Fabulous photos, particularly the first two! Not a hint of the sheer hell of making that movie – egomania, life-threatining ailments, shooting on two continents, a half-baked script, ponderous direction an escalating budget – Oh My! 🙂 Still it looked spectacular, Burton pulls off Roman garb well, and Ms Taylor somehow contrived to look good despite her problems, and it had Rex Harrison and Roddy McDowell providing acting interest above that of the Burtons!
oh George…I have a copy of the shooting script. (the complete 6 hour version!) Some sweet guy in L.A. who owned Pompey’s ring from the film was kind enough to send it to me. It is a very interesting read indeed.
Loading...
George Kaplan
July 14, 2013
Ah, Sir Lanier… So, a case of troubled adaptation of a superior script?! Hmm. A *six hour* version? Not too surprising they couldn’t bring all that to the screen, then… 😉 Fascinating details, sirrah! Thank you.
Joe m. Wanted two films at 3 hrs each. Zanuck took it aw ay from him alert seeing the 6 hr. cut and cit it to four. Then after the roadshow cut it to three hours Bosley Crouther of the NY Times how loved the film called this cut the amputee. In its current DVD/Bluray form it is at 4 hours with an intermission. There is a great documentary on the Bluray Cleopatra; the film that changed Hollywood with the whole fantastic story…want me to send it to you?
Oh more of the “Liz and Dick” Show and it isn’t even my birthday! I have never seen that last photo…others from the sitting yes but this is a new one. What a treat!
Dearest V
That last shot, with the two of them looking as though they has been fossilized alive in amber is just exquisite.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Dearest V
The amber is perfumery is ambergris – what we shall euphemistically call a ‘whale bi product’. Quite different from the honeyed stone of endless Eastern European jewellery.
Though in some settings it can emit a warm glow, so there is a abstract connection.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Dearest V
Very often in the base to extend the drydown into a mellow honeyed feel.
But also in the heart and sometime with a saltiness reminiscent of the sea, which is how I like it best.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Loading...
George Kaplan
July 15, 2013
Cleopatra ran for *four * (sometimes excruciatingly dull) hours. Thinking on it, we’re lucky we *didn’t* get a SIX hour version… DeMille’s Cleopatra starring Claudette Colbert is much better. Oh yes!
Fabulous photos, particularly the first two! Not a hint of the sheer hell of making that movie – egomania, life-threatining ailments, shooting on two continents, a half-baked script, ponderous direction an escalating budget – Oh My! 🙂 Still it looked spectacular, Burton pulls off Roman garb well, and Ms Taylor somehow contrived to look good despite her problems, and it had Rex Harrison and Roddy McDowell providing acting interest above that of the Burtons!
oh George…I have a copy of the shooting script. (the complete 6 hour version!) Some sweet guy in L.A. who owned Pompey’s ring from the film was kind enough to send it to me. It is a very interesting read indeed.
Ah, Sir Lanier… So, a case of troubled adaptation of a superior script?! Hmm. A *six hour* version? Not too surprising they couldn’t bring all that to the screen, then… 😉 Fascinating details, sirrah! Thank you.
What was the running time of the film? I know it had an intermission…
Joe m. Wanted two films at 3 hrs each. Zanuck took it aw ay from him alert seeing the 6 hr. cut and cit it to four. Then after the roadshow cut it to three hours Bosley Crouther of the NY Times how loved the film called this cut the amputee. In its current DVD/Bluray form it is at 4 hours with an intermission. There is a great documentary on the Bluray Cleopatra; the film that changed Hollywood with the whole fantastic story…want me to send it to you?
Oh more of the “Liz and Dick” Show and it isn’t even my birthday! I have never seen that last photo…others from the sitting yes but this is a new one. What a treat!
I really should do a post on Bert Stern — amazing photographer!
Dearest V
That last shot, with the two of them looking as though they has been fossilized alive in amber is just exquisite.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Immortalized in amber — Is amber used in perfume???
Dearest V
The amber is perfumery is ambergris – what we shall euphemistically call a ‘whale bi product’. Quite different from the honeyed stone of endless Eastern European jewellery.
Though in some settings it can emit a warm glow, so there is a abstract connection.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
I was thinking more honey than sea mammal – ambergris? I’m guessing it’s an under layer and not a top note?
Dearest V
Very often in the base to extend the drydown into a mellow honeyed feel.
But also in the heart and sometime with a saltiness reminiscent of the sea, which is how I like it best.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Cleopatra ran for *four * (sometimes excruciatingly dull) hours. Thinking on it, we’re lucky we *didn’t* get a SIX hour version… DeMille’s Cleopatra starring Claudette Colbert is much better. Oh yes!
Ah oh! I’m ducking for cover, I know somebody that’s going to have a lively debate over that one 😉
It’s all right, he’ll see the light… Bwahahaha! Sorry, Lanier, if you’re out there 🙂
Lovely photos. So glad Pippa pointed me to this blog.
And I’m so glad she did, good to have you here!
Thanks!