Just watching Norbit. Perhaps not a movie for the ages, but it's funny and enjoyable. And Eddie Murphy as three main characters who don't look remotely like each other (a black man, an obese black woman, and an old Chinese man! (the guy on the right is Eddie, can you believe it). Outstanding make-up and acting.
("Whale ho!!" ... "Did somebody just call me a whale?!" ... "Yes, and a ho!")
Even people on set chatting with the "old Chinese dude" didn't know it was make-up or that it was Eddie. And allegedly it too make-up designer Rick Baker nine months to design these characters.
A side note: there's a stunt woman for an old lady being thrown high up and landing in a bed of flowers. The stunt woman was 66 years old!
And talking about age, Eddie too looks good, he's 46 years old in 2007 when this was made, but hardly looks changed at all from ten years ago.
... Aaaaand, I just found out Thandie Newton was 35. She looks 25 fer sure.
I suspect I put it on my rental list because it has Thandie Newton (pronounced "Tandy", it seems) in it. I also suspect that Thandie may actually have my current vote for the most beautiful young actress present.
What do you think? What others give her a run for her money?
Note: I think I've said it before: many beautiful actresses only really show their beauty on screen, in still images they look generically pretty at best. I wonder if it's the fault of the photographers, working towards exactly that, instead of being able to see and draw out eccentric beauty?
I made this poster of Thandie. I found the biggest and best file I could. It was promotional for a movie, so I removed that text and replaced it with her name, and put a matte around it.
I made this poster of Thandie. I found the biggest and best file I could. It was promotional for a movie, so I removed that text and replaced it with her name, and put a matte around it.
Isn't it interesting how many pretty actresses will wear the most awesome, revealing outfits, and then seemingly be totally uncomfortable about them? Like Thandie here desperately trying to get her skirt to cover a bit of her thighs when she sits down. I mean, she's 35, surely she has worn short skirts before and can predict both how they behave and how she'll feel about it?
It has long seemed to me that an attractive woman will achieve her true beauty at 35. In my early twenties I thought that was true, dazzled by the combination of good looks and experience, and the self-confidence that results from it. Thandie is a good example. One of my current favorite models is 44 and a goddess. One of the benefits of age is that more and more women look good to me because I'm able to fully appreciate them better. Unfortunately, I look less and less good to them physically, but if one is a source of amusement for them, there is still fun to be had.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite film starring Thandie Newton is Bernardo Bertolucci's Besieged (1998).
ReplyDeleteHadn't even heard of that, I'll take a look.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first spotted her I thought she was a long-established star and could not get over how amazing she looked, not realising she was in her early 20s. All I've seen is Interview With The Vampire, The Journey Of August King, In Your Dreams, Mission Impossible 2, The Truth About Charlie and The Chronicles of Riddick - but not in chronological order. From what I understand, she seems to have devolved from leading lady to supporting actress, whereas she should be getting best actress oscars annually. She is extraordinary.
ReplyDeleteYes, I don't know how she is so under-rated.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have to admit that it took a long time to really notice her myself.
The oldest photos clearly show that later she's had her cheekbones "inflated". At least twice, it seems.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about you, but discovering that a woman's body contains needless silicone (reconstruction after cancer, for example, ISN'T needless) has about the same effect on me as finding out once in the bedroom that my hot date is actually a futanari.
"but if one is a source of amusement for them, there is still fun to be had."
Damn right. "Make them laugh."
As they say, "a woman who laughs is halfway in your bed".
My problem resides in getting the OTHER half in. ;-)
The hooker: "It's 10 bucks on the chair, 100 bucks in the bed"
The customer (pulling out a $100 bill and putting in on the table): "Then it's 10 times on the chair!"
She looks a bit like Indi, doesn't she?
ReplyDeleteThandie (short for Thandiwe, pronounced Tan-dee, not Tandy)'s mother was Zimbabwean and her father British, thus explaining the "Indi" looks. I was so crazy about her role in Besieged that I didn't want to see any of her other films, for fear it would spoil my appreciation.
ReplyDelete"pronounced Tan-dee, not Tandy"
ReplyDeleteUnless you mean that the accent is on the second syllable, I don't know the difference.
"actresses will wear.... revealing outfits, and then seemingly be totally uncomfortable about them? Like Thandie here desperately trying to get her skirt to cover.... when she sits down."
ReplyDeleteI know that she is a long time professional actress. Has spent many hours in front of a camera. But when doing this interview Thandie's body language said she was not comfortable wearing the short skirt and blouse unbuttoned one too far. Not once during the interview did she change the position of her legs. Must have been uncomfortable to hold it that long.
I would hope for her sake that she be more assertive in the choice of her wardrobe next time.
Joe