We are all inspired by various things and sometimes we look to the past for inspiration. As for me, I'm quite smitten with the 50s. (If you see my Tumblr, you can definitely spot many images that are from the 50s or that are reminiscent of the decade.) For me, everything about the 50s is so glamorous, sophisticated, and absolutely wonderful. The grace and beauty of this era is just so striking. I do get inspired by other decades as well like the 60s and the 20s, but the 50s is where my heart glows. Anything from this decade can instantly start a spark of imagination and gives the dose I need if I'm ever stuck in a rut.
Some of my favorite movies are from the 50s (which I highly recommend!). A Star is Born is a classic film that has been remade many times, and yes I've seen them all - but my favorite was the 1954 flick, starring Judy Garland. I guess the musicality of it also attracted me since well, you all know how much I love music. Sunset Boulevard (1950) is another favorite classic. Both movies show you a provocative look behind the celebrity "Hollywood star" world and the disturbing realities of fame & how much it can affect someone. Sigh, sometimes the lust for fame & fortune can be a terrible thing.
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And who could forget the lovely Audrey Hepburn? What a true fashion icon -- she knew what looked best on her & definitely knew how to style herself in the utmost classy way. There are SO many more glamorous starlets & fashion icons in the 50s, but Audrey definitely stands out to me :)
Midnight in Paris (2011), in image: Owen Wilson & Marion Cotillard [source]
Anyway I recently (finally!) saw Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris & absolutely loved it. The film was witty & charming, yet it also spoke out about our own personal "golden ages". Owen Wilson's character, Gil, believes that the 20s (specifically in Paris) is his dream decade. There was a scene in the film that also showed that Marion Cottilard's character, Adriana, was in love with the 1890s. Then, there was this somewhat depressing dialogue stated:
“Nostalgia is denial - denial of the painful present… the name for this denial is golden age thinking - the erroneous notion that a different time period is better than the one ones living in - its a flaw in the romantic imagination of those people who find it difficult to cope with the present.”
Woody Allen even states in an interview: "And one of the fallacies that comes up all the time is the Golden Age fallacy, that you’d have been happier at a different time. Just as people think, “If I moved to Paris I’d be happier” or “If I moved to London…” Then they do, and they’re not. Even though these places are great, they’re not happier, because it isn’t the geography that’s eating them up, it’s the existential reality of how grim a predicament we’re in. So, I’ve played around with that before, the notion of wanting to get out of the real world, get out of time."
He somewhat has a point & I haven't thought of it like that before, yet I don't fully agree. Of course we all go through those moments when we want to escape our own realities, though surely we know we'd want to return to our familiar lives once again. I know, personally, that I won't be happy being sent back to the 1950s, and actually living in that time. From where I am now, I'm content just to simply look back & admire the 50s, and incorporate my inspiration into my present life.
What decade best inspires you? & what do you think of Woody Allen's concept?
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