attention all L.A. area do-gooders!

Hey all you Los Angeles area Audrey fans, are you looking to do some good deeds but don't have a lot of time or money (or either)? UNICEF can still use you! I recently received this email and thought I'd share, in case anyone wanted to pitch in and channel their inner Audrey:

Dear Volunteer:

You are receiving this email because you are a registered volunteer in the greater Los Angeles area and we have a special opportunity in which we need your help!

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF will be hosting The Beverly Hills UNICEF Snowflake lighting! It’s a wonderful opportunity for Los Angeles residents to come together to do whatever it takes to save a child’s life and spread a little holiday cheer! We are looking for volunteers to help us pass out UNICEF fact cards, goodies and simply spread the message of UNICEF. We need approximately 20 volunteers to help us from 5 to 8 pm on Saturday, November 22nd, 2008 at 2 Rodeo Drive, corner of Wilshire Blvd. So if you are interested and are at least 18-years-old come join us.

Volunteers will be chosen on a first come, first serve basis, so if you are interested please email bmazin@unicefusa.org.

Regards,
Volunteer and Community Partnerships Department

P.S. For more information about the UNICEF Snowflake, please visit our website at unicefsnowflake.org

If you go to the Snowflake link just above, you can find more information about the snowflakes in LA and New York. I recently received another letter from UNICEF going into more detail about LA's ceremony, and it seems that Ambassador Joel Madden and Nicole Richie will be the ones lighting the snowflake. (I had no idea Joel was a UNICEF Ambassador!) There will also be performances by The 88 and Kreesha Turner, so even if you can't volunteer, you could stop by for some pretty lights and free entertainment.

Dangerous Curves

Did anyone catch the Simpsons last night? I usually don't watch TV of my own accord, but I was over at my sister's when it was on, and I'm so glad. The whole episode was an homage to Two For the Road! One of my absolute favourite Audrey films, so beautiful. While they didn't get the rights to the film's music, the soundtrack on the show was very Mancini, and very true to the feel of the film. It was interesting to see the Simpson's family history worked into the TFTR story, and I like how they still kept some of the imagery from the film, especially the ending. If you missed it, or would like to see it again, you can view the full episode on Hulu (link goes straight to the episode). I'm not sure how long it will be up, since I'm fairly new to American websites sharing TV shows (I usually have to use these crazy Chinese sites), but if it goes off or you need to look it up elsewhere for any reason, the episode is called "Dangerous Curves."

Speaking of the film, though, when I was looking for a picture to post, since I'm lagging and haven't posted any of my own yet, I found an album called "Two For the Road" by the producer of Nouvelle Vague, a favourite of mine. The album has the same basic feel of the film, charting a couple's relationship emotionally and geographically, though with modern music. They made a video for the title track, and it's all footage from the 1967 film. So even if the style of music isn't your cup of tea, just enjoy the visuals.

Two for the Road

I really wish my copy wasn't in storage right now! I'd love to watch this again.

What are you doing tonight?

I know it's short notice, but for all you Southern California Audrey fans, tonight in Pasadena there will be a free screening of Roman Holiday at 8:30 pm. It's at One Colorado Courtyard, Hugus Alley as part of the Old Pasadena Film Festival. Sounds fun! I'm sorry for the late notice, but I couldn't get on here any sooner to give you warning (stoopid Internet). And if you can make it, be sure to thank the lovely Libby for being thoughtful enough to share this with all of us. :D Parking is a flat rate of $6 in the nearby parking structure (more info here), and there are plenty of restaurants around you if you need a little nibble before or after the show. Oh, and you may want to get there early, because there are a lot more Audrey fans out here than you think! Enjoy if you can go, but if you live too far away or just can't make it, don't fret; just pop in the movie at home, make some popcorn, and curl up on your own comfy couch. Besides, you can pause if you need a bathroom break. ;)

Knit your own Holly Golightly!

By now it's a pretty well-established fact that I love knitting and keep trying to force it on everyone else. Consider it one of my charms. :) While going through my morning Audrey news search, I found a new knitting book called Knitted Icons: 25 Celebrity Doll Patterns, a crazy cool book that has patterns to make 25 of the most recognizable celebrities, all in vaguely voodoo doll-type form! You can see Audrey Hepburn as the instantly recognizable Holly Golightly to the left for proof that this is, in fact, a really cool book.

What's more is that this book is currently featured online at Urban Outfitters (where they are also selling Treasures and the new Audrey Hepburn: A Life In Pictures), so they're giving away a free pattern from the book as a bonus. The free pattern in question? Why, the Holly Golightly one, of course!* So if she's the only doll you were interested in making, you lucked out. Now I just have to figure out how to knit with double-pointed needles. Those things are the bane of my existence.

*Link goes directly to the pattern, in PDF.

get in the Halloween spirit with Audrey Hepburn

It's getting closer to Halloween, and maybe you already have your chic Audrey Hepburn (or Holly Golightly) costume assembled and ready to go. But how about getting a little more into the Halloween spirit by watching Wait Until Dark, a claustrophobic thriller with Audrey? It's scary, it's intense, and it's Audrey in her last Oscar-nominated role. Last year Alan Arkin's sinister Harry Roat was voted one of the Top Ten villains on film, so you might want watch this one with a friend. And with a light on. Anyway, you can rent it or watch it straight from YouTube in its entirety, thanks to the same great person who put up Breakfast at Tiffany's: You can view the other segments here, and don't forget to say thank you!

Watch it while you can!

For those of you coming here for Audrey Hepburn costume help, don't hesitate to click the link on the right. But if you would like to watch Breakfast at Tiffany's for a little help and inspiration and don't have a copy available, you may want to go here and watch it on YouTube. I don't know how long it will be up, but enjoy it while you can! And leave a thank you for the person who was kind enough to put it up for everyone to enjoy.

The Golden Age of Couture now open

Just a quick reminder to Audrey's UK fans that "The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957" is now open at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. I first mentioned this exhibit back in March when I first heard about it,* but since then the Museum has put up a special website dedicated to the exhibit. It's really nice because it has a fraction of the collection up for viewing, and a Givenchy couture gown is one of the featured, a beautiful one at that. From the site you can send e-cards with preselected pictures of couture items, and book tickets if you're available to go. The coolest part of all is that you can download and print out a pattern for a couture-inspired dress, which you can then make at home! If you're really into shoes, there is also a competition to send in your original shoe designs for a chance to have your design shown on the V&A website. Intrigued? Click here to see more.

*Reminder: the blue cape Audrey wore in Funny Face is on display at this exhibit.

Watch Sabrina for free!

Like other Audrey movies uploaded in the past, I don't know how long this will last, but for the time being you can go to You Tube and watch Sabrina in its entirety for free! Part one is below, and the other 10 segments are linked below:



part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5
part 6
part 7
part 8
part 9
part 10
part 11

Hurry! Send your friends to watch it too, Audrey fans or not. And while you're there, please drop a line to the uploader, thanking them for putting this film up along with so many other fantastic classics. S/he also has Arsenic and Old Lace, Casablanca, A Day at the Races, Double Indemnity, Citizen Kane, and so many other fabulous films up right now, so enjoy them while you can.

the Audrey hoodie; win tickets to see an Audrey double feature!

Aspiring to be mistaken for the one and only Audrey Hepburn, but don't want to put any effort into it? Or maybe you just really want to advertise your love for Holly Golightly? Either way, if you're interested in wearing Audrey's head on your head, then the Audrey Hepburn Hoodie may be right for you. It's made exclusively through Headhoods, and is printed on American Apparel wear, so it's sweatshop-free and American-made.

Here's an extra little bonus for the Texan Audrey fans lurking about: The Austinist is having a ticket giveaway contest for this weekend's Audrey double feature at the Paramount Theatre! You can read more about the double feature (featuring Breakfast at Tiffany's and Funny Face) here, and enter to win tickets at the bottom of the page, directly under the Funny Face description. As an added bonus, the Breakfast trailer they have posted on the page was uploaded by yours truly. :D

watch Charade for free!

A lesser-known piece of information for you: the fantastic Audrey Hepburn/Cary Grant feature Charade has actually slipped into the public domain! I don't know how it happened, but it has, which means you technically don't have to pay to watch or own this fantastic film. While I still recommend at least watching the Criterion Collection edition of this film with the commentary by director Stanley Donen and writer Peter Stone (those two men are hilarious!), I completely understand the $40 price tag being a little much for a lot of Audrey fans out there. In the meantime, though, you can sit in the comfort of your computer chair and watch this stylish caper completely free on You Tube:

Edit: Links removed because the entire film has been taken down.

free Audrey Hepburn films this summer!

Free films in a park are nothing new, and I'm sure that they've screened Audrey Hepburn films before, but it seems that this summer a lot of her films are being screened. We've discussed TCM's free screenings already, and now the Huntsville Museum in Alabama is joining in on the fun with "Classic Movies in the Park." From June through August, the museum will screen free films to the public outside on a wall of the museum, and guests are encouraged to make a full picnic of it with lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic baskets. My Fair Lady will be screened on Friday, July 13. For a more complete schedule, go here. And if you're thinking of going to any of these screenings across the country, can you think of a friend or two that hasn't seen an Audrey film? This might be the perfect opportunity to make a friend into a fan. :)

Audrey Hepburn cancer awareness

A couple of days ago, I received a letter from a doctor in India about Audrey. An introduction isn't really necessary, so here is the letter in full:

Hello,

There is something common in our interest..like Audrey Hepburn. I am always the Fan of Lady Audrey Hepburn. Great charity is done by Hepburn team.

I stumbled on your site while I was surfing the net. .

It is a meticulously prepared site.Congratulations.

Audrey died of advanced colon cancer. It made me think a lot. Colon cancer is one of the cancers which has best prognosis if treated early. Still many patients reach the expert medical aid at little later stage. I felt this is happening because of less awareness.

It is always admirable if intelligent proactive persons from community get organised for noble cause. Nothing is more precious than life. Every saved life is an achievement. We can educate masses regarding early diagnosis of cancer. Info should make people aware of the apparent low profile presentation of the disease. If the rational decisions are taken quickly, the results are quite good.
Knowledge Helps. .
Let us join hands to fight cancer.

We must thank film industry and Audrey Hepburn for providing us beautiful moments with so many films like Roman Holiday, Sabrina and many others.

Regards

Dr. Shriniwas Deshpande

Surgeon, Samarth Gastroenterology

Pune

India

The letter is deeply touching and, I feel, very important. Most types of cancer can be easily treated and possibly cured completely if caught early enough, and all it takes is a little extra awareness. We lost a beautiful person to this affliction, but maybe with a little effort we can keep others from succumbing to this disease.

Interestingly enough, another Audrey Hepburn tie-in with cancer awareness came to me today. The Smoking Gun has recently added a film clip archive section to their site and there are a couple of Audrey clips worth noting. The first is a public service announcement she and Mel Ferrer did backstage during the run of Ondine, and is for cancer research. You can view the whole film here. I'm not sure if the full announcement has ever been widely available before -- I've only ever seen the first 30 seconds or so myself.

The other clip worth mentioning is a film reel about the 1965 Oscar ceremonies, when Audrey presented My Fair Lady co-star Rex Harrison with the Best Actor statue, which you can see here.


Last for today, there's a new shoe shop in Ireland that is very Audrey inspired. Called The Shoe Gallery, its walls are covered in pictures of Audrey Hepburn and even the merchandise itself is inspired by her taste in clothing, according to The Athlone Advertiser. It sounds like it would be great fun to shop there!

watch Audrey Hepburn under the stars

If you're in the Washington, D.C. area or will be this summer, then you might be interested in taking in an Audrey movie under the stars. This year's Screen on the Green will feature Wait Until Dark on July 30. All movies will start at dusk, which AOL is estimating to be around 8:30 pm. It's one thing to watch a scary movie in your own house, how creepy would it be to watch in the great, dark outdoors? Make sure to mark this one on your calendars! I'm fairly sure this is free, too.

If you'll be closer to Atlanta, Georgia this summer, then you might be interested in catching Breakfast at Tiffany's under the stars in conjunction with TCM's Screen on the Green Festival. Breakfast will be shown on June 22, but there will be other great movies screened throughout the festival (A Hard Day's Night being one of them). This festival is definitely free, and you can find more information on their official site.

watch Breakfast at Tiffany's free!

This is another offer that probably won't be around forever, but last night I stumbled across a website that has scads of free movies and TV shows up for your viewing pleasure. While it only has one Audrey movie available right now, at least it's a good one: Breakfast at Tiffany's. It's a lovely starting place for any new fan (or someone you would like to convert to an Audrey fan), or just a nice way to heal your own mean reds at any time of the day or night. Click here to see the movie, and don't forget to watch it full sized!

watch Funny Face while you can!

While searching You Tube last night I found that someone was in the process of uploading Funny Face in its entirety! They've finished by now, so if you haven't seen this fantastic musical yet, or just haven't seen it in a while, you should go while the getting is good. I don't know how long these will be up, so go! Part one is below:

Edit: video has been removed from YouTube by its user.

Target.com also has a little goodie for you: an Audrey Hepburn pop art tee! It's four different coloured silk screens of Audrey as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and I must admit it's a pretty cute shirt (as you can see). For the unbeatable price of $9.99 it's hard to come up with an excuse to not buy it.

Seeing Audrey Hepburn's first screen test

While the British Film Institute's new free digital archive isn't open to the public yet (that's March 14), a reporter for This Is London got to try out the new kiosk and briefly mentions Audrey's screentest. It's apparently a silent clip, though in colour, and it doesn't sound like she was very good. The phrase "wildly overacting" was used. Still, it's neat to read about, and for you Audrey fans in the UK, especially the London area, this article will give you a good idea of what to expect -- and where to go -- when the kiosk is open and you want to see the clip for yourself.

Audrey Hepburn's first screen test

The British Film Institute is teaming up with Hewlett-Packard to publicize more than 300 film clips from their vast archives. A new "mediateque," a sort of mini-film theatre, will open March 14 in London's South Bank and will be completely free and open to the public. Audrey Hepburn's first screen test ever will be available, along with Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and early Victorian films. BFI also hopes to release around 300 more clips before the end of the year to the general public. You can read more here.

If you have access to cable TV, tomorrow night (Friday, Feb. 23) TLC is airing "The Greatest Fashion Icons In Film." You're right in figuring that Audrey will be featured! There's not much information about this show yet, but if you can, watch it! I'm sure it will be interesting, and maybe someone will be kind enough to tape it and share the Audrey-relevant parts with those who don't have cable. You can read more here. (Bonus: if you click the link, check out the banner ad at the top of the page!)

The Children's Hour

There's a new review up on The Fabulous Audrey Hepburn for The Children's Hour, for those of you who need or like reviews. And with all the other reviews on the site, if you have seen the film or read the book, please feel free to leave your own review! I know people like hearing from other fans as to what they like and don't like, and you really do help out. Go here for the review.



Edit: The day after I wrote this review, another one comes from AfterEllen.com! The review is a very good one, written by and for people who deal in real life with what Karen and Martha went through in The Children's Hour. While the review does contain a couple of smaller spoilers, I would definitely recommend reading it, and I think it says a lot for the film when a reader says that it's still one of the best gay/lesbian films around.