Catwalk OR Art-walk?

Last week's "Deconstructing Couture Study Day" organized by the Costume Society at the London College of Fashion proved so inspirational to me! There were a great range of guest speakers, but i have to admit that Timothy Long, Curator of Costumes at the Chicago History Museum and Brigitte Stepputtis, Head of Couture at Vivienne Westwood, got my full attention. Not only made the audience realize how much the relationship between couturier and client has changed over the years, but also gave us a clear image on fashion's commercial impact.

Have you ever thought how the structure - in terms of place & spectacle -  of a fashion show or  a catwalk has changed over the years? Once, the models were able to walk among the audience in a fashion designer's private salon and the clients were even able to touch the dresses and feel their texture & fabric. Nowadays, things are completely different; fashion catwalks look more and more like museums' live exhibitions. Huge productions and great amounts of money are spend in order to create the "ultimate" fashion show, in a way that the other day no one speaks about the clothes, but everyone has something to say about the "fabulous" settings and spectacles.

I am not going to give you a strict chronological sequence of fashion shows. I will only try to point out the ones that, in my opinion, are the most relevant and, at the same time, obvious examples of this new growing trend.

PARIS—A Christian Dior fashion show, 1957.
© Henri Cartier-Bresson / Magnum Photos

left: Victor & Rolf "bedtime stories" collection, fall 2005 RTW
right: miniature porcelain dolls from V&R exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery in London (2008)

Fendi fashion show @ the Great Wall of China, fall/winter 2007-2008 collection

Regarding the above fashion show, Fendi chief executive Michael Burke declared “This is about positioning Fendi for the next 50 years. This is not a Chinese event; it’s a world event.” 

Chanel fall 2010 RTW fashion show

Chanel's fall 2010 Ready-To-Wear fashion show at the Grand Palais Paris was actually arranged around a huge 256 tons of iceberg imported from northern Sweden.

Louis Vuitton's carousel @ spring 2012 RTW fashion show

And i will close my brief, but "straight-to-the-point" post with a video that can also be described as fashion show/catwalk and at the same time art exhibition or installation, also known as "the russian doll" from the always pioneer designers Victor & Rolf. 

Viktor & Rolf fall/winter women haute couture 1999-2000

"Once"... in Ireland!

A few days ago i watched "Once" (2006) and that brought me memories from my trip to Ireland a year ago. Since, i didn't had a blog back then, i think that this is the appropriate time to share with you my experience and, at the same time, recommend "Once" as one of my latest "must-to-be-seen" movies.

me & my brother at St. Stephen's Green Park

As you already understood, i made this trip with my beloved little brother (well, not that "little", but i like call him like this!). An in order to meet his "second" character have a look at the follow picture, which is just adorable - at least from my point of view!

Vagelis eating "evil" chicken-wings @ "Elephant Castle" restaurant

"Once" is a 2006 Irish (a kind of musical) film written and directed by John Carney. Set in Dublin, this naturalistic drama stars musicians Glen Hansard (of popular Irish folk rock band "The Frames") and Marketa  Irglová as musicians. Collaborators prior to making the film, Hansard and Irglová composed and performed all of the original songs in the movie.

Shot for only €130,000 the film was more than successful. It received enthusiastic reviews and awards such as the 2007 Independent Spirit Award for best foreign film. Hansard and Irglová's song "Falling Slowlly" received a 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song and the soundtrack as a whole also received a Grammy nomination.

Once spent years in development with the Irish Film Board. It was during a period where the film board had no chief executive (for about 6 months) that the film was given the go-ahead by a lower level executive on the proviso that the producers could make it on a budget of approximately 150,000 euros and not the initial higher budget.

Neither of the two leads was a trained or experienced actor; Hansard and Irglová are both professional musicians. Director Carney, former bassist for Hansard's band "The Frames", had asked his long-time friend to share busker anecdotes and compose songs for the film, but had intended the male lead to be played by actor Cillian Murphy, who was an almost-signed rock musician before turning to acting. Murphy was also going to be one of the film's producers. But Murphy declined the prospect of acting opposite non-actor Irglová (then 17 years old!) and also felt that he hadn't the vocal capabilities to belt out Hansard's octave-leaping songs, so he pulled out, as did the film's other producers along with their financial resources. 

me @ St. Stephen's Green Park

Produced with a shoestring budget, about 75% of the budget was funded by Bord Scannán na hÉireann (The Irish Film Board), plus some of Carney's own money. The director gave his salary to the two stars, and promised a share of the back-end for everyone if the film was a success. Shot with a skeleton crew on a 17-day shoot, the filmmakers saved money by using natural light and shooting at friends' houses. The musical party scene was filmed in Hansard's own flat, with his personal friends playing the partygoers/musicians - his mother, Catherine Hansard, is briefly featured singing solo. The Dublin street scenes were recorded without permits and with a long lens so that many passersby didn't even realize that a film was being made. The long lens also helped the non-professional actors relax and forget about the camera, and some of the dialogue ended up being improvised. During the shoot, Carney had predicted a romance. Hansard and Irglová did become a couple in real life, getting together while on a promotional tour across North America, and living together in Dublin, in Hansard's flat. Subsequently, Hansard indicated that that they were no longer a romantic couple. He said, "Of course, we fell into each other's arms. It was a very necessary part of our friendship but I think we both concluded that that wasn't what we really wanted to do. So we're not together now. We are just really good friends."

I am not going to tell you anything about the plot of the movie! I already gave you the trailer and a lot of "trivia" stuff, in order to persuade you to watch this film. Of course, i didn't make a whole trip to Ireland because of "Once"! No, there is nothing wrong with this movie; actually, another Ireland-related movie made pay a visit to that wonderful place. I am referring to the ultimate love story "P.S. i love you". Don't freak out, i will not tell you the story, in order to avoid making you cry. I will only share with you a few more wonderful pictures!

Northern Ireland: Rope Bribge, Carrick-a-Rede

me @ the Rope Bridge, Carrick-a-Rede

me @ the Giant's Causeway

The Cliffs of Moher

Galway Bay

And because this post is also related to the wonderful Irish music, i am a kind of obliged to post the following song, which title is based on the above photo. This for you "P.S. i live you" funs!

An of course, i visited Wicklow Mountains and walked through that huge national park that Holy (Hilary Swank) got lost and met Gerry (Gerard Butler). Did you also know that at the same park was Braveheart's battleground? Actually, "Braveheart" refers to William Wallace, a 13th century Scottish Knight who gained recognition when he came to the forefront of the First War of Scottish Independence, and despite the fact that the crew spent six weeks shooting on location in Scotland, the major battle scenes were shot in Ireland using members of the Irish Army Reserve as extras. 

Still from "Braveheart" (1995), starring Mel Gibson.

I also visited "Kilmainham Gaol"; a former prison, located in Kilmainham in Dublin, which is now a museum. It has been run since the mid-1980s by the Office of Public Works (O.P.W.), an Irish Goverment agency. Kilmainham Gaol played an important part in Irish history, as many leaders of Irish rebellions were imprisoned and some executed in the prison by the British and latterly in 1923 by the Irish Free State. "In the Name of my Father" (1993) and "The Italian Job" (1969) are only 2 of the 9 movies that filmed in this particular prison.

Still from "In the Name of my Father" (1993), starring Daniel Day Lewis.

Still from "The Italian Job" (1969)

Cult Vs Porno

_OR a tribute to Stanley Kubric's "A Clockwork Orange" film!

Even today, the films of the ‘70s have remarkable dynamics and astonishing potency, due to their “new” truthfulness and, of course, because of their commercial impact. The «New Hollywood», as many have characterized that decade, was the best response to a period (1960’s) described by Hans C. Bluemenberg as «the most dismal and boring decade» in the history of the cinema. Moreover, the ‘70s present great interest in more than one fields. In social terms it was a time of unprecedented freedoms, as many felt they lived through a kind of revolution and looked for a way to escape reality. Politically, the War in Vietnam, the Watergate Scandal and the Flower Power Movement with its protests led cinema to look into the causes and the effects of this situation in a series of incomparable films. Regarding fashion it can be best defined by the phrase: “Free your mind and the clothes will follow”. At a quick glance, obviously the 1970’s is an interesting and promising period, in more than one ways. However, in this post i would like to look at how the sexual revolution affected the film industry, in relation to the fashion details and messages passed through its costume and decorative detail. Moreover, i will try to express my point of view on how thin the line between art and pornography can be and why movies with that kind of content are controversial and extremely rare even today. 

Still from A Clockwork Orange (1971): "The Jesus can-can"

The ‘70s were the decade of “scandal films”. Movies like Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Salo, Stanley Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange, Nagisha Oshima’s L’Empire des Sens” and others with less sex scenes but still with sexual identity theme like La Cage aux Falles, Fellini’s Roma, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, etc. are the most distinctive ones. Of course, we also have to consider and evaluate these films under the political, the social-economic and the fashion perspectives, in order to be in place to express a complete review. Subsequently, comes the hardest part: the distinction between art filmmaking and pornographic context movies. Last of all, it sounds interesting to compare those classic movies with equivalent modern ones. Movies like Requiem for a dream, Irreversible, Eyes Wide Shut, Almodovar’s Bad Education and All About my Mother are only a few that could approach ‘70s classic movies, not only for they content and script, but also for their direction and deliberate execution.

"A Clockwork Orange" (1962) book cover

As you may already understood, i am not going to do a comprehensive analysis on all the movies mentioned above. I would like to focus my post on the "A Clockwork Orange" movie, as -apart from my favorite film- is also one of the key-cult movies of the '70s and certainly the most controversial. 

First of all, i have to mention that it is a novella written by Anthony Burgess in 1962. "A Clockwork Orange" book featured futuristic street gangs based on the Teddy Boys, the Mods and the Rockers who where fighting on the beaches of England during the late 1950s and the early 1960s: Burgess had observed that between the ages of 10 and 23 youths indulge their desires for fornication, violence, stealing, drugs and other vices.

"A Clockwork Orange" (1971) movie poster

When Kubrick first read the book, he rejected it as a film project because he thought that “it would be too difficult for people to understand it”. When he finally decided to adapt the book (the American edition - missing the last chapter) he followed the book very closely, word-by-word. According to Kubrick book's and, of course, film's message is that: “It is necessary for man to have choice to be good or evil, even if he chooses evil. To deprive him of this choice is to make him something less than human – a clockwork orange”. 

Unfortunately, when the movie initially released, the result was there were copycat incidents of ultra-violence, where people said: “the film had made them do awful things”. Of course, this is nonsense, because every person has free will, which was the point of the film, but the press did their best to exploit the story. Kubrick tried to defend himself: “ To try to fasten any responsibility on art as the cause of life seems to me to put the case the wrong way around. Art consists on reshaping life but it does not create life, nor cause life. […] even after deep hypnosis, in a posthypnotic state, people cannot be made to do things which are at odds with their natures”. However, his arguments had no effect and this is the reason why he decided to stop the film by preventing it from being shown in the UK. "A Clockwork Orange" film was not available for public viewing in the UK from 1974 until 2000, after Kubrick’s death. As a result, Kubrick maximized film’s return by creating a database and only showing the film in cinemas where that type of film generated large grosses. A strategy that earned the film $ 40 million on a $ 2 million investment!

“Moloko Vellocet”: Alex and his friends prepare for some ultra-violence.

For me, "A Clockwork Orange" it is not just a movie; it is an art masterpiece, carefully made from all aspects; direction, adaptation, acting, photography, lighting, art direction, costume design & styling. It is not a rambling film and it doesn’t contain unnecessary scenes. Actually,  Kubrick’s word-by-word adaptation offers as a complete film, without discontinuities or inconsistencies from the original book. In this particular movie, its element is there for a reason; for example Alex’s cufflinks are a set of artificial eyeballs – every criminal act committed by his hands is witnessed by these symbolic onlookers.

Still from "A Clockwork Orange" (1971) film

Alex's cufflinks

Kubrick uses all cinematic means available to give us an authentic representation of Alex’s world. He is attempting not only to show us, but also to make us feel what violence looks like from inside. In a shocking way it makes us all share the responsibility for all the things it shows.

Alex and his friends attack writer Frank Alexander. 

Moreover, it is hard to think of another film that assigns us the role of voyeur so effectively. On the above scene, Alex and his friends attack writer Frank Alexander and force him to watch as Alex beats and rapes his wife, while singing “Singin’ in the Rain”. This scene is  based on a tragic incident during the World War 2, when Burgess’ first wife was attacked by four American deserters, which caused her to miscarry. Her resulting depression led to a suicide attempt. Writing the book was Burgess’ way of getting rid of all the hate.

“The cat lady & The giant phallus” 

Alex uses a giant stone phallus, a sculpture which is actually "life petrified into art", to kill a woman and he is abandoned by his friends, who leave him for the police.  

"The Ludovico Treatment"

To shorten his prison sentence Alex agrees to undergo the "Ludovico Treatment" (a method based on Ivan Pavlov's famous experiments) where he is forced to watch horrible images accompanied by beautiful music – actually, his favorite music of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. In this point i have to add that the film is also about the power of music and the ecstasy of a human being whose individuality dissolves in the experience of music. For Alex, Beethoven is an ideal representation of a creative genius. Then Alex is publicly tested in front of the press and the government minister and released into the world.

"Funny Games" (2007) movie poster

Undoubtedly, "A Clockwork Orange" film left a huge legacy in more that one ways. Apart from a diachronic film, which can be arguably competing with a large number of relevant contemporary films, it is also a film far ahead from its period! 

"Funny Games" (2007) is a contemporary movie with clear references to Kubrick's movie. Not only the costumes, which are obviously affected by the "Clockwork Orange", but also the whole way or direction. Once again, movie's purpose is to make us feel what violence looks like from inside and, also, to make us all share the responsibility for all the things it shows. 

(note: In this point i have to thank Drue Bisley for her really relevant observation!)

Last of all, we cannot ignore the affect that the "Clockwork Orange's" style had and how people copied Alex's unique style. In this point, it also crucial to mention the film's Costume Designer; Milena Canonero not only introduced to the world of cinema through this movie (which was her first one!), but also managed to establish herself! Just for the record, i would like to add that Canonero is also the Costume Designer in a series of other important films such as: "Barry Lyndon" (1975), "Midnight Express" (1978), "The Shining" (1980), "The Cotton Club" (1984), "Marie Antoinette" (2006), etc.

L' UOMO VOGUE Editorial: "A Clockwork Orange", by Max Vandukul 

Christina Aguilera channels her inner "Clockwork Orange"

Mischa Burton in a total "Clockwork Orange" look

"Viddy well, little brother, viddy well."

"Garbomania"

Next Monday i have to present in front of my classmates and my tutor my "Favorite Hollywood Star/Actress" and for those who din't already get it, mine will be the legendary Greta Garbo! 

Greta Garbo is one of Hollywood’s greatest stars - a legendary screen actress – and remains one of the most fascinating women in history. She had a talent that few actresses or actors possess: in close-ups she gave the impression, the illusion of great movement. Her eyes expressed a limited but intense emotional range and this is the reason why Garbo was an international superstar even in silent era – she didn’t have to speak! Of all the other stars none had such magnetism and mystique equal to Garbo's and arguably she is one of the most amazing and most provocative characters of classical Hollywood. Her acting and, even, her accent are not only unique and memorable, but also a reference for the generations of actresses that followed.  

Undoubtedly, the movie stars of the ‘30s were “the center of the Hollywood system” and, more than anything else, the audience starved to see them. The film industry of the time had two prevailing representatives holding the leading roles. On the one side, the “Divine” Greta Garbo created the profile of a mysterious and quite melancholic diva. On the other side, the “mask-like-face” of Marlen Dietrich and her androgynous style couldn’t pass unnoticed. Personally, I am a fan of the first one. In my opinion, Garbo’s image was that of a real star, carefully created and also supported by an unquestionable talent. Greta Garbo was close and distant at the same time. She even managed to turn her imperfect English into an advantage and within a few years to establish herself among “the giants” of the cinema history. 

But, i am not here to present a typical post on Garbo's biography that anyone can find through google; instead of this, i would like to focus my post on "Mata Hari", one of Garbo's grossing films and my favorite one!

Greta Garbo in "Mata Hari" film 

Woman, dancer, performer, artist, spy, symbol, icon, inspiration and desire, all these characteristics concentrated in one person, in one role, in one film “Mata Hari” (1931) played by Greta Garbo. In my opinion “Mata Hari” is one of the most distinguished film noir movies of the 20^th century; not only for its deliberate representation and execution of the script, but mostly due to its very particular and ample artistic approach. Despite the fact that the “Mata Hari” movie was screened in 1931, it refers to Word War 1, a 4-year period between 1914 and 1918. This means that the film contains styling elements and influences taken from approximately 3 different decades. First of all, at the early 1910s, “Orientalism” was the new trend that came to prevail. Western designers adopted exotic stylish details, patterns and lines from different Asian cultures. “All things oriental” was the norm! The outbreak of war in August 1914 forced ordinary women to seek utility, comfort and simplicity in fashion. By 1918 waistlines had dropped to just above the hip. 1920s’ artist trend called “Art Deco” influenced the whole period, since it managed not only to combine architecture, graphic arts, industrial design, decoration and fashion, but also to successfully blend the old with the absolutely modern. In the end of the 1920s and with a new decade rising, designers worked in order to create an androgynous dress code, “one that would broaden the discussion of the relationship between the sexes”.

Greta Garbo as the seductive dancer-spy "Mata Hari"

In this point i have to make clear that Mata Hari’s style is very specific and should not be confused with the 1910s general look. The film presents both aspects of Mata Hari’s life; the seductive dancer and the woman-spy. For her performances, Hari is dressed in a metal breastplate decorated with Oriental and Indonesian ornaments, beaded bracelets and luxury rings adorned her fingers and wrists, elaborate jeweled headdress and impressive fancy turbans with additional long earrings decorated her head in order to demonstrate her special personality and unique style. As a woman-spy, Hari’s style was distinctive compared to this of the rest ordinary women of her period. During the film, Mata Hari appears with outfits, which combine elements from quite different sources and time periods. 1910s’ Orientalism constitutes the strongest influence; we see Hari repeatedly wearing different designs of ornately jeweled tunics combined with leggings covered by sarongs fastened with elaborate belts. The fact that Mata Hari wears this particular kind of leggings and harem-style pants, which were first introduced to Paris by Poiret in 1922, confirms not only her strong personality, but it also implies an androgynous silhouette that affected women during the ‘30s. Moreover, apart from Orientalism, Mata Hari’s long-torso dresses, capes and barrel shaped coats follow the 1920s general trend, without losing their unique character. Even today her total black finale dress remains remarkably elegant. Last of all, we cannot neglect her eyebrows’ thin line, quite mismatched with 1910s’ trend, but absolutely compatible with ‘30s general look and Garbo’s personal image. 

Greta Garbo in "Mata Hari's" outfit

Film’s costume designer, Adrian, did exceptional work and managed to create a fashion reference point for the next designing generations. Over the years that followed, Mata Hari’s style as it emerged through Great Garbo’s interpretation proved a source of inspiration in a great range of ways. Fashion designers all over the world reproduced and renovated Mata Hari’s style based on 1931’s classical movie.

First among the leading ones, Thierry Mugler, the designer that was distinguished for his avant-garde designs and reigned during the 1990s decade, almost always used clear references to “Mata Hari” film. For example, his autumn/winter 1997-1998 Haute Couture collection and the amazing outfit he created for the campaign of his perfume “Alien” (spring 2009), which looks like a modern-cyber Mata Hari, are only some evidence to confirm it.

Thierry Mugler's "Alien" perfume campaign

John Galliano frequently shows his preference to the earlier decades of the 20^th century. His spring/summer 1997 collection is influenced by various eastern cultures and especially his evening outfits and the styling are addressed to a modern Mata Hari.

From John Galliano's Spring/Summer 1997 collection

Moreover, a great number of Alexander McQueen’s autumn/winter 2007-2008 collection creations are undoubtedly inspired by “Mata Hari” film. McQueen’s gold toilets and overall jumpsuits could equally replace Adrian’s ones in Mata Hari’s movie. 

From McQueen's autumn/winter 2007-2008 collection

Jean Paul Gaultier also experimented with Mata Hari’s style, but in his case, he incorporated bohemian and gipsy elements into it. His fall/winter 2010-2011 ready-to-wear collection was full of elaborate huge turbans and Mata Hari style accessories.

From JPG's fall/winter 2010-2011 RTW collection

La_Dolce_Vita OR when_Fellini_met_Balenciaga

And here i am my dear followers, from now on i am officially a UK resident! It took me a week to get organized and put myself together, but i believe that i have created the ideal writing/working space. Would you like to have a look into my new flat?

Flat A103 / Room B @ Emily Bowes Court Halls of Residence

I know that my tittle looks a bit weird, but i am ready to explain it! As you can understand my MA just begun, to be honest the induction week started 2 days ago and this means that there is still some time available for blogging, chatting and can i say facebook-ing? On Monday i had the great idea to download a classical movie and at the same time relaxing with a glass of wine. And that movie was Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita (1960); fot those who are unfamiliar with the italian language (bad for you people) the title means "the sweet life" or "the good life".

La dolce vita  is a 1960 comedy-drama film written and directed by the critically acclaimed director Federico Fellini. The film is a story of a passive journalist's week in Rome, and his search for both happiness and love that will never come. Generally cited as the film that marks the transition between Fellini's earlier neo-realist films and his later art films, it is widely considered one of the great achievements in world cinema. The only thing i would like to point out is that in 2010, the film was ranked #11 in Empire magazine's "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" and, of course, it possesses a place in other kind of lists like this.  

I think that there is no need to say anything about the plot of the film, you can google it after all. I would only like to point out a few things that make this film a distinctive one; not only for its innovative structure, but also for its extravagant costumes. Moreover, Fellini's film managed to create a particular kind of "film-culture" available and widely used by the generations that followed. 

Structure._ :

Based on the most common interpretation of the storyline, the film can be divided into a prologue, seven major episodes interrupted by an intermezzo, and an epilogue. If the evenings of each episode were joined with the morning of the respective preceding episode together as a day, they would form seven consecutive days. That kind of structure gives the film its innovative and symmetrically symbolic structure. The evocations are obvious: seven deadly sins, seven sacraments, seven virtues and, of course, seven were the days of creation! I will only mention the film's opening scene, where a statue of Christ suspended by cables from an helicopter flies over the ruins of ancient Rome. The symbolism of Christ, arms outstretched as if blessing all of Rome as it flies overhead, is soon replaced by the profane lifestyle and neomodern architecture of the "new" Rome founded on the economic miracle of the late 1950s. In this point, it is necessary to point out that perceived by the Catholic Church as a parody of Christ's second coming, the scene and the entire film were condemned by the Vatican newspaper L'Observatore Romano in 1960. The film was characterized as "shameful" and banned in Spain until 1975. 

Costumes._ :

Although critics have often commented on the extravagant costumes used throughout Fellini's films, few realized that the origin behind La dolce vita was the sack dress, introduced by the designer Balenciaga in 1957. In various interviews, Fellini claimed that the film's initial inspiration was in fact this particular style. Brunello Rondi, Fellini's co-screenwriter and long-time collaborator, confirmed this view explaining that "the fashion of women's sack dresses which possessed that sense of luxurious butterflying out around a body that might be physically beautiful but not morally so; these sack dresses struck Fellini because they rendered a woman very gorgeous who could, instead, be a skeleton of squalor and solitude inside." 

Culture._ :

The film has influenced or else been referenced in contemporary films, television shows, and songs. In Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (2003), Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) and Bob (Bill Murray) meet in the middle of the night and watch the famous Trevi Fountain sequence while drinking sake.  Coppola said, "I saw that movie on TV when I was in Japan. It's not plot-driven, it's about them wandering around. And there was something with the Japanese subtitles and them speaking Italian - it had a truly enchanting quality".

In Goodbye Lenin (2003), directed by Wolfgang Becker, a statue of Lenin is flown across Berlin, recalling the opening scene of Fellini's film. 

The title of Korean film,  A Bittersweet Life (2005), is a pun on the English translation of La dolce vita  and the restaurant that the protagonist enforces for the mob is called La Dolce Vita. 

The two protagonists of Marcos Carnevale's Elsa y Fred (2005) recreate the scene in the Fontana di Trevi performed originally by Ekberg and Mastroianni. 

In Simon Pegg's How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008), Alison (Kirsten Dunst) cites La dolce vita as her favourite movie. 

Woody Allen's Celebrity (1998) is a New York-set re-working of La dolce vita with Kenneth Branagh taking up Mastroianni's role, and Goldie Hawn and Charlize Theron taking on the roles held by Anouk Aimée and Anita Ekberg, respectively.

* Last, but not least i have to admit that Marcello Mastroianni was definitely a beautiful man!