La femme cependant, de sa bouche de fraise,
En se tordant ainsi qu'un serpent sur la braise,
Et pétrissant ses seins sur le fer de son busc,
Laissait couler ces mots tout imprégnés de musc :
" Moi, j'ai la lèvre humide, et je sais la science
De perdre au fond d'un lit l'antique conscience.
Je sèche tous les pleurs sur mes seins triomphants,
Et fais rire les vieux du rire des enfants.
Je remplace, pour qui me voit nue et sans voiles,
La lune, le soleil, le ciel et les étoiles !
Je suis, mon cher savant, si docte aux Voluptés,
Lorsque j'étouffe un homme en mes bras redoutés,
Ou lorsque j'abandonne aux morsures mon buste,
Timide et libertine, et fragile et robuste,
Que sur ces matelas qui se pâment d'émoi,
Les anges impuissants se damneraient pour moi ! "
Quand elle eut de mes os sucé toute la moelle,
Et que languissamment je me tournai vers elle
Pour lui rendre un baiser d'amour, je ne vis plus
Qu'une outre aux flancs gluants, toute pleine de pus !
Je fermai les deux yeux, dans ma froide épouvante,
Et quand je les rouvris à la clarté vivante,
A mes côtés, au lieu du mannequin puissant
Qui semblait avoir fait provision de sang,
Tremblaient confusément des débris de squelette,
Qui d'eux-mêmes rendaient le cri d'une girouette
Ou d'une enseigne, au bout d'une tringle de fer,
Que balance le vent pendant les nuits d'hiver.
Charles Baudelaire
Meanwhile the woman, writhing like a snake
On fiery coals, kneaded her breasts to make
Them hug their steely corset; and she said,
Her lips redder than strawberries are red:
"Behold, my mouth is moist, and on my deep
Couch I can lull grim Conscience fast asleep,
I dry all tears on my triumphant breasts,
Where old men laugh like boys at boyish jests.
For him who sees me naked, I comprise
All moons and suns and stars and clouds and skies!
I am so skilled, fond scholar, in love's charms
That when I hug you in my ruthless arms,
Or, shy and lustful, frail and forceful, when
I yield taut nipples to the teeth of men,
My bosom's pillows, palpitant, would doom
Angels to ruin for coveting my womb..."
When she had sucked my marrow dry, I turned,
Languid, to give her back the kiss she earned,
Only to view, I fond and amorous,
A viscid wineskin, nidorous with pus...
Frozen with fear, I shut my eyelids tight,
Then, opening them against the garish light,
I saw no solid puppet by my side
Whose lusts my blood, drained dry, had satisfied,
But a debris of quavering bone on bone,
Moaning as only weathervanes can moan,
And creaking as a rusty signpost might
Lashed by the furies of a winter night.
— Jacques LeClercq, Flowers of Evil (Mt Vernon, NY: Peter Pauper Press, 1958)
Dear one and all, this time I'm back for good !
You may start again ordering signed pictures right away.
As in 2009, this new year is placed under the sign of our dear " creatures of the night" with memories of the Monster Bash American convention to wich I participated with great pleasure.
Probably the most successful of them all.
The organization and warm welcome of Ron Adams and his team once again did wonders.
Conferences, screenings and specials events, wich only the Americans seem able to organize, delighted fans who came from all over the continent to celebrate the classics of motion picture fantasy.
I was touched by the kind attentions of that audience who often tried to chat in French with me.
At the end of an interview, I was even granted a hand kissing from a young lady journalist.
Before talking about Hammer, I would also like to say a word about my meeting Norma Eberhardt. That American actress, leading lady of THE RETURN OF DRACULA alongside Francis Lederer, came to me to congratulate me for BRIDES OF DRACULA in an excellent French. She was married to the great late actor Claude Dauphin.
This year, Monster Bash celebrated Hammer in the presence of beautiful Veronica Carlson, delicious Caroline Munro and yours truly. All of us brides of Dracula, one way or another (1).
It was a real pleasure for me to meet Veronica again. I had not seen her since a convention in Philadelphia, four years ago, I think.
We quickly celebrated our renewed friendship, having dinner together after each of these busy days, exchanging feelings, and, as before, I deeply appreciated her heartwarming company.
Veronica is a very delicate and kind woman. When Caroline, myself and her were interviewed about the character of Dracula, she was quick to save me when I had
trouble understanding some questions and translated them to me. To return the favour, I was giving her a few notions of French during our dinners.
The show of my friend Zach Zito (2) was definitely one of the high points of this edition. Zach is a true fan of fantasy movies and expresses his passion through films, marionette shows and personal appearances. Yes, Zach is a true artist and I must say that his performance impressed us all.
His show was based upon the first chapter of Bram Stoker’s novel: Dracula’s guest.
As an introduction, he had asked me to read Les métamorphoses du vampire by Baudelaire.
Zach introduced the poem to the audience before I started reading the verses in French.
Judging by the applause afterwards, my reading must have made a strong impression.
Zach Zito then read the first chapter of Dracula. He was literally possessed by Harker’s character and captivated the audience as a real virtuoso. Veronica and Caroline also went on stage as eerie creatures punctuating the strange narration.
The spirit of gothic fantasy filled the room and grasped us all.
It was a moving homage to the literary sources of the great popular films which made generations of viewers shiver.
Monster Bash 2011 will undoubtedly be one of my most wonderful convention memories
1- Veronica Carlson ( Dracula has risen from the grave - F.Francis ) and Caroline Munro ( Dracula a.d. 72 -A.Gibson) , both victims of the count, played by Christopher Lee.
2- Dracula’s guest, narrated and acted by Zach Zito, also featuring the voice of actress Carla Laemmle ( The phantom of the Opera by R.Julian, Tod Browning’s Dracula).
One of the last Hollywood superstars passed away on march 23rd. I think I have seen all of Elizabeth Taylor's movies. I was impressed by such a great actress. Particularly by her portrayals in adaptations of Tennessee Williams.
During my movie career, I was fortunate enough to meet some great Hollywood stars and never failed to express my admiration for them. We met at Hotel Excelsior in Rome during a cocktail, while she was shooting the Mankiewicz epic odyssey : Cleopatra.
At the time, I was living in Rome, shooting at Cinecitta. Most of the stages were occupied by the Twentieth Century Fox super production. The complete film crew was present that night. I was wearing for the occasion a very pale pink muslin dress. She wore a very similar gown.
We were introduced and I told her how thrilled I was to meet her, for all reasons above. I glimpsed a certain uneasiness in her magnificent sharp eyes and thought it was caused by all the media pressure. Elizabeth Taylor and the press had, for a long time, quite a stormy relationship.
The photographers who were shooting at us were probably getting on her nerves. She quickly escaped from our group to lose herself amongst the other guests. Soon, the film's other star, her lover Richard Burton, said hello to me and joined us.The next morning, the Italian papers told of our encounter with all necessary ingredients to wet the reader's appetite for gossip :
jealous when she found out that I wore a dress too similar to hers, Elizabeth Taylor was supposed to have quickly turned away, asking that I immediately changed my outfit ! Even during a cocktail, the great actress continued to act as a queen of Egypt ! My photos in Richard Burton's company were fueling the rumors of a hypothetic rivalry...
In time, I understood how intelligently that sensitive and powerfull woman had learned to use the media racket to expose her ideas and the causes she believed in, wich made her as famous as her prestigious movie career.
Nous fûmes présentées, je lui dis combien j'étais enchantée de la rencontrer pour toutes les raisons citées plus hauts. Je décelai dans son regard magnifique et perçant une certaine tension que j'attribuai à la pression médiatique. Elizabeth Taylor et la presse entretenaient des rapports tumultueux depuis longtemps.
Les photographes qui nous mitraillaient semblaient sans doute l'excéder. Elle s'écarta rapidement du groupe dont je faisais partie pour se perdre aux milieu des autres convives. Bientôt l'autre star du film, son compagnon Richard Burton, me salua et se joignit à nous.
Les journaux italiens du lendemain relatèrent notre rencontre avec tous les ingrédients nécessaires pour accrocher le lecteur en mal de potins :
Jalouse de constater que je portais la même robe qu'elle, Elizabeth Taylor aurait tourné les talons et demandé à ce que je change de tenue ! Même lors d'un cocktail, la grande actrice gardait ses prérogatives de Reine d'Egypte ! Les photos montrant Richard Burton en ma compagnie venant alimenter la rumeur d'une hypothétique rivalité...
Depuis, je compris avec quelle intelligence cette femme sensible et puissante sut se servir du tapage médiatique pour porter ses idées, les causes auxquelles elle croyait et qui ont fait autant sa renommée que sa prestigieuse carrière au cinéma.
The crowd gathered at St-Pierre at the beginning of the Easter week-end.
The three Milanese girls (Françoise Danell at my right and Claudia Cardinale on the other side) are decided to have a good time in the capital city.
With Claudia Cardinale under a new day ! The distorting mirrors of an attraction inspire us the idea of playing with appearances...
While improvising a picnic, we work out a fool-proof plan to organize the evening and avoid any mistake.
Our hosts treat us to a visit of the Coliseum and the famous passage of the lions, where they would probably like to cage us !
A little too drunk, the false Danish girls betray themselves singing real Milanese songs ! The next day, in the countryside, their hosts tease them at will.
Upset, they decide to go back on foot but the Romans soon join them. They propose an afternoon near the pool of a beautiful villa while owners are away.
Time for goodbyes and promises to meet again.
The city of Rome is never as beautiful than in the eyes of a loved one.
La foule rassemblée devant la place St Pierre pour le début du weekend de Pâques.
Les trois milanaises ( Françoise Danell à ma droite et Claudia Cardinale de l'autre côté) comptent profiter de la capitale.
Avec Claudia Cardinale sous un jour inédit ! Les miroirs déformants d'une attraction nous inspirent l'envie de nous jouer des apparences...
Un jeune romain sous le charme ( Luciano Marin ) nous prend pour de riches touristes...danoises et promet de nous faire visiter la ville avec deux autres cavaliers.
Tandis que nous improvisons un pique nique, nous échafaudons notre plan pour organiser la soirée et ne pas commettre d'impair.
Nos hôtes nous font visiter le Colisée et le fameux passage des lions où ils aimeraient sans doute nous mettre en cage!
Le soir venu, réunis à La Grotta dei Piccioni, les romains ( Luciano Marin, Roy Ciccolini, Léonardo Botta) et les vraies fausses danoises dinent, dansent et boivent un peu trop...
Sous l'emprise de l'ivresse, les fausses danoises chantent de vraies chansons milanaises et sont confondues! Le lendemain, lors d'une partie de campagne, leurs cavaliers se moquent d'elles sans compter.
Vexées, elles décident de rentrer à pied mais bientôt les romains les rejoignent. Ils leur proposent de passer l'après midi au bord de la piscine d'une belle villa dont les proprietaires sont absents.
Avec Luciano Marin. Les hostilités font parties du passé. Les anciens ennemis opèrent d'évidents rapprochement dans le théâtre charmeur de la campagne romaine.
Vient le temps du départ et des promesses de retrouvailles.
La ville de Rome n'est jamais plus belle que dans les yeux de celui que l'on aime.
When I think about my acting memories in Italy, TRE STRANIERE A ROMA is prominent in my mind : Rome, my favorite city, the generous sun of the 1958 spring, the warm friendship between actors, the intelligent and sensitive advice of our director Claudio Gora. Those were ideal conditions to make this comedy an unforgettable experience.
Three young girls from Milan ( Yvonne Monlaur, Claudia Cardinale, Françoise Danel ) travel to Rome for the Easter week-end.
They decide to pass as rich Danish tourists in order to attract the attention of three naïve boys from Rome.
After swinging dancing and drinking parties, they end up giving themselves away. Soon, funny misunderstandings and fights between young couples become burgeoning idylls under the shade of the roman countryside’s thickets.
At the end of the week-end, the three strangers take a train back to Milan, leaving behind, on the platform, enamored Romans, with promises to see each other again.
At the time, I was under contract with producer Franco Cristaldi, as was Claudia Cardinale who had just shot Mario Monicelli’s excellent comedy BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET.
Claudio Gora had remarked me in my first Italian movies. I was lucky to work under his direction. An actor himself (1), he had very stimulating views about acting in front of a camera. We had a lot of extended shots with a lot of dialog. Gora always preferred the first takes, which preserved the freshness and spontaneity of acting.
The other star of the film was Rome, its monuments, but also its nightlife. A moving testimony to the Dolce Vita. At the end of the long cabaret scene, shot in the popular night club Grotta dei Piccioni with the singer Marino Baretto and Tamara Lees (3), the three girls, a little drunk, are falling asleep on the seats of a beautiful convertible, parked in a nearby street. Claudio Gora suggested that I hum the Milanese song :" O ma bella Madonina" with a kitten in my arms. This amusing scene remained on the cutting floor. Perhaps it revealed a little too early, and under a new light, the Danish girl I was supposed to be !
Thinking about it again, the spirit of this comedy about carefree youth in the backdrop of Rome reminds me of a great William Wyler classic : ROMAN HOLYDAY, where reporter Gregory Peck was having a dashing romance with a princess on the run who carefully hid her true identity. That princess was Audrey Hepburn. An admirable actress who was very influential in my own desire to join this beautiful profession.
1 – In the fantasy genre, he shared top billing of UN ANGELO PER SATANA with Barbara Steele
2 – Notably for the sequence of the long walk through Rome
3 – Tamara Lees did a lot of stage work in Italy and was a leading lady in dance revues.
