Latest news with #MarleneDietrich
LeMonde
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- LeMonde
The forgotten people of the Osaka ghetto: The dark side of the World Expo
When Marlene Dietrich took the stage at the Osaka World Expo on September 8, 1970, and began singing "Lili Marleen" in her silk dress, Jōtarō Shōji was in the crowd. He was moved, starstruck at his first music hall show, a kid from a poor background who had made it to the big city. Yet that day, he was not just there for Dietrich: "I had worked on the Expo site, at the Czech pavilion. It was behind schedule and we took big risks to finish on time. Friends of mine died there." Shōji was also there to say goodbye to his companions. After the concert, he returned to the world behind the stage, to Kamagasaki, the grimy ghetto of the Nishinari neighborhood, where he lived with his fellow workers, the builders of the Expo, 25,000 young workers crammed into seedy dormitories. There, he slipped into a box measuring 50 centimeters by 170 centimeters. His room was like a coffin. With "Lili Marleen" running through his head, he thought of his comrades who had died on the construction site. "Since they had neither money nor insurance," the now-septuagenarian recalled, "we pooled our money together to buy them funeral urns." Glamorous and futuristic, the Osaka World Expo, held from March 15 to September 13, 1970, remains a source of great pride for Japan, which presented a modern and optimistic face to the world. But 30 kilometers south of the site, Kamagasaki, the major market for day labor, remained a taboo subject, the hidden dark side of the event. Fifty-five years later, on April 13, the 2025 Expo opened in the same city, on an artificial island named Yumeshima ("Dream Island"). And Kamagasaki is still there, clinging to the southern edge of Osaka, one of the wealthiest cities in Japan.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
7 lesbian-coded characters from Hollywood's pre-Code era
Actress Marlene Dietrich and Paul Porcasi in a scene from the movie Morocco. The landscape of Hollywood underwent a drastic transformation when following the Hays Code became mandatory in 1934. These rules came down hard on anything the conservative enforcers deemed "sexual perversion," which, of course, meant even a whiff of queerness could cause major drama for moviemakers up until we finally ditched the whole thing in 1968. But in the years before the Hays Code, films got away with a lot more. While explicit representation was still off-limits, plenty of characters gave off vibes that LGBTQ+ viewers have been picking up on ever since. From women in tuxedos to emotionally unavailable execs, here are seven pre-Code movie characters who were absolutely lesbian-coded, even if their narratives forced them into heteronormativity for the sake of plot. - YouTube In Baby Face, Barbara Stanwyck plays Lily, a woman who sleeps her way to the top of the corporate world without a second thought. She shares a one-room apartment and a whole lot of chemistry with her best friend Chico (Theresa Harris), and while the movie never says anything outright, the vibe is very much there. - YouTube Marlene Dietrich's Amy shows up in a tux, kisses a woman, and then strolls off like it's no big deal in 1930's Morocco. Sure, there's a male love interest, but perhaps there's an obvious reason why Amy "scorned all men," as the trailer declares. - YouTube In Red-Headed Woman (1932), Jean Harlow stars as Lil, an agent of chaos who will flirt with literally anyone to get what she wants — and we mean anyone. Her scene with a female store clerk is brief, but loaded. And her general disinterest in settling down with a man? Yeah, girl. We know what you are. - YouTube Marlene Dietrich plays Princess Sophia — soon to be Catherine the Great — in a film that's basically wall-to-wall dramatic lighting, corsets, and stone-cold stares. There's a whole lot of power, a whole lot of attitude, and not a man in sight that she seems particularly bothered about. - YouTube Ruth Chatterton plays a no-nonsense auto executive who runs her company, seduces her male employees, and doesn't have time for emotional attachments in the aptly titled Female. She lives alone and makes it very clear she's not interested in being anyone's wife — which, in a 1933 movie, is basically sapphic behavior, even if it never crosses the line. - YouTube It was only a matter of time before Katharine Hepburn showed up on the list. In her second film, Christopher Strong (1933), she dons pants, flies planes, and doesn't seem remotely interested in being anyone's wife. She technically falls for a man, but her whole energy screams 'lesbian aunt who casually vacations with her roommate for 40 years." That would be enough for us, but the fact that this one was directed by Dorothy Arzner? Yeah. She gay. - YouTube Aaaand another one for Dietrich! (Go figure.) This time, she plays a nightclub performer with a persona that feels designed to make straight people nervous. She's technically in love with her husband, but her entire wardrobe, energy, and the way she commands a room of women? Yeah, she knows what she's doing — and she's definitely done it before.
Telegraph
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Before succumbing to Botox, I tried ‘face taping' my wrinkles
I turned 40 a few months ago and I've been flip-flopping over whether to give my first try of Botox a go or not. My frown lines seem to be getting deeper and my forehead is striped with more horizontal lines than I'd like at this stage in life. But, Botox is an expensive commitment, which is why I decided to investigate face tape. I'm aware this is not a new age-defying beauty technique. Using tape to smooth out wrinkles or enhance necklines was common practice amongst Hollywood stars like Joan Crawford and Marlene Dietrich who wanted to appear younger on the big screen. Seventy years later, celebrities such as Bella Hadid and rapper Doechii (whose face tape was visible at this year's Grammys) are also using this technique to smooth their faces out. Hadid told Vogue in 2022: 'Whoever thinks I've gotten my eyes lifted or whatever it's called – it's face tape! The oldest trick in the book.' It's also become something of a viral trend on TikTok with beauty influencers sharing videos of their faces before and after using it. I'm not famous and no one really cares about what my face looks like apart from me but, when so many of my friends are starting to have 'tweakments', it's been hard not to feel the pressure to do the same. But first, I thought I'd give the 'oldest trick in the book' a go myself. What is face taping? Face tape is medical grade tape that comes in strips of varying sizes. You stick the tape at different angles on your face, depending on where your wrinkles are. The idea is that the tape will pull them taut and flat. 'Face taping can provide a temporary smoothing effect by restricting muscle movement and preventing skin creasing during sleep,' the facialist Justine Masters tells me. 'It can improve lymphatic drainage and can help to bring blood flow and nutrients to the skin. Consistent use may help retrain the facial muscles to move less and potentially slow down wrinkle formation as it releases fascia adhesions,' says Masters. I bought some strips from a company called Skin Gym who recommended using them every night for 1-2 hours or overnight. Prices for face tape vary, from around £10 for a roll from Amazon to £150 for retinol wrinkle erasing patches from Space NK. The ones I bought cost £25 for 128 individual pre-cut tapes, which seemed like good value, although who knew if they'd make any difference or not. Where to apply face tape The packet had some handy diagrams on the back to help me work out where to put the tape. Being totally new to face tape, I decided to copy the images one by one to see what impact they had. I soon understood why the packet had so many strips in it, because on my first try I had 14 of them stuck to my face. This felt slightly over the top, but I definitely had all of my creases and wrinkles covered. The strips didn't feel tight on my face or like they were pulling my skin taut which surprised me. They felt light and comfortable to wear while also making my face quite immobile. I wore the strips for just over one hour. There's no way I could have slept in that many. Fourteen tapes did feel like overkill, so when I tried them the next day I hoped less would equal more (...smooth!). My neck and cheeks are still looking vaguely youthful, so I decided to just focus on my eyes, forehead and frown lines. This time I decided to start my day with some face tape action, rather than doing it at the end of the day. Now that I'm approaching middle age, it can take some time for the crinkles from sleep to settle down and smooth out. I thought I'd give them a helping hand by stretching them out a bit, and stopping any morning stress with the kids from making them even deeper. My three boys weren't sure about my new look but I soon forgot about them as we got ourselves ready for the day. When the time came to take them off, wash my face and put make-up on, my skin looked smoother. I felt more awake and fresh-looking. Does it work? If you're thinking of giving face tape a try, consultant plastic surgeons Mo Akhavani, and Dan Marsh, of The Plastic Surgery Group, have some tips: 'It's important to make sure you choose medical-grade tape which is specially designed for this purpose and ideally one that lets the skin breathe. People with sensitive skin should be aware of the redness and irritation that some tapes can cause, and it's important that the tape isn't worn for too long in order to make sure it doesn't negatively impact the skin's natural functions. It's also important to ensure you remove the tape carefully in order to avoid skin damage.' My packet for Skin Gym tape recommended removing the tape in a 'rolling manner' to avoid aggravating your skin. It also suggests testing a strip on your hand first in case of an allergic reaction. OK, so now for the key part of this article – would I use face tape again and is Botox off the menu for now? The quick answers to both of these questions are yes, followed by no. I liked the immediate effect the tape had on my face. It gives your face an instant lift and smooths your face naturally. The downside of course, is that these changes are only temporary and not long-lasting like Botox or other cosmetic treatments. I can use all of the tape, creams and serums to try to defy the ageing process but it's going to happen anyway. I'm just going to have to decide whether to embrace it or not.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What was Manhattan like in the Roaring Twenties? See for yourself
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). It's been a century since The Great Gatsby was first published, shining a light on extravagant New York lifestyles in an era that went down in history as the 'Roaring Twenties'. It was the decade that paved the way for Manhattan's Chrysler Building and other progressive style icons, creating an anything-goes atmosphere for jazz-fuelled parties, Champagne afternoons and secret affairs in Prohibition speakeasies. And, 100 years later, it's still possible to experience this defining spirit in one ultimate day out in New York City. (It's the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby and New York is ready to party, old sport.) Time travel back to 1922 with a hearty breakfast at the Square Diner, an original train-car-style cafe that's been serving the Tribeca community for over a century. Inside you'll find antique black-and-white photos decorating the wood-panelled walls, weathered chrome fittings and snug leather booths. The breakfast menu is extensive; try the fluffy buttermilk pancakes, flipped fresh from the hot griddle. Ride the subway north to the Rockefeller Center, an art deco complex in Midtown that's considered one of the most ambitious building projects of the Great Depression era. It's made up of 19 different sections, spanning an area between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and split by a sunken garden square. You'll need a paid ticket to view the spectacular skyline at the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, but visitors can also just wander into the lobby of 30 Rock to admire the razzmatazz of gold detailing splashed throughout the interiors. Specialising in clothing from the 1900s to the 1970s, this carefully curated boutique on the Lower East Side is the place to go for glamorous one-of-a-kind gems. Catering to both men and women, its wares include everything from cases of twinkling jewellery to rails filled with sharp suits and flapper dresses — perfect for foxtrotting into a lavish Gatsby-style party, which brims with Champagne and gossip. For over 115 years, The Palm Court restaurant has been serving New York's movers and shakers, including The Great Gatsby author F Scott Fitzgerald and 1930s movie goddess Marlene Dietrich. Cocooned inside the marble grandeur of The Plaza hotel, the interiors remain a masterclass in restrained elegance, taking inspiration from the lush greenery of nearby Central Park. Book ahead for the afternoon tea service, where dinky roast beef sandwiches and freshly baked scones are served under a glass-dome ceiling. Swing by the soaring Chrysler Building, one of New York's most beloved art deco skyscrapers, in midtown Manhattan. This masterpiece remains the tallest brick building in the world with a steel framework. These days it's a private office building, but fans are allowed to take a peek inside the lobby to view the original interiors, including geometric patterned elevators and a vast ceiling mural by the artist Edward Turnbull, depicting the flat-capped workers who constructed the skyscraper. Less than a mile south of the Chrysler, the iconic Empire State Building is another art deco beauty. Completed in 1931, it's since been immortalised in pop culture, with a starring role in movies such as King Kong and Sleepless in Seattle. Today, at the base of the building you'll find the swanky State Grill and Bar bistro, known for its burgers and steaks. Buy a dine-and-observatory package, to eat at the restaurant before being whizzed up to the observatory deck on the 86th floor to catch the glowing sunset. Hidden in plain sight, The Campbell Bar is situated inside Grand Central Terminal. In the 1920s it served as the glittering offices of the Jazz Age financier John W Campbell. Later, it fell from grace and became a railroad jail, of sorts, before being restored to its former Beaux Arts architectural glory. Take a seat in the cocktail lounge to gaze up at the hand-painted Florentine–inspired ceiling. Toe-tapping live jazz sets are hosted from Friday to Sunday. It's certainly not easy to find the entrance to this clandestine hideaway. You'll first need to follow the signs for 'Lower East Side Toy Company', then continue along an alleyway and down a hush-hush flight of stairs. But that's the charm of the Back Room, one of only two speakeasies that operated during Prohibition, which are still in existence today. In the 1920s the underbelly of New York mingled here, including notorious gangsters of the era, but today it's a hip hangout with gin and elderflower cocktails served in dainty teacups. Pull up a chair and let the Jazz Age party begin. Published in the USA guide, available with the Jan/Feb 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
