Grey Gardens is a documentary about a mother and daughter ("Big" Edie and "Little" Edie) who don't know how to listen to each other, living in a house full of decaying and thwarted dreams. Along with at least half a dozen cats and a raccoon or two in the attic.
From the DVD back: Meet Big and Little Edie Beale - high-society dropouts, mother and daughter, reclusive cousins of Jackie O. - thriving together amid the decay and disorder of their ramshackle East Hampton mansion. An impossibly intimate portrait and an eerie echo of the Kennedy Camelot, Albert and David Maysles's 1976 Grey Gardens quickly became a cult classic and established Little Edie as a fashion icon and philosopher queen. Thirty years later, the filmmakers revisited their landmark documentary with a sequel of sorts, The Beales of Grey Gardens, culled from hours of never-before-seen footage recently found in the filmmakers' vaults.
I had been meaning to watch it for a while, and I finally got it from the library the other week. (I originally heard about it from the show Gilmore Girls when Lorelai and Rory are seen watching and talking about it in one episode.)
Actually, I didn't realize that the companion piece to Grey Gardens, The Beales of Grey Gardens, was on the second disc till Sunday. I had to watch it as soon as I found out, of course; and I knew I had grown to love these people because as the titles started and I found myself back at Grey Gardens, with Little Edie's face smiling and her slightly strident voice talking again, I felt happy. I liked The Beales of Grey Gardens as much as the original. It had less arguments, more dialogue and more of Little Edie's musings.
These are some screenshots I took from Grey Gardens. (I didn't take any from The Beales of Grey Gardens because I was feeling too lazy.)
Grey Gardens certainly isn't for everyone, in terms of personal taste, but if this has at all piqued your interest you should look into it more. It is a fascinating piece: strange, saddening, and beautiful all rolled into one. (And just a note, there was a movie made in 2009 about Big and Little Edie which is also called Grey Gardens.)
My sleeping problems mentioned in last post have gone away. Strangely enough, I've been going to bed earlier than I have in years. (Earlier meaning closer to midnight than 1 o'clock.)
I can tell I've been down lately because I haven't wanted to do much of anything. Sadly, it's the ennui where I don't really want to read or write, I just want to watch British telly on youtube. I like the depression that makes me read a lot - then I at least feel like I'm accomplishing something. Ah, well. :P
I think for the most part the ennui has skulked back to its corner. I've made yet another to-do list for the month of March and I am going to accomplish things; yes, I am! It's funny, I never used to make to-do lists, but I have been since last September. I find it helpful to step back and look at what I need to accomplish. I used to think free spirits didn't need such lists, but they do, really. At least this one does. It's probably because I'm not in school and find myself suddenly without direction. (Not that I ever followed my school schedule very well...) My to-do lists are in no way set in stone either. If I don't get everything done, I don't really care. As long as I did the things that really needed to get done.
Actually, I've been very productive today! Huzzah!
