…the who cares girl…

The first time that Christopher and I had any kind of lengthy conversation occurred many years ago at Chris and Melinda’s wedding reception. I don’t remember much about the reception, just what I wore (a floor-length black floral 70′s sleeveless nightgown, with a string of green beads around my throat), that Christopher and I were glued to each other all night, and that a great deal of our conversation revolved around Louise Brooks.

Christopher jump-started an obsession that had already been brewing. One of my very first paintings was of Louise, I painted her again for an AIDS charity auction, and a third time for a painting that I traded with the incredible artist Julie Zarate.

Last week I decided that there is absolutely nothing wrong with painting the same fabulous muse over and over again, especially when she is Louise. I had just started my latest painting when I discovered that “Pandora’s Box” is streaming on Netflix right now.

Has my love for Louise dimmed over time? HELL NO. If anything, it’s gotten stronger.

Alcoholism never looked so good. Louise and I both knew we were alcoholics by the ripe old age of 22. However, I quit drinking, Louise never did, but she still lived a relatively long life, passing away at 78 years old.

The costumes in this film make me crazy with desire.

Sassy. In my early 20s I caught the Louise fever so bad I bobbed my hair. Unfortunately my early 20s was also when I started getting chunky from grilled cheese sannies and beer, so I’ll always associate bobbed hair with a double chin, which is rather unfortunate.

Yes, sometimes when we drink heavily we acquire crusty little friends.

Couldn’t you just die? I mean, really? Oh God, I’m still obsessed, and I don’t care!

Ahhhhhhhhh.

In the film she drives everyone mad with desire–men, women. And no wonder!

Yes, yes, yes!

Today’s disgustingly anorexic standards would no doubt deem Louise obese (my fresh “Vogue” had an article about a “curvy” model who, at 5 foot 10 and a size 4, isn’t getting booked because of her “size”).

I love that helmet.

Oh my God.

Watching this movie makes me want to pull out my sewing machine, several yards of chiffon and sequined trim and get crackin’.

The rich man Lulu (Louise) is sleeping with offers the creepiest gaze ever as his fiancee tries, in vain, to get him to pay attention to her.

You can see the wheels turning as Lulu spies him eying her lustily across the room: how to get his pesky fiancee out of the way? She does what any self-respecting minx would do…

…throws a starfit (would you look at the back of that dress?)…

…lures him backstage, and in my favorite scene of the entire movie…

…reacts to his fiancee bursting in on them with a sneer of triumph. That’s our Lulu.

She then shocks and horrifies everyone at their wedding by dancing with the ugly butch lesbian Countess, who is also hopelessly in love with her.

I won’t give the rest of the film away, let’s just say that it’s excellent and worth watching, repeatedly. The Boy couldn’t believe that it runs over two hours long, but the first hour is really the best. At least that’s when Louise looks the cutest.

Mmm, time to eat French toast.