Agnes Varda's Lions Love is PERFECT. It was shot in Hollywood in 1968.
The film is so playful. The set is glorious: a house in the Hollywood hills with a big swimming pool, a fake bird of paradise next to a real one, faded jungle wallpaper, disco pillars and amazing light. It stars VIVA and the two guys who wrote HAIR as an amorous trio. I love the joyfulness that exudes from every scene. Sometimes the film is silly but most of the time it is pure love of the medium. Watching Lions Love made me want to make MOVIES.
The film has many layers to it but is always about the surface. I want to gobble up all the beauty and still life shots it puts to the screen.
I saw it a few years back at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, Agnes and Viva were both there. AHHHH such beautiful women, it was inspiring to be in their presence. Agnes Varda is my favorite director.
Lions Love makes me miss LA and all its vapid possibilities.
There are not a lot of screenshots floating around of this film, so I spent the last couple of days collecting these. Viva is too pretty. If you haven't seen it you should. There are quite a few unwatchable versions out there, fingers crossed Criterion digitizes it.
Fact: Viva was on the phone with Andy when he was shot by Valerie Solanas (raise your hand if you love SCUM).
I recently purchased two of Viva's books: SUPERSTAR and BABY! I can't wait for them to arrive in the mail. Reviews forthcoming!
The film is so playful. The set is glorious: a house in the Hollywood hills with a big swimming pool, a fake bird of paradise next to a real one, faded jungle wallpaper, disco pillars and amazing light. It stars VIVA and the two guys who wrote HAIR as an amorous trio. I love the joyfulness that exudes from every scene. Sometimes the film is silly but most of the time it is pure love of the medium. Watching Lions Love made me want to make MOVIES.
The film has many layers to it but is always about the surface. I want to gobble up all the beauty and still life shots it puts to the screen.
I saw it a few years back at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, Agnes and Viva were both there. AHHHH such beautiful women, it was inspiring to be in their presence. Agnes Varda is my favorite director.
There are not a lot of screenshots floating around of this film, so I spent the last couple of days collecting these. Viva is too pretty. If you haven't seen it you should. There are quite a few unwatchable versions out there, fingers crossed Criterion digitizes it.
Fact: Viva was on the phone with Andy when he was shot by Valerie Solanas (raise your hand if you love SCUM).
I recently purchased two of Viva's books: SUPERSTAR and BABY! I can't wait for them to arrive in the mail. Reviews forthcoming!
i neeed to see this! you called it. you told me about it on the way to the train, and now that i see images: i understand: looks pretty and wierd in the favorite ways
ReplyDeleteIf you can't find a copy to watch, come over and we'll have a screening!
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