The eternal set. It’s one of the iconic architectures of the capital. The Palace of Italian Civilization, in the Eur, restored by Fendi and headquarter of the maison from October 2015, includes also a space for exhibitions and public events. This is one of the many international sociocultural procedures about communication between fashion, architecture, art. The building was designed between 1936 and 1937, and finished in 1940, for the Universal Exposition that never took place. From the “peplum” to The Last Kiss by Muccino, the building and its surroundings have been the set for hundreds of movies. About the picture I chose, the great book Eur, si gira, by Laura Delli Colli, says: “For the fellinian episode “The temptation of Dr Antonio” in Boccaccio ’70, the filmmaker imagined a busty Ekberg on the advertising billboard “Drink more milk”. It had to be only a picture, but during the making of the movie, Fellini changed his mind and wanted Anita in the flesh”.

The vintage creeps us out. The enthusiasts of this genre are anxious about the beginning of the new season of Bates Motel, the prequel of Psycho, the very famous movie by Alfred Hitchcock. Transmitted by Netflix, the Tv series has been created by Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin that claim to have been inspired also by David Lynch; and, actually, we can find some references to Twin Peaks. Bates Motel doesn’t take place in the 50s, even if it talks about the relationship between mother and son before the murder: the screenplay set the story today. But, detail that adds mistery and charm, the two protagonists , Vera Farmiga (Norma Louise Bates) and Freddie Highmore (Norman Bates), are dressed in 50s’ style. As two ghosts thrown into the present, dis-united in an obsessive relationship that will lead to tragedy. In the new season, Marion Crane (the girl of the memorable scene of the shower, played by Janet Leigh in Psycho), will be played by Rihanna: let’s see if she will wear vintage clothes too.

Deep Red. Its title should have been The saber-toothed tiger. We don’t know if Dario Argento changed his mind in the last second or if he declared a false title to divert the expectations of press and audience. Regardless, it came out with the title Deep Red. It was march 7th 1975. So, the most successful movie by Dario Argento is 40 years old but it looks more recent. The director used advanced shooting techniques, from the Snorkel microcamera to the Dolly Champman camera for tracking shots. Obviously, it has nothing to do with the modern special effects. But the great thing about Deep red is that, although it was shot with means now obsolete, it is frightful just like the actual The Ring saga. The final flashback, that reveals that the murderer’s identity was right before our eyes since the first murder (matter of seconds, but we can see the criminal’s face), and the soundtrack by the Goblins are a milestone of the italian filmmaking. Above, Dario Argento with David Hemmings, the protagonist of Deep Red. 

This week’s picture, from the book Richard Avedon Performance (published by HNA), appeared on Harper’s Bazaar in 1962. This story was shot in Paris, between Chez Maxim’s and the Saint-Régis Hotel, and it was based on an idea of Avedon that, for its production, made himself directed by Mike Nichols (the director of The Graduate). The shooting would have been a homage/satire to the legendary and troubled love story between Liz Taylor and Richard Burton. In this picture – which staged a false press conference – the american actress/model Suzy Parker wears a Yves Saint Laurent dress. The model that plays the role of Burton is obviously in pure Sixties mood too: black round-neck pullover, dark thin tie and white shirt whit mini-collar. Trousers and shoes also black. So I suggest a total black that refers to that decade, which was certainly – with the Fourties – a period of great elegance. Suzy Parker in a picture by Richard Avedon for Harper’s Bazaar (1962)