2 posts tagged “edie sedgwick”
Okay, so, as usual I take every movie review with a grain of salt until I actually see it. And yet again, I disagreed with most of the reviews that have been written about Factory Girl. The film was exactly what I expected after all the information I’ve read, as well as documentaries I’ve seen on both Edie Sedgwick and The Factory throughout the years.
I think the reason a general audience would be disappointed by the film is because they are expecting to see a movie about a bubbly it-girl from the sixties who inspired (if not served as a muse) for one of the twentieth century’s most innovative and controversial artists. On the surface and in the media, it appears this way, but it’s not quite the case.
The film exposes the debauched and decadent Factory, and it’s so-called artistic virtuosos. Edie is both fascinated and attracted to a side of life she’d never experienced before. She sees Warhol and his Factory as place filled with creative genius, fostering a new movement in thinking and lifestyle, and she wants to be a part of it. Warhol’s instant infatuation with her beauty, personality, and stylishness only boost Edie’s confidence in her sense of belonging to something larger than herself.
After the glitz and gloss of a scene on the edge of fashion, music, and art are stripped away, the true empty nature of The Factory is revealed…a haven of superficial drug addicts collectively living and following a conceptual lifestyle which they, themselves, may not necessarily believe in. Before Edie is even aware of it, she begins drowning in this lifestyle. By the end, she has become so immersed in the subculture and it’s vices (mainly extensive drug use) that she loses all sense of self, as well as the person she used to be when she originally arrived in New York. She realizes that Andy and The Factory objectified her as a piece of art rather than regarding her as a real person or friend. The film continues it’s tragic downturn until her untimely death at the young age of 28 in 1971.
As with most films that move me emotionally, it strikes a personal chord. I’ve been the vulnerable Edie, as well as the opportunistic Andy. However, I mostly identify with Edie because I’ve had very similar experiences on a smaller scale. I know what’s it’s like to be known by no one, then suddenly known by everyone in a scene you thought was so artistically, culturally, and socially valid. You become engulfed by self-importance and self-validation because of these “friends.” And like Edie, I began to lose myself in it, not really knowing what I was doing or where my life was headed… Fortunately, I did not become addicted to drugs, but I did become obsessed with trying to hold on to the adoration of virtual strangers. When I was fresh out of college at 24, I had absolutely no debt whatsoever. I didn’t even owe my school a dime in student loans. By the time I was 28, I racked up a debt so massive, it’ll take me years to repair my credit. Plus, I’d begun to realize that a lot of those “friends” were not in love with Chuck, but an idea of Chuck or image of Chuck that just wasn’t me at all. When I met people who didn’t know me, but knew of me, I put on a show to uphold that image… However, I always worried that once they met me, they lost interest quickly… And the same happened with potential boyfriends. My 28th and 29th years were my lowest points in which a chain reaction of tragic events in my personal life happened one right after the other… I seriously couldn’t understand how I fucked up my life so much (and so fast). Reality hit me like a Mack truck. However, by the time thirty rolled around, I began to pull myself out slowly. To this day, it’ll take me years to get back to the person I was when I graduated college, but it was a learning experience I had to go through, I guess. Watching this movie almost brought me to tears when I realized what the potential outcome could’ve been.
As far as acting is concerned, Hayden Christensen proves once again that he can’t act his way out of a paper bag (as evidenced previously in the Star Wars prequel trilogy). However, what he doesn’t deliver in acting, he definitely makes up for in looks! I mean, he’s the hottest Bob Dylan I’ve ever seen! On the other hand, Guy Pearce’s performance is Oscar-worthy! I mean, it’s uncanny (if not a bit creepy) how well he captures Andy’s personality, demeanor, and overall look. Though I don’t have much of a basis for comparison for Sienna Miller’s performance, I will say she did a great job. She definitely captured the New England upper-class society accent perfectly.
All in all, despite all the reviews, controversy, and lawsuits, I highly recommend the film. Just keep in mind that it is a depiction of her personality, as well events based on available biographical information. Warning: It’s a bit depressing, so if you don’t like dark movies, you won’t like it.
For Atlanta audiences, Factory Girl is now playing at Landmark Theater in Midtown next to Apres Diem.
The evolution of fashion has fascinated me ever since I can remember. As a child of the ‘80s, I can remember laughing about what people wore in the ‘70s (the decade of my birth). As a ten-year-old, I told my mother, “That was when it was popular to look ugly.” She simply replied, “You laugh about it now, but mark my words, bellbottoms will be back one day.” Then, the ‘90s hit when I was in high school, and boy was she right.
It was at that moment, that I realized we couldn’t really giggle about any past decades’ fashions because they ALWAYS come back. Even in the ‘90s, we started laughing about what we wore in the ‘80s, and sure enough, our current decade has brought back quite a few ‘80s trends…most notably, the skinny jeans.
Nevertheless, I’ve been pondering my favorite fashion periods lately, and decided to put a timeless collection together, ending on what I’m looking forward to for Spring 2007.
My first favorite fashion period is the Elizabethan era (1558-1603), where fashion moved away from the simple designs of the Renaissance, and moved into the ornate gaudiness, which characterized the Elizabethan court.
Secondly, I’m mildly obsessed with Pre-revolutionary France and the neoclassic period (1770-1789), another over-the-top, ornate fashion era characterized by powdered wigs, pale makeup, plumes, panniers, heavy brocades, etc…think Marie Antoinette.
Next, there is the Napoleonic era / Regency period (1795-1819), where fashion made an extremely sharp turn away from the extravagance of the the latter half of the 18th century, and was influenced by a romantic nostalgia for Greco-Roman classicism… Men pushed their hair forward (a Caesar-esque style…think Napoléon), women wearing empire-waist, light gowns with simple Greek goddess-influenced hairstyles complete with either bonnets or turbans…think Jane Austen’s characters in her novels, as well as the first French Empress, Joséphine Bonaparte.
I also enjoy antebellum styles (1850-1865) of the pre-civil war south…think Gone with the Wind…crinoline fabrics, hoops skirts made of both whale bone and cane.
Another notable fashion era is the post-Edwardian / Art Deco / WWI period (1909-1919). Think about the horse races during My Fair Lady or the movie Titanic. It was a transitional period, which built a bridge between how women dressed for hundreds of years and the modern era.
Of course, we can’t talk about fashion without mentioning the Roaring ‘20s (a booming American economy, and rapidly progressive industrial culture influenced women to cut their hair short into wavy bobs and raise their hemlines for the first time in history since the beginning of the Anno Domini calendar).
We can’t leave out the Hollywood Glam era of the ‘40s (think Joan Crawford, Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, Veronica Lake, etc.).
Another revolutionary period for 20th century fashion is the Swinging ‘60s (British Mod, androgyny, Twiggy, Edie Sedgwick, Mary Quant). A very turbulent time for the United States brought about some of the century’s most innovative looks.
The Decadent ‘80s are the years of my earliest impression the fashion world made upon me. The decade can be summed up in one word: Madonna.
All of that being said, it’s refreshing to see the 2007 spring lines being an amalgamation of the past four decades… Below are some of my favorite looks.
For men, go no further than Dior Homme. Parisian designer Hedi Slimane has transformed the house of Christian Dior into an ultra-modern classic. His looks over the past few seasons have been influenced by underground indie-rock subculture, and have successfully combined ‘60s mod, ‘70s glam, ‘80s new wave, and ‘90s simplicity. Below are some of my favorite looks of the upcoming spring season.
For women, Balenciaga is my favorite label. While Balenciaga continues to push an innovative edge, the designs are always sleek, clean, and ultra-modern. Below is a sneak peak for spring.
Finally, an up-and-coming designer, Jessika Madison Kennedy, has caught my attention with her line, Dadadie Brucke, which is a refreshing homage to the 60's. This range of beautiful, simple and elegant dresses encompasses the geometric designs of an era that changed fashion forever.
With its circular and axis design, these prints are unique in today's market. Sleeveless designs and open neck cuts allow the dresses to fit to the body's contour with grace. Madison is a graduate of the London College of Fashion, and bases herself between the U.S and U.K.
