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Post by nipkowdisc on Feb 16, 2023 11:38:31 GMT
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Post by nipkowdisc on Feb 16, 2023 11:40:42 GMT
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Post by Lucky Dan on Feb 16, 2023 14:16:30 GMT
I am very sad to learn this. She was a great lady. One I would have loved to have known.
By Richard Avedon, August 1969
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Post by I Love Melvin on Feb 16, 2023 15:05:07 GMT
R.I.P., beautiful lady. It'll be interesting to see the headlines in obituaries and articles about her. This one picked out Fantastic Voyage as the film to best represent her career and I'm sure there will be others, which shows how hard it is to pigeon-hole her. I think the first of her films I actually saw was Bedazzled (1967), in which her good-naturedness in spoofing her image was as apparent as her downright sexiness. Based on what I heard her say in interviews over the years that seems to have been a common theme to her career, balancing people's expectations of her and her own expectations of herself. That was probably never more apparent than in the mess she got herself into with Myra Breckinridge (1970). I've done this rant before, but not on this forum, so here goes. She signed for Myra Breckinridge with the understanding that she'd play both roles, Myra and her Greek-chorus counterpart, pre-op Myron, a stunningly brave move for the preeminent sex symbol of her day. It was also a smart move because Gore Vidal's book was a huge best-seller and a big topic of conversation; theoretically, a movie version could have been the same. But due to a lot of futzing, lane-changing and outright betrayal, the "creative" team switched gears and saddled her with the terminally listless (and demonstrably bored) non-actor Rex Reed as Myron and, even more crucially, the black hole of vanity and attention-grabbing which was, by this point in her career, Mae West. I for one think she acquitted herself extremely well under the circumstances, but the movie was basically judged a misfire and she took a lot of the heat, thanks to some finger-pointing by male members of the team (and press). This photo from the film I think shows that she would have been capable of playing the dual role which was promised her. Take down the makeup and you've got an androgenous beauty along the lines of an Elvis Presley. Myra Breckinridge could have entered movie history as something else entirely if they had trusted her.  |
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Post by Lucky Dan on Feb 16, 2023 15:27:49 GMT
R.I.P., beautiful lady. She signed for Myra Breckinridge with the understanding that she'd play both roles... But due to a lot of futzing, lane-changing and outright betrayal, the "creative" team switched gears and saddled her with the terminally listless (and demonstrably bored) non-actor Rex Reed as Myron and, even more crucially, the black hole of vanity and attention-grabbing which was Mae West. I for one think she acquitted herself extremely well under the circumstances..
She was also offered incredible sums to bare it all in both print and film but she never took the bait. What kind of legacy would that leave to my kids? she considered. I never saw her interviewed when she said a cross word about anyone, with the possible exception of Mae West and whoever the director was in Myra who allowed himself it seems to me to be steamrolled, and that was in the DVD commentary and was itself diplomatic enough.
She had that light that certain people have, though fewer and fewer it seems, and she brightened the world with it. How fitting she would step into eternity on Valentine's Day. |
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Post by I Love Melvin on Feb 16, 2023 15:56:41 GMT
R.I.P., beautiful lady. She signed for Myra Breckinridge with the understanding that she'd play both roles... But due to a lot of futzing, lane-changing and outright betrayal, the "creative" team switched gears and saddled her with the terminally listless (and demonstrably bored) non-actor Rex Reed as Myron and, even more crucially, the black hole of vanity and attention-grabbing which was Mae West. I for one think she acquitted herself extremely well under the circumstances.. You're right about the light. This one is making me a little teary in a way that celebrity deaths usually don't. I chanced on a 2013 TV movie, House of Versace, last week, only intending to give it a quick look but watching the whole thing. Gina Gershon was perfectly cast as Donatella and Raquel had a major part as the aunt who was privy to the family secrets but didn't play favorites. I was pleased to see what a powerful presence she still had on film.  |
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Post by Lucky Dan on Feb 16, 2023 16:11:36 GMT
She had that light that certain people have, though fewer and fewer it seems, and she brightened the world with it. How fitting she would step into eternity on Valentine's Day. You're right about the light. This one is making me a little teary in a way that celebrity deaths usually don't. |
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Post by sepiatone on Feb 16, 2023 16:45:11 GMT
She was a true beauty who handled her frustration of rarely being taken seriously with grace and class. And that was perhaps her greatest beauty.
My sincerest condolences go out to her survivors and other loved ones. She will truly be missed.
Rest In Peace, lovely one.
Sepiatone
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Post by Roy Cronin on Feb 16, 2023 19:49:03 GMT
In one of the interviews being shown on the news she says about the sex symbol image: "You can't embrace it, but you can't push it away."
A tightrope she managed to walk quite well. Wise lady.
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Post by sagebrush on Feb 17, 2023 11:58:48 GMT
TCM Remembers: Raquel Welch On TV, it seems the ending is being cut off.
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Post by kims on Feb 17, 2023 13:25:23 GMT
I saw the "Remembers" this a.m. I think it was cut short. That's disrespectful to the viewers. Also liked her performance in THE LAST OF SHEILA. Not a big part with the ensemble cast. Portrayed a woman used to being aware of her appearance and mannerisms and able to convey the anxiety in the situation.
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Post by kims on Feb 17, 2023 23:05:24 GMT
I just saw the TCM Remembers segment on TCM- it doesn't present her name. Weird
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Post by I Love Melvin on Feb 19, 2023 21:43:32 GMT
CBS Sunday Morning just did a short memorial segment. I'd forgotten she's been a TV "weather girl".
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Post by Lucky Dan on Feb 20, 2023 1:59:24 GMT
On February 10, 2012, Raquel sat for an interview with Simon Doonan at Lincoln Center, during a week-long retrospective of her films, with that night's feature being Myra Breckenridge. Raquel talked about the production and the problems encountered, most notably Mae West. Ever diplomatic, Raquel told the truth while still showing respect. Along the way she did a pretty fair impression of Mae, with a little John Huston tossed in.
At one point, Doonan brought up the rumor that Mae was really a man, but Raquel thought he was referring to himself and because he didn't catch the misunderstanding we don't get to hear her address the rumor conclusively, though she had already said that at a certain point she got "a vibe" and said to herself, "I think she's a man!"
It's a quick half hour and Raquel is as charming as ever.
Her Lincoln interview with Dick Cavett is also available on YT and lasts an hour. The topic was supposed to be The Three Musketeers but Dick didn't seem to know that, or care. He just made it a Raquel interview
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Post by I Love Melvin on Feb 22, 2023 0:32:56 GMT
Fox Movie Channel has been showing Fathom(1967) but it's in pan-and-scan. I keep recording it in case they come to their senses and show the widescreen print I know they have, but so far no luck. But I thought I'd post this for Number One Fan Dan, to go along with the sky diving avatar. %2bpara.png&ehk=OaHl10wQsS%2fHnhsqnKxNAx93R08n2HIhAMiZzmXUE48%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0) |
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