Inspiration for a Monday: Benjamin Button

There is just something about this film - isn't there?  The way it looks at things that might be thought of as scary or weird or frightening.

I love the part in the film where Benjamin talks about the house at night - everyone breathing, a mouse scurrying over the floor, the heater making noise - all just natural noises in a house.

The other thing I love about the film (apart from Brad Pitt) is the costuming of Cate Blanchett's character, Daisy.

Here are some of my favourite outfits that she wears (looking lovely and slim and dancer-like while I feel like a hippo whose skin is about to burst!)

Dressed for a ballet rehearsal.  From here.

Dancing.  From here.

 

 

 

A close up and a sketch.  From here.

In the Russian snow.  From here.

From here.

At a party.  From here.

There is a great article here that discusses costuming in the film and has an interview with Jacqueline West - the films costume designer.

Inspiration for a Monday: Margot

I recoreded this movie ages ago but only got around to watchng it recently - how I wish I had watched it sooner.

I used to do ballet lessons and have always been fascinated by the life a dancer leads but this film really debunks the myths that it is all glamour and froth and also gave me much more insight into the life that Dame Margot Fonteyn lead.  The only thing I really knew about her was that she danced with Nureyev and there was a large age difference but it didn't show on the stage.  I had no idea that her husband had been shot nor that he was an ambassador.

The costume design was by Amy Roberts whose other films and television work include: Upstairs Downstairs and Brassed Off and many telemovies.  Being born in 1949 would have made her about 10 when the movie is set - and you can see that she shows all the different fashions of the period (Margot is very conservative whereas Nureyev is clearly bohemian).

from here

Here is the summary from IMBD:

"At the age of forty Dame Margot Fonteyn is considered to be past her best as a prima ballerina and Ninette de Valois is reducing her roles at the Royal Ballet. Then the exciting young Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev, a recent defector to the West, comes into her life and her bed and revitalizes her career. Frederick Aashton creates a new ballet for them and they become the golden couple of the ballet world. However, Margot is married to Roberto 'Tito' Arias, a Panamanian politician of dubious repute who is not sympathetic to her calling and is probably faithless. When he is shot and paralyzed for life Margot must carry on dancing well into her sixties in order to pay for his costly treatment though she still collaborates with Rudolf in the occasional ballet."

from here

from here

from here

So here is to a week on buns, pearls and red lippy.

Back to school

After spending some of my morning looking at all of Dita Von Tesse's Twitpic this does not feel like a glam post at all but tomorrow I am back-to -school after almost 8 weeks off! I know, spoiled rotten.

I love getting organized and in the mood to have a great year scholastically - maybe it has something to do with new stationary. Anyway I though I would share all the things that help me to be excited about beginning the new academic year.


You've Got Mail

The reason this film makes me want to go back to school is that it is set in Autumn and in January, when I am over the heat and looking forward to the end of summer all I want is for Autumn to come when I know that I will be busy with work and will not feel guilty about spending hours at my desk because it is too cold to go outside.

Tom Hank's character also talks about sending "bouquets if newly-sharpened pencils" and how much he loves the smell of Scotch tape. I have to agree and sympathize. You can never have to much pristine stationary - ready too be filled with ideas.




The Drina Books

I began reading the "Drina books" when I was in Year 5 at school. I have to re-read them every year (it takes about 2 hours to read each one). They are about a ballet dancer called Audrina Adamo -Drina and the books chart her career from joining a ballet school as a child to the heights she achieves as a principal dancer in a company.

Each book begins with the end of holidays and the return to school and all the subsequent scrapes she gets herself out of and how hard she tries to do well. Reading them now I smile at the earnest tone of a child wanting to do their best but I think that on reflection it was exactly how I wanted to be.



Mona Lisa Smile

I saw this film when I was a university - first or second year - and I loved it. Not only for the setting (1953/1954) but also the friendships the girls have, the architecture and again the culture of always doing the best possible and still pushing yourself that it depicted on both the teachers side and the students.

Now that I am no longer a student I wish that my students were as engaged as the girls are in the film with their lecturer. I hope that I can also foster relationships with my students where they view me as a trusted friend and look up to me as someone who is passionate about one subject and purses it passionately.