 |
|
 |
|
Go See It ****(FOUR STARS) |
|
|
WOW... this movie was great. It is an excellent glimpse
into the life of the most successful and most recognized
50's pin-up star Bettie Page (Gretchen
Mol).
Gretchen was
incredible in her re-enactment and her scenes were very
believable. Her figure was perfect and she was completely
beautiful. I was most impressed with her ability to capture
and embody the true essence of Bettie Page. I was however
slightly irritated at the PG-13 rating for I felt they could
have been much more explicit or thorough if they were
not limited on what they were capable of showing, like the
gang rape scene. It was almost as though it didn't happen;
or maybe she blacked it out? |
|
The good thing is this was very much a movie and not a
documentary and yet it was packed full of information. Yet
not too detailed as to give out too much information, it was
more of a told by the friends of Bettie Movie, not quite as
revealing as a self told biography.
|
|
I did feel that this movie was a bit one sided and made
Bettie appear extremely naive and super innocent, sugar
coated almost so that the real Bettie Page who is hiding and
living her life for Jesus would be well pleased. I did love
the line towards the end of the film where Bettie was
reading the bible verses on the street and a guy asked her
if she was ashamed about what she has done and she said of
course not, I think that is great. |
|
The only thing that confused me was the Black and white
versus the Color shots. I'm sure the director did it for a
reason but it was not clear to me why. All that being said
I think you must run out and see this movie, to see a behind
the scenes peek into the life of the notorious and
stunningly beautiful icon Bettie Page. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
It Was Good
*** (THREE STARS) |
|
|
This one needs some refining. Director Mary Harron who
is known mostly for directing (''I Shot Andy Warhol,"
''American Psycho") does a decent job at telling a
scantly clad story that took place in a severely
repressed society that couldn't openly project whatever
fantasies it wished. |
|
Bettie Page (Gretchen
Mol) grew up in a conservative religious family in Tennessee
and became a photo model sensation in 1950s New York.
Bettie's legendary fetish poses made her the target of a
Senate investigation into pornography, and transformed her
into an erotic icon.
|
|
Even though this movie
is based on a true story, it is B-grade - told in
flashback form. The flip flop between color and black and
white shots are completely unnecessary.
|
|
The conclusion in this
movie is most irritating. It forces you to accept
exploitation and contradiction. While Bettie Page herself is
extraordinary, the final scenes in this movie are quite the
contrary. The main problem is it's over eagerness to have
Bettie page shown in a positive light. By that time I was
convinced of that (which was in the last few minutes of the
movie)... I suppose I was sold on the movie itself being
believable.
|
|
On a more positive note
the costuming in this movie is phenomenal, I actually plan
to steal a few concepts for myself. Corsets, fishnets,
garters oh my!
|
|
