Thank you, savvy writer/60's lifestyle expert Judy for inviting me to watch this On Demand flick with you over a savory dinner last night. In this wonderful and rich documentary shot in the US and France in 2001/2002, Rosanna Arquette, the director/actress interviews all the fabu beauties of the day - mostly blonds, at a time when they are on the cusp of 40, or a bit beyond. How do they cope with the concept of future? Why did Debra Winger leave the business? What were the most memorable and frightening moments for Jane Fonda, as an actress, over 40 years in front of the camera, from Daddy to Vadim, from 'Nam to Turner?
CLICK THE TITLE ABOVE TO SEE A LIONS GATE TRAILER FOR "SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER."
CLICK THE TITLE ABOVE TO SEE A LIONS GATE TRAILER FOR "SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER."
From Alley Sheedy to Martha Plimpton, Sharon Stone, Laura Dern, Frances McDormand, Teri Garr, Debra Winger, Emmanual Beart, Rosanna's sister, Patricia Arquette, Jane Fonda, and so many vibrant Hollywood others, we hear and see (among plumped lips, anorexic bodies, perfect hair and make-up, and then, just plain old Whoopee Goldberg in a big blouse and her talk about that enlarging arse that follows her everywhere) what it's like to hit the Hollywood age ceiling, in the producers' and the public's eye.
When you visit the Cannes Film Festival with your film crew and your sister is the toast of the town that week, how do you feel?
What do you think will happen for female actors in the coming years, based on the life you have lived, with children, husband, boyfriend, parents, shrink, the direction you have taken, the choices you've made, the 3 months out of every year you've worked, steadily, as a successful actor?
What do you think will happen for female actors in the coming years, based on the life you have lived, with children, husband, boyfriend, parents, shrink, the direction you have taken, the choices you've made, the 3 months out of every year you've worked, steadily, as a successful actor?
Who are you, beyond the camera's lens?
How do you plan to keep it all going? Or not?
Why not do a follow-up film to this one, say 10 or 20 years later, including answers for the rest of us about what became of Debra, Jane, Terri, et al?
The media landscape was on the verge of metamorphosis the day this movie was edited and released. Now it's the Age of Twitter, 24/7 news bytes, a dead publishing industry, a plethora of inexpensive online advertising, and a lack of deep journalism in a global world gone a bit more mad. How did all this affect our gals?
Lisa, you do realize you've got the makings of a great book in this saga of yours, right? I used to drive through the Sacramento Valley a lot on business -- great evocative description! And thanks for reminding me of "Searching . . ." -- I've been meaning to see that since it first came out.
ReplyDeleteKeep on keeping on!
Kristi