I love vamps. I wish to be a vamp. I mean it would be hard to sit around all day being sweet and innocent like Mary Pickford or Lillian Gish. I'd probably pull it off for all of 5 minutes before they yelled cut, I pulled off my wig, and started cursing out the prop boy while smoking a cigarette (ironically I don't smoke!) To vamp...now THAT would have been fun! Of my many goals in life this is one...shall I ever make a silent short film...I'm gonna vamp!
This month's poll was a little far reaching, throwing in several vamps many have not seen (Musidora) or can not see (Valeska Surrat). The results are pretty obvious, but not so shockingly I have a different take then you guys. Here's the poll results:
#1: Theda Bara 51%
#2: Louise Brooks 23%
#3: Greta Garbo 12%
#4: Nita Naldi 8%
#5: Musidora 4%
TIE: Valeska Suratt and Betty Blythe 0%
My takes:
#1: Theda Bara
Okay you can't deny Theda. I really wanted to shake it up and put Nita first, but the only reason I would even consider that is so much of Theda's work is lost, particularly her vamping work. But there is no denying just how awesome she was in 1914's "A Fool There Was"...sucking the life out of men, taking their money, and leaving unscathed or caring. God its a fabulous movie when Theda is on screen! Unfortunately the overall effect is a bit dull what with the 1914 staging and pacing. The plot lags horribly because of this. Had it been remade in say 1929 with Theda I think it would have been worlds better.
I cry at night over the thought that Cleopatra is lost and probably will be forever and long past my life time (lets hope there really will be time travel someday!) Same for Salome. And even Madame DuBarry (pictures of her in that costume tickle me so). Theda was the first VAMP by name, and she was by far the best. Sorry Helen Gardner.
#2: Nita Naldi
WHAT is wrong with you guys?!? Nita if not greater than Theda is definitely THE vamp successor. We can argue over Greta and Louise all we want but the inherent problem with them is the flapper is creeping in, the true essence of a vamp vamping for fun is lost in their films. Instead a girl is believed to be a vamp because the men say so, and they destroy themselves and her because of this perception. Nita didn't have time for that bullshit...she vamped in a good chunk of her films and even vamped dear sexy Sheiky Valentino. She was his most frequent co-star, and in at least the existing ones she gives Theda a huge run for her money.
In Cobra Nita is literally the evil snake like woman, destroying the poor man. In Blood and Sand (one of her most widely available films) shes the vampy Dona Sol who lures poor Valentino away from his sweet virtuous wife...mostly for sport. Add to it she bites him and keeps a harem of male slaves. Seriously...I demand more Nita respect! That woman was just amazing. She was like Olive Thomas and Theda Bara rolled into one minus the cocaine and frumpiness.
#3 Louise Brooks
While I still don't really feel Louise is an authentic through and through vamp she does play the elements. Frankly I think if you stick the name 'Louise Brooks' somewhere everyone will vote for her. The next poll could be 'who is the greatest silent male actor?' and somehow she'd win. But in comparison to Greta, just somehow Louise does it better. I'd rather watch Pandora's Box 80 times than sit through 1 torturous screening of Greta's tedious flapper vamp silents (particularly Wild Orchids). This is no fault of Greta's...she truly did not get very interesting until talkies...and even then its hard for her to beat out Louise's screen presence. If one considers the vamp element in each woman alone then Louise wins by a long shot.
#4 Greta Garbo
In fact I'd almost say by the time her talkies arrived Greta turned into the new femme fatal over the flapper/vamp hybrid. I just do not think of her as vamp at all but she was definitely the successor to the vamp. Case in point: Grand Hotel. She had no vamping ambitions, she 'wanted to be let alone', and yet somehow she still gets a sliver of that projection on her, and it not only destroys her man (accidentally) but herself as well (presumably). In fact she'd already been destroyed before the movie started. Its almost like 'This is where Diary of a Lost Girl would take off' then a true vamp film.
The remaining 3 ladies I have not had the pleasure of seeing. Surely Musidora should rank higher, she was right there with Theda (an ocean away but same time period) vamping it up in tight skimpy costumes. Some of her films exist, I think they are just more obscure to obtain in the English speaking world. Most of Betty Blythe's films are lost, though I do have one I need to watch...damn schedule. Unfortunately all of Valeska's films are either lost or no one cares to search for them. That being said there is something interesting about her. However it would be hard to rank her without seeing a film...which is impossible at this point. Vamps have horrible survival rates unfortunately.
1 comments:
Hi Hala! Great post. I found this blog the other day, and it's wonderful. I'm another young silent/early film enthusiast. I've really been enjoying browsing back through your older posts.
I don't really consider Louise a vamp either, in my eyes she's a flapper through and through; or at the very least, a hybrid. But you are right, she often does seem to be the actress of choice from that era.
And yeah, it totally burns me how much is lost from this era ... it seems like the vamps in particular got hit hard. I really hope that Cleopatra turns up someday. Have you heard the theory that prints of Bara's films may exist in private collections, but the owners are keeping it to themselves? Hmmm.
-Kate
Post a Comment