Howard Hughes Tries to Power Down

[greygirlbeast]

Before I begin rambling on and blithering on and what not, a wonderful thing (I'll repost this on Monday, because we seem to have fewer readers...or at least fewer comments on Saturdays). One of kylecassidy's photographs from last weekend's shoot for "The Drowning Girl: Stills from a Film That Never Existed," based on The Drowning Girl: A Memoir. This one is...astounding (inspired by a scene in Chapter 8). You will note the two titular paintings by Michael Zulli. And I owe an unspeakable degree of "Thank You" to Nicola Astes for nailing Imp in this fictional (but true) moment :



Um...the rest of yesterday. Well, there was a great deal of work, and a benchmark was reached, though an infinity of benchmarks lie before me. But when you're working with No Such Agency, there's only so much that can be said, and I've said too much already. The truth is out there, and it's coming soon.

I have this stuck in my head, going round and round:

And it came to me then that every plan
Is a tiny prayer to Father Time. — Death Cab for Cutie, "What Sarah Said"

Maybe by putting it here, and causing other people to read it, I'll let it go. For now.

Nothing else much to yesterday. Leftover meatloaf. Too much RIFT (in silent moments, the futility and vapidness of MMORPGs weighs heavily on me, the whole issue of time displacement, what I could be doing with my life instead).

We watched the second episode of American Horror Story, which I'm on the fence about. There's an interesting trick that's trying to be turned here, straddling a fine line between utter camp and halfhearted sincerity. I'm still trying to decide if the show is very good, mediocre, or actually quite awful. Mostly, I think producers somewhere are hoping to capitalize on the impending release of Tim Burton's film version of Dark Shadows by whipping up this hodgepodge of the supernatural. I do like Tate (as played by Evan Peters), and there was a good scene last night, when Violet is talking to her new "friend," that former-mean-girl-turned-witness-to-true-evil. I think the Jessica Lange character is, unfortunately, very much over the top for my liking, and I hope we're not supposed to have sympathy for Ben Harmon (as played by Dylan McDermott), because he's a total douchebag. There's still potential here, but I'd like to see more focus and less reliance of wearisome horror movie tropes and those shots we all expect. Having said that, I realize that I may be missing the point. But I also realize that missing the point may mean getting the point, which may be a mark in my favor.

We watched more Mad Men, which is excellent, no fence straddling required. We read more of Wildwood, which is delightful in that way that the truly good books we read as children are delightful. It makes me wistful in a good way.

Oh, and I'm regretting having bought the iPad. It's fair astounding, sure, this device. And I need it for work, because the world is going All Digital. But I sort of hate it. And can't help thinking about the infinitude of better ways the money could have been spent, and how easy it would be to let this Thing devour more of my life.

And now I'm going to sit in a corner.

Reticent,
Aunt Beast

Comments

[pwtucker.livejournal.com]

All these stills have served to somehow whet my desire to read The Drowning Girl even further. I did not think that was possible.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

This is (at least to me) their purpose. Though, not so much to reach the readers I have now, but a wider readership. Those people who need to be persuaded that I don't write the sorts of books they think I write.

[stsisyphus.livejournal.com]

There's this crazy oil painting quality to the photo you posted here. I kept having to go back and forth to confirm whether or not you said it was a photo or a photorealistic painting that had been done.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I think some of that might be post work Kyle did, but I also asked Nicola to use the pastels as makeup, to build a bridge between her scrawling and Zulli's paintings.

[sovay]

This one is...astounding (inspired by a scene in Chapter 8).

That is terrific.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

It sort of threw me for a loop.

[oldfossil59.livejournal.com]

The photograph is truly breath-taking, the lighting, and the textures reveal a quality of a fine painting. Thanks for sharing.
I have to reread the first two chapters now.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

and the textures reveal a quality of a fine painting.

I'm so glad people are seeing this.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

that is a very emotional picture.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

that is a very emotional picture.

Then all parties involved did their jobs well.

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

Perhaps my favourite still so far. I'm trying to read Imp's expression and failing. I'm looking at this on a small screen, but there seems to be a daub of pastel or paint on her face, as if she's being absorbed into the art; the presence of the paintings behind her makes the whole thing just that little bit more creepy (may I ask if Saltonstall's a character?)

Anyway. Love the photo, and think I am going to fucking love this book.

- Ash

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I'm looking at this on a small screen, but there seems to be a daub of pastel or paint on her face

Pastels were used as makeup.

as if she's being absorbed into the art; the presence of the paintings behind her

Yes!

(may I ask if Saltonstall's a character?)

You may, and he is.

[sillylilly-bird.livejournal.com]

This photo is amazing. I could spend hours reading the depth of emotion captured.

[lois2037.livejournal.com]

As has been said the wonderful (!) photograph is very painterly -- not so much in the makeup as the colors and composition, and simple-seeming lighting. Now that I look at it again, her hands on the fabric, their colors and textures, remind me of paintings I have seen and loved.

The best I can give American Horror Story is a half-hearted "meh." Too much is too familiar, the supposedly shocking material isn't very shocking, the characters are too much like others I've seen in better productions. I forgot all about it this week and didn't miss it.

[marisa sandlin (from livejournal.com)]

All these stills are making me more and more curious about the story itself. I mean, you've given us bits and pieces as to the "plot," as it were, but it's fascinating I don't exactly have a sense of what the book is about.

Do I really have to wait until 2012?

[birgitriddle.livejournal.com]

I almost mistook the photograph for a painting myself. It is beautiful in it's own way.

I've contemplated watching American Horror Story but the more previews I saw on TV, the more I was turned off from watching it. I'm starting to think that may have been the best choice.

[everville340.livejournal.com]

Not to take away from the seriousness of the picture because it really seeps intent and deep emotion the longer I take it in, but is it wrong that I can't help my eyes are continuously drawn to the jar of Fluff?

[lachendwolf.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

ditto here!

[lachendwolf.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Gorgeous pic, and SO many details to take in. The lightly-curved line-up of the pill canisters as compared to the straight line of (Imp's) nose and the shining angle of a fold of her nightdress caught me, as well as the impression that the figures in the paintings behind her are looking at her painting and collection of objects ringing her like part of a ritual circle.

[everville340.livejournal.com]

I was focused on her and the objects being almost bracketed between the electrical outlets, and totally did not see the angles of her nightdress or grasp the half-ring of a cast circle. I am seeing the photo with new perspectives now, thanks for mentioning it!

[sfmarty.livejournal.com]

stunning. A picture that needs to be looked at a lot.

[katesavage.livejournal.com]

The picture is curious. When I first looked at it I took the pill vials as paint related object as my focus was on the forlorn face and paintings in the background. When I looked a second time I saw the pill vials and thought of Niki Ky which flashed me to so many scenes in your books where the modern notion of "mental illness"is smashed by pesky alt realities.

Seeing the crumbled hearts switched me to the path of a person whose burdens screw up their relationships ... deflated and not doing such a great job of providing support.

As far as the iPad goes, it is silly and poorly designed except when I find myself using it a lot. I like that I can browse the web when away from home and play Netflix in bed. Of course, the art in Sirenia's Digest is eye candy.

[keith allen burruss (from livejournal.com)]

My apologies for being off topic but I was flipping channels this morning and was surprised to see you on TV. The Chiller cable channel is broadcasting Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown twice today. Very cool!

[mizliz13.livejournal.com]

Something about American Horror Story demands that I watch it, for better or worse. And I actually like Jessica Lange's character *because* she's so kooky campy. (Don't judge me. It won't do any good.)

I've waited to comment for quite a long time.

[prettierthanlil.livejournal.com]

I'm worried that this image may implant some sort of false memory, or recover to me a memory that is true but forgotten. When I look at the precise lines of her pill bottles and her Fluff, it's almost like a sensation I felt quite a long time ago. Thank you, quite a bit, from a fellow Rhode Islander.