The Notorious Bettie Page
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Sun 17 September 2006 // 20:00
Mon 18 September 2006 // 20:00
Tue 19 September 2006 // 20:00
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The Notorious Bettie Page
(sun 17th- tue 19th / 8pm / £4/3 [£2TTT] / Mary Harron / USA / 91min / cert:18)
With Dita Von Teese and the new wave of Burlesque performers bumping and grinding their way into popular culture, it was only going to be so long before a movie came along that took a look back at where Dita and her ilk got their inspiration (and make-up tips)-
The weird world of 1950s nudie photography, inhabited by geeky photographers and sleazy money men, forms the backdrop for Gretchen Mol's affecting portrayal of pin-up icon Bettie Page in this third feature from American Psycho director Mary Harron. The film mixes vintage stock footage with meticulously designed scenes that reference many of Bettie's most famous pictures to build a convincing portrait of the time. From Bettie's unhappy childhood and ill-fated first marriage through her modeling days and the Senate investigation on pornography that engulfed her, The Notorious Bettie Page plays out as an unusually thoughtful biopic: rather than rely on the overtly titillating aspects of Bettie's story, the movie focuses on her peculiarly straight-laced nature in contrast to the seedy world she inhabits, illuminating the confused politics and morality of post-WWII America.
(sun 17th- tue 19th / 8pm / £4/3 [£2TTT] / Mary Harron / USA / 91min / cert:18)
With Dita Von Teese and the new wave of Burlesque performers bumping and grinding their way into popular culture, it was only going to be so long before a movie came along that took a look back at where Dita and her ilk got their inspiration (and make-up tips)-
The weird world of 1950s nudie photography, inhabited by geeky photographers and sleazy money men, forms the backdrop for Gretchen Mol's affecting portrayal of pin-up icon Bettie Page in this third feature from American Psycho director Mary Harron. The film mixes vintage stock footage with meticulously designed scenes that reference many of Bettie's most famous pictures to build a convincing portrait of the time. From Bettie's unhappy childhood and ill-fated first marriage through her modeling days and the Senate investigation on pornography that engulfed her, The Notorious Bettie Page plays out as an unusually thoughtful biopic: rather than rely on the overtly titillating aspects of Bettie's story, the movie focuses on her peculiarly straight-laced nature in contrast to the seedy world she inhabits, illuminating the confused politics and morality of post-WWII America.