I’ve just had the pleasure of
watching “The Notorious Bettie Page” movie this afternoon and I must say, my
admiration of this lovely pin-up icon has risen! I recommend it as an absolute “must see”! I
find this film to be eye-opening and touching… and I believe that this film may
help the general public become more open-minded. Not just towards modeling but also
towards a great amount of people who are in show business and show themselves,
towards innovative arts and innovators; because Bettie was an innovator, jumping
headfirst into something so modern and for that time so taboo that she knew not
what would come of it. What I especially adored is the sense of naivety that
was carried in Bettie through the whole 90 minutes; it lightened up the movie,
made her a lovable and sweet character and made her all the more human!
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| The sweet Betty Page! |
Though
Bettie doesn’t have much to do with Burlesque, she did love to dance and there
are a few recordings of her doing so. It’s the all around feel of the 50s Pin
Up and her impeccable style, even when bound up, that makes this lovely model
an absolute favorite! Many of the outfits that she wore in her shoots were also
very close to what we now associate to Burlesque fashion.
Nowadays,
fetishist and many fetishes are a lot less taboo. Fetish models, photographer, the
fetishist are so out there – loud and proud, as it were, with their parties,
social groups, gatherings and so on. In the times of Bettie Page, over half a
century ago, on the verge of such things being illegal, she was one of the
progressive and radical models of the time, though now some of these photos
look naive and inadequate for our time. It is commonly known that all things
ahead or on the break of their own time are deemed outrageous, abnormal; fear
of the unknown, inexperienced kicks in.
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| Fetish photo of Bettie! |
The
1950-1960s is the time of Elvis, Marilyn, Ava, Kim, Bettie and many other…it is
the time of the Sexual Revolution! It is
said that the 3 men who commenced the notion of the Sexual Revolution are Sigmund
Freud, Alfred Kinsey and Hugh Hefner. I believe that the movies and the celebrities
partially helped stir that movement. Don’t tell me that women didn’t play their
part! For example – Bettie modeled for Hefner’s Playboy which helped weaken taboos
and make nudity and sex more of an open topic.
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| Magazine spread! |
Bettie is
a monumental, and I would say notorious, figure and she has been ever since her
initiation into the world of modeling and celebrity. What worries me though is
how these celebs of the past become a trend and are admired for being trendy,
rather than for who they were and what they’ve achieved. I see this happening
with Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Betty Boop, and with Bettie Page too. How
everyone takes up loving one of these icons because everyone else does, without
having really taken a great interest into their work. I have taken an interest
in Bettie Page but this trend about her pushed me away, I am glad however that
I have ventured into the world of Bettie and by finding out about her, now can
safely proclaim my admiration.
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| Rawr! A real tigress! |
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| Fetish photo by Sean Azzopardi. |
Being
an alternative model myself, and having ventured into the world of fetish modeling,
I admire Bettie for being a fierce initiator and trendsetting Pin Up, with
style and a pure, fun-loving nature about her.
Movie Trailer link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd252I7A6NE
Bettie Page beautifully played by Gretchen Mol!!
