FUR (AN IMAGINARY PORTRAIT OF DIANE ARBUS THE PHOTOGRAPHER) : CHRISTINE TRZYNA FILM REVIEW

Robert Downey Junior as the hairy guy.  Nicole Kidman as the photographer Diane Arbus, 1950's housewife from a rich family, who likes things that scare her.  Based on a biography, and suggesting a love story.  Lonely wife subplot to her husband, lonely wife from a family rich in the furrier or fashion business, her husband photographer of still maniken - style models.  New Line Cinema.

So, I like Robert Downey Junior so much that I will see any film he's in and I did want to see what the make up artists did with him to make him the hairy guy.  Now that I was into the film, I found it all so - curious.  I was left with more curiosity, because of the last scene in which Diane goes to a nudist camp and must strip down herself to have a conversation with another camper.  More skin or fur, you see.

So the theme here is the title "Fur."
And I like the jest of "Portrait" of the "Photographer" and I wondered what was IMAGINARY about the film, or her life, or her work.

I know some poets who have resorted to photography.

THE SINGING DETECTIVE : CHRISTINE TRZYNA FILM REVIEW

Loovved this movie, but I was sewing when I watched it the first time and thought I should watch it again to resolve some questions I had about the plot. I decided I wanted to understand the screenplay behind it.


 I did watch it again and decided that was terrific, and not just because Robert Downey Junior is one of my favorite actors. 

RD Jr.  acts as Dan Dark, a pulp fiction writer who has been badly physically burned, and while in the hospital recovering, flashes back to episodes in his past fiction writing, which take place in the 1950's and uses music from the 1950's as a lead into memory. 

As many writers can testify their real life experiences can also be used in or inspire fiction.  So Dan Dark's memories cross into his real life as well.  The confusion he experiences and which I experienced watching the film, which took artful editing and masterful writing (Screenplay by Dennis Potter) works, and some of the brutality is softer because the viewer knows these are fictive characters.

You know I won't ruin it by telling you the story, but if you haven't ever watched THE SINGING DETECTIVE, watch it - at least twice.

C 2013  Christine Trzyna  All Rights Reserved

ONLY YOU MARISA TOMEI and ROBERT DOWNEY JUNIOR

 
"Only You," was a Romantic Comedy I thoroughly enjoyed. Maybe that's because I'm a fan of Robert Downey Junior, or because this film had an element of synchronicity and magic to it.



"Damon Brinkley" is the buzz word: Character Faith Corvatch of Pittsburgh is 9 days away from marrying a podiatrist when a friend of her fiancé calls to say he's in Italy and won't make the wedding. Faith was 11 when, while using a Ouija board with her brother, she asked for the name of her future husband and what did it spell ? "Damon Brinkley." 


(I played the Ouija board once with a teenage friend and when we asked what spirit was communicating it spelled "Jesus Christ." So much for my girlfriend pushing on her end to make it spell. I got the hell out of her too fluffy pink bedroom and ran all the way home and that big full moon sitting on the top of the hill sure did spook me!)



Ok, but then when Faith is a full blown teenager, she goes to a crystal ball reader and guess who the mystic says she will marry? "Damon Brinkley!" The man on the phone from Italy is named "Damon Brinkley." How could she get married without first meeting her soul mate? 

Of course she has a couple friends who support her choice, though they see that if she could do this then maybe she shouldn't get married. What follows (I won't spoil it for you) is a romp through Italy.



The movie ends with Faith knowing just who Mr. Right is. Ha!




Re-edited Sept 2013