beautiful and intricate pieces, many of which would not at all look out of place on stars of today; her aesthetic was simply timeless.
Many people think that the costume designer Edna Mode from the Pixar movie The Incredibles was based on Edith Head, but the director insists that that is not true. However, the physical similarities are pretty unmistakeable, so coincidence or not, Edna certainly does look like Edith and has a very similar profession.
She certainly knew how to dress woman that's for sure, and she was famous for saying truly inspirational quotes like "You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it" and other cheeky but no less important tidbits like "Your dresses should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to show you're a lady."
Above all else, Edith Head was respected, smart and successful. Through her, many stars got to shine a little bit brighter on screen and she spearheaded more fashion trends than anyone else during her fifty plus years of Hollywood design. A legend like that certainly deserves attention and adoration, so if you ever get the opportunity to go and see an Edith Head exhibition, I strongly encourage you to.
Edith did extensive work for director Alfred Hitchcock during her career; dressing Ingrid Bergman in Notorious, Grace Kelly in Rear Window, Kim Novak in Vertigo and also for my personal favourite Hitchcock film, Tippi Hedren in The Birds.
THE BIRDS
Release Date: 1963
Rating: M
Running Time: 119 mins
I cut my horror-loving teeth on this Alfred Hitchcock classic. The master of suspense horror really drew me in with this tale of birds gone wrong. All of the creepy depictions of menacing roosting fowl in this movie are truly terrifying and for that reason The Birds will always be one of my favourite classic horror films of all time.
Socialite Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) purchases a pair of love birds for a client's sister's eleventh birthday gift, utterly unaware that this is NOT the time to be purchasing birds of any kind. For some unknown reason, all things avian have gone completely bonkers and are starting to attack people. Clearly out for blood (and eyeballs) the birds gather in increasing numbers and start to create havoc for the residents of Bodega Bay, California.
Like all good Hitchcock films, this is slow burning suspense that gives it's audience just enough scares to keep them on their toes. And trust me, after seeing this movie you will never see a murder of crows and not have a second glance over your shoulder at them ever again!
FINAL SAY: Suddenly, I never want a pet budgie!
4 Chilli Peppers
Release Date: 1963
Rating: M
Running Time: 119 mins
I cut my horror-loving teeth on this Alfred Hitchcock classic. The master of suspense horror really drew me in with this tale of birds gone wrong. All of the creepy depictions of menacing roosting fowl in this movie are truly terrifying and for that reason The Birds will always be one of my favourite classic horror films of all time.
Socialite Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) purchases a pair of love birds for a client's sister's eleventh birthday gift, utterly unaware that this is NOT the time to be purchasing birds of any kind. For some unknown reason, all things avian have gone completely bonkers and are starting to attack people. Clearly out for blood (and eyeballs) the birds gather in increasing numbers and start to create havoc for the residents of Bodega Bay, California.
Like all good Hitchcock films, this is slow burning suspense that gives it's audience just enough scares to keep them on their toes. And trust me, after seeing this movie you will never see a murder of crows and not have a second glance over your shoulder at them ever again!
FINAL SAY: Suddenly, I never want a pet budgie!
4 Chilli Peppers
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