For the Summer/Autumn 2020 issue of Another Man, Rick Owens writes about the movies he watches on TV in his grey, crumbling concrete bedroom in Paris while he showers in the mornings, listening to opera
“BE REGULAR AND ORDERLY IN YOUR LIFE LIKE A BOURGEOIS, SO THAT YOU MAY BE VIOLENT AND ORIGINAL IN YOUR WORK” – Gustave Flaubert
MY FATHER HAD AN OVERFLOWING LIBRARY IN OUR MODEST HOUSE IN PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA, WHERE I GREW UP. HE STORED THE OVERFLOW IN THE BASEMENT. IT WAS ALWAYS COLD DOWN THERE, AND SINCE IT HAD A CRAWL SPACE CONNECTED TO THE OUTSIDE, IT ALWAYS SMELLED LIKE DAMP DIRT. THESE MUST HAVE BEEN DAD’S SECOND-CHOICE BOOKS – THE ONES UPSTAIRS WERE THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY, WHILE THE BASEMENT HAD THE STUFF HE PROBABLY CONSIDERED FLUFF. I FOUND KENNETH ANGER’S HOLLYWOOD BABYLON, PROUST’S REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST (THE MONCRIEFF TRANSLATION), JK HUYSMANS’ À REBOURS, SOME COLETTE, AND ALBUMS OF SILENT-MOVIE STARS AND SET DESIGNS, ALL OF WHICH FORMED THE AESTHETIC I ALL-TOO-CONSTANTLY PROMOTE. THE CECIL B DEMILLE BIBLE EPICS ESPECIALLY HELD MY ATTENTION – LURID BLACK-AND-WHITE GLAMOUR SEEN THROUGH AN ART-DECO FILTER, WITH A SEARCH FOR HIGHER MEANING AND THEN A TIDY MORAL ENDING.
BUT IF THE BIBLICAL STORIES WERE ALL GREY, GLITTERING, OPULENT EXCESS, THERE WAS A MINIMALIST DEPARTURE IN THE HANDFUL OF MOVIES STARRING AND PRODUCED BY ALLA NAZIMOVA, THE RUSSIAN ACTRESS WHO GAINED TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY FAME ONSTAGE IN CLASSIC IBSEN PLAYS BUT FOUND SILENT HOLLYWOOD LEGEND ONSCREEN. I WAS SPECIFICALLY DRAWN TO HER VERSIONS OF ALEXANDRE DUMAS’ CAMILLE (1921), AND OSCAR WILDE’S SALOMÉ (1923), BOTH CRITICAL AND COMMERCIAL FAILURES. THEY WERE ART DIRECTED BY NATACHA RAMBOVA (BORN WINIFRED SHAUGHNESSY), WHOSE INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH NAZIMOVA HAS NEVER BEEN CLEARLY DEFINED – MOST GAY ALLIANCES DURING THIS PERIOD HAVE COME TO LIGHT BUT THEIRS HAS NEVER BEEN CONFIRMED.
THE IMAGES IN MY DAD’S BASEMENT BOOKS HAD A CARDBOARD-CUT-OUT QUALITY THAT ONLY ENHANCED THE SENSE OF SOPHISTICATED ARTIFICE I READ INTO THEM. THE MINIMALISM IN THEIR ART DIRECTION WAS SURELY BASED ON BUDGET – OR WAS IT? BOTH MOVIES OWE A HUGE DEBT TO AUBREY BEARDSLEY, WHO HAD DIED AT THE AGE OF 25, ONLY ABOUT 20 YEARS BEFORE THE MOVIES WERE MADE. THE BEARDSLEY INFLUENCE IS SUGGESTED IN CAMILLE BUT ABSOLUTELY BLATANT IN SALOMÉ.
NAZIMOVA’S MODERNISED VERSION OF CAMILLE IS SET IN CURRENT DAY PARIS, MEANING 1921, THE YEAR THE MOVIE WAS MADE. ART NOUVEAU HAD BEEN INTRODUCED AT THE 1900 EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE IN PARIS AND IN THIS MOVIE YOU CAN SEE HOW ITS SINUOUS LINES ARE ALREADY STARTING TO SIMPLIFY TOWARDS ART DECO, WHICH WOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1925. PAUL POIRET’S ELONGATED STYLE, ART NOUVEAU EXPRESSED IN FASHION WAS MAKING ITS TRANSITION TOO, IN THE LIGHTNESS AND SHEERNESS OF MARGUERITE’S/NAZIMOVA’S COSTUMES.
Photography Rick Owens
Photography Rick Owens
I ONLY SAW PICTURES OF THESE MOVIES IN MY DAD’S BOOKS, BUT BY THE TIME I WAS ON MY OWN LIVING IN HOLLYWOOD, I HAD THE VIDEO CASSETTES AND WATCHED THEM IN THE BEDROOM OF MY APARTMENT IN A 1920S MEDITERRANEAN REVIVAL BUILDING ON GRACE AVENUE – ONE CRACK-INFESTED BLOCK ABOVE HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD. I HAD COVERED THE TALL BEDROOM WALLS AND WINDOWS WITH A DARK BLACK AND GOLD MOIRÉ BROCADE THAT A FRIEND LATER REMEMBERED AS DECAYING PEACOCK FEATHERS; VERY NAZIMOVA.
NOW I WATCH THESE MOVIES ON TV IN MY GREY, CRUMBLING CONCRETE BEDROOM IN PARIS WHILE I SHOWER IN THE MORNINGS, LISTENING TO OPERA. CAMILLE OPENS WITH A SCENE AT AN ART NOUVEAU INTERPRETATION OF THE ACTUAL OPÉRA GARNIER’S NAPOLEONIC GILDED GRAND STAIRCASE. NAZIMOVA ENTERS AS MARGUERITE WEARING A DRAGGING BIAS HALTER DRESS WITH A SHEER BEADED KIMONO OVER IT – I ASSUME IT’S BEADING BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE FABRIC AS IT CLINGS TO HER SHOULDERS AND DRAGS ON THE FLOOR. SHE KIND OF COMES OFF AS A SIMPERING AND CLOYING, FRIZZY-HAIRED CARICATURE UNTIL YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET INTO A MOOD OF THEATRICAL EXAGGERATION ... THERE’S SOMETHING GOOD-NATURED AND SELF-AWARE TO THE MINCING AFFECTATIONS YOU CAN MAKE OUT IN THE BLURRINESS OF THE ONLY LO-RES FILM THAT EXISTS. I AM IN BED DRINKING MY COFFEE AND LOOKING AT OVERNIGHT EMAILS, LISTENING TO MONTSERRAT CABALLÉ SINGING LA VERGINE DEGLI’ ANGELI, AS MARGUERITE FLIRTS AND WAVES AND DESCENDS A GREY HECTOR GUIMARD-INSPIRED STAIRCASE ON THE SCREEN.
FROM 8:17 THROUGH 9:35 SHE PERFORMS A LITTLE SONG AND DANCE FOR HER DINNER GUESTS IN HER HIGHLY STYLISED APARTMENT – A MAIN ROOM WITH THREE SHEER GLITTERY CURTAINED ARCHES THAT LEAD TO A BEDROOM, A DINING ROOM AND A FOYER WITH A FLOOR FOUNTAIN THAT LOOKS BYZANTINE IN INSPIRATION. THE ULTRA DAINTY AND SIMPLE CHOREOGRAPHY OF HER DANCE EMPHASISES LITTLE HAND FLUTTERS AND POUTING AND SOUNDS INSUFFERABLE BUT IT’S NOT – THERE IS SOME SELF-DEPRECATION IN THE ARM SWINGING SHRUGS AT THE END THAT LEND A RELATABLE, GENUINE CHARM THAT FEELS VERY RENÉE ZELLWEGER. AT THIS POINT I’M WATCHING FROM MY OPEN SHOWER USING AESOP’S GERANIUM LEAF BODY SCRUB WHICH IS BASICALLY LIKE AJAX. I ALSO USE IT FOR HAND-WASHING WINE GLASSES AT MY BEACH PLACE – NO WATER SPOTS.
AT 13:00 THERE’S THE WEIRDEST FIREPLACE YOU’VE EVER SEEN – AN ELABORATE, CURVED WEDGE SHAPE WITH A GILDED MOUTH AND GARLANDED MIRRORS THAT FILLS THE SCREEN FOR ALL OF TWO SECONDS IN THE ENTIRE MOVIE. I’M BRUSHING MY TEETH WITH NATURAL BONE TOOTHBRUSHES THAT I HAVE STOCKPILED, SINCE THEY WEAR OUT FAST. I’VE BEEN TRYING SELAHATIN TOOTHPASTE RECENTLY BECAUSE I ADMIRE THE FONT THEY USE ON THE PACKAGING.
Photography Rick Owens
AT 13:02 MARGUERITE HAS RETREATED TO HER BEDROOM FOR A LITTLE COUGHING FIT AND HER FIRST ROMANTIC ENCOUNTER WITH ARMAND, PLAYED BY RUDOLPH VALENTINO IN HIS SECOND EVER FILM ROLE. HIS FAME IS YET TO COME AND HIS ACTING IS VAGUE AND IT’S HARD TO SEE MUCH PROMISE. SHE FLINGS HERSELF ACROSS GREY SATIN COUCHES IN FRONT OF CIRCULAR WINDOW FRAMES THAT ECHO THE ARCHES IN THE REST OF THE APARTMENT. ALL THE ROUND WINDOWS ARE COVERED AND THE TRANSPARENT ARCHED DOORWAY MAKES THE BEDROOM LOOK LIKE A SOFT, GREY UPHOLSTERED CAGE.
17:56 THROUGH 36:42 IS A WASTE OF TIME – A BUCOLIC SEQUENCE WHERE SHE HAS RETREATED WITH ARMAND TO A COUNTRY HOUSE WITH CONVENTIONALLY UPHOLSTERED COLONIAL FURNITURE THAT SHOWS HER WHOLESOMENESS WHEN REMOVED FROM THE WICKED CITY.
I TAKE THIS TIME TO CLOSE MYSELF OFF IN MY BLACK MARBLE WC COMPLETE WITH MATCHING FREESTANDING TOILET SHAPED LIKE A SPARK PLUG. THIS ROOM HAS NO MIRRORS AND IS SOUNDPROOFED, GIVING ME A MOMENT OF COMPLETE AND PROFOUND JEWEL-BOX ISOLATION.
36:42 THROUGH 46:00 FINDS HER BACK IN PARIS AT A NIGHTCLUB FILLED WITH ANOTHER SERIES OF ARCHES THAT ECHOES HER APARTMENT. BUT THESE ARCHES ARE CURTAINED WITH SPIDERWEB MOTIFS BEHIND WHICH SHADOW DANCERS GYRATE SLOWLY. ARMAND/VALENTINO SHOWS A GLIMMER OF STRICKEN EMOTION HERE, GRINNING WITH BITTERNESS AT A GAMBLING TABLE WHEN HE SEES MARGUERITE AT THE TOP OF THE ENTRANCE STAIRCASE. HE’S WITH A CLINGY NEW LADY FRIEND IN A PAUL POIRET LEFTOVER LOOK, COMPLETE WITH HEADDRESS IN A PLATINUM METALLIC LAMÉ. I AM APPLYING BODY MOISTURISER AND FACE MOISTURISER AND HAIR MOISTURISER, REMINDING MYSELF I SHOULD REALLY REMEMBER TO DRINK MORE WATER.
Photography Rick Owens
AT 46:00, MARGUERITE IS BACK IN HER APARTMENT IN A BED SHAPED LIKE A CONCRETE CRADLE WITH A PORTHOLE NIGHT LIGHT. THERE ARE SCATTERED STYLISED FLOWERS LACQUERED ONTO THE COVE ABOVE HER HEAD THAT HIDE THE BUTTON TO SUMMON HER MAID – I AM TOTALLY KNOCKING THIS OFF FOR MY FURNITURE COLLECTION. I’M NOT REALLY HAPPY WITH THE CONVENTIONAL LACE COVERLET, BUT I JUST PRETEND IT’S SHREDDED WOOL. AT 46:39 THE MOST THRILLING THING HAPPENS – HER MAID PRESSES A BUTTON AND THE SHADE ON ONE OF THE CIRCULAR WINDOWS AUTOMATICALLY SLIDES BACK EXPOSING THE SNOW FALLING OUTSIDE. THERE IS A TRADITIONAL WINDOW ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET, PRESUMABLY TO EMPHASISE THE HOTHOUSE UNNATURALNESS OF MARGUERITE’S BEDROOM.
I AM NOW PULLING MY CLOTHES OUT OF A MIRRORED WARDROBE IN MY DRESSING ROOM – I HAVE A PILE OF 20 FOLDED BLACK COTTON SHORTS, 20 FOLDED BLACK COTTON T-SHIRTS AND 20 FOLDED BLACK CASHMERE SWEATERS TO TAKE ME TO THE GYM AND TO MY OFFICE. LATELY I HAVE TAKEN TO CHANGING TO GO OUT AT NIGHT WHICH I NEVER USED TO DO, PREFERRING THE SIMPLICITY AND MODESTY OF STICKING TO ONE LOOK. BUT NOW I’M IN A SHAMELESSLY RECKLESS MOOD TO GO FURTHER – THE HEELS ARE HIGHER, THE SHOULDER PADS ARE WIDER, THE V NECK IS DEEPER – I WON’T HAVE THESE TITS FOREVER. FUCK MODESTY.
1:02 TO 1:09 FINAL SCENE – MARGUERITE IS COUGHING INTO A PILLOW AND I AM OUT THE DOOR.
The Summer/Autumn 2020 ‘High Art Pop Culture’ issue of Another Man is now on sale internationally. Head here to buy a copy.
