bettie page blog

Beyonce Owes Bettie!

2010-08-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

Beyoncé -Why Don’t You Love Me(OFFICIAL FULL MUSIC VIDEO)

Great video, but would it exist without Bettie Page?

Dave Stevens-inspired Bettie Page Statue

2010-04-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

Bettie Page in 3-D...

...and the 2-D inspiration...

First AVATAR, then ALICE IN WONDERLAND... and now BETTIE PAGE... everyone's going 3-D!

Best of all, to see Bettie in 3-D, you don't have to shell out for a movie ticket, wear smudgy glasses or struggle to find a seat. Popcorn is also optional. That's because Bettie's conversion to 3-D can be found coming soon at your local comic book shop in August of 2010.

Conventioneers at the Toy Fair got a sneak preview of the new 3-D Bettie Page... in the form of a statue, sculpted by fan-favorite Kent Melton, inspired by an iconic pin-up by the late, great Dave Stevens and produced by DARK HORSE.

For the uninitiated, Dave Stevens was a highly celebrated comic book and pin-up artist who became obsessed with drawing Bettie Page, a woman who he felt represented the paragon of bewitching feminine beauty. He even held "Bettie Parties" in the lunchroom at Hanna Barbera early in his career, screening any "loops" of Bettie he could find. When he was given the opportunity to create his own comic character, to star in a back-up feature of Mike Grell's STARSLAYER, published by FIRST COMICS in 1982, he created a melange of his personal obsessions... ROCKETEER. The pulp-infused adventure also featured, as the female lead, a "character" named Bettie. Bettie's "appearance" in the comic introduced a younger generation to the queen of pin-ups and helped lead to Bettie's real-life re-emergence. More fascinating, still, when Dave learned Bettie was alive and well... and in his Southern California backyard, he not only led the charge to ensure that all Bettie Page merchandise was authorized and financially benefited Bettie, he also helped her personally, taking her to appointments, the grocery store and the like. For more on Dave Stevens, read our tribute to him on the occasion of his passing, here.

Now, one of those beautifully rendered images is being brought to life in the form of a LIMITED EDITION STATUE OF BETTIE PAGE, AS ENVISIONED BY DAVE STEVENS by the trusted team at DARK HORSE, who have already offered over 150 other officially licensed, high-quality Bettie Page products and were one of the original publishers of Dave Stevens ROCKETEER comic. Sadly, neither Bettie Page or Dave Stevens are here to participate, but those who knew both are doing their best to uphold their desire for quality.

“Dave was a tough critic, especially when it came to his own work. We knew we had to satisfy him, so we were meticulous in every detail. I think we might have succeeded,” said friend-of-the-blog, David Scroggy, DARK HORSE’s vice president of product development. He went on to explain that DARK HORSE approached Kent Melton not only because of his skill, but also because he was a close friend and previous collaborator of Dave Stevens. “We have enormous respect for both Dave and Bettie, and we felt an obligation to make this piece a home run.”

Melton studied all of Dave's key portrayals of Bettie to pick his favorite and ensure an overall fidelity to Dave Stevens' interpretation of Bettie. Kent Melton observed, “Dave and I talked frequently about how female anatomy should work in sculpture. When I started to sculpt, it felt almost as if Dave were there guiding me. The piece came together quickly, almost as if we’d rehearsed it over the years.”

The thirteen-inch "Bettie Page by way of Dave Stevens" statue (including the base) will come in "deluxe packaging" and include a "certificate of authenticity" in the form of a large print of Dave Stevens pin-up artwork that inspired Melton's sculpture. DARK HORSE is still in the process of determining how many statues will be made. Fans can start saving now, so they can pay the $150 for one of these limited edition beauties when they hit comic book store shelves this August.

Mark Mori: It's Good to be the Director of BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL

2010-01-24T07:44:00.000-08:00

Mark Mori and Bettie Page Babes On the Red Carpet! I don't know if he's looking to promote his sure-to-be-fabulous upcoming authorized documentary about everyone's favorite pin-up, BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL, or if he's just trying to make all the boys jealous. In any event, here's director Mark Mori, flanked by two "Bettie Babes", Reina Terror and Vintage Vandalizm:

"Bettie Page Reveals All" Director Mark Mori, Reina Terror and Vintage Vandalism attend the Brand In Entertainment Integration Auction at Christie's, on January 20, 2010 in New York City.

Reina Terror, a popular New York based burlesque performer, is wearing a Bettie Page inspired leopard print bathing suit, and Vintage Vandalism, a New York based model and designer, is wearing a Bettie Page inspired lingerie ensemble.

Bettie's Better in Texas

2010-01-14T17:18:00.002-08:00

Austin’s burlesque troupe The Jigglewatts are presenting The Bettie Page Tribute Night, hoping to emphasize Bettie's flirty nature. “There’s a lot of humor in it. There’s a lot of wink-and-a-smile," explains burlesque artist Miss Coco Lectric about the nature of The Jigglewatts' brand of tease. “It’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m about to take this off. You guys really want to see this? Are you sure?’” she tells the Houston Press.

Join the fun at Houston's Alamo West Oaks as Austin's The Jigglewatts shake and shimmy in tribute to the late great Bettie Page! The live burly-q is augmented by multimedia presentations from Bettie Page's film, Teaserama and featuring a special sneak preview of Bettie Page Reveals All, the forthcoming documentary produced and directed by Mark Mori!.

Tickets are only $12 in advance and available right here on our website!

Performers on hand to celebrate Bettie's enthusiastic embrace of real women and woman-positive portrayals of sexuality include:

Miss Coco Lectric

Ruby Joule

Goldie Candela

Pearl Lux

Grace Truvant

Ruby Rockit

Elisa

Ruby Lamb

Ginger Valentine

Maye Applebottom

and Mistress of Ceremonies...Cherry Zap

“[It’s] to show how much fun we’re having and to show that it’s fun being a woman. It’s fun to be sensual, it’s fun to be funny and cute…it’s fun to not be a size two,” says Letric.

The skinny on the shimmy:

Bettie Page Tribute Night with LIVE Burlesque!
Saturday, Jan 16th
7:30pm
Tickets: $12

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema/Alamo West Oaks
West Oaks Mall #429, Houston, TX 77082

General Info: 281-920-9211
Showtime info: 281-920-9268

(photo depicts Ms. Pearl Lux)

Click HERE for another video, like the one embedded above, capturing a previous performance.

Brazen Bettie Pages!

2010-01-14T17:17:00.001-08:00

Julia of the Brazen Betties store was kind enough to send a video of the Brazen Betties Bettie Page Lookalike Contest, an official part of "Torrington Day" in Torrington, CT, in both color (above) and black and white.

This contest was the first of its kind in this area. (Torrington is an up-and-coming arts hub.) I''m planning another contest for next year as well. It was such a huge success! I love Bettie and your blog captures her perfectly.

We can''t wait for next year''s contest! Julia also sent us photos of the first, second and third-place winners:

First Place Winner

Second Place Winner

Third Place Winner

Zombie Bettie Page

2010-01-14T17:16:00.001-08:00

AHHH! Zombie Bettie? Don''t we know Halloween is over? Is this some exploitative image meant to shock or upset?

Actually, it''s a homework assignment, of sorts. The artist, Shannon Warren, is a student at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and completed the work according to a specific criteria...

Basically the assignment was to use a famous icon of your choosing, create at least a 2 layer stencil of their face, and use it in a way that would in some way coerce an emotion from the viewer. Whether it was humor, empathy, challenging, etc. With my piece I really wanted to push the limits of "ideal beauty" and see how far you can take someone so beautiful away from the normal social views of beauty with out altering their actual self. So in a way I suppose it''s meant to be disturbing, but the work is definitely not intended to offend Bettie Page fans. If I didn''t absolutely adore her and everything she stood for, I would not have done a piece on her at all.

I chose to do my work on Bettie because to me she IS the ultimate woman. I know historically she wasn''t the first pinup, but I feel like she really opened up the door for a more diverse culture to take the spotlight, especially in pin up artwork. And in my opinion she commercialized people''s hidden "taboo" fantasies, which also paved the way for a totally different outlook on sexuality in society. To me, its as though most pinups before Bettie just kind of allowed themselves to be pinups rather than owning it. Bettie Page was an example of society accepting the "perverse" nature of itself, and validating it.

And I chose to portray her in the gory way I did because I feel like zombie pinups are the next wave in delving deeper into different areas of the darker corners of society. Its becoming much more acceptable to be interested in what you personally find interesting. I personally love gore and zombies, but I also love the female form. Because of people like Bettie Page, what I like to make art about is far more acceptable and less likely to be seen as perversion.

If you have an interest in the work, the original painting is for sale. Feel free to EMAIL the artist, directly.

Bettie Page in Canada

2010-01-14T17:12:00.002-08:00

Alycia Fraser, a "self-taught Canadian artist based in British Columbia", shows her love for Bettie, with two recent graphite pencil portraits.

Why Bettie? Alycia explains: I chose to draw Bettie because she is a gorgeous, unconventional (at her time) beauty! I think she holds a lot of confidence and power in the photos that represent her.

Check out the rest of her gallery at http://www.artbyalycia.com (and tell her the Bettie Page Blog sent you).

You can also contact her via Facebook.

Bettie Page Inspires OK Musicians

2010-01-14T17:12:00.001-08:00

The Flaming Lips "I Can Be A Frog"

The Flaming Lips | MySpace Video

As reported by The Oklahoman''''s Brandy McDonnell, in her BAMblog, two Oklahoma-based bands draw inspiration from Ms. Bettie Page in two recent offerings. The alt-country band Cross Canadian Ragweed chronicles her story in their song, "Pretty Lady", while the stalwart cult band The Flaming Lips (in this instance collaborating with Yeah Yeah Yeahs'' Karen O) give a visual nod to the image of Bettie Page in their video for the song "I Can Be a Frog".

Brandy blogs:

It’s an interesting concurrence of ideas – and further evidence of Page’s lasting mark on pop culture – that two Oklahoma bands with such different aesthetics found inspiration from the “Pin-up Queen of the Universe” at practically the same time.

Why stop with just two bands? That''s what we say!

Bettie Page - Tied Up in South Dakota

2010-01-14T17:11:00.000-08:00

Scott Ehrisman is a painter, political cartoonist, Bettie Page and Tom Waits enthusiast and "one of the most high- profile artists currently working in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area" according to a bio on the National Coalition Against Censorship page. He is an avid political, cultural and media blogger. His art and commentary can be found at South DaCola.

When asked about the inspiration for his Bettie Page paintings, he replied, "I guess I have been a fan of Bettie for a long time and just recently decided to do some paintings of her. I have always felt that she was too beautiful and innocent for bondage, but hey, maybe that is the appeal. I also love her black hair, never been a big Marilyn Monroe fan."

(painting with canvas shoes) ''''''''''''''''CHUCK AND BETTIE; UNLIKELY PUNK ICONS'''''''''''''''' (Aprox: 2 x 4 foot – Mixed Media on wood - custom frame)

Go to "SOUTHDACOLA.COM" and BID via the comments section of the South DaCola’s Big Frickin’ art auction, well becuz, I am broke post.

(painting with angel wings) ''''''''''''''''Bettie in a Bind'''''''''''''''' APROX – 22″ X 36″ – Mixed media, collage, paint and found flower on canvas (UNFRAMED)

Go to "SOUTHDACOLA.COM" and BID via the comments section of the Bettie Page Art – New Painting of the day “Bettie in a Bind” post.

Notorious Reflections on Bettie Page Film

2010-01-14T17:10:00.002-08:00

Movieline has a "cold case" article in which director Mary Harron reflects on her unauthorized, but generally respectful biopic, THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE.

Bettie Page, Camera Club Girl by Rudolph Rossi

2010-01-14T17:10:00.001-08:00

What was it like to be a member of the mythic Concorde Camera Club, following Cass Carr and snapping photos of nude models at a time when such a hobby could land you in prison?

The amazing blog Camera Club Girls explores the work of Rudolph Rossi, one such photographer. The photos, while hardly the glossy, highly choreographed and produced pin-ups to which we've become accustomed, give a clear vibe of these slightly scandalous shoots.

Here''s what the site has to say about Rossi:

Camera Club Girls: The work of Rudolph Rossi
The extraordinary hand-painted photographs of Rudolph Rossi. Rossi was an informal member of the New York City Concorde Camera Club in the repressive 1950''s. For a ten dollar fee, he photographed Bettie Page and a plethora of interracial models, then later meticulously hand-painted the photographs creating the illusion of color photography. An exceptional body of work by a previously unknown and unrecognized photographer and erotic artist from a time when such activity was taboo.

The blogger, Jim Linderman, appears to operate other blogs that (call me crazy) may interest Bettie fans... blogs with names like "Vintage Sleaze" for instance.

"Brazen Betties" on Main Street

2010-01-14T17:07:00.000-08:00

The Bettie Page look a likes pose as they wait for the announcement of the winners on Main Street. The event was sponsored by Brazen Betties, and was part of the Torrington Day celebration

Torrington, CT seems like a great place to live, given that part of their town's annual festivities included a Bettie Page lookalike contest, hosted by a very cool-looking independent fashion boutique (with a great name, to say the least). On the comments of the paper's online article, however, it's clear that not all residents are of that opinion:

My God Save Us wrote:
" Torrington Days used to be about food, cultures and good clean family fun. Not parading 1950s smut starts down Main St. You should all be ashamed of yourself, especially Mayor Bingham, Rose Ponte and Steve the helper for turning the streets of Torrington into a parading brothel. "

Nice to see that even after half a century, Bettie's aura of empowering sexuality (even fully dressed) is potent enough to ruffle feathers!

Bettie Page's Agent in the News

2010-01-14T17:06:00.000-08:00

Mark Roesler, Bettie's agent, now representing her estate for her family, recently appeared on 60 Minutes. This article quotes liberally from the piece. We found one section particularly amusing...

[Roesler's] real clients are the heirs and estates of the dearly departed, who ultimately approve or reject the merchandising deals that CMG puts together. ...Products range from low-end tchotchkes like trashcans and handbags, to the mid-range items like "Marilyn Merlot."

Also for sale are playfully prurient outfits inspired by the late pinup queen, Bettie Page. They are marketed as Halloween costumes, but Roesler says they seem to sell all year round.

Anyone for some "after Halloween" shopping?

Bettie Page: The Girl in the Leopard Print Bikini

2010-01-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

via SNAGFILMS.com

Bettie:The Girl In The Leopard Print Bikini

Release Year: 2004
Duration: 90 min
Director/Writer: Carlos Larkin

She was the quintessential 1950’s pinup girl, jet-black hair, sultry smile, flashing eyes, and a body that drove men wild. But, there was much more to Bettie Page than met the eye. Here is her story, from her small town beginnings to her worldwide acceptance as a pop culture icon. Featuring the vintage films, and pictures that made her a phenomenon, BETTIE PAGE, THE GIRL IN THE LEOPARD PRINT BIKINI, focuses on the life and times of the legendary model, the times in which she lived, and the impact her career had on the subsequent fifty years. Though her days as a photographer’s model and actress are over, and her time in the spotlight relatively brief, the young girl from Tennessee is more popular than ever. And now you can see why… BETTIE PAGE, THE GIRL IN THE LEOPARD PRINT BIKINI. Bonus Footage: This program includes uncut versions of some of Bettie’s best films from the 1950’s.

Calling Bettie Page

2010-01-14T17:04:00.002-08:00

Check it! Pimp your iPhone with Bettie, thanks to Dark Horse Comics!

Over the years, Dark Horse has been committed to incorporating art into our everyday lives through prints, T-shirts, mugs, and a variety of other items that help make this world more colorful. Now Dark Horse is proud to collaborate with GelaSkins to bring over twenty new designs to their line of protective skins for laptops and phones.

Our second wave of designs includes the Dark Horse logo and the timeless beauty Bettie Page, the new line of GelaSkins is the perfect way to protect your technology while showing off your signature style.

Publication Date: January 10, 2010

Format: Protective iPhone skin

Price: $14.95

UPC: 7 61568 16925 6 00

Bettie Page: Bralicious

2010-01-14T17:04:00.001-08:00

Never heard of wagerweb.com before, but they''ve heard of Bettie, citing her as a wearer of one of the "15 Famous Bras That Made History".

Sexy Bettie Page

2010-01-14T17:03:00.000-08:00

Amen!

Share Your Shrine to Bettie Page

2010-01-14T17:02:00.002-08:00

We found this LINK on Tiki Central, of a Tiki Central message board member''s "Bettiefied" bathroom.

Do you have a similar shine in your pad? Comment below to let us know where we can find photos.

Craftastic Bettie Page

2010-01-14T17:02:00.001-08:00

Geek+Nerd blog has found a great way to use images of Bettie Page:

READ about her craftastic re-purposing of Bettie Page imagery. As everyone awaits a film poster for BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL, this could be a great decoration for viewing parties once the film is on DVD.

Bettie Page: Sex Bomb

2010-01-14T17:01:00.001-08:00

Bettie's name was invoked in a recent UK article about the "return of the sex bomb":

My jaw hit the floor when, a couple of weeks ago, I walked into a pub to meet my friend Sam and found her dressed as a tramp. Not the vagabond kind, but the Bettie Page kind — which was even more shocking. Sam is a stylist, so she normally wears what I will kindly describe as avant-garde hessian sacks. Instead, much to the delight of some men drooling by the bar, she was sporting spray-on jeans, a low-cut ribbed vest, killer heels and a cropped leather biker jacket with fetish-looking zips. She had accessorised with a glass of ropey house white, an unlit fag and immaculate red lipstick. MORE

Elvria Garcia Keeps Bettie Alive in Her Salon

2010-01-14T16:58:00.000-08:00

Elvira rarely is seen wearing heels or platforms lower than 5 inches, which make her "feel confident, long and lean." Without stilettos, she's 5-foot-4. Her long, straight black locks and bangs are reminiscent of Bettie Page, the notorious 1950s pin-up queen who died last year. Page, in fact, is one of Elvira's favorite subjects. Pictures of the '50s model adorn the salon. Elvira's eyes light up when talking about the cult icon; she, too, does fetish modeling.

READ about Oak Park, IL Elvira Garcia's Bettie-love.

Paw Olivia's Pin-ups... for Charity

2010-01-14T16:57:00.001-08:00

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="802" caption="Precious Paws"][/caption]

Olivia has donated an autographed lithograph of pin up queen Bettie Page and a copy of her book to a celebrity auction that benefits Precious Paws. The animal charity devotes tremendous resources to supporting the spaying and neutering of dogs and cats to limit the unwanted pet population.

Click HERE to bid on Olivia's items, between November 5th and 15th.

Bettie Page Reveals All Radio Interview with Mark Mori

2010-01-14T16:56:00.001-08:00

Excited about the upcoming Bettie Page documentary, BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL? Go to the HERITAGE RADIO NETWORK to hear an exclusive audio interview with director Mark Mori. Listen to him talk about Bettie Page''s enduring popularity, facts about her life and preview some of the things we can expect to see in the documentary!

An Obsessive Fan's Fond Farewell to Bettie Page

2010-01-14T16:53:00.000-08:00

Bonnie Burton graciously agreed to allow us to reprint her reflection on the loss of Bettie Page in its entirety. Bonnie created GRRL.COM, wrote the new book, GIRLS AGAINST GIRLS, as well as many fine print and online articles. She also works for LucasFilm, including contributing considerable quality material to STARWARS.COM and writing YOU CAN DRAW STAR WARS. Thanks, again, Bonnie, for letting us share the following:

My Goodbye to the Queen of Curves

Goodbye Queen of Curves:
Bettie Page Dies Dec. 11, 2008

Words: Bonnie Burton

I''ve worshiped pin-up icon Bettie Page ever since I laid eyes on her (or at least a magazine cover of her) in a comic book store my freshman year of college. The comic book store owner had seen me walk by the store for months and finally urged me to come in so he could show me the cover of a fanzine called The Betty Pages. He thought I looked aa lot like her and I was completely dumbfounded by the compliment. I became obsessed with this black-banged beauty from the start. Who was she? What became of her?

I spent all of my college years researching her life. This was long before she came out of seclusion and no one really knew what had happened to one of the most famous models that ever lived. I wrote my first published work of freelance journalism "I Was a Teenage Betty" about my search for her and how famous she had become. In the process, I ended being one of the last people to speak to Bettie''s photographer Paula Klaw.

I entered Bettie Page look-a-like contests, collected photos of Bettie from her heyday, as well as comics, vintage magazine covers and anything she happened to be mentioned in. During the early age of Web sites in the early ''90s, I created The Bettie Pageso I could compile my photo, comic, magazine, art and other Bettie collections, as well as news, articles and essays, all in one spot for other Page fans to check out. It was one of the first Bettie Page fan sites to exist online, and it brought me closer together with other fans who wanted to know more about the mysterious icon. I was a bonafide Bettie Page fan, and proud of it! (Still am.)

(As seen in Entertainment Weekly magazine - Oct. 13, 2006)As the years passed by, her popularity continued to grow. We all had our own theories why a pin-up from the '50s could continue to leave such a last impression of fans decades later. In the Richard Foster's book The Real Bettie Page, I explained my own ideas of her continued fame:

"I'm a Bettie fan for the mere fact that she's gorgeous. No other model has been photographed more than her, and for good reason: She's the best there is. I love Bettie because she sort of brought innocence back to sex. When you mention pinup models and men's magazines to most people, they think you're talking about porn or smut. With Bettie, you aren't embarrassed to appreciate looking at her, whether she's being spanked, trying on stockings, or playing in the buff on the beach. She makes sex seem okay instead of a sin. I think a lot of older fans left over from the 1950s appreciated that quality in her when she was in magazines like Playboy. She made you feel at ease with your sexuality, and most of all, she had fun with it."

Bettie Page influenced everything from my desire write about people who do extraordinary things with their lives, to the way I wore my hair, to the self-confidence I gained in living by her example -- having fun with life, calling the shots and being my own person. She was one of the first models to do weight training, be a vegetarian and do such a wide range of modeling genres (from beach bunny to bondage queen).

Bettie Page had an incredibly difficult childhood and adult life, yet managed to bring a smile to millions of fans every time she graced us with her presence -- whether it be in photos, comics, magazine covers or even the campy mini-films she made to entertain us all. Without her, I never would have been so passionate about journalism, I never would have started my site Grrl.com (which began as the Bettie Page fan site) and I never would have met many of my friends I still have today.

It's difficult to explain to others why I feel about Bettie the way I do. She helped me decide who I was and who I wanted to be as a young woman. Her life inspired me to do my own thing and not care what others thought. I hope that my appreciation and dedication to her life helps other discover who she is and why she's so incredible. I never had the honor of meeting her face to face, but she had a profound effect on my life and I will never forget her.

Rest in peace, Bettie Page. Rest in peace.

DIY Bettie Page Bangs

2010-01-14T16:52:00.000-08:00

There is nothing worse than deciding you want the classic Bettie Page style u-shaped bangs and being unable to get your stylist to cut it. I went through a series of awful ''fringes'' before someone finally got it right and when I look back on photos of me w/ a ''bad bang-job'', I still get irritated. The Bettie Bangs are u-shaped, not straight accross as they may appear to be and almost always, they are nipped under w/ a flat or curling iron to achieve that traditional look.

Through trial and error (lots of error), I have finally discovered the best way to get your perfect ''Bettie''. Cut them yourself! Below are some the steps I take to achieve the bangs I want...

Go to The Lisa Freemont Pages, "a beauty blog devoted to the styles and glamour of the past as well as product reviews and fashion news", to read the rest.