tribute

Bettie Page (1923-2008)

jackandjillcpl2 Comments
Posted in article picture tribute written by Jack

I wanted to post a quick tribute to legendary 1950s pinup model Bettie Page, who passed away on Thursday at age 85. Bettie was an early Playboy Playmate (January 1955, to be exact), and a well-known fetish model, known for an extensive body of work that included spanking, bondage, and domination-themed photography and film. Even if you haven’t heard the name, you’ve undoubtedly seen one of her famous pinups or are familiar with her as a pop cultural icon. And if you’ve somehow missed out on Bettie Page on that level, I’m certain you are familiar with one of the celebrities, artists or photographers who were inspired by her.

After a career which saw her pose for an estimated 20,000 photos, Bettie Page fell out of the spotlight in 1958. Her reclusive nature in the years since then was the subject of fan speculation, and she developed a strong cult following. The look of Batman villainess Poison Ivy was inspired in part by Page, and she was the unwitting basis for the love interest in Dave Stevens’ comic series The Rocketeer (and to a lesser extent its 1991 film adaptation). Her image graced the covers of comic books and fanzines. Her original photo shoots were reprinted.

Then, in the early 1990s, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous featured a telephone interview with Page wherein she confessed ignorance over her resurgence in popularity. Living in poverty and squalor in Los Angeles, Page realized that she stood to make a lot of money from the various individuals profiting from her likeness. She hired an agency and began receiving residual payments, ensuring financial stability in her waning years.

In 1996, author James L. Swanson published an authorized biography entitled “Bettie Page: The Life of a Pinup Legend.” Page did a single television interview to promote the book, but refused to allow her face to be shown. The following year, author Richard Foster published “The Real Bettie Page: The Truth About the Queen of Pinups”, a tell-all that revealed many shocking details about Page’s disappearance from the limelight. The definitive dramatization of Bettie Page’s 1950s heyday can be found in 2005’s The Notorious Bettie Page, starring Gretchen Moll in the title role.

A recent article at mtv.com nicely sums up her influence:

Katy Perry’s rocker bangs and throwback skimpy jumpers. Madonna’s “Sex” book and fascination with bondage gear. Rihanna’s obsession with all things leather, lace and second-skin binding. Uma Thurman in “Pulp Fiction.” The Suicide Girls’ Web site. The Pussycat Dolls. The entire career of Marilyn Manson’s ex-wife Dita Von Teese. Without Bettie Page, it’s likely none of these women would look the way they do.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1601231/20081212/story.jhtml

-Jack

Missed Opportunities

jackandjillcpl6 Comments
Posted in tribute written by Jack

Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Trust me on this.

This morning I found out that San Francisco’s landmark sex club The Power Exchange closed down. The Power Exchange has been open for years, providing open-minded couples and singles a place to see and/or do things they might otherwise never experience.

For anyone not in the know, The Power Exchange is a multi-level establishment with various theme rooms (jail cell, dungeon, vampire’s lair, mad scientist’s lab), as well as a dance floor, stripper poles and pool tables, enabling patrons to satisfy just about any fantasy, usually with an audience. The club’s lower levels are open to all types and persuasions, while the upper level is limited to couples and single women.

Needless to say, Jill and I had entertained the idea of going to The Power Exchange for some time. The idea of watching people engaged in all manner of sexual activity, and possibly doing our own thing as well, fueled many a fantasy of ours, and we hoped to pay them a visit. Possibly with open-minded friends.

The Power Exchange closed its San Francisco location in November, with plans to open a new location in Las Vegas. So much for the possibility of taking a spur-of-the-moment trip there.

While I’m talking about missed opportunities, I also learned today of the passing of Forrest J. Ackerman. “Forry”, as he was sometimes called, was best known as the writer and editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland, a groundbreaking sci-fi and horror magazine, from 1958 to 1983. He was an avid collector of movie memorabilia, and he housed much of his collection – which included original props, models and costumes from classic movies such as “Dracula” and “King Kong” – in his home, known as the Acker-Mansion. In fact, fans were welcome to tour his home, view the various displays of movie history, and listen to tales of Forry’s long and storied life.

During our most recent trip to Southern California, I’d considered trying to make arrangements to tour the “Acker-Mini-Mansion”, the smaller home in which he resided near the end of his life. But I put it off, hoping that there would be other opportunities. While I’ll always have a hefty collection of back issues of Famous Monsters of Filmland, meeting the man who was responsible for it would have been the icing on the cake. But now it’s too late.

In the interest of keeping this entry on-topic, for a time Forry and his wife had an interest in nudism. Granted, I don’t think he would have been the type to attend a sex club like The Power Exchange, but he would probably have approved of their vampire’s lair and mad scientist’s lab rooms.

-Jack