The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary

In honor of the 70th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, Turner Classic Movies is featuring a high definition version in theatres on Wed. Sept. 23rd! Unfortunately, it looks like it is the US only. Included in this special presentation will be exclusive behind the scenes clips, interviews and rare musical outtakes, Tickets are on sale now, and limited availability. Click here for more information!

My favorite part of the movie is the shot of Dorothy's ruby slippers as she steps on the yellow brick road for the first time!

John Willie

John Willie was a groundbreaking fetish illustrator and photographer who is most known for his artwork in Bizarre magazine during the late 1940's through the late 1950's. This one is my favorite!

Here are some of his covers.

Some more illustrations.

Boston

For those who don't know, Boston is one of my favorite cities! Here is a charming video tour of my town, "The Athens of America".

Boston 1920's

Here is a fun blog to check out~ Shopping Days in Retro Boston is a nostalgic look at the glory days of elegant department stores and fine shopping in downtown Boston!

Ginger

For those who love Ginger Rogers, (and who doesn't?) check out Finding Ginger! Beth is a UK blogger with a passion for all things Ginger. She just started her blog and and if you can, help contribute to her data base of Ginger Rogers' films. There are movie clips galore which will keep you entertained whilst you spin about your room pretending you are starring in Top Hat!

Jane Russell turns 88

The eternally beautiful Jane Russell turns 88 today! I had the pleasure of seeing the living legend in person a few years back in Los Angeles at the Aero Theatre's Jane Russell Double Feature of Gentleman Prefer Blondes and Son of Paleface. Jane showed up unexpectedly for a Q & A and was very candid and pleasant. At the time she was living in New Mexico and involved with adoption charities. Still statuesque and elegant, she was visibly flattered at the overwhelmingly amorous response the audience gave her. If you can, pick up Jane Russell: My Path and My Detours : An Autobiography, fantastic read!

Happy Birthday Jane!

last photo by Getty images

Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2009

Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana relied heavily on 30's, 40's and 50's references for their Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear and D&G collections. For the Dolce & Gabbana collection, signature elements were seen such as ballooning shape and shocking pink often used by Elsa Schiaparelli, one of the Golden Era's prominent eccentric designers. Some of the stand out pieces were silk dresses with Marilyn Monroe prints.

The D&G show was held at Cinema Metropol in Milan, the theatre where Maria Callas recorded Bellini's Norma in 1954. Her spirit never left it seems, as the severely romantic Opera Star was their muse and inspiration. So much so, her face is seen on some of the pieces, as are playbills for classic Italian Operas including Verdi's La Traviata and Bellini's I Puritani. Bellissimo!

Dolce & Gabbana

D&G

photos Style.com

Unseen Marilyn Monroe

Tamela D'Amico informed me of some recently published, but never seen before photos of Marilyn Monroe taken when she was just 24 years old and starting out in Hollywood.

Life.com discovered these lost and rare images taken of Marilyn in Los Angeles' beautiful Griffith Park~ the same park where a young Jean Harlow once posed nude at the beginning of her career.

Life photographer Ed Clark shot this series in 1950 and were supposedly taken for a Life cover that was never used. At the time of the shoot, Marilyn had just starred in The Asphalt Jungle.

There are 15 lovely pictures here! Also, on the 15th photo, click the link below the image for even more Marilyn!

photos by Ed Clark/Life Pictures/Getty Images

Deleted Gentleman Prefer Blondes

My new favorite blog Paris Atelier, posted this glorious photo from a deleted musical scene in Gentleman Prefer Blondes. I also found the photo below while trying to find more information on the scene; the song is called "Four French Dances". Thank you Judith!