When film and fashion meet: Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

It was in late 60s. A man stepped on the moon, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones wrote music history, sexual revolution was on the peak, the cold war was in full swing, the streets of the world metropolises were the sites of huge political and social makeovers. The desire for changes didn’t get round the world cinematography either. New French wave splashed the Hollywood coasts, stirring the dead sea of the “holly wood” where expensive epic spectacles and old-fashioned musicals were floating. Film, as well as the humankind, was ready for its new chapter.

    The golden age of Hollywood at the end of 60s in the last century looked like beautiful, but far away past. When, for “baby boom” effect, the structure of cinema audience changed in behalf of younger population, different demands appeared in film market. Very successful historical spectacles and sweetish musicals, in spite of huge budgets and great names in leading roles were one fiasco after the other. The audience wanted reality, as it was offered in European and Japanese films.

Large Hollywood studios, facing the unstable situation, decided to risk and employed the armies of new, young and fresh directors’ names. The task was very clear: to make New Hollywood wave and bring the audience back to the cinemas. The name of Arthur Penn was the one among those that brought freshness into apathetic Hollywood. Being a follower of French new wave in 60s, Penn directed a number of successful dramas and thrillers of delicate thematic and finally in 1967 signed the film which was going to become the world phenomenon and inexhaustible inspiration, in cinematography as well as in other arts.

The 30s and 60s  

Having immortalized the story about the antiheroes Bonnie and Clyde, Penn wrote a new page of film history and formally marked the origin of new Hollywood. The story, which filled newspaper columns at the beginning of 30s in 20th century, was intriguing not only for the fact that two criminals in love and passionately bound were running from one crime to another just for hint of fame, but also because of the time context when it happened. Penn recognized the connection between Nixon’s America of late 60s, which was in the long and exhausting Vietnam war unaccepted by thousands of demonstrates fighting against it, on one side, and the America from the beginning of 30s as a country in post depressive, turbulent and unstable condition on the other side. Destroying Hollywood taboos about violent and sexually insinuated scenes, the film was an enormous success, in spite of the Warner Bros leaders’ skepticism and very severe, split criticism.

The audience got reality in the shape of passion, blood and death. Negative reaction of the conservative part of public opinion was expected but it had little effect. New generation of filmmakers set up new standards and looked for new heroes. Warren Beatty, starring Clyde and Faye Dunaway as Bonnie might have been the most remarkable example of idolatry for negative heroes in the history of world film industry. Until then, the heroines from the screen had usually captured with their ample curves, seductive voice and dance, while Bonnie gained the attention by her skills of handling weapons. The scene where somebody was taking a photo of Faye Dunaway, with her leg leaned against car fender, with a cigarette in her mouth and a gun in her hand, is not only interesting for its being on the bases of the exciting photo of real Bonnie Parker, but because it symbolizes new for that period possibility of equality between a man and a woman, what was closely connected with the increasing influence of the feminist movement at the time the film was made.

Femininity at risk

In spite of split critiques, film Academy nominated Penn’s work in even 10 categories. Nevertheless, the film “Bonnie and Clyde” won only two Oscars- for the best supporting female role and for the best camera. The newly dated critique supports the thesis according to which this film was of crucial importance for development of criminal film genre, inspiring the directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Oliver Stone and Martin Scorsese. The adventures of Bonnie and Clyde were not the source of creativity only for the great names in the seventh art. In the year when the film came into being, a well known French composer and actor Serge Gainsbourg, together with Brigitte Bardot records a duet on the lyrics “By the road”, written by Bonnie Parker. In the music video for that song Brigitte looked the same as Faye in the film, thus giving the homage to Bonnie style, and starting then, it has become a permanent inspiration to fashion makers for decades.

It was a new kind of femininity, hidden behind mystery and danger. It is interesting to say how striking was that simple matching- tight shirt of low waist, cardigan, a scarf round the neck, beret and bob hairstyle. Playing with French chic incompatible to Texas manners, a costume designer Theodora Van Rankle made a bank robbery be a glamorous deed and filmed Bonnie Parker become immortal in style.

The successful mutual work of Faye and Rankle led to their long- standing cooperation and some of the most brilliant fashion moments in the famous actress’s film as well as private life. Forty years later Bonnie Parker’s style isn’t old-fashioned. Takun Williams, a great hope of American design and Anna Wintour’s favourite, in autumn of 2006, disposed a new collection of reduced feminine cuts inspired by Faye Dunaway’s style. Three years later, dominating moment at the Fashion week in Milano, Emporio Armani showed a collection where combining modern cuts and patterns with 60s style and Bonnie, as one of the first action film heroine, into the fashion present. The well-known American brand J. Crew in a topical collection for autumn/winter 2011, combines the newest trends, like colour blocking and classical style inspired by Theodora Van Rankle costumes from 1967.

To sum up. Whether you are a rebel with or without a reason, with pencil shirt and short cardigan, with small scarf round your neck and a beret on perfectly dried bob hair-do, you will be a rebel with style! If you like psychological dramas about the connection between violence, fame and love with some hints of action and comedy, if you want to see how a folk story turned into global legend, enjoying, besides the acting of Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway in the time of their greatest fame, if you are ready to bear the irritating Oscar awarded Estelle Parsons’ performance, “Bonnie and Clyde” is the best choice for you and your other half and some slow evening when you will indulge into the adventure and excitement that out of law life brings along.

Until next movie… And fashion..      

U FOKUSU  PRIČA SE DA  KULTURA  UMETNOST  FOTOGRAFIJA  FILM  POZORIŠTE  KNJIŽEVNOST  MUZIKA  ARHITEKTURA  DIZAJN  ENTERIJER  TERAPIJA STANOVANJA  MODA  STRIP  HIGIJENA UMA  RIZNICA  STIL  AUTO  ASTRO  KREATIVNI DNEVNIK

FilmFILM

Kad se sretnu film i moda:

Boni i Klajd (1967)

Bile su to kasne šezdesete. Čovek je kročio na Mesec, Bitlsi i Stonsi pisali su muzičku istoriju, seksualna revolucija doživljavala je vrhunac, hladni rat je bio u jeku, a ulice svetskih metropola postale su poprišta velikih političkih i socijalanih prevrata. Želja za promenama nije zaobišla ni svetsku kinemtaografiju. Novi francuski talas zapljusnuo je obale Holivuda, uzburkavši mrtvo more „svete šume“ po kojem su plutali preskupi epski spektakli i prevaziđeni mjuzikli. Film je, baš kao i čovečanstvo, bio spreman za novo poglavlje

    Zlatno doba Holivuda je krajem 60-ih godina prošlog veka izgledalo kao lepa, ali već daleka prošlost. Kada se, usled baby boom efekta, struktura bioskopske publike promenila u korist mlađe populacije, došlo je i do promene potražnje na filmskom tržištu. Do tada uspešni istorijski spektakli i sladunjavi mjuzikli, i pored ogromnih budžeta i velikih imena u glavnim ulogama, doživljavali su fijasko za fijaskom. Publika je bila željna realnosti, poput one koju je pružao evropski i japanski film.

Veliki holivudski studiji, suočeni s neizvesnom situacijom, odlučili su se na rizičan korak i upošljavanje armije novih, mladih i svežih režiserskih imena. Zadatak je bio jasan: stvoriti Novi holivudski talas i vratiti publiku u bioskope. Ime Artura Pena (Arthur Penn) bilo je jedno od onih koja su unela svežinu u učmali Holivud. Kao pobornik francuskog talasa 60-ih, Pen snima više uspešnih drama i trilera osetljive tematike, da bi 1967. potpisao film koji će postati svetski fenomen i nepresušna inspiracija, kako u domenu kinematografije, tako i u drugim umetnostima.

Tridesete i šezdesete

Ovekovečivši istinitu priču o antijunacima Boni i Klajdu, Pen je ispisao novu stranicu filmske istorije i tako zvanično obeležio začetak novog Holivuda. Intrigantnost priče, koja je početkom 30-ih godina 20. veka punila novinske stupce, sastojala se ne samo u činjenici da je dvoje zaljubljenih i strašću povezanih kriminalaca radi malo slave i avanture srljalo iz zločina u zločin, već i u vremenskom kontekstu u kojem se ova priča odigravala. Pen je prepoznao vezu između Amerike s kraja 60-ih koja je, s Niksonom na čelu, vodila dug i iscrpljujući Vijetnamski rat protiv kojeg je ustalo na hiljade demonstranata s jedne strane, i Amerike s početka 30-ih godina kao zemlje u postdepresivnom, turbulentom i nesigurnom stanju s druge strane. Rušeći holivudske tabue o nasilnim i seksualno insinuiranim scenama, film je doživeo ogroman uspeh, uprkos skeptičnosti čelnika Vorner Brosa (Warner Bros) i vrlo oštrih, podeljenih kritika. Publika je dobila realnost u vidu strasti, krvi i smrti. Negativna reakcija konzervativnog dela javnog mnjenja bila je očekivana, ali ne i mnogo uticajna.

Nove generacije filmskih stvaralaca postavljale su nove standarde i tražile nove junake. Voren Biti (Warren Beatty) u ulozi Klajda i Fej Danavej (Faye Dunaway) kao Boni predstavljaju verovatno najupečatljiviji primer idolpoklonstva negativnim junacima u istoriji svetske kinematografije. Do tada su sa filmskog platna junakinje obično plenile bujnim oblinama, zavodljivim glasom i plesom, dok je Boni osvajala veštinom upravljanja oružjem. Scena u kojoj se Fej Danavej fotografiše noge oslonjene na branik automobila, s cigretom u ustima i pištoljem u ruci, ne samo da je zanimljiva, jer je zasnovana na postojećoj fotografiji prave Boni Parker, već simbolizuje za ono doba sasvim novu mogućnost ravnopravnosti žene i muškarca, što je u bliskoj vezi sa porastom uticaja feminističkog pokreta u vreme snimanja filma.

Ženstvenost na opasan način

Uprkos podeljenim kritikama, filmska Akademija je Penovo ostvarenje jednoglasno nominovala u čak 10 kategorija. Međutim, film „Boni i Klajd“ osvojio je samo dva Oskara, i to za najbolju žensku sporednu ulogu i najbolju kameru. Kritika novijeg datuma podržava tezu po kojoj je ovaj film bio od suštinskog značaja za razvoj kriminalističkog filmskog žanra, inspirišući režisere poput Frensisa Forda Kopole (Francis Ford Coppola), Olivera Stouna (Oliver Stone) i Martina Skorsezea (Martin Scorsese). Avanture Boni i Klajda nisu bile izvor kreativnosti samo za velikane sedme umetnosti. U godini nastanka filma, poznati francuski kompozitor i glumac Serž Genzbur (Serge Genzbur) s Brižit Bardo (Brigitte Bardot) snima duet na tekst pesme „Kraj staze“, koju je napisala Boni Parker. U spotu za pomenutu pesmu Brižit je izgledala kao Fej u filmu, čime je dat prvi omaž stilu filmske Boni koji će, počevši od tada, decenijama biti konstantna inspiracija modnim stvaraocima.

Bila je to nova vrsta ženstvenosti, skrivena iza misterije i opasnosti. Interesantno je koliko je upečatljivosti nosila prilično jednostavna kombinacija uske suknje dubokog struka, kardigana, marame oko vrata, beretke i bob frizure. Poigravajući se nespojivošću francuskog šika i teksaškog karaktera, kostimografkinja Teodora Van Rankle (Theodora Van Runkle) učinila je pljačkanje banke glamuroznim činom, a filmsku Boni Parker stilski besmrtnom.

Uspešnost zajedničkog rada Fej i Rankleove uzrokovala je njihovu dugogodišnju saradnju i neke od najblistavijih modnih momenata kako u filmskom, tako i u privatnom životu slavne glumice. Četrdeset godina kasnije stil filmske Boni Parker ne zastareva. Takun Vilijams (Takun Williams), velika nada američkog dizajna i miljenik Ane Vintur (Anna Wintour), u jesen 2006. plasira kolekciju svedenih ženstvenih krojeva inspirisanih stilom Fej Danavej. Tri godine kasnije, na Nedelji mode u Milanu, Emporio Armani prikazuje kolekciju kojom dominira poigravanje modernih krojeva i dezena sa stilom 60-ih, smeštajući Boni, kao jednu od prvih akcionih junakinja, u modnu sadašnjicu. Poznati američki brend Džej Kru (J. Crew) u aktuelnoj kolekcji za jesen/zimu 2011. povezuje najaktuelnije trendove, poput colorbloking-a i klasični stil inspirisanim kostimima Teodore Van Rankle iz 1967.

Da rezimiramo. Bilo da ste buntovnica s razlogom ili bez njega, uz pencil suknju i kratki kardigan, s malom maramom oko vrata i beretkom na perfektno isfeniranoj bob frizuri, bićete svakako buntovnica sa stilom. Ukoliko volite psihološke drame o povezanosti nasilja, slave i ljubavi, s primesama akcije i komedije, ukoliko želite da vidite kako je jedna narodna priča postala globalna legenda, uživajući pri tom u glumi Vorena Bitija i Fej Danavej u danima njihove najveće slave, ukoliko ste spremni da izdržite iritantnu izvedbu Estel Parsons (Estelle Parsons) za koju je, inače, bila nagrađena Oskarom - „Boni i Klajd“ je pravi izbor za vas, vašu drugu polovinu i neko usporeno veče tokom kojeg ćete se barem na 112 minuta prepustiti avanturi i uzbuđenju koje sa sobom nosi život s one strane zakona.

Do idućeg filma... I mode...

Autor: Branislava Antović