Grey Gardens - Documentary & HBO Movie

[wyatt.]

I recently watched the documentary of "Grey Gardens" staring Edie Beale and her daughter, Edie.

during discussion of the film in my theory class, people brought in their reserach showing how in certain communities iconic little edie beale has become, as well as their house itself. and then later that numerous vogue editorials have been based on the story itself.


for those of you who have not seen the film, older Beale was a married in cousin to Jackie O. And ended up living in the Hamptoms year round with her spinster daughter. Both women seem eccentric to the fullest extent or just crazy if that's how you want to view them. Only the two of them lived in a 28 room house off of the water letting the gardens envelop the space while the cats controlled the floor and the raccoon, the attic. EVEN though little Edie always fed them, the raccoons that is.

the documentary by the maysles brothers, has since become somewhat of a cult favorite.

Last September's 'FUZZY LOGIC' with karen elson is a homage to miss Edie Beale, and they have been other numerous editorials that i cannot seem to find, like one in italian vogue in the late 90s.

photo: criteriondvd.com

photo: criteriondvd.com



anyway. just a blurp. enjoy

 

[susie_bubble]

I took style inspiration from this documentary! I forked out quite a bit for the dvd but it was worth. I thought it was gonna be a fly on the wall type documentary but it wasn't like that at all.

Ellegirl (US) recently did a Grey Gardens inspired shoot which I loved. I think Elle in 97/8 did a similar shoot as well.

 

[niki03]

I just watched the film and I would love to see some of the editorials that it inspired..it was really interesting

 

[kmccormi]

Are they doing a remake? I just saw a picture of Drew Barrymore in this week's People mag, and the caption read, "Dreaw Barrymore, a vintage bathing beauty, channels New York City debutante "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale on the set of the drama Grey Gardens.

 

[Ariadne Grant]

I just find out about her, her style and story and I am mesmerized. Does anybody has those editorials, it would be great to see them.

WHO IS EDIE BEALE?

Edith ("Edie") Bouvier Beale, Jr. was one of the subjects of a documentary directed by the Maysles Brothers ("Gimme Shelter," "Salesman") called "Grey Gardens." Perhaps more importantly to some, she was the cousin of Jackie O., and the self-titled "Greatest Dancer in the World".

WHY IS SHE A GODDESS?

First off, a couple of years back, ITALIAN VOGUE did a 20+ page photo spread based on "Grey Gardens" (shot by Stephen Meisel, no less) which featured designer versions of the "revolutionary costumes" Edie used to knot up into turbans and makeshift skirts (or "SKUUUHTS," as Edie would say). Anyone whose safety-pinned creations are later imitated by Prada is GODDESS-like in my book.

But mainly...she was just amazing.



Edie's easily-excitable personality was so much larger than life that she very nearly defies belief. Her conversation was so sharply etched in what we identify as high camp and over-the-top wit that one would wonder if maybe Tennessee WIlliams and Truman Capote used to run in front of her with cue cards as she pontificated about girdles and privot. Words that simply bounce off the top of her head during the filming of "Grey Gardens" become instantly quotable: "Isn't it sad when a dancer gets fat?" and "Mother likes everything WITHOUT GIRDLES...her and the neighbors don't believe in wearing girdles at all" are soundbytes that come to mind. And there's HEAPS more where that came from...the documentary's iconic scene of Edie in a one-piece swimsuit and giant sunhat, reading Zolar's "It's All In The Stars" with a magnifying glass and screeching enthusiastically about finding "the perfect Libra man" is another Edie moment not easily shaken.



WHO'S THIS "MOTHER" YOU KEEP GOING ON ABOUT?

Edie's mother, "Big" Edith Bouvier Beale, was the other main subject of the documentary "Grey Gardens." She too is a Goddess: Yoda-like and semi-exhibitionist ("I'm gonna get naked here in a minute, Edie..what do you think of that?"), with a vulgar sense of humor that clashes with her society-lady poses. Big Edith and Little Edie rant and shriek at each other all through the movie, and any time Edie dares to sneak into a room to speak with the documentary crew alone, one can easily hear Big Mama Edith screaming in the background, "YOO-HOO, OH EDIE! EDIE, YOO-HOO!" Mama Edith is dead now - she was 79 when "Grey Gardens" was filmed in 1975, and she died a year later. I read an article lately in which Edie said that when Mama Edith was on her deathbed, she told her daughter that she had nothing more to say because everything she wanted to tell the world was said in the movie made about them.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO EDIE?

A few years after Mama Edith died, Edie left Grey Gardens, the huge rotting estate that they lived in for decades, and spent the remainder of her life in Florida. In 1998, NEW YORKER magazine managed to snag a rare phone interview with Edie when "Grey Gardens" was re-screened at the Film Forum Cinema. The most of what I remember is that she said she still loves the movie, and then she spent a lot of the interview dissing republicans. "Little" Edie Beale died in January, 2002.

WHAT DID EDIE LOOK LIKE IN RECENT YEARS?

Sadly, we'll never know. While Edie sometimes granted a few words to the press, she absolutely refused to be photographed. She remained in good health until the time of her death, putting together revolutionary costumes every day and swimming regularly. Despite her refusal to sit for a photographer, she repeatedly claimed that "I don't look a day over 60." After all, this staunch character never weakened. Ever.

http://members.tripod.com/~anxietyny/goddessedie.html

 

[MissMagAddict]

Are they doing a remake? I just saw a picture of Drew Barrymore in this week's People mag, and the caption read, "Dreaw Barrymore, a vintage bathing beauty, channels New York City debutante "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale on the set of the drama Grey Gardens.

Made for HBO Movie airing in April

LONG AGO IN EAST HAMPTON
Vanity Fair April
Jessica Lange & Drew Barrymore
Stylist: Jessice Diehl
Photographer: Norman Jean Roy


source | scanned by MMA

 

[luxmode]

^ this should be really interesting. i know that a lot of people found the original film inspiring, but i thought it was really, really depressing.

as a side note a family that lives in my neighborhood now owns grey gardens and uses it as a vacation house. i would love to see the inside...i have heard that it is very charming and that they maintained the original character of the house.

 

[LUXXX]

The trailer for the HBO movie premiered after Big Love and it's very impressive. Drew Barrymore totally nails the accent and Jeanne Tripplehorn is a perfect Jackie.

 

[MissMagAddict]

The trailer for the HBO movie premiered after Big Love and it's very impressive. Drew Barrymore totally nails the accent and Jeanne Tripplehorn is a perfect Jackie.

OK that's good to know they're showing it. I'm anxious to see the trailer. I never watch Big Love

Thanks for the info

 

[MissMagAddict]

I found this sneak peak on youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgoyHdyE91o

 

[LUXXX]

OK that's good to know they're showing it. I'm anxious to see the trailer. I never watch Big Love

Thanks for the info

Here it is...found it on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdp-wBfR0lg&eurl

 

[Miss Dalloway]

^^Fantastic, i hope a better one is released soon.

I adore the docu, and wasnt sure about the movie, but everything i read about it so faar sounds decent, cant wait until it premieres.

 

[LUXXX]

Great New Trailer!

http://perezhilton.com/2009-03-16-this-looks-soooo-good

 

[Meg]

Do people want a separate thread for the original documentary, or combined, including the HBO remake? I have never seen the original, and just downloaded it today. Can't wait to watch it!

 

[MissMagAddict]

US Vogue April
Drew Barrymore & Jessica Lange in HBO's Grey Gardens

After A Screening Of The New Grey Gardens, Lee Radziwill Reflects On Family Lore With William Norwich.


source | scanned by MMA

 

[Belowen]

This is fascinating... I've never seen the original doco... I'm going to try and hunt it down...

 

[avantgarde]

I am so incredibly excited for this, omg

here's the trailer for anyone who hasn't seen it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW5ryhrzYC4

 

[gius]

Has anyone watched it already?
I wonder if should watch the original first

 

[XavierRaphael]

Drew is a beautiful actress, has she ever been awarded an Oscar?
Where can I find the original?

 

[flyme2themoon]

Has anyone watched it already?
I wonder if should watch the original first

It hasn't aired yet. It airs on April 18th.

I've watched portions of the documentary, when I had it tivoed. It's been deleted since then, so I'll probably watch it again (rent it) before the new film airs.