A Metaphorical Mouthpiece: The Kitsch Couture of Ambivalence
- Vanessa Miller
- Jun 3, 2016
- 1 min read
A familiar character showed up recently on British telly. Spanning numerous decades and skipping across a variety of brand media to showcase its most prominent trait — ambivalence¹.
Smeared meticulously on iconic blood painted lips, a faux nip/tuck fixes an expression of bliss/despair. A metaphorical mouthpiece, making its most recent debut on the lips of a GHOST in "SHERLOCK: The Abominable Bride" (2016) played by Natasha O'Keeffe' as Emelia Ricoletti.² Also spotted in mainstream American film as a frankenstein TRICKSTER³ played by Heath Ledger as his character, the Joker, in "The Dark Knight" (2008).⁴ And, in one of the most earliest appearances of kitsch couture, its presence is announced in pre-code Paramount Pictures, dressed as a CLOWN, played by Hap Brown as Hal Skelly in "Behind the Makeup" (1930).
*Film stills: "Behind the Makeup", (1930) by Danny at pre-code.com.
*To watch click here "Behind the Makeup"
Works Cited
1 Bhabha, Homi. "Of mimicry and man." Tensions of Empire, University of California Press, Berkeley (1997): 152-60.
2. Joffre, Ruth. Psst, "Sherlock," Your Sexism Is Showing. 14 1 2016. 2 7 2016 <http://www.xojane.com/entertainment/sherlock-abominable-bride-sexist>.
3. Fine, Elizabeth C. "Wearing the Trickster Mask in the Contemporary Social Movements of Anonymous and Occupy." Communicator Opportunities and Responsibilities in Volatile Times: 3.
4. O'Briaan, Liam. Heath Ledger's father reveals dead actor's 'Joker diary' written during The Dark Knight. 1 7 2013. 2 7 2016 <http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/heath-ledgers-father-reveals-dead-actors-joker-diary-written-during-the-dark-knight-8640660.html>
5. Dany. Behind the Makeup (1930) Review, with Hal Skelly, William Powell, and Fay Wray. 3 7 2016. 2 7 2016 <http://pre-code.com/behind-the-makeup-1930-review-with-hal-skelly-william-powell-and-fay-wray/>.
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