Grey Gardens News

Video of Japanese Grey Gardens musical グレイガーデンズ

2009-11-10T18:20:00.000-05:00

Here's a video of Grey Gardens the musical in Japanese. Fascinating!

From YouTube, by SankeiNews, on November 8, 2009

大竹しのぶ&草笛光子が母娘を熱演

11月7日から東京・有楽町のシアタークリエで上演されるミュージカル｢グレイ・ガーデンズ｣の公開稽古が行われ、出演する大竹しのぶさんと草笛光子さん、演出の宮本亜門さんが囲み会見に出席した。

Gorgeous painting of Little Edie from Grey Gardens by artist Jeff Bridges

2009-11-09T11:14:00.000-05:00

What talent!

From Toonpool, by Jeff Bridges

Little Edie from Grey Gardens

Oil painting I did a few years ago of Little Edie Beale from the documentary, Grey Gardens.

Grey Gardens Halloween costume redux

2009-11-08T21:12:00.002-05:00

Did you, someone you love, or some random person dress up as Little Edie (or someone/something equally Grey Gardens) for Halloween? Send in your pictures and I'll post them up here!

Happy Birthday, Little Edie! (And the Grey Gardens グレイガーデンズ musical opens in Japan!)

2009-11-07T07:56:00.004-05:00

Today is Little Edie's birthday! And, yes, the Japanese version of the Grey Gardens musical (グレイガーデンズ) opens today. Visit the updated site for the musical to see some new videos of the cast in costume!

Edie would be so pleased! What a birthday present!

Michael Sucsy and Kalina Ivanov discuss Grey Gardens at the Savannah Film Festival [video]

2009-11-06T06:55:00.002-05:00

Many people are interested in Michael Sucsy's journey to make his HBO film Grey Gardens, and the first part of the video is about that. Kalina Ivanov, the production designer talks a bit about her work. Sucsy gives her what may be the best compliment ever regarding the East Hampton premiere of the film!

From YouTube, by SCADDistrictTV, on November 5, 2009

Michael Sucsy discusses "Grey Gardens"

Director Michael Sucsy and Production Designer Kalina Ivanov of their HBO film Grey Gardens at the 2009 Savannah Film Festival.

Do you love Maysles documentaries? What about Maysles specs?

2009-11-01T17:15:00.007-05:00

Albert Maysles' eyeglasses have a following of their own, and now you can get your own Al Maysles glasses!

From The Moment, by Sandra Ballentine, on October 23, 2009

Sight Line | A Maysles Spectacle

It’s not often that one can look at the world through the eyes of a genius, but thanks to a collaboration between Barneys New York and the California-based eyewear company Barton Perreira, you can at least view it through one’s glasses. These frames—a reproduction of a pair worn by the filmmaker Albert Maysles (of “Grey Gardens” and “Gimme Shelter” fame) since 1960—were conceived as the result of a crush. “Our whole office is in love with Albert,” admits Julie Gilhart, Barneys’ fashion director. The Madison Avenue store will host an event for Maysles on Nov. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. Fans of the filmmaker—and of his glasses (they start at $350)—are welcome.

Artist Ray Caspio's illustration of Edie Beale

2009-10-28T07:49:00.004-04:00

Nicely done!

The illustration is also available on a t-shirt from RedBubble.

From RayCaspio.com, by Ray Caspio, on October 27, 2009, via Twitter

Little Edie Beale of Grey Gardens: The Spirit of VMI

Video of Grey Gardens on Gilmore Girls

2009-10-20T20:41:00.001-04:00

I'd heard about this video, but never seen it. What a joy!

From YouTube, by bilbommer, on October 17, 2009

Gilmore Girls Grey Gardens

This is one of the reasons why Gilmore Girls is so cool. Here Lorelai and Rory are watching the real "Grey Gardens" Documentary years before the movie came out with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange.

Grey Gardens has another celebrity fan: Dita Von Teese

2009-10-18T19:06:00.002-04:00

Thanks so the contributor who sent this in! Dita loves Grey Gardens!

From Twitter, by Dita Von Teese, on October 18, 2009

Finally saw the HBO film Grey Gardens on the plane to NY...Drew Barrymore NAILED little Edie! AMAZING! Oscar worthy.

Download Rachel Portman's soundtrack to HBO's Grey Gardens

2009-10-14T10:55:00.000-04:00

You can now get the entire soundtrack in MP3 format from Amazon.com!

Download the entire soundtrack or choose individual tracks below.

HBO's Grey Gardens

Virginia Military Institute Song – Rachel Portman (1:00)

Little Edie On Chair – Rachel Portman (2:48)

Love Is Divine – Rachel Portman (1:22)

Edie Come Home – Rachel Portman (2:24)

Cements The Deal – Rachel Portman (1:15)

Nobody Stuck Anybody Anywhere – Rachel Portman (2:15)

Wedding Jewels – Rachel Portman (3:27)

I Might Have – Rachel Portman (1:24)

Extraordinary Determination – Rachel Portman (1:12)

Your Father's Died – Rachel Portman (0:58)

Feet First – Rachel Portman (2:54)

Invite You In For Tea – Rachel Portman (2:18)

She Was Gorgeous – Rachel Portman (1:42)

We Belong Together – Jessica Lange, Malcolm Gets (1:08)

I Won't Dance – Jessica Lange, Malcolm Gets (1:14)

We Belong Together – Jessica Lange (1:41)

Young Edie In NYC – Rachel Portman (0:38)

Raid – Rachel Portman (1:58)

This Will Be Better – Rachel Portman (2:30)

All The Luck In World / Love Is Divine – Rachel Portman (2:12)

Trust Has Run Out – Rachel Portman (1:13)

Long Leash – Rachel Portman (0:55)

Tea For Two – Drew Barrymore (1:29)

Fine art prints of Lois Wright paintings of Little Edie Beale

2009-10-13T14:55:00.005-04:00

The Libra Man just alerted me to this. He says that Lois herself is amazed by the quality of the prints, and that they look exactly like the original paintings, which are now in the possession of the National Arts Club in New York City.

From The Gallery Sag Harbor

Prints are $250/each

Please contact The Gallery for more info 212-772-3483

Delivery time 8-12 weeks.

Update

Thanks to Lisa, the correct photos are now here!

Grey Gardens the house on OpenHouse NYC [video]

2009-10-13T09:05:00.006-04:00

I didn't realize it until I saw this video, but I've actually always wanted to see something like this!

From OpenHouse NYC, on October 12, 2009

Then and Now: Grey Gardens

Take a look inside the storied East Hampton property known as Grey Gardens.

Once owned by the eccentric mother-daughter duo Edith Ewing Bouvier (known as Big Edie) and Edith Bouvier Beale (known as Little Edie), the home is now owned by journalist Sally Quinn and her husband Ben Bradlee. Here, Quinn talks about why she bought and restored the famous property and textile designer Christopher Hyland shows us how the quirky Beale aesthetic has been maintained throughout the home's contemporary design.

This episode of OpenHouse was hosted from 455 Central Park West in New York City. Listed at $7,500,000, 455 Central Park West is a Sotheby's International listing. Contact broker Nikki Field at 212.606.7669 for more information about this property.

More information about Grey Gardens the Musical in Japan

2009-10-12T14:09:00.006-04:00

We learned about this production of Grey Gardens the musical (グレイガーデンズ) recently, but we couldn't understand the details. A huge thanks to Sooim for providing this information!

It will open in November 7, 2009 at Theater Creation in Tokyo. It'll be closed on December 6 and goes to other cities, Osaka and Nagoya, in Japan.

I don't think they intentionally picked this date for their opening, but I'm happy to know that they chose Little Edie's Birthday!

The one-time Tony nominee Mr. Amon Miyamoto will direct the show, which stars Ms. Shinobu Otake and Mitsuko Kusabue.

The original documentary film has never been released in Japan in any way. So the Japanese audience knows nothing about those lovely ladies!

HBO's film, however, will be aired on cable TV on November 3 in Japan.

Sooim also writes that they will be using the fake Mexican brooch in their production. Grey Gardens is so international!

Update

I added the poster for the musical.

The new tenants of Grey Gardens have moved in!

2009-10-12T08:53:00.009-04:00

Boykin Curry, who now rents Grey Gardens, hosted a part for his brother Marshall's documentary, Racing Dreams. Some pictures from the event are now on the web. Although Boykin's wife is an interior designer, the interiors of Grey Gardens appear not to have changed at all since Frances Hayward's residency.

From IndieWire, by Brian Brooks, on October 11, 2009

Celebrating “Dreams” at Grey Gardens

Later at Grey Gardens, the film’s executive producer, Jack Turner of film company White Buffalo, only gave a hint at how they scored Grey Gardens for their party. I mean, I’ve been going to the Hamptons Film Festival for eight years now, and I only knew the place still existed but didn’t know where, and to the best of my knowledge, there has never been a festival party there.

“We were able to finagle a deal,” said Turner. “There was a personal connection through the film.” Well, there it is perhaps—somebody knew somebody… The rumor at the party though is that the property’s present owners, Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee and wife Sally Quinn, stay in the home in August, otherwise it’s rented out for the remaining 11 months of the year for $250,000. But rumors are rumors...

Still, it was quite a sight to see festival veterans wide-eyed in front of the staircase where “Little Edie” danced with an American flag in the Maysles doc, or even peering into the room where “Big Edie” spent most of her day with cats and cookingwear bedside.

“We thought it would be fun to have a party for a documentary film at a place where one of the most famous docs in the world had been filmed,” said Turner, a former acquisitions exec for a previous incarnation of United Artists. “And it was our impetus to get as many filmmakers out here. It’s something, I couldn’t have imagined it.” Turner then turned to “Racing Dreams,” lavishing compliments on Curry saying he’s “one of the most talented directors working in documentary today” as exhibited in his previous work on “Street Fight” and “Waking Dreams.” “Marshall can find something like racing and turn it into something much more complex,” he added.

From IndieWire, by The Lost Boy, on October 10, 2009

I went to Grey Gardens

Last night the doc “Racing Dreams” had their Hamptons Film Festival afterparty at Grey Gardens. And I had the remarkable privilege of attending. Owned by Ben Bradlee of “All The President’s Men” fame since 1977, it doesn’t exactly have the raccoons and cat shit vibe anymore, but you could still completely orient parts of the house in memories of the film. It was pretty awe-inspiring, standing on those infamous stars or in the bedroom where Big Edie once laid for days on end (there was also Grey Gardens paraphernalia all over as a reminder). Here are a few pics, though it was dark so the glory that was the outside went undocumented.

Edie Beale visits Japan, via Grey Gardens the Musical

2009-10-09T10:10:00.001-04:00

Grey Gardens, or, as some might call it, グレイガーデンズ, will be coming to Japan! I can't ascertain many details from this site, but do check it out. It's fascinating!

Tohostage.com

Many thanks to David Crotty for sending this in!

Glowing review of the Dallas production of Grey Gardens the musical

2009-10-08T23:00:00.004-04:00

Judging by this review, this might be a great production of the musical!

From Art & Seek, by Jerome Weeks, on October 8, 2009

Review: Grey Gardens at WaterTower Theatre

In 1972, tabloid newspapers reported that Jackie Kennedy Onassis' cousin and her invalid aunt were living in squalor, in a rundown mansion on Long Island called Grey Gardens. Since then, the scandalous story of Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edie has been a Mayles brothers documentary, a recent HBO film and a Tony-winning Broadway musical—all called Grey Gardens. Now the musical is getting its area premiere from Addison's WaterTower Theatre.

The musical doesn’t simply replicate the story from the Maysles' documentary. Written by Doug Wright, the former Dallasite and Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist, it imagines how Edith and Edie ended up as bickering hermits facing eviction from their decrepit East Hampton home. The first act is set in 1941, and it’s all lively drawing-room comedy, cocktails by the piano, parties on the lawn, well-mannered children performing songs, well-mannered black servants in white jackets. In this moment from the Broadway cast recording, the domineering, free-spirited Edith is planning a little soiree—while her often-absent husband commutes home from Wall Street. Edith is going to announce Edie’s engagement to Joseph Kennedy, Jr. He was the eldest Kennedy brother, the one on whom the family originally pinned its White House hopes—before turning to his younger brother, Jack. Edith will make the engagement public via a little concert she's prepared for her high-society guests—and the invited press. She'll sing a couple of original tunes, several arias from operas—anything to steal the all attention from her daughter Edie. Edith has even printed up a program.

SONG: The Five-Fifteen

Brooks, Sr. (spoken):
"Ma’am, the caterers arrived, where would you like them to set up?"

Edith: (sung):
"Put the chafing dishes on the garden ledge,
Once the gardener has finished with the hedge.
Chill the vichyssoise and heat the veal,
And wish me luck, ‘cause Mister Beale,
Is arriving on the 5:15."

But before the 5:15 train arrives, we learn just how shaky the engagement is and how shaky the family is financially. The Bouvier/Beale men have the habit of draining the family fortunes and abandoning the Bouvier women.

But then, can we really blame them?

Both Edith and Edie are quarrelsome and creative sorts. They're demanding and always defying convention—when they’re not deranged. Doug Wright does a masterful balancing act with the musical's book. We’re never entirely sure from moment to moment whether it’s Edith or Edie who truly needs psychiatric care, whether it’s the women or the men who caused life at Grey Gardens to go off the rails. Or whether Edith and Edie are plucky and resourceful—or just absolutely bipolar-bonkers.

The show itself is brilliantly bipolar. If the first act of Grey Gardens is a female Great Gatsby, the second act is Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? It’s 1973, and the two women are still caring for each other, still tormenting each other, still trapped in their rotting home.

Songwriters Scott Frankel and Michael Korie can evoke the easy, comic splendors of Cole Porter or Noel Coward—and then pull off dazzling interweavings of dialogue and music that segue from loving care to bitter regret. They're worthy of Stephen Sondheim. In this scene, the grown-up Edie contemplates a collection of little mementos she keeps in the attic, a collection she calls "Around the World." She once was the girl who had everything—beauty, talent, a privileged, Eastern seaboard upbringing. She was going to marry a Kennedy and sing on Broadway. Instead of sailing around the world, she dresses herself in dropcloths and dusts herself with flea powder—because of all the cats and raccoons in the house.

SONG: Around the World
"Around the world
With stones and shells.
The nicest one I lost.
Around the world
without a boat
And just a quote from Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.
A lovely crossing on.
Around the world, the world around the attic wall."

Some real singers need to handle such music, and WaterTower Theatre has them in spades. Kimberly Whalen is period-perfect as the young Edie in the first act, headstrong and full of promise, her voice clear as bell. For her part as the invalid mother, Pam Dougherty has rarely been as poignant.

But Grey Gardens is Diana Sheehan’s show. She plays both Edith the party-planner in the first act, and then turns around to play the grown-up daughter Edie. It's a Herculean role—she's onstage practically the entire time. And if Sheehan is a tad overdone at times, she is an unstoppable force with a rich voice that suggests operetta from the '30s.

Grey Gardens is not simply the tale of two crazy old cat ladies. It’s about how we become our parents, about how family members need each other and feed each other’s neuroses. It’s about 10 minutes too long and at times a little too close to high camp and gothic melodrama. But it’s musically gorgeous and tender and heartbreaking. Directed by Terry Martin, it’s one of WaterTower Theatre’s strongest productions—with James McQuillen's music direction, plus a shadow-haunted set by lighting designer Susan White and scene designer Christopher Pickart. It's a real achievement in polish and emotional power.

Grey Gardens Halloween costume for babies

2009-10-03T09:22:00.003-04:00

How cute is this? You can wear the best costume for the day and your baby can dress up as a bag of Wonder Bread!

From Amazon.com

Baby Wonder Bread Costume

Update

There is also a Wonder Bread costume for adults!

New book: Letters of Little Edie Beale

2009-09-30T22:52:00.002-04:00

From the man who brought you MemoraBEALEia and Little Edie Live comes...

By Walter Newkirk

Letters of Little Edie Beale

Grey Gardens and Beyond

The new book, Letters of Little Edie Beale: Grey Gardens and Beyond, collected and edited by Walter Newkirk, is a sequel to memoraBEALEia: A Private Scrapbook About Little Edie Beale of Grey Gardens.

The HBO movie Grey Gardens, directed by Michael Sucsy, featured Drew Barrymore as Little Edie and Jessica Lange as her mother Big Edie, was broadcast on HBO Television during April and May 2009 and is now available on DVD. The film was nominated for 17 Emmy Awards and won the Television Critic's Award for Best Television Movie. It also received Emmy Awards as Best Television Movie, Best Actress in a TV Movie—Jessica Lange, Best Supporting Actor in A Television Movie—Ken Howard, Best Prosthetic Makeup, Best Hair Design, and Best Set Decoration.

Letters of Little Edie Beale will contain approximately 100 transcripts of the most engaging and entertaining cards and letters written to Walter Newkirk by Edie Beale from 1977-1987 and from 2000 up until a few months before Edie's death in 2002. In her letters Edie discusses politics, 9/11, Cher, Elian Gonzalez, the Grey Gardens documentary and musical, her first cousins Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill, Andy Warhol, politics, and more.

Miss Beale is best known for her participation in the legendary documentary Grey Gardens (1976). In the early 1970s, Edie Beale and her mother Edith Bouvier Beale—the aunt of Mrs. Onassis—former society ladies—were living in a cat-infested, filthy, crumbling estate called Grey Gardens in East Hampton on Long Island which was raided by health authorities several times for unsanitary living conditions. Finally, an eviction was pending until Mrs. Onassis helped clean up the house.

The documentary about the Beale's reclusive lives together in that house also inspired a Tony Award winning Broadway musical during the 2006-2007 season by Doug Wright, Michael Korie and Scott Frankel, also called Grey Gardens, which fictionalized the back story and decline of the women. It was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, and won 3 awards for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical; and Best Costumes.

On April 22, 1976 college journalist Walter Newkirk traveled to Grey Gardens, the Beale estate on Long Island, to interview Edie Beale about the movie documentary Grey Gardens, for his college newspaper, The Rutgers Daily Targum.

The interview for the Rutgers newspaper was conducted shortly after the release of the film. Newkirk and Beale kept in touch for several years, by phone and by mail. After the estate was sold and her mother died, Beale moved to New York for three years (1980-1983) and the author escorted her to luncheons, parties and special events. "Little Edie" later moved to Florida in 1983, and died there in January 2002.

Newkirk's tape recorded interview with Edie Beale from 1976 along with copies of her letters were given to director Michael Sucsy as part of the intensive research for the new HBO film. Mr. Newkirk is mentioned by Sucsy during the director's audio commentary on the DVD, and listed in the film credits under Research Assistance.

Walter Newkirk was inspired to compile the collection of letters from Little Edie in his new book by Barry Qualls, Vice President and Professor of English at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He first became acquainted with Professor Qualls as a freshman at Rutgers in 1972 as a student in his class.

The Rutgers professor is a fan of the Broadway musical Grey Gardens, and read memoraBEALEia. He wrote to the author and said he liked the book, but like many other readers and Grey Gardens fans, he wanted more.

The author dedicates this book to Edie Beale, whose spirit and life on stage and film touches many people nationally and internationally. Letters From Little Edie Beale is also dedicated to Rutgers University and the Rutgers Daily Targum for their marvelous and steadfast support of Newkirk's books. The Targum was, in fact, the genesis of his first book, and the catalyst for his friendship with Edie Beale.

The book will feature several pages of art related to Edie and Grey Gardens including works from artists nationwide: Anthony "Tonyboy" Alansky, Don Duga, Giovanni Gelardi, Deborah Heikkila, Stefano Imbert, Beau & Julia Kelley, Jeanne A, Kosfeld, Xris Kessler, Richard LaRovere, Bruce Lennon, Lucas F. Natali, Peter Petraitis, Andrew Wargo, and Lois Wright.

Playwright Joe Landry of Fairfield Connecticut is now writing a play, Little Edie and The Rutgers Boy, based on Newkirk's books.

Walter Newkirk, project director for Letters of Little Edie Beale, is the founder of Walter Newkirk Public Relations LLC. A graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, he worked on publicity for the film Roseland (1977), with director James Ivory and producer Ismael Merchant, and now primarily books interviews with authors for satellite TV tours, including titles by Martha Stewart, Valerie Bertinelli, Jenna Bush, and Tom Clancy. Previously, Newkirk was a publicist for The Whole Theatre in Montclair, NJ, where Academy Award winning actress Olympia Dukakis was Artistic Director. He also worked in public relations for The Newark Museum in Newark, NJ; and the John Harms Center For The Arts in Englewood, NJ—which has since been renamed Bergen PAC; Bergen Performing Arts Center on projects with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, Sarah Jessica Parker, Charles Osgood, and Eartha Kitt.

Grey Gardens & Emmy fashion news & stories from Dorthea's Closet Vintage

2009-09-26T10:17:00.005-04:00

I love how the sources of some of the items that made the HBO film so visually compelling are being made known!

From Real-Vintage, by Ang, on September 21, 2009

Grey Gardens for the Win

It should come as no surprise to any reader of mine that I was rooting for Grey Gardens to sweep last night's Emmy Awards. Two years ago I was contacted by the wardrober about a few pieces from my website they were interested in using for the film, and when it finally aired on HBO this last Spring I was thrilled to see a 1930s dressing gown I'd sent them appear on Jessica Lange (as Big Edie Beale).

Unfortunately there weren't 2 awards available for best leading actress in a movie, as both Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange gave superb performances as the Beales and both deserved the win. Jessica won and looked stunning in a teal green...

And Drew channeled the young Little Edie in a pale pink 50s inspired gown by Monique Lhuillier and carried a handbag designed by Raven Kauffman, aptly named "Drew" and created after the designer saw Drew play Edie Beale in Grey Gardens.

Short bio of Grey Gardens costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas

2009-09-25T17:08:00.000-04:00

Looks like she got some repeat business from Drew Barrymore!

From Variety, by Jan Lindstrom Valerio, on September 23, 2009

Catherine Marie Thomas plants 'Garden'

Costumer achieves flamboyance with biopic

Costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas was no slouch in the credits department when she landed the costume design job of a lifetime, transforming Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange into the Beales of "Grey Gardens" for the HBO biopic.

Yet the veteran designer of "Kill Bill" Vols. I and II (for which she earned two Costume Designers Guild noms), "A Prairie Home Companion" and "27 Dresses," found herself daunted at the thought of disappointing fans of the famed documentary that preceded the HBO film.

Thomas pulled it off seamlessly, so to speak, creating brilliant interpretations of the Beales' bohemian style without letting the costumes dominate the actors. In addition to an Emmy nomination, the effort earned her name recognition beyond Hollywood, with styling gigs for Women's Wear Daily.

"For as presentational and exciting and innovative as she was, and true to Edie as she was, she didn't go over the top into a costume realm," Barrymore says. "That she could (execute) the accuracy and the artistry without it feeling like a costume piece is a delicate balance not many people could pull off."

Barrymore trusted Thomas to create "iconic, cool and unique" costumes for "Whip It," her directorial debut about derby girls, which opens Oct. 2. Expect some fashion spillover as Barrymore, Ellen Page, Juliette Lewis and Eve hit the skates in DIY uniforms that include bustiers, rainbow socks and Girl Scout tops. (Her third collaboration with Barrymore is the currently lensing "Going the Distance.")

Thomas seems to be the favorite designer of strong, funny women. She partnered with actor-producer Sandra Bullock on "The Proposal," creating sexy power outfits that added to Bullock's B.O. appeal (the film has earned $293 million worldwide thus far).

"I'm certainly drawn to strong women who are very knowledgeable about the businesses," Thomas says. "And luckily, they trust me to help them do their job."

In a Nutshell

Job title: Costume designer

Mentor: "Edi Giguere. She dragged me out of the costume shop at Juilliard and said, 'You can make more than $300 a week.'"

Career Mantra: "Laughter. And to not be afraid to trust your instincts"

Leisure pursuit: "Being home."

Philanthropic passion: Chicago Academy for the Arts (alma mater)

Q&A with Emmy winners Jessica Lange and Ken Howard [video]

2009-09-25T09:03:00.004-04:00

So gracious, so amusing!

From YouTube, by TV Guide, on September 23, 2009

Emmy 2009 Winner Reactions: Jessica Lange

We're in the press room with Jessica Lange at the 2009 Emmy Awards to get her reaction to her win for Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series. Jessica Lange, Ken Howard and the team from GREY GARDENS field questions from the press. Jessica sings the praises for her co-star Drew Barrymore and the team's hopes for the mini-series to return to network television.

PointClickHome ponders (and loves) the set design of HBO's Grey Gardens

2009-09-24T11:40:00.005-04:00

To answer the author's question, "Does this classic 1930s space still hold up?" Yes, absolutely!

From PointClickHome, by Leah Konen, on September 21, 2009

Inspiration from the Emmys: Grey Gardens

We love the glitz and glamour of the Emmys, and last night's ceremony was no disappointment, especially when it comes to set design. Sure, the Emmys are primarily meant to honor exemplary acting, writing, and directing, but we can't help but get a little excited when the winning shows come with such gorgeous locations and interiors. AMC's Mad Men was a top winner, snagging best drama and best writing (we've already gushed over Mad Men's set design plenty). But we were really thrilled that Grey Gardens, HBO's fictional drama about the making of the documentary chronicling the lives of Jackie O’s infamous relatives and their glorious Hamptons home, received accolades. The film snagged the golden statues for best made-for-TV movie, and best actress and best supporting actor in a miniseries or made-for-TV movie, but we thought its gorgeous sets deserve a little tribute, as well. Check out some of our favorite and inspiring shots from the film.

Above: The house from Grey Gardens was such a crucial character to the film that HBO built a full facade in less than six weeks to mimic the East Hamptons home. White shutters, a gray shingled facade, and an inviting front porch convey the classic charm of the original.

Set designer Kalina Ivanov worked from a photograph of the original Grey Gardens room, as well as a swatch of the curtains provided by the home's current owner, to create a chic imitation space. Straw chairs, light furniture, and a recreation of an Albert Herter oil portrait make this a spot-on reproduction of the original, but our favorite element of this bold and dramatic living room is most definitely those royal purple walls!

Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore are clad in black for a scene where the two women listen to John F. Kennedy's memorial service on the radio, but the somber clothing is softened by a delicate chinoserie wallpaper and a luxurious button-tufted headboard.

Even if the traditional 1930s interiors are a bit dated for your taste, Grey Gardens provides plenty of color inspiration. Here, softened jewel tones like dusty plum, light golds and browns provide a gorgeous backdrop for the stronger blues and oranges of the women's bold 1960s fashions.

Tell us what you think! Does this classic 1930s space still hold up?

Paste Magazine talks with Grey Gardens costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas

2009-09-22T13:40:00.005-04:00

Be sure to visit the original post for their selection of suggested Grey Gardens knockoffs!

From Paste Magazine, by Rachael Maddux, on September 21, 2009

Bloom Where You're Planted

Grey Gardens' Timeless Style

In the early 1970s, after a fall from the upper echelons of New York society, a mother and daughter known as Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale were living in increasing squalor in their crumbling East Hampton mansion. Overrun with stray cats and botched dreams, they were unlikely movie stars and even less likely style icons, but they became both after filmmaker brothers Albert and David Maysles captured their bizarre life in Grey Gardens, the 1975 cinema-verite classic.

This year, HBO Films revisited Grey Gardens with a two-hour drama of the same name, starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore as Big and Little Edie. The Emmy-winning HBO remake (now available on DVD) supplemented the original documentary with a fictionalized backstory of the Edies’ rise and fall and rise again, told in part through the decay of the women’s attire and their once-lavish seaside retreat. “To be able to tell that story, for me, through their clothing, was obviously [the] main goal,” says costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas. “Just trying to get into their heads and how they journeyed to that place.”

After speaking with Thomas about her work outfitting the cast of HBO’s retelling, Paste assembled some of our favorite modern goods and accessories reminiscent of the Edies’ singular style turned ramshackle kitsch.

Paste: There are objects you also see in the original documentary—like big Edie’s red, blue and white hat—which become part of the backstory in the HBO version. Did you make up histories for these items?

Catherine Marie Thomas: We tried to link things that we saw later because it really was this sort of decoupage of all these things in the documentary footage. You see the mom when she’s in the bed in the documentary and there’s stuff piled around her all over the place, and who knows where that stuff came from? For us, it was really important to bring things from the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s all the way up into that so that it really does sort of build.

Paste: Did you have to recreate a lot of the items on your own?

Thomas: We recreated a lot of it, and we found things that were similar, and then fashioned them to look like they were pieces from the documentary. We tried to be as careful and as close as we could. There were many things, actually, that we took liberties with in our mock-documentary footage that are sort of reminiscent of things that Little Edie would have worn, so that we could really channel her, and make up things that we thought would have also been appropriate to have been at the house during that time period.

Paste: Working on a project like this, where the style is so rich and so specific, did you find that it affected your own personal style?

Thomas: No, not really. We would joke about it in a way—but, no, I think the great thing about the story and Little Edie is certainly that she was such a genius manipulator of fabrics. She really, really understood clothing in a way that many people don’t. For me, that was fascinating—to be able to take a skirt and turn it upside down, and for it to become something else. I think everybody that studies her learns a lot from her because she is just such a brilliant mind. She seems like this very eccentric crazy woman on the outside, but she really was quite smart and really, really genius. They were very progressive, and what I found fascinating about them was that in many ways she didn’t care what anyone thought about them.

Gorgeous photos of Emmy winners from last night's ceremonies

2009-09-21T10:16:00.003-04:00

David Crotty was at the Emmys last night, and snapped these pictures. Thanks for sharing them with us!

By David Crotty of Patrick McMullan

©Patrick McMullan -DAVID CROTTY/patrickmcmullan.com

Grey Gardens wins big at the Emmys! Best movie, actress, and supporting actor (and art direction, hairstyling, and prosthetic makeup!)

2009-09-20T22:29:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to all! I especially loved director/producer/writer Michael Sucsy's speech with the other producers (and Al Maysles) onstage, and Jessica Lange's love for the Grey Gardens team during her speech!

From USA Today, by Gary Levin, on September 20, 2009

HBO's 'Grey Gardens' racks up; Lange wins best actress

The movie and miniseries categories were, as usual, dominated by HBO, and especially its movie Grey Gardens, at the 61st annual Emmy Awards on Sunday. Gardens won the Emmy for best TV movie, star Jessica Lange won the best actress award, defeating her co-star Drew Barrymore, and Ken Howard also won as best supporting actor.

Grey Gardens News

Video of Japanese Grey Gardens musical グレイガーデンズ

大竹しのぶ&草笛光子が母娘を熱演

Gorgeous painting of Little Edie from Grey Gardens by artist Jeff Bridges

Little Edie from Grey Gardens

Grey Gardens Halloween costume redux

Happy Birthday, Little Edie! (And the Grey Gardens グレイガーデンズ musical opens in Japan!)

Michael Sucsy and Kalina Ivanov discuss Grey Gardens at the Savannah Film Festival [video]

Michael Sucsy discusses "Grey Gardens"

Do you love Maysles documentaries? What about Maysles specs?

Sight Line | A Maysles Spectacle

Artist Ray Caspio's illustration of Edie Beale

Little Edie Beale of Grey Gardens: The Spirit of VMI

Video of Grey Gardens on Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls Grey Gardens

Grey Gardens has another celebrity fan: Dita Von Teese

Download Rachel Portman's soundtrack to HBO's Grey Gardens

HBO's Grey Gardens

Fine art prints of Lois Wright paintings of Little Edie Beale

Update

Grey Gardens the house on OpenHouse NYC [video]

Then and Now: Grey Gardens

Take a look inside the storied East Hampton property known as Grey Gardens.

More information about Grey Gardens the Musical in Japan

Update

The new tenants of Grey Gardens have moved in!

Celebrating “Dreams” at Grey Gardens

I went to Grey Gardens

Edie Beale visits Japan, via Grey Gardens the Musical

Glowing review of the Dallas production of Grey Gardens the musical

Review: Grey Gardens at WaterTower Theatre

SONG: The Five-Fifteen

SONG: Around the World

Grey Gardens Halloween costume for babies

Baby Wonder Bread Costume

Update

New book: Letters of Little Edie Beale

Letters of Little Edie Beale

Grey Gardens and Beyond

Grey Gardens & Emmy fashion news & stories from Dorthea's Closet Vintage

Grey Gardens for the Win

Short bio of Grey Gardens costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas

Catherine Marie Thomas plants 'Garden'

Costumer achieves flamboyance with biopic

In a Nutshell

Q&A with Emmy winners Jessica Lange and Ken Howard [video]

Emmy 2009 Winner Reactions: Jessica Lange

PointClickHome ponders (and loves) the set design of HBO's Grey Gardens

Inspiration from the Emmys: Grey Gardens

Paste Magazine talks with Grey Gardens costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas

Bloom Where You're Planted

Grey Gardens' Timeless Style

Gorgeous photos of Emmy winners from last night's ceremonies

Grey Gardens wins big at the Emmys! Best movie, actress, and supporting actor (and art direction, hairstyling, and prosthetic makeup!)

HBO's 'Grey Gardens' racks up; Lange wins best actress