August 24, 2010

Speaking of podcasts, Adam and I drove to North Hollywood the other day to record an episode of the film show Battleship Pretension.  We talked with the show’s hosts Tyler and David about some of our favorite male style icons in film.  We picked a few that you might expect - Cary Grant, Steve McQueen - but also a few you might not.  You can listen above, or get the show in iTunes by clicking here.

Posted in Film Press Battleship Pretension
August 13, 2010
When working with a lathe, always wear a neck scarf.  Always. (From a beautiful film on the design process at Walter Landor & Associates in the 1960s.) (Thanks, Conor)

When working with a lathe, always wear a neck scarf.  Always.

(From a beautiful film on the design process at Walter Landor & Associates in the 1960s.)

(Thanks, Conor)

Posted in Vintage Film Design San Francisco Neck Scarves Scarves
February 9, 2010

Me talking with the wonderful Kevin Kline at Sundance for my public radio show, The Sound of Young America.  He starred in a film called The Extra Man, which was premiering at the festival.  His character in the movie is an aging playwright and dandy who maintains his elegant lifestyle by being an “extra man,” which is something like being a gigolo, only without the sex.  His fancy dinners, summer house and opera tickets are all funded by either by the generosity of older ladies or, alternately, low-level graft.

After we stopped shooting, Kline told me that there was a scene which was shot but ultimately cut where his character and his character’s protege, portrayed by Paul Dano, dumpster-dove for furniture and thrifted for their clothes.  Kline looked wonderful in the film - every so slightly threadbare and spectacularly aristocratic.  As far as I’m concerned, ever so slightly threadbare is the way to go if you’re going to look aristocratic, whether or not you’re an aristocrat.

Also of note: Dano’s character moves to New York and rents a room from Kline after finding his ad in the newspaper classifieds: “Gentleman Seeks Same.”

Posted in Film
January 7, 2010

Designer-turned-director Tom Ford talks about his first film A Single Man with Elvis Mitchell.

Posted in Film Tom Ford