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Bond by New Manhattan Studios
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Monday, September 28, 2020
A Kiss Before Dying
1991
Let me share with you another secret, re-makes of classic films should be against the law. I'm trying to think of a re-make that was actually worth watching, I can't. I suppose maybe there are lesser known stories that gain a new audience with a contemporary update, but I really doubt it. I've had 1956's A Kiss Before Dying on my DVR since TCM aired it a few months ago, I finally had the time to watch this past weekend.
Robert Wagner
I've been fascinated to see more of Robert Wagner's films since watching HBO's Natalie Wood documentary during the summer. As much as her death, and Wagner's involvement, was a focus, my curiosity was about Wagner's film career. A theme of the documentary was how Wagner and Wood's stars were on the rise at different times, and when she was at her most famous, his fame was on the decline.
Matt Dillon
I'd seen Wagner on television of course, but don't think I'd ever seen one of his films. Not sure a film with featuring Wagner murdering his lover was the right film to start with... but I did love A Kiss Before Dying. As Bud Corliss, Wagner made a great villain, and the supporting cast were all great. I also loved the movie's film noir feel and it's cinematic look. Had me want to add visiting Arizona to my travel bucket list.
The only downside to catching the original, was it stirred my curiosity to catch the 1991 re-make. Big mistake! The re-make was horrid. It's hard to believe both films were based on the same novel by Ira Levin. Matt Dillon was fine, and beautiful to look at, but the story was weak and Sean Young was absolutely horrid playing both of the Carlsson sister.
The sisters should have been played by two actress's, as they were in the 1956 version, it would have meant a few less minutes of Young on screen. Young was so bad, she won two Golden Raspberry's for her work, for both worst actress, and worst supporting actress. The only awards the film won.
The only positive thing about the film was Matt Dillon, especially his gorgeous face. Even with a week script, Dillon was watchable. The film also 'sort of' mark's Dillon's first nude scene. I say sort of, because it was but a wee bit of upper ass crack. The reason I count it, is as up until this point, Dillon has done zero nudity. Although often shirtless, and in tighty whities on film, no director ever managed to get those tighty whities off. Dillon remained nudity shy, and I believe showed his full butt only once in his career.
Although Dillon showed an inch (barely) of butt in the re-make, Wagner showed no skin the original. Regardless, his Bud sizzled with sinister sex appeal. Wagner did have a hot shirtless scene in 1960's All The Fine Young Cannibals. You can check out that scene on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
' Some secrets can't be kept ... they have to be buried!'
1956
Let me share with you another secret, re-makes of classic films should be against the law. I'm trying to think of a re-make that was actually worth watching, I can't. I suppose maybe there are lesser known stories that gain a new audience with a contemporary update, but I really doubt it. I've had 1956's A Kiss Before Dying on my DVR since TCM aired it a few months ago, I finally had the time to watch this past weekend.
Robert Wagner
I've been fascinated to see more of Robert Wagner's films since watching HBO's Natalie Wood documentary during the summer. As much as her death, and Wagner's involvement, was a focus, my curiosity was about Wagner's film career. A theme of the documentary was how Wagner and Wood's stars were on the rise at different times, and when she was at her most famous, his fame was on the decline.
Matt Dillon
I'd seen Wagner on television of course, but don't think I'd ever seen one of his films. Not sure a film with featuring Wagner murdering his lover was the right film to start with... but I did love A Kiss Before Dying. As Bud Corliss, Wagner made a great villain, and the supporting cast were all great. I also loved the movie's film noir feel and it's cinematic look. Had me want to add visiting Arizona to my travel bucket list.
;Crying isn't going to help'
Bud Corliss
The only downside to catching the original, was it stirred my curiosity to catch the 1991 re-make. Big mistake! The re-make was horrid. It's hard to believe both films were based on the same novel by Ira Levin. Matt Dillon was fine, and beautiful to look at, but the story was weak and Sean Young was absolutely horrid playing both of the Carlsson sister.
The sisters should have been played by two actress's, as they were in the 1956 version, it would have meant a few less minutes of Young on screen. Young was so bad, she won two Golden Raspberry's for her work, for both worst actress, and worst supporting actress. The only awards the film won.
The only positive thing about the film was Matt Dillon, especially his gorgeous face. Even with a week script, Dillon was watchable. The film also 'sort of' mark's Dillon's first nude scene. I say sort of, because it was but a wee bit of upper ass crack. The reason I count it, is as up until this point, Dillon has done zero nudity. Although often shirtless, and in tighty whities on film, no director ever managed to get those tighty whities off. Dillon remained nudity shy, and I believe showed his full butt only once in his career.
Although Dillon showed an inch (barely) of butt in the re-make, Wagner showed no skin the original. Regardless, his Bud sizzled with sinister sex appeal. Wagner did have a hot shirtless scene in 1960's All The Fine Young Cannibals. You can check out that scene on the NEXT PAGE HERE:
A Baker's Dozen: Bond
With close to 30 spotlighted stories, I'm pretty confidant that model Bond Brown is the most featured model on the site. You might wonder then, why I didn't wait, and save Bond for the last part of A Baker's Dozen. I purposely chose not to give the list any order, I wanted it more of celebration of artists and models more than a count down. In addition, when I think of Bond, I think of Autumn.
It was on Halloween back in 2014 that Bond made his FH debut. I remember when Wes from New Manhattan Studio's first shared his images of Bond. Wes was excited about discovering the new model, and I was equally excited about the orange and black themed series of images Wes sent on, and being able to share them on the site. I also remember some of Wes's first comments about their first few shoots together.
'Bond is a real sweetheart and a delight to work. It did taken a while to ease him into all of this and was a bit timid about doing full-on nudes when we met in January. But he go past that with some very classic/formal looking work with a white scarf on this third session with us (above) in May. Once we had proved to him that we were doing art, not porn, he finally opened up and relaxed on the Lancaster shoot. I think we finally tapped the exhibitionism gene: he was posing nude bathing in a tub (also known as a horse trough) on the outdoors set in July. We strung up a tarp to shield him from the nearby highway, but he was totally at ease with six other males standing around.'
Most of the thirty features I've done on Bond have been from Wes, but it wasn't long before other photographers also wanted in on the Bonding. During one shooting trip to New York, Bond took a quick detour to work with Gordon Nebeker. Once Bond moved to California, Wes and Alex took a trip West and shot Bond along with Mike Tossy and StudioMGphotography.
Bond by Gordon Nebeker
Bond by Gordon Nebeker (2018)
'I still don’t think Bond has any awareness of the power of his looks. There still isn’t a pretentious bone in his body. He’s still the cute kid next door... who can smoulder and swagger with the best of them!'
Wes
'When I think of Bond, I can’t help but think ‘enthusiasm’, 'high energy’, and ‘personable’. He’d is the human Energizer Bunny, always ready to go!'
Gordon Nebeker
'Bond's a remarkable young man, each time we met to create, including that first shoot, it was somehow like greeting a long lost friend. He has an ability to charm anyone and everyone.'
StudioMGphotography
Bond by StudioMGphotography
Bond by StudioMGphotography
Remaining images by New Manhattan Studios
Adorable, sweet, charming, what more could you ask for in a model. Bond's looks however, go far beyond just being cute. He may have a bit of Tom Hanks type quality, but it's infused with lethal dose sexual energy. It was almost impossible to narrow down my favorite images of Bond. One of the reasons, is because Wes so often sends on behind the scenes shots of Bond during their dozens of shoots together. If you want to check out some of favorites, all you have to do is click HERE:
Bond by New Manhattan Studios
2019-2020
2016-2018
2014-2015
Tom Mercier: Naked, not Nude
Fans of the nude male form in film and on television, know there's a difference between nude scenes, and an actor actually being naked. Many actors have done nude scenes, a quick flash of their butt, an implied love scene, even a quick frontal flash. Most of these scenes are darkly lit, oddly angled, and shot so fast, if you blinked, you'd miss them.
HBO certainly hasn't shied away from male nudity, but most of the naked, comes from extras. If you think of Game of Thrones and Euphoria, some of the main cast members nude the darkly lit nude scenes, or use prosthetics, but the actual naked, was usually from unknown day players or extras.
We Are who We Are (2020)
It was a refreshing then, if not a bit shocking, to have a naked actor, actually be naked in the premiere of HBO's. We Are Who We Are. There were actually several actors naked in the pilot, but the longest exposure came from Jonathan, played by Israeli actor Tom Mercier. The lighting wasn't too dark, there were several views of both Tom's front, and back, and just like the main character of Fraser, we were encouraged to take it all in and enjoy the vies.
Hey, hey, cutesy pie! You lost?
As great as the scene was, it was tame compared to Tom's previous nude scenes in 2019's Synonymes. It felt as if Tom was naked for at least half of the film. The film opens with Tom spending almost four minutes showering, and the running around an apartment building looking for his missing clothes.
Synonymes (2019)
'Mercier’s naked body plays a central role in “Synonyms.” Already at the beginning we see him, in the character of Yoav, entering an empty apartment in an elegant Parisian building, stripping, getting into the shower and pleasuring himself. It’s the scene of the birth of a wild person. Facing the viewers is a raging bull, lost in an alienated space. A body seeking solid ground to walk on. Even when he discovers that someone stole the little property he brought with him from his native land, he goes out naked into the street.'
In Nadav Lapid’s Golden Bear winning film, Synonyms, Mercier’s character leaves the dark socio-political climate of Israel with the hope of finding beauty in France. I'm not sure if it's actual beauty that Yoav finds, but it is an adventure. I look forwad to where Mercier's character goes on his new series, as whether nude, naked or fully dressed, he's a compelling actor to watch on screen.
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