Many years ago, I visited the offices of The Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund and saw a beautiful video about Audrey's work with UNICEF. It was introduced by Gregory Peck and I remember he read one of Audrey's favourite poems by Rabindranath Tagore. It's been a long time and I haven't ever been able to find a copy of the video, but luckily a film company found me.
Long Tail has the video, called "Audrey Hepburn: In Her Own Words" on DVD for the first time, and I'm so happy. The DVD is very affordable at $19.95 and also comes with a special episode of Views on World Poverty. I shall be getting a copy of this soon and will post a full review for you once I've seen it again, but trust me when I say that what little I remember was very, very good. I told people at the time that everyone should see this video, and now you finally have that chance. Here's a trailer for you to watch:
And you can find more information through Long Tail's website here.
I love Audrey's passion over her work for UNICEF, but I love even more that this video is finally available to the public for anyone and everyone to see. This side of her needs to be shown more so we don't forget that she was a humanitarian, and a good one at that.
Very special thanks to David, for everything he's done.
It's that time of year again . . . Everyone's buying frantically, running around looking for the perfect gift, but times are especially tough right now, no matter who you are or where you live in this lovely world of ours. And whatever you celebrate during December -- shoot, even if you don't celebrate anything at all, toast yourself for living through 2009! -- finding an amazing gift at a great price makes you feel extra good, doesn't it? Everyone loves Audrey Hepburn, and if they don't, it's only because they haven't met her yet. If you're searching for the perfect gift for someone but don't have a lot of funds right now, consider these fabulous items for under 20 U.S. dollars (hey, that's not much in any market). The established Audrey fan will be pleased. If your recipient doesn't know about her, then you have the added pleasure of creating a new fan. :)
1. Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit: A Son Remembers - written by Audrey's son Sean, it's a dear and intimate look into the real Audrey. With loads of rare pictures and even a few recipes, it's an amazing book that anyone would be happy to have. $13.57
2. Audrey Hepburn (Barry Paris) - the definitive biography on Audrey written by an outsider. Brilliant, with an amazing amount of detail, it's a loving but not syrupy look at the actress and humanitarian. $14.49
4. Breakfast At Tiffany's - Paramount Centennial Collection (Mastered in High Definition) - even if they've never seen the film, this is what Audrey is known for. Show them why everyone loves Audrey's Holly Golightly and give them the added pleasure of watching her sing "Moon River" in that divine way no one has ever been able to match. $15.99
5. How to Be Lovely: The Audrey Hepburn Way of Life - Perfect for a new fan or a young lady you'd like to see grow up proper, this little book is jammed full of tips on life, love, and everything in between given by Audrey herself over the years. The quotes are lovely and it's a sure way to bring a smile to someone's face. $12.21
6. Funny Face - Paramount Centennial Collection - Know any fashionistas? It doesn't matter how modern and cutting edge he/she is, it is scientifically impossible to not swoon over the combination of Givenchy couture and Audrey Hepburn sporting them all over Paris. Plus, she sings and dances with the legendary Fred Astaire! $16.99
7. Charmed by Audrey: Life on the Set of Sabrina - perfect for the more advanced fan who may already own everything listed above, this new book is crammed absolutely full of never before seen pictures of Audrey on the set of Sabrina. Thought to have been lost for nearly 50 years, these photos were snapped before Roman Holiday became huge and Audrey won the Oscar, when she was still relatively unknown but on the brink of becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Also full of sweet quotes from the lady herself. $12.89
8. The Nun's Story - a lesser known, more serious film, but if you'd like to show someone once and for all that Audrey Hepburn wasn't just another pretty face, this is all you need. An absolutely brilliant, nuanced performance that really should have won her a second Oscar. $5.79
9. Charade - Audrey Hepburn! Cary Grant! Givenchy! Paris! What, you want more? Fine, how about a brilliant plot as well, and it's all directed by Stanley Donen. The Criterion edition is fantastic but excessively expensive, so stick with this one. $7.99
Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? I apologize again and again, it's all my fault and my lack of a good regular Internet connection. Did everyone have a fun Halloween? Did you flood the streets with Holly Golightlys? :) It seems the costume guide from last year held up pretty well, and while I didn't receive any complaints, can you think of any way to expand or improve it? I'd love to eventually do a costume guide for a number of Audrey costumes, but since Holly Golightly is the most easily recognizable and easiest to shop for, I figured that was the safest bet.
Speaking of being easy to recognize in costume, I found myself without a costume the morning of Halloween, due to a fabric malfunction the night before. On short notice I ran out and got a black turtleneck and borrowed some loafers, and hit Hollywood as Jo Stockton (Funny Face). There were loads of people there, but through the whole night I only heard 10 people (not counting my two companions) realize it was an Audrey costume! I guess I should have tried that outfit the year that Gap commercial came out. Anyway, at a party later on in the night Holly Golightly, Eliza Doolittle and Jo met up:
It sounds like the setup to a joke, but no punchline comes to mind. (By the way, Eliza is played by Kendal, well known on our forums as well as the audrey1 forums.) Anyway, did anyone else dress up as Audrey and meet a twin?
Moving on, I've got some odds and ends to share. First, I've been slowly catching up with the site's email, and had a request that's really stumped me. Hopefully, someone out there can help! Tracey wrote in after seeing a gorgeous poster in a Flor catalogue, and the customer service people had no idea as to where it came from. I've never seen it before, but would sure like a copy! Here's the picture:
You can click on the picture for the full-sized version. Unfortunately, the chandelier obscures all the text, but I'm fairly sure that's French. Does anyone have any ideas as to where this came from? It may be a reprint of a vintage poster, though one I've never seen before. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!
Next up, this year is the 50th anniversary of Breakfast at Tiffany's. The book, that is. The movie's birthday won't come up for another three years. The book is due to be released soon, with the vague publication date of November 2008, though I can't seem to find it on Amazon yet. Since B@T is short, a novella really, it's matched up with three other short stories under this stylish cover:
And lastly, speaking of reissues, curse Paramount Studios! Just as I'm starting to catch up on my Audrey DVDs, they have to go and re-release nearly all their Audrey films. *sigh* The worst part is that you know I'll buy them all. You probably will, too! Well, if you're trying to save on space and don't see the point of owning multiple versions of one film, you can always go the Audrey route and donate or give away your older versions. I like senior centers, myself, since they're always in need of entertainment and would definitely appreciate some Audrey Hepburn in their lives. Coming November 11th, just in time for the holidays, is Roman Holiday and Sabrina. Marketed under the Centennial Collection, both films feature all of the extras from previous DVD releases, plus some new featurettes and goodies that will hopefully make it worth your while. Just after the holidays, due out January 13th, comes Funny Face and Breakfast At Tiffany's -- yes, again. Both just celebrated anniversaries and had special editions come out, but now it comes in more dramatic packaging, also under the Centennial Collection. There's no additional information on these, so I don't know if there's anything new, but there'd darn well better be. People are starting to think I'm crazy, with three copies of every movie on my shelves!
Great news from loyal reader Bill! The release of a 50th anniversary special edition of Funny Face (Region 1) has been announced, with a release date of October 2nd. This new DVD will feature a few items already seen on the original DVD -- the Paramount in the 1950s featurette, original theatrical trailer, and photo galleries -- plus a few new featurettes, including a cryptically named Parisian Dreams and a new piece on Givenchy and Audrey called A Fashion Designer and His Muse. You can already pre-order through Amazon so you'll be sure not to forget, and it's close enough to the holidays so you can put it on your wish list without having to wait too long. Mark your calendars!
Speaking of Givenchy, I came across this story recently. Apparently, the fashion guru is of the personal belief that fashion in and of itself is dead. People seem to only be fixating on popular accessories and following mindless fads, rather than spending the time (and money) to actually find what works on you as an individual and look good. It's a great read, though fairly short, and I agree with him on all accounts. If I could afford it, he could dress me every day of the week. :)
Many years ago, I visited the offices of The Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund and saw a beautiful video about Audrey's work with UNICEF. It was introduced by Gregory Peck and I remember he read one of Audrey's favourite poems by Rabindranath Tagore. It's been a long time and I haven't ever been able to find a copy of the video, but luckily a film company found me.
