Friday, March 25, 2011

A life well lived…


Sorry I’ve been absent, but my world is currently beyond hectic right now!

I’ve got more hours of work to do each day than there are hours in a single day…but hey, it is what it is.

Anyhoo, I do want to say something on the passing of Elizabeth Taylor.

Elizabeth Taylor has always been one of my favorite movie stars.  Even though some of her movies make my feminism hurt, I still enjoy her performances…her fire and grit that came across clear as rain on the screen.

But more than her skill as an actor, I enjoyed Elizabeth Taylor the mega star.

I liked the fact that her scandals were more about her than getting her picture in the magazines…that she was flawed and didn’t shy away from those flaws…that she sought and earned respect in an industry that was at best patronizing and at worst demeaning.

I like Elizabeth Taylor because she lived life…fucked up or achieved with gusto…and she put her star power to work as an activist before that shit was expected, respected or applauded.

Elizabeth Taylor’s life indicts the 1950’s and 1960’s American stereotypes…she was sexual, bawdy, bold, and smart…strong when the world expected weakness and fragile when the world was calling for strength.

Taylor was a very human mega star…and even so, we never really knew her.

The lights will dim on Broadway to honor her...Hollywood will offer sound bites about her…and we have a legacy of film to remember her by.

More than beautiful…

More than talented…

And more than the sum of all of her scandals.

3 comments:

SL Meyer said...

She was a great example of the phrase "The art of being a woman is knowing when not to be a lady"

I grew up watching her. I still catch her old movies when I can. I will miss her.

Power Corrupts said...

This is the blog I've been looking for. Love it!

Berowne said...

A pleasure to stumble upon a blog that isn't -- not at all -- like the others.

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