Friday, August 16, 2013

La Femme's Essentials...Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Today is the debut of yet another new feature, La Femme's Essentials, in which I am going to discuss some of my favorite films.

How do you begin to write about one of the essential experiences of your life?  One of the pieces of art that has made the most impact on your outlook on love?   Something that you love unabashedly and truly? One of the films that started your long journey to becoming a cinephile?  And, mostly, how do you write about that important thing without becoming so hyperbolic that it borders on ridiculous?

I first saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch shortly after K and I begin dating in 2001(!)  and I was immediately enraptured.  I remember it almost like it was in a dream, watching the film for the first time in my parents' living room shortly after K and I started dating (in some ways, I think this is how I knew he was the man I would marry: he liked it too. In fact, unlike so many 18 year old guys who would be turned off by the story of a German transsexual wanna-be rock star, I think K realized the genius of the film more than I did.  He appreciated the art of it, while I was in love with the music and the style.  I am smarter than him, but when it comes to film he is smarter than me.  Don't tell him that I said that.).  Since then, I have seen the film multiple times in theaters and countless times on DVDs.  My e-mail is a reference to Hedwig (and I won't change it even when I get funny looks when I tell people it). My brother and I saw Sing a Long Hedwig a few years ago and my face hurt from smiling after.  I have my own Hedwig promotion wig (which K won for me in an Internet contest, told you he was a keeper). My only regret at K and my wedding is that I didn't work harder to find a performer to sing a song from the film.  It makes me smile, it makes me cry and I could watch it again in a heartbeat.




Hedwig and the Angry Inch is the humble story of Hedwig (nee Hansel) Schmidt, who falls in love with an American G.I., Luther, before the fall of the Berlin Wall, and in order to gain his freedom, unwittingly becomes a transsexual, Hedwig.  Unfortunately, the operation is botched and Hedwig still has an angry inch (I will let the reader figure out what that means).  After living in Junction City, Kansas, and losing her husband, Luther (for a young boy who looks not unlike Hansel), she meets Tommy Gnosis (nee Speck), a pimply, bible thumping teenager, who Hedwig inevitably falls in love with and is able to mold into the rock star she will never be (Michael Pitt).

Hedwig is first and foremost a musical and nearly every song nails it.  The style of the music is a mix of glam rock, punk, country and good old musical theatre. Every song in the film has a different and joyful feel, from the sing-a-long celebration of "Wig in a Box" (see the clip above) to the dirty country ditty, "Sugar Daddy", to the unabashed glam rock anthem of "Midnight Radio"; each song fits the emotion of the scene perfectly. John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask portray every emotion and thought Hedwig has in musical form.  Unlike so many musicals, most of the songs are able to stand on their own without context, closer to pop songs than to songs traditionally for musicals.   The centerpiece of the film both musically and emotionally is the "Origin of Love", a rambling, story song, that shows and tells the viewer Hedwig's entire outlook on love, and her hope for what it means for her.  Mitchell employs beautiful, hand drawn animation during the entire scene and juxtaposes that with Hedwig's face.  The song is heartbreaking and life affirming all at once and John Cameron Mitchell's strange, androgynous, but strong voice make me tear up every time. I dare you to listen to it and not cry.

Arguably, John Cameron Mitchell is the entire film.  He wrote, directed and starred in it.  His performance is immersive and moving, and his charisma radiates from the screen.   John Cameron Mitchell seamlessly goes from Hansel to Hedwig, playing a man and a woman easily, but more than that he plays them as both the same and different people.  Hansel is young, foolish and naive.  Hedwig is jaded, a little sadder but confident and maybe even egotistical.  John Cameron Mitchell also directed the film and it is an impressive debut, he is inventive and playful with his techniques, from the animation and bouncing ball Sing-A-Long and the trailer that turns into a stage.  But he also finds the emotional core of Hedwig and finds illuminates deep emotional moments, from the quiet reveal of Tommy seeing Hedwig perform the first time, to the visceral gut punch the moment Tommy discovers Hedwig's secret.  This isn't the work of an actor/director, it is an auteur's debut. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Michael Pitt is wonderful as Tommy, I know some people (you know who you are!) find him to be a terrible and wooden actor, but in this role he is lovely.  He might not be the most charismatic actor, but his sincerity lights him up and he has a look of wonder when he sees Hedwig, which is exactly what the character needs.  All you need with that performance is to see why Hedwig falls for him, and he gives that and more.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch has so much meaning for me not only because it is a wonderful, silly, glittery movie that combines great film making with music and romance and sequins, but the message is universal and uplifting.  Hedwig spends the entire movie searching for her other half but in the end discovers that only she can make herself whole.  This is a message that we have heard so many times, often times in a completely cliche and teeth numbingly sweet way.  That is the genius of Hedwig: it's irreverent and dirty but with a heart of gold, delivering an inspiring message to any kind of person that watches the film, without betraying the tone of the overall piece.  For this post, I went and read reviews of Hedwig from when the film came out, and all the reviews pegged it as a "gay" movie (most of them were positive). Hedwig is absolutely a pinnacle of LGBT cinema and a groundbreaking film in the genre precisely because Hedwig's sexuality/gender is part of the story, but not the whole story. The problem with labeling Hedwig ONLY LGBT or queer cinema is that it excludes  a lot of viewers who might love the film but hear that label and think, "this isn't for me".  But in my mind (and for a fact, I know Mitchell's too)  Hedwig is for everyone, for anyone who has ever felt different or uncomfortable in their own skin, or like they don't belong, which is really all of us.  The universality of this strange little movie about this strange little person is the ultimate lesson of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.  We are all the same, we are all searching for something and ultimately we all need to look into ourselves to find it.

Julie

Thursday, August 8, 2013

It's Noon Somewhere...St. Germain Sangria


It has been an amazing summer in Seattle this year.  We have had perfect weather;  not too hot but sunny almost every day, and let me tell you we deserve it with all the grey days we get the rest of the year.  In fact, I might argue that Seattle has the best summers of any place I've ever been, no humidity, a lovely breeze and amazing views.  And in our house, summer usually means new and refreshing cocktails, but I have to admit this summer K and I haven't been very adventurous and I have been slacking in the cocktail department, instead relying on some old favorites that I've already shared on the blog.

But, I have been making some great sangrias (and not taking any pictures of them!) so I thought I'd share one.  St. Germain is a lovely liqueur made of elderflowers.  It is also super expensive and frenchy, so you know I love it.  But since K and I just bought a house, I have to save my pennies and can't splurge on any expensive liqueurs (is life even worth living!?).   Therefore, I channeled my inner Sandra Lee (Money Saving Meals!) and bought two little bottles from the liquor store, so you only need about 4 oz of St. Germain, so it isn't too big of an investment.  The St. Germain is such a rich and layered flavor that it added that little extra bit of class to this sangria, and frenched it up!


St. Germain has a unique and slightly sweet taste, and a little goes a long way.  It is great as a float with sparkling wine, so I thought why not with wine and fruit?  I wanted to make a sparkling sangria, so I added some tonic water right at the end to give it some fizz.  I only bought two little bottles from the liquor store, so you only need about 4 oz of St. Germain, but it really adds a distinct level of flavor to this sangria.

St. Germain Sangria

4 oz St. Germain
1 bottle of dry white wine


2 peaches
2 limes
1orange
Tonic Water

Slice all the fruit and feel free to add any other kinds you like, cherries would be lovely (I am a citrus freak so I like lots of acid in my sangria)!  Add the wine and the St. Germain.  Let sit for a few hours in the fridge and top with tonic water or club soda.  Garnish with fruit!

Cheers!

Julie