|
Post by CrazyForKate on Nov 26, 2009 16:35:54 GMT -5
I will read Darwin Porter and giggle. Same goes for Barbara Leaming. Their absurd prose and ridiculous pairings read, well, like bad fanfiction. You can't help but laugh at the kitschy silliness of them all.
I absolutely adore Tea at Five, because it's so bad you really stop caring. The Aviator is always ridiculous fun, with Blanchett's weird wig and DiCaprio's overacting.
Somehow I never get mad about that stuff, because really, anyone who cares about KH will probably find out the truth sooner or later. These are just absurd, ridiculous attention-grabbing things, and a hell of a lot of fun to look over. Except WJM, who takes himself waaaay too seriously.
And the odd thing is, I think Kate would have laughed at a lot of it too.
And as for her movies? Spitfire and Iron Petticoat are right up there with my faves, even though they're awful. I totally wish I could have seen The Lake.
So...what bad Kate works do you enjoy? Things written about her? Her movies?
|
|
|
Post by Judy on Nov 26, 2009 22:49:18 GMT -5
I will read Darwin Porter and giggle. Same goes for Barbara Leaming. Their absurd prose and ridiculous pairings read, well, like bad fanfiction. You can't help but laugh at the kitschy silliness of them all. I absolutely adore Tea at Five, because it's so bad you really stop caring. The Aviator is always ridiculous fun, with Blanchett's weird wig and DiCaprio's overacting. Somehow I never get mad about that stuff, because really, anyone who cares about KH will probably find out the truth sooner or later. These are just absurd, ridiculous attention-grabbing things, and a hell of a lot of fun to look over. Except WJM, who takes himself waaaay too seriously. And the odd thing is, I think Kate would have laughed at a lot of it too. And as for her movies? Spitfire and Iron Petticoat are right up there with my faves, even though they're awful. I totally wish I could have seen The Lake. So...what bad Kate works do you enjoy? Things written about her? Her movies? To each his/her own, I suppose. But I completely disagree with your conclusion about how seriously this crap is taken and, more importantly, with your view of what KH's response would have been. She was known to have been angered and upset about the Leaming book, with good cause. And Leaming was tame compared to the garbage that followed after her death or the old authors who came out from under their rocks to act as "Hepburn historians" (Edwards, you know who you are.) How these books/plays may or may not affect her public reputation and legacy is important to me but not nearly as important as how I think they would have affected her personally. I, for one, am glad she was not around - or that she was shielded by her old age and infirmity - to be aware of the sh*t that has been heaped upon her memory. Sorry. BUT IMO - it is not just all good fun.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Nov 26, 2009 23:09:19 GMT -5
I will read Darwin Porter and giggle. Same goes for Barbara Leaming. Their absurd prose and ridiculous pairings read, well, like bad fanfiction. You can't help but laugh at the kitschy silliness of them all. I absolutely adore Tea at Five, because it's so bad you really stop caring. The Aviator is always ridiculous fun, with Blanchett's weird wig and DiCaprio's overacting. Somehow I never get mad about that stuff, because really, anyone who cares about KH will probably find out the truth sooner or later. These are just absurd, ridiculous attention-grabbing things, and a hell of a lot of fun to look over. Except WJM, who takes himself waaaay too seriously. And the odd thing is, I think Kate would have laughed at a lot of it too. And as for her movies? Spitfire and Iron Petticoat are right up there with my faves, even though they're awful. I totally wish I could have seen The Lake. So...what bad Kate works do you enjoy? Things written about her? Her movies? Well, frankly, I don't enjoy any of the fact-challenged, trashy books that have been written about Katharine Hepburn. Maybe it's because I respect her as a human being and don't find it the least bit amusing to see people making money off her name by putting her photo on the front of a crappy book and then fobbing it off as being a factual accounting of her life. Kate wasn't "amused" by Leaming's book and I doubt that she'd have rolled on the floor laughing at the ridiculous piece of crap that William Mann wrote. Do you really think she'd have smiled at Mann's depiction of her as a third sex being and Tracy as a closet homosexual? Do you think she'd have found it "funny" to see her father portrayed as an ogre and her mother as someone who neglected her children while she was being an activist for getting women the vote and making contraception legal? In my opinion, there is nothing funny about the ability of leeches to publish lie-filled books in order to make a dollar off of someone who actually accomplished something in life by her hard work and determination.
|
|
|
Post by CrazyForKate on Nov 26, 2009 23:11:41 GMT -5
Okay, I retract the KH reaction. We all say ridiculous things without checking. Completely forgot the Leaming thing. Thanks for reminding.
However, I do think that a lot of the stuff claimed in these works have faded over time. Obviously you're exposed to a lot more of this than I am, because of your location and all the KH activities you're involved with. The lesbian rumours will never really go away- but the only book I've ever seen taken seriously is Mann's- and even that not so much anymore. A lot of biographies are old and forgotten- and of course interest in Hepburn is, sadly, going to fade more and more as the years after her death pass, and therefore a lot of the sensationalism. And I think these ridiculous works will eventually slip under the radar and the truth will prevail. Books like "Me" and "Tracy and Hepburn" remain the most well-known for a reason. So knowing that, it's easier to stay distant from her reputation- if that makes sense.
I realize I've made a serious misstep here, guys. Believe me, I mean no animosity or disrespect to KH- kind of wrote without thinking. I adore her as much as you guys- we just see things a bit differently. Consider this an explanation/apology.
See- this is the good part of a discussion like this- someone gets a reality slap.
|
|
|
Post by Judy on Nov 26, 2009 23:35:41 GMT -5
Okay, I retract the KH reaction. We all say ridiculous things without checking. Completely forgot the Leaming thing. Thanks for reminding. However, I do think that a lot of the stuff claimed in these works have faded over time. Obviously you're exposed to a lot more of this than I am, because of your location and all the KH activities you're involved with. The lesbian rumours will never really go away- but the only book I've ever seen taken seriously is Mann's- and even that not so much anymore. A lot of biographies are old and forgotten- and of course interest in Hepburn is, sadly, going to fade more and more as the years after her death pass, and therefore a lot of the sensationalism. And I think these ridiculous works will eventually slip under the radar and the truth will prevail. Books like "Me" and "Tracy and Hepburn" remain the most well-known for a reason. So knowing that, it's easier to stay distant from her reputation- if that makes sense. I've always had an appreciation for incompetent work. Let's agree to disagree. Though your second to last sentence truly baffles me, I'm all for agreeing to disagree.
|
|
|
Post by CrazyForKate on Nov 26, 2009 23:38:18 GMT -5
Made no sense to me either- went back and changed it while you were still replying haha.
|
|
|
Post by Judy on Nov 26, 2009 23:40:28 GMT -5
Okay, I retract the KH reaction. We all say ridiculous things without checking. Completely forgot the Leaming thing. Thanks for reminding. However, I do think that a lot of the stuff claimed in these works have faded over time. Obviously you're exposed to a lot more of this than I am, because of your location and all the KH activities you're involved with. The lesbian rumours will never really go away- but the only book I've ever seen taken seriously is Mann's- and even that not so much anymore. A lot of biographies are old and forgotten- and of course interest in Hepburn is, sadly, going to fade more and more as the years after her death pass, and therefore a lot of the sensationalism. And I think these ridiculous works will eventually slip under the radar and the truth will prevail. Books like "Me" and "Tracy and Hepburn" remain the most well-known for a reason. So knowing that, it's easier to stay distant from her reputation- if that makes sense. I realize I've made a serious misstep here, guys. Believe me, I mean no animosity or disrespect to KH- kind of wrote without thinking. I adore her as much as you guys- we just see things a bit differently. Consider this an explanation/apology. See- this is the good part of a discussion like this- someone gets a reality slap. No problem on my end - and no slap intended. We see things differently - that's all. And I just wanted to state my case as you did yours. No one is questioning anyone's affection for Kate. We're good.
|
|
|
Post by Judy on Nov 26, 2009 23:44:44 GMT -5
Made no sense to me either- went back and changed it while you were still replying haha. Yeah, I saw that. Oh, and by the way, I hope with all my heart that you are correct and that the books that have been taken seriously at this moment in time will fade from memory and those that deserve to represent her will survive and be read by future generations.
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on Nov 26, 2009 23:45:47 GMT -5
Ok, we've all kissed and made up. I think we've all made our varying points of view clear without alienating one another.
|
|