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Monday, May 6, 2013
Happy Birthday today May 6th
De-Following, The Following
I have been following the career of Kevin Bacon since I first saw him in Footloose when I was just a kid. I respect Bacon's choice of roles, his skill as an actor, his ability to weave between leading man and character parts and of course, his penchant for on-screen exhibitionism. I stated to watch The Following, Bacon's new show on FOX, but will not be following the show when it returns in the fall.
Below: Nico Tortorella, Adan Canto & Valorie Curry
The show started off great, A rich and complex connection between Bacon's character and psychotic serial killer Joe Carroll, played by the equally great James Purfoy. Initially the show dove into rich character driven plots highlighted by unique and interesting dynamics. My favorite relationship from the series, the triangle of followers Emma, Jacob and Paul, I wrote about in February. (HERE:) As the season went on however, violence once used to move and enhance story, became the story, and I knew it was time for me to move on.
Friday the 13th (1980)
I tend to avoid most shows that I feel glorify and exploit cruelty and violence. It has nothing to do with what happened in Boston, or even 911. Ever since I was a child I simply knew there was enough real horror on the planet without dwelling and watching more. I always love good storytelling however and when horror and violence are used properly, I will watch. Movies such as Silence Of The Lambs and Hunger Games used violence, without overly exploiting, in order to tell story and dive into rich, well written characters. I have come to have a good eye and keen sense of when violence is there to enhance, or simply to glorify and shock.
Hollow Man (2000)
You know it too when you see it. Criminal Minds uses it simply to titillate and shock. Law and Order SVU started off using it to move story but now simply embraces and exploits it for ratings. American Horror Story is filled with grizzly scenes, but in the end, it is still usually the characters that remain the focus. This season, the two new drama's I began watching were The Following and Bates Motel. Both shows started off well, but as the season went on, Bates Motel, thankfully kept its focus on story and character, The Following, did not.
Where The Truth Lies (2008)
By the end of the season, there was not one main character on the show who had not been kidnapped, stabbed, buried alive, shanked or tortured. Half of the main cast, most of my favorite characters in fact, did not even make to the season finale alive. It makes you wonder whats left be done to any of them next season? If a show can justify violent acts storyline wise, I can roll with violence, but by the time The Following came to a close, people were having their heads hacked with axes, with no real apparent reason except to shock. I then decided I had enough. I will have to restrict my following of Kevin Bacon to movies and DVD's. With Bacon's long and rich history on film, that ain't so bad!
Wild Things (1998)
String of Pearls: Trevor Werner by LightWeaver
'Ladies and gentlemen - I fear that what I am going to say will spoil your appetites; but the truth is beautiful at all times, and I have to state that Mrs. Lovett's pies are made of human flesh!'
Most people know the murderous barber Sweeney Todd from the 1979 musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street or the 2007 film adaptation featuring Johnny Depp. You may recall, Todd's victims begin their transformation into meat pie ingredients by the pulling of a lever as they sat, for their very last haircut, in Sweeney's barber chair.
What some of you may not know, is that the character of Sweeney Todd was actually first introduced over 100 years earlier in the 1840's in a British serial novelization, The String of Pearls. Since strings are used to hold things together, often precious gems, Sweeney's introduction in String of Pearls seemed the perfect title to help pull together these images of 23 year old model Trevor Werner.
Indiana's Trevor Werner has the perfect look, not to mention story, to bring Sweeney Todd to life. Incredibly stunning, the combination of his striking blonde hair, blue eyes and smooth skin create dramatic results when captured by Jay's lens. Never content with just being 'hot' or 'cute', Trevor prefers edgier types of shoots so the Sweeney Todd theme was right up his alley. Another, more obvious reason reason why Sweeney Todd fit Trevor so perfectly was he is actually a hairstylist and just inherited his families barber shop. If in the Indiana area you may, or may not, want to chance a trim at Trevor's shop. Just be wary of asking for a snack.
'I love working with Jay! We are talking about doing another shoot for the summer. This shoot was in December and it was freaking cold as hell... Was scared at first, how it would turn out with that wig, but it all came together! Sweeney Todd was an inspiration for the barbershop that I own and run. I love it to pieces. A Midwest barber at his best! I have gained and toned a lot since that shoot as well. Jay has incredible talent and makes me feel so comfortable when we are creating these pieces of art... I cannot wait till out next shoot!!!'
Some of you may recognize Trevor from his first appearance on FH back in 2011. (Trevor Werner by Scott Barnes) Coincidentally, it was also in 2011 that I last featured the work of Jay Rickard from LightWeaver. I featured Jay's work frequently between 2010 and 2011. Shooting the male form can sometimes be a complicated endeavor, there are hoops to jump through, egos, politics and often little financial reward. Even if it is your passion, with all the highs and lows, sometimes a break now and then is required.
I love how Jay described it as a bit like Hotel California. The work, much like the luxury resort, is both inviting and tempting and although you can check out anytime you like, but you can never really leave. Like that string of pearls, you go round and round and although always beautiful, when you reach the end, it is actually just the beginning. I feel this way myself about FH sometimes. As much as I love it, I often want to check out, only to have an image or an artists work, inspire me to stay, a least for a bit longer...
Jay's passions go well beyond shooting only the human form so his time away was still filled with beauty and creativity. In addition to photography, Jay has always had a passion for all things exquisite. I remember vividly the stories Jay shared while I was putting together a feature about his work with model Michael Hargis. (Rejuvenated) Jay wanted Michael adorned in an outfit entirely made of jewelry. Jay spent weeks preparing the pieces, which would cover Michael's pieces, meticulously working on every detail to ensure it matched his vision for the look of the shoot. The string of jewels draping Michael's incredible body may not have been pearls, but when I discovered Sweeney Todd first appeared in a novel connected to jewelery, it sort of completed the circle. You can see the results of Jay's jewelery making with Michael at the link above, or see more at his site Exquisite Elements.
Jay reports his hiatus from shooting the male form might soon be coming to an end, so hopefully we will see more new work in the future! I also encourage you all to check out Jay's new page on Facebook, The erotic male in photography which he calls an interactive place, inspirational, informative and thought provoking.
Vargas
When working on my post about Days Or Our Lives stripping Doctor(Paging Dr. Feelgood), another resident of Salem caught my eye. Newly out of prison, the character of Vargas has yet to be defined.
Is he going to be a hero, or is he going to turn out to a prison rapist? the show has kept Vargas sort of mysterious thus far. That being said however, Nicole has was not the only one hot and bothered when the rectory's heat broke forcing Vargas to lose his shirt in order to fix the problem. His attempt at cooling things down, only had temperatures rising.
Actor Sean Douglas has a raw sex appeal the show is soap opera exploiting at just about the right level. I have a feeling the character was initially intended to be quite a prick, but the show just might change directions slightly with how popular Vargas has been received.
Femme Fatales (2012)
This Girl's Life (2003)
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