The Great Gatsby & Luhrmann

I have been giddy with anticipation over the latest Luhrmann movie that will be released this Christmas- The Great Gatsby. The trailer was just released and apparently created quite a 'backlash' on the web. A few examples-

"Gatsby trailer looks more Las Vegas commercial romance than West Egg decadence and tragically hollow love story. #disappointed”
and-

"if i could bleach my brain and pretend that this wasn’t based on one of the greatest novels of all time, maybe the movie would look good. except for the 3D part.”

Really??? Has anyone seen the terribly boring 1970s version with Robert Redford? The Lurhmann version looks absolutely amazing! And in my opinion captures the excess, intensity, and vivid nature of the novel and time period perfectly. But I have always been a devout follower of Luhrmann (my following might have wavered only slightly when Australia was released) despite any negative reviews. Romeo+Juliet and Moulin Rouge and amongst my absolute favorite movies.

If anyone wants a BBC Masterpiece Theater version of Gatsby, sure, this is not it. But that is not what Baz is about in any shape or form. Reinventing and reinvigorating... true ART, that is what Baz is about.

So if anyone is trolling through websites to find positive reviews of the Luhrmann Gatsby trailer, I hope they find this.

For those of you interested in making your own decision, watch the trailer and read the bizarre and mean-spirited (one might almost say jealous) reviews here.

I literally just watched the thing 3 times and will likely watch it several times more tonight.

LOVE THIS IDEA

It is about time someone resurrected the good old phone.  I happened upon a tiny plug for this product in the recent edition of House Beautiful this past month and had to check it out.   I just love the thought of wandering around the office with a sturdy handset under my chin.  Even if it was comfortable to hold my cell against my shoulder (which it is decidedly not), I couldn't because the reception cuts out.  And for a mere $29.99, the Native Union POP phone is a no-brainer.  The only question becomes one of color.   Check out all the options here.

THE FINEST ROOMS IN AMERICA by Thomas Jayne

This is a book I have been looking forward to browsing for quite some time.  While it was published back in 2010, I just had not gotten around to it until it popped up at the library recently.  However, it was worth the wait, and I hope to have my own copy take up residence on my coffee table soon. 

Written by Thomas Jayne, a wonderful designer I was lucky enough to meet some years ago in New York (visit his website here and blog here.), the book reviews his top fifty selections that he considers the most influencial spaces in America.  What a wonderful idea.  He begins with the Tea Room at Moticello, and ends with an Albert Hadley Manhattan apartment taking many a detour along the way.  What is great about the book is that despite Mr Jayne's personal design tastes, he reviews all kinds of rooms, including rooms by Saarinen, Wright, and the Eames. 

I also love that he chooses specific rooms in historic buildings, not the entire house.  That takes a great deal of disipline.  For example, choosing a dressing room at Vizcaya, not considering any of the much more grand rooms throughout this massive mansion.

It is a great collection, and just adds to my ever growing list of rooms and building I must visit before I die.  I look forward to Mr Jaynes next book- American Decoration, due out later this year.

A GOOD TIME TO BE A NORWEGIAN

I have to say it is a great time to be a Norwegian (or half a Norwegian) when the most expensive piece of art ever sold at auction happens to be by a Norwegian painter.  While Munch's "Scream" might not hold this illustrious title for too long, I imagine it will be for a little while.  The last painting to hold this title was Picasso's "Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust" which sold of 106 million in 2010.  So I hope "The Scream" has a good few years of glory.

I just love the fact that the recent owner, now no longer an owner Petter Olsen, that grew up with the piece, thought the person in the painting to be a pretty girl with chin-length golden hair...not a man (read: Munch) holding his hands to his face and screaming in horror.  What an amazing view into the world of a child....it ALMOST makes me want one (a child that is, not a Scream which of course I want).

Now, what I am about to comment on is likely controversial (in the small world of auctioneering), however, I must have my say.  I was a bit disappointed, however, not surprised to see who the auctioneer was for this sale.  The poster-boy of Sotheby's modern and contemporary sales- Tobias Meyers- someone that honestly, I find somewhat dull on the auction podium.  Sure, he is European, and sophisticated, but not really full of much life.  I have seen a number of less well-known auctioneers at Sotheby's that have packed a much bigger punch.  However, I must admit, I would have LOVED to be in the room when Tobias said that he "had all the time in the world" at 99 million.  Well done.  I guess I am not that bitter after all, Tobias.  Still a great day to be Norwegian.

BACK TO BLOGGING

I know it has been weeks and weeks since my last post, but I am finally back.  It has been a busy few weeks, and honestly, I have just not been in the blogging mood.  However, I attended 2 great lectures over the last 2 days, and both reinvigorated my love of design and innovation in design.  So this morning I was finally motivated to get back to some writing. 

The first lecture was a CEU put on by HansGrohe, which reviewed some of their celebrity designers that have done plumbing lines for them.  Amongst the group were by old favorite Philippe Starck, who of course I already know and love, however I did in fact learn something new...that he was the first celebrity interior designer to create a full line of bathroom fixtures for a major company back in the late 80s.  There was also Patricia Urquiola, Jean-Marie Massaud and Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, all who have participated in HansGrohe's 'WaterDream' Bathroom Visions design.  They all created a conceptual vision of their own perfect bathroom space, and then turned it into some form of reality.  Pretty cool project.  Can I do one too?

Ronan & Erwan were of course ever practical and small space minded with their interchangeable fixtures where you can select where you want your lav faucet, handles, etc:

Massaud created a very cool space inspired by the beach:

And while I was confused by Patricia's conceptual space, I LOVE her real space:

Check out more at HansGrohe.

Stay tuned for details on the other inspiring lecture next week!