Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Wishin' and a hoping this doesn't happen...

Wherever she is Mary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien is either having a great laugh or big cry. News broke last week that Mary and her life would be portrayed in an epic film penned by Michael Cunningham for Nicole Kidman. Oh why oh why oh why? Leave her alone. Don't pick at corpses as she has only been dead for nine years. In case you don't know who I am talking about Mary O'Brien was also known as Dusty Springfield. Kidman has been hinting about playing Springfield for more than a year. She told the Advocate in 2006 that Dusty was the gay icon she most wanted to bring to life. Cunningham, who helped Kidman get her Oscar for The Hours, interviewed Kidman last year in Interview magazine and has said that they would deal with all the issues that revolved around Dusty. Her perfectionism, her talent and her bisexuality.

Note to you idiots, Kidman and Cunningham, Dusty was a lesbian. But Dusty, in her lifetime couldn't talk about being a lesbian and had to talk in vague terms about being bisexual. She never married, kept cats and liked her privacy. When that makeup came on and she hit the stage or studio you didn't get in her way. With a cigarette in her hand and the words to the song in front of her you didn't mess with her. She was in charge and in the 1960's that was almost unheard of for a woman.

Very few albums stand out. Yes there was Revolver, Born to Run, Blood on the Tracks and there was Dusty in Memphis. This record was legendary in that it used the best musicians and had a distinct sound. It was a classic and the only one from a woman recorded in the 60's. Springfield, being a diva, had a hard time getting her voice heard the way she felt it should be. Dusty also was playing in the big boys club even though she was still a shy convent girl. She didn't feel she was attractive, hated having her picture taken and often used her insecurity as if it were a weapon. Now tell me how Nicole Kidman could ever play her? Kidman the actress is not good enough to portray Dusty. Dusty was too complex. Dusty had that desire to create good music and perform it. You have to understand being a musician to get Dusty. It’s not about her make up or her isolation or even the cancer that killed her. It is about creating and performing and Kidman is incapable of this.

Kidman has said in interviews that she doesn't understand her husband; doesn't get what he does. Dusty should be played by a lesser known actress or a complete unknown. Why? Because the audience has to believe that the woman in front of them is Dusty. In Kidman's case it is Nicole Kidman playing Dusty Springfield and that takes away from the importance that Dusty had in music. How many of you knew that much about Virginia Woolf, except she killed herself and A Room of One’s Own? But stick a rubber nose on Kidman and play up her sad personal life in the tabloids and gosh darn she got an Oscar. Too many of us remember Dusty. Another thing Kidman would need to be careful of is alienating her gay audience. You get a bunch of gay men and lesbians pissed at you for taking their idol apart and your career could be over. Don't laugh at that, its true.

Dusty is just too big for Kidman. It’s sad that she wants to do this role but Kidman can't do it. She doesn't have that range. More importantly Dusty is too important a figure in music to be prostituted by Kidman. Look at what she did to Diane Arbus. It would be tragic to lose this story to that box office poison. Hollywood - find someone else please.

30 comments:

White Trash said...

I really wish Ms. Kidman would pick roles that are light and humerous. I get the creeps watching anything she does that's dark and this newest role will be.
She just always seems the same in each of those dark roles, just flat.

allherfaces said...

Enjoyed reading this. Fans on Let's Talk Dusty! have commented as well that NK is too tall (Dusty was 5'3")and not British.

Ironic too about all the botox as Dusty looked older than her age when she was in her 20s.

Nicole's best performance IMO was To Die For--a satire in which she played a talentless wannabe.

One small correction--Dusty did not smoke in the 1960s. She took up the habit later--perhaps in the 1980s.

doublewide said...

She just always seems the same in each of those dark roles, just flat.

well, we TOTALLY agree on this point!

Unknown said...

I have many cats, am reserved/antisocial, and for the life of me never wanted to get married.



O.o


Good thing I did marry...otherwise I would have blown my cover??!

notachance said...

Excellent blog - and I wholeheartedly agree. Kidman is the wrong choice for this role. I remember watching Dusty on TV when I was a young girl, and I there is no way I could ever wrap my head around NK playing that part. God, I wanted to be like Dusty - I thought she was glamorous and sultry (two things I could never associate with NK).

I think the only reason NK wants this role so much is because of the gay aspect - I'm sure she sees that as the easiest way into her next Oscar nom and possible win. So much for her playing parts that are acceptable for her kids to see...... "As a mother, there's certain things you don't do" isn't that something she said?

inittowinit said...

The only thing I see in common b/w Dusty and Kidman is their sexual desire for other women.

Unknown said...

Doesnt the irony just kill ya?!

maclen said...

No doubt kidman is envisioning this to be a cross between the recent bio pics Capote and Walk the Line, which both got extensive awards attention. A sure sign of desperation as she has two bio pics lined up. The word is she is to produce also, another bad mark against this flick, and being in competition with another production of a springfield bio, I would expect rushes in the production, principle photography...etc. And kidman indies are always forettable and insignificant, or incoherant and overly melodramatic... and at least The Hours had streep and juliannne moore to help the popular buzz, at this point kidman is in no way a magnet for major talent on her film projects. What in kidmans recent indie flick history would garner confidence in anyone that this bio flick will either just fizzle away in early developement or be released to the usual indifference of subpar quality or ridiculous story telling?

woriedmonkey said...

I nominate Marcia Gay Harden, Felicity Huffman,Frances McDormand, Cate Blanchett ( all probably a bit old) or a complete unkown for the part - probably the best casting). ANYONE but
NK. Wait.... there's always Eddie Izzard. !

notachance said...

Eddie Izzard can kill the person casted in the role and assume the identity......

Actually, I took a walk over to the Dusty Springfield board and they had brought up Kristen Chenowith - probably the closest in looks and height. Kristen can sing too - but would she be accepted in a leading role?

Anonymous said...

"woriedmonkey said...
I nominate Marcia Gay Harden, Felicity Huffman,Frances McDormand, Cate Blanchett ( all probably a bit old) or a complete unkown for the part - probably the best casting). ANYONE but
NK."

Sure! Why not also consider Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan or Jessica Simpson? Ah ... there's always the "actress" who posts on this blog. She's certainly an "unknown". Wanna give it a try?

banbotox said...

I whole heartedly agree. This is WAY out of her league as an actress.
Talk about delusions of grandeur...

ShutUpAndSing said...

Sonora said//Sure! Why not also consider Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan or Jessica Simpson?

Well they couldn't any worse than Kidman.

And how do you know that the actress that wrote to blog is unknown?? Just because we don't know her name doesn't mean she may not be a known actress.

ZOE said...

I was expecting to see some interesting remarks about NK making People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful list that came out last week...or is everyone too busy laughing?

cricket said...

Any one would be better than Kidman.She's going to ruin this movie just like she did the one about Diane Arbus.When the hell is Hollyweird going to realize that putting her in a movie is the kiss of death.This is yet another movie that might have been good,but is now going to suck due to her total lack of talent.

Anonymous said...

"ShutUpAndSing said...
Sonora said//Sure! Why not also consider Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan or Jessica Simpson?

Well they couldn't any worse than Kidman."

You and Cricket can enjoy your warped sense of reality. Have a good time at the next Paris/Richie/Lindsay/Jessica movie. What is it called again? Ah.. "Bimbo Explosion: Part 1". And they are so overloaded with talent. NOT.

"ShutUpAndSing said...
And how do you know that the actress that wrote to blog is unknown?? Just because we don't know her name doesn't mean she may not be a known actress."

Yeah right. "Known actress" spending time in a toxic waste dump/blog instead of reading scripts, auditioning, doing rehearsals and filming. I'm sure there's room in the D-List, or is it the F-List.

Saxonman63 said...

Can I just point out to the blogger (and anyone else for that matter) that Dusty isn't exclusively liked by just those who are gay, lesbian, etc. I am straight and I love Dusty's music - so much so that I have every recording that she ever made. Judy Garland is also a gay icon but I doubt if she's only liked by those of a certain sexual preference.

It seems that some people think that certain people of a certain sexuality belong to them because they share that in common. Wrong! I'm a fan of Dusty and her sexuality doesn't interest or bother me - and I'm as much a fan as those that do share that in common with her.

One of the few times she mentioned her sexuality in a TV interview (and I have seen it) she said that she knows she has a gay following, but was quick to point out that she belonged to no one.

These biopics usually concentrate of the more lurid aspects of the subjects life and miss the point as far as their actual appeal is concerned. No one I have ever seen in the main role of such films has ever done them justice - and how could they? If they were that easy to recreate then they wouldn't have became icons in the first place.

Unknown said...

In a biopic such as this, I think the intention of those wishing to bring it to life would be to illustrate the intricacies of Dusty's personality, and how they influenced her singing career. That requires a strong understanding of what makes a musician tick. What drives a woman to push herself forward time and time again in a situation that only wants to exploit her? Where does that kind of strength come from?

This is a depth of translation that I've never seen in a role presented by Nicole Kidman.

Give Nicole something fluffy and cute and let her stare vapidly into the camera. That's the extent of her abilities.

Simply because Nicole has a recognizable name is no reason to let her ruin this role. Dusty's own recognizable, good name is at stake, and I shudder to think what damage Nicole will do to her persona.

isitoveryet said...

Sonora_Melody said...

"Yeah right. "Known actress" spending time in a toxic waste dump/blog instead of reading scripts, auditioning, doing rehearsals and filming. I'm sure there's room in the D-List, or is it the F-List."

That's like the loser you idolize reading tabloids, and she does too! Urban always has his laptop with him, so don't be too surprised who reads this stuff. Have you noticed the map on the front page of the blog site? Thousands of clicks have taken place from Sydney and Brisbane onto this blog site. With all this down time, I'm sure Kidman is filling in the hours looking up herself on the internet. It wouldn't surprise me at all!

ShutUpAndSing said...

Sonora said..You and Cricket can enjoy your warped sense of reality. Have a good time at the next Paris/Richie/Lindsay/Jessica movie. What is it called again? Ah.. "Bimbo Explosion: Part 1". And they are so overloaded with talent. NOT.

Well it can't only be our reality if so many are calling her box office posion. And BTW.. I don't watch the above mentioned, I think they are famewhore trash ..just like your Nic.

Anonymous said...

"isitoveryet said...

Have you noticed the map on the front page of the blog site? Thousands of clicks have taken place from Sydney and Brisbane onto this blog site. With all this down time, I'm sure Kidman is filling in the hours looking up herself on the internet. It wouldn't surprise me at all!"

.... Your logic is flawed! Kidman is not in Sydney and Brisbane during this "down time". She hasn't been back there since shortly before the CMAs.

isitoveryet said...

No my logic isn't flawed! Seriously use that thing on top of your shoulders. Where has she been living for the past year? Where has he been living for half of the last year? Can someone play the music from Jeopardy while we wait for her answer?

ShutUpAndSing said...

Sonora said.... Your logic is flawed! Kidman is not in Sydney and Brisbane during this "down time". She hasn't been back there since shortly before the CMAs.

Lots of hits from Nashville too!

TexasCourtJester said...

Yeah, the Queen and her Prince are hiding out. Last we heard was in Nashville but who really knows. With a private jet she can go anywhere anytime. Oh wait, she can't rush back to Oz too soon - she might accidentally look concerned about her dad. Since she's gotten SO much flack for never being in TN she'll probably hide out there until making an appearance in Vegas for the ACM's. Notice, we aren't seeing her out and about in TN. Guess her old fired you know what still thinks she's too good to mingle with the local yokels (no offense Zoe - I'll hang out with you anytime).

TexasCourtJester said...

"I was expecting to see some interesting remarks about NK making People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful list that came out last week...or is everyone too busy laughing?"

I haven't seen any news headlines anywhere on her on this. I guess everybody is pretty much ignoring her - as usual. I guess whatever number she ranked at isn't good enough for her pr team to spin into news headlines. Or maybe they are just too incompetent to make it happen in a timely, relevant manner as usual.

So lets see, Tom got TWO consecutive days on Oprah, Tom & Kate hosted the costume gala (which Nic & Keith didn't even attend), Keith has never been on Oprah, Nic got fired again - this time from Chanel, and last photo we had (blue dress at the UN press conference) the pit stains were awful and her 7 month baby bump was still smaller than her boob job. I am so thankful I am not Nicole Kidman.

Zoe, how's life with the Kidman's - and paparazzi - in town?

euterpe said...

white trash said:

I really wish Ms. Kidman would pick roles that are light and humerous. I get the creeps watching anything she does that's dark and this newest role will be.
She just always seems the same in each of those dark roles, just flat.


Oh, please don't do go there! The last time she acted in a humorous role, we were subjected to "Stepford Wives" and "Bewitched"! More of the same is simply too much to bear...

isitoveryet said...

She was suppose to be humorous in Stepford Wives?????????

Anonymous said...

"ShutUpAndSing said...
Lots of hits from Nashville too!"

Of course! The UMyths delusional squad is based in Nashville.

doublewide said...

"I was expecting to see some interesting remarks about NK making People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful list that came out last week...or is everyone too busy laughing?"
-------------------------------
LOL CJ! my friends and i are too busy laughing! what a hoot

Bstnactrs said...

"ShutUpAndSing said...
And how do you know that the actress that wrote to blog is unknown?? Just because we don't know her name doesn't mean she may not be a known actress."

Yeah right. "Known actress" spending time in a toxic waste dump/blog instead of reading scripts, auditioning, doing rehearsals and filming. I'm sure there's room in the D-List, or is it the F-List."



Yes, senora that's right...b/c we all know that actresses have no time to enjoy any of the hobbies normal folk like you do right? Yeah, and our sh!t doesn't stink either.

Do you have a job? And yet, here YOU are.

Here's a newflash for you...we poop, we pee, we eat, we fart, we date, we have sex, we watch movies & TV, we read newspapers & tabloids..and...are you ready...

We surf the internet, browse websites, email, IM and read & write blogs too!

LOL...the way the public views us is hysterical...as if we're not people who do normal, people things like everyone else. LOL.

Where do you guys get these ideas?