Grey Gardens 2009 Holiday Gift Guide

I've done holiday gift guides for Grey Gardens fans in 2007 and in 2008, but, even within the past 12 months, especially given the release of the HBO film, a number of new items have hit the market! Here's my most recent list of Christmas/Hanukkah/Ramadan/Kwanzaa/Winter Solstice presents.

The HBO film

1. Grey Gardens DVD

   The winner of multiple Emmy Awards is out on DVD! If you or your beloved Grey Gardens fan doesn't have this yet, now's the time to get it.

   Grey Gardens
   HBO Films DVD
   (Digital version from iTunes here.)

   You can also get the Grey Gardens soundtrack by Rachel Portman on CD, also available in a digital format.

Grey Gardens itself

2. Grey Gardens Criterion Collection DVD

   Although you definitely should have the HBO film on DVD, you need the original documentary even more!

   Grey Gardens
   Criterion Collection DVD

3. The Beales of Grey Gardens Criterion Collection DVD

   Also, make sure that you have The Beales of Grey Gardens, which nicely supplements the original documentary.

   The Beales of Grey Gardens
   Criterion Collection DVD

   If your friends don't have either Grey Gardens or The Beales, both DVDs are available as a set (although the video quality isn't as good in the set).

   Grey Gardens &
   The Beales of Grey Gardens
   Criterion Collection DVD Set

4. Grey Gardens Masters of Cinema DVD

   You may already have the Criterion Collection DVD of Grey Gardens, but I'm also recommending that you get this British DVD. The special features are different, the image quality is slightly better, and the booklet that comes with this DVD is extraordinary.

   And, yes, we US customers can order from Amazon.co.uk and they will ship the DVD to the US and it will play on our DVD players.

   Grey Gardens
   Masters of Cinema DVD

Dig Deeper

5. Grey Gardens by Sara & Rebekah Maysles

   This book by Sara & Rebekah Maysles, daughters of Albert Maysles, includes tons of photos and drawings of the Edie Beales. The layout is claustrophobic, but very fun.

   Grey Gardens
   by Sara & Rebekah Maysles

6. My Life at Grey Gardens by Lois Wright

   And Lois Wright's book about life at Grey Gardens makes a quick and interesting read, great if you have a lot of holiday travel ahead.

   My Life at Grey Gardens
   by Lois Wright

7. Edith Bouvier Beale of Grey Gardens

   This book is big and full of photos. A pleasure to browse!

   Edith Bouvier Beale of Grey Gardens
   by Eva Beale, et al.

8. Grey Gardens the Musical original Broadway cast recording CD

   The Grammy-nominated CD for the Grey Gardens musical is a great choice for friends who were exposed to the Edie Beales through the musical.

   (There are also a Grey Gardens Songbook by Scott Frankel & Michael Korie and Grey Gardens: The Complete Book and Lyrics of the Broadway Musical by Doug Wright for musically-inclined fans.)

   Grey Gardens the Musical
   original Broadway cast recording CD

9. The Grey Gardens Brooch

   A reproduction of Edie's brooch, as seen in Grey Gardens.

   The Grey Gardens Brooch

10. MemoraBEALEia by Walter Newkirk

    An interesting little book, perhaps with too much about the author himself, but it's truthful and contains some rare Edie gems.

    MemoraBEALEia
    by Walter Newkirk

11. Letters of Little Edie Beale: Grey Gardens and Beyond by Walter Newkirk

    Another item from the Walter Newkirk Grey Gardens machine!

    Letters of Little Edie Beale: Grey Gardens and Beyond
    by Walter Newkirk

12. Little Edie Live! A Visit to Grey Gardens audio CD

    This CD is like a bonus feature on a DVD, only longer! It's Edie herself, and she's as wonderful as you would expect her to be.

    Little Edie Live! A Visit to Grey Gardens audio CD

13. Art

    There is plenty of great fan-made art available. This includes giclée prints from Pacifico Palumbo, prints by Bruce Lennon, and coloring books.

Exhaust more possibilities

14. Talk to Her: Interviews by Kristine McKenna

    McKenna's book of interviews has a real gem in it: an interview with Little Edie Beale! It's accompanied by a paper doll-inspired illustration of Edie.

    Talk to Her: Interviews
    by Kristine McKenna

15. Ghosts of Grey Gardens DVD

    Liliana Greenfield-Sanders made this film about her love of Grey Gardens. My favorite part is the interview with Sally Quinn, which is very entertaining. Yet this raccoon didn't understand the performance art section of the film.

    Ghosts of Grey Gardens DVD

16. The Edies' Cultural References

    Also, for those of us obsessive fans, there are all of the Edies' cultural references.

Grey Gardens inspires the Kenzo fall/winter collection

Beautifully done!

From Crash, by Alexandra Catiere, on Fall/Winter 2009, via Fashion Gone Rogue

Grey Gardens: A View on Kenzo Fall/Winter Collection

Source

More information about Grey Gardens the musical in Japan

Our Japanese friend Sooim hooked us up with this wonderful illustration of Edie from Japan, along with additional information about opening night. Thanks, Sooim!

By Sooim

Japanese Grey Gardens

She says, "Welcome! I'm Crie. Nice to meet you."

Personally, I think she should say, "Oh, hi! You look absolutely terrific, honestly."

Sooim also adds:

I went to see the musical on opening night. Doug Wright, Scott Frankel, and Michael Korie were there. After the show was over, they went up on the stage, where Scott Frankel said that it was Little Edie's 92th birthday and this producton was the best birthday present for her.

There is a photo with addition comments online here: http://www.tohostage.com/grey_g/comment.html

Ganymede Arts' ''After the Garden'' hits Joe's Pub in New York City

How wonderful and exciting, and how affordable!

By Jeffrey Johnson

Ganymede Arts' After the Garden—Edie Beale LIVE at Reno Sweeney has been asked to do a trial performance (for a possibly longer run) at Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre, NYC, on December 29th at 7:30pm.

Facebook event page

Tickets are available here, and they're only $20!

Update

I added videos of the performance, via David Crotty.

From YouTube, by WashingtonBlade, on October 6, 2009

"Tea for Two" from After the Garden

Jeffrey Johnson embodies Edie Beale in Gerald Duval's "After the Garden: Edith Beale Live at Reno Sweeney" as part of the Ganymede Arts Fall Festival

From YouTube, by Grroovygurl, on September 11, 2009

Jeffrey Johnson—After The Garden (Mix Pixies)

Ganymede Arts—After The Garden

Edie Beale inspired many delicious Halloween costumes

Many people dressed up as Little Edie for Halloween a couple of years ago, so one reader prompted me to ask for photos of Edie costumes from this year, given the incredible success of the HBO film. Here's a selection of some favorites. Enjoy!

From What I Wore, by Jessica Schroeder, on October 21, 2009

What I Wore Halloween Guide: Little Edie Beale

From YouTube, by sayrebear, on November 9, 2009

Little Edie Flag Dance

Little Edie halloween costume from Grey Gardens

From Pretty on the Outside, on November 4, 2009

Both of us definitely liked the idea of an easy costume yet it needed to be somewhat relevant. Little Edie from Grey Gardens with her scarf covered head, black tights and turtleneck, ripped skirt exposing a girdle, and an "anything jacked up goes" sense of style seemed like a great fit. Here's what we looked like...

From Twitpic, by Bagelface, on November 1, 2009

From I Suwannee, on October 16, 2009

This is the Best Costume for the Day

my friend caroline threw a fantastically staunch grey gardens party last night, complete with dinner served from pie tins, flowers in cat food containers, ice cream eaten with knives and dancing with flags.

From Anonymous

We saw two different Grey Garden drag queen costumes on Halloween!

By Glaistig

• The Zolar's book was a recent gift to me from my friend Anetra. She loves GG like me!
• I won Most Obscure Costume at Anetra's party.
• Sadly, I must admit that the beige Spanx was already in my wardrobe repetoire. No special purchase necessary! I wore my plain wedding band and some frosty Edie Beale nail polish for extra detail.

Phelan Beale's letter to Big Edie

In reading this letter, I can't help but recall the scene in the HBO film where Phelan and Big Edie talk about money.

From Letters of Note, on November 5, 2009

I do hope my airplane crashes

New York attorney Phelan Beale reluctantly wrote the following, tragic letter to Edith Bouvier Beale in 1934, just before their divorce. The Great Crash of 1929 saw Phelan's law firm begin to nosedive, but it was another five years before he had to reconsider the lavish lifestyle of his entire family, mother and sister included, all of which he had been funding single-handedly for many years. Soon after this letter, Edith and children moved to Grey Gardens in East Hampton and the home famously fell into disrepair. 'Big Edie' lived in the house for quite some time with her daughter 'Little Edie', until the mother passed away in 1977, aged 81.

Their time at Grey Gardens has since been the subject of a documentary, a movie and a musical.

Many thanks to Shelly for the tip.

Transcript

BOUVIER & BEALE
165 BROADWAY

CABLE ADDRESS "VERGELIN"
TELEPHONE CORTLANDT 7-2425

NEW YORK August 22, 1934

Mrs. Phelan Beale,
East Hampton,
Long Island, New York.

Dear Edith:-

This is a difficult letter to write, but nevertheless it must be done, so here goes:-

Since our marriage I have endeavored to provide you with every luxury, and in this up to the date hereof I think I may say that I have been successful. I will not enumerate the generous gifts that I have made to you, because, after all, this is water over the dam, and I will confine myself to the immediate present.

Since the great crash in 1929, we have seen many of our friends and acquaintances suffer. Fortunately, this suffering did not come to me until now. My law business has been largely builded on that of an "Exchange Specialist", and my income was almost entirely derived from this source.

The Stock Exchange legislation on the part of Congress has so reduced the volume of business that Stock Exchange houses are either merging or retiring from business. Few, if any, are earning their expenses. A number of annual retainers that I have enjoyed have been cancelled, and I have been notified that others will be cancelled on the first of the year. I am truly in a desperate situation, so much so that Miss Maguire, one of the girls in this office is being let out on next Saturday. Major Norris goes on the 1st of October. In addition thereto, Mr. Vincent who has been with me for twenty years has got to go, for the single reason that I cannot afford to keep him. Even Miss Mahoney, the telephone operator, who likewise has been with me for several years must go through necessity. My three office boys I am reducing to one. There may be other changes as well, and in the same manner I am forced to retrench in every possible way, which means that I cannot return the boys to Westminster School, and I am so writing to the Headmaster. To keep them there costs me about $4,000.00 per annum. I can borrow on my insurance sufficient funds to keep little Edie at Miss Porter's School for the next year.

I can well understand your bitterness when you read this letter. You have not been extravagant and you doubtless feel that if I had curtailed expenditures, I would not be in my present unenviable position, but as we say in the law, regardless of what may have been, I am at this time faced by a condition and not a theory.

I am not giving up, although at times there is great temptation to take the easiest way out. It will not be the first time that I have met with a major catastrophe. When the war broke out in 1914, all of my German business was destroyed and I found myself facing a situation similar to the present, although then it was not as burdensome as I was unmarried.

I do not intend to ask you to do anything that I would not ask my mother and sister to do. I must arrange for them to occupy less expensive quarters, even though it may mean a boarding house.

I am glad that you have the house in East Hampton, because it is in tip-top repair and may be occupied comfortably the year round. The boys can go to the school in South Hampton. It is possible that when I get the expenses of maintaining my office out of the bone, and I then am able to give eighteen hours a day to my business, free from financial worries that keep me awake at night, I will stage a quick come back, wherefore, your abnegation of remaining in East Hampton may be short-lived.

I do not intend to live in luxury when I am asking you to make a sacrifice. I am going to Washington this afternoon. On my return I will move to more modest and cheaper quarters, such as procuring a room at some bachelor hotel for $50.00 per month.

I do hope that you will appreciate that the contents of this letter should not be broadcasted. You are at liberty, however, to show the same to your mother and father.

I hate like the devil to deprive little Buddy of the pleasure he gets in going horseback riding. Will you ask the boy to give up his riding until next season. The bill from the riding school came in this morning. It is $53.00. In some instances the charge for his rides were $8.00 per day, and in no one day was it less than $3.00. Do not tell the children anything that will alarm them in regard to my financial condition. They are so young that their minds receive an exaggerated and inflamed impression which may have evil effects of a permanent nature. Offer some excuse to the kids about remaining in East Hampton and attending school in South Hampton. Make a game of it, so that they will like the idea. Even with little Edie, you should not confide in her, otherwise she may think that we are headed for the poorhouse to-morrow, and it will destroy all the happiness of her year at Farmington.

There is nothing more to write just at this moment, because I must leave in the next five minutes to get the airplane to Washington. I do hope that the machine crashes, because it would be a pleasant exit of a very tired man -

Your husband,

(Signed, 'Phelan')

Source

New Little Edie Beale paper dolls

You remember these paper dolls, right? There are now some new paper dolls of Little Edie. Nicely done!

From etsy, by claudiavarosio, on October 31, 2009

The Edie Beale paper doll print

This listing is for a 12"x18"( ie 305 x 450 mm) landscape print based on an original illustration and printed by a professional print service on premium archival lustre paper.

This paper is water-resistant, fade-resistant, and has vibrant colours.

(Faux) disclaimer: the paper dolls prints are meant to be framed; I have not actually tried to cut out the dresses so these may not fit the dolls.

Please do let me know if you'd like this print in 12"x8", at $15.10 instead.

** Frame not included; the last image is only to show how the image would look framed.

The print will be shipped in a protective envelope, most likely recycled, within 3 working days of payment clearing.

Thank you for looking

Source

Video of Japanese Grey Gardens musical グレイガーデンズ

Here's a video of Grey Gardens the musical in Japanese. Fascinating!

From YouTube, by SankeiNews, on November 8, 2009

Shinobu Otake and Mitsuko Kusabue enthusiastically play mother and daughter (大竹しのぶ&草笛光子が母娘を熱演)

The dress rehearsal of the musical "Grey Gardens," which will open November 7 at Theater Creation in Tokyo, was open to the press. Ms. Shinobu Otake and Ms. Mitsuko Kusabue who will star the musical talked with the press along with the director Mr. Amon Miyamoto. (11月7日から東京・有楽町のシアタークリエで上演されるミュージカル｢グレイ・ガー デンズ｣の公開稽古が行われ、出演する大竹しのぶさんと草笛光子さん、演出の宮本亜門 さんが囲み会見に出席した。)

Update

Added translations from Sooim.

Source

Gorgeous painting of Little Edie from Grey Gardens by artist Jeff Bridges

What talent!

From Toonpool, by Jeff Bridges

Little Edie from Grey Gardens

Oil painting I did a few years ago of Little Edie Beale from the documentary, Grey Gardens.

Source

Grey Gardens Halloween costume redux

Did you, someone you love, or some random person dress up as Little Edie (or someone/something equally Grey Gardens) for Halloween? Send in your pictures and I'll post them up here!

Happy Birthday, Little Edie! (And the Grey Gardens グレイガーデンズ musical opens in Japan!)

Today is Little Edie's birthday! And, yes, the Japanese version of the Grey Gardens musical (グレイガーデンズ) opens today. Visit the updated site for the musical to see some new videos of the cast in costume!

Edie would be so pleased! What a birthday present!

Michael Sucsy and Kalina Ivanov discuss Grey Gardens at the Savannah Film Festival [video]

Many people are interested in Michael Sucsy's journey to make his HBO film Grey Gardens, and the first part of the video is about that. Kalina Ivanov, the production designer talks a bit about her work. Sucsy gives her what may be the best compliment ever regarding the East Hampton premiere of the film!

From YouTube, by SCADDistrictTV, on November 5, 2009

Michael Sucsy discusses "Grey Gardens"

Director Michael Sucsy and Production Designer Kalina Ivanov of their HBO film Grey Gardens at the 2009 Savannah Film Festival.

Source

Do you love Maysles documentaries? What about Maysles specs?

Albert Maysles' eyeglasses have a following of their own, and now you can get your own Al Maysles glasses!

From The Moment, by Sandra Ballentine, on October 23, 2009

Sight Line | A Maysles Spectacle

It’s not often that one can look at the world through the eyes of a genius, but thanks to a collaboration between Barneys New York and the California-based eyewear company Barton Perreira, you can at least view it through one’s glasses. These frames—a reproduction of a pair worn by the filmmaker Albert Maysles (of “Grey Gardens” and “Gimme Shelter” fame) since 1960—were conceived as the result of a crush. “Our whole office is in love with Albert,” admits Julie Gilhart, Barneys’ fashion director. The Madison Avenue store will host an event for Maysles on Nov. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. Fans of the filmmaker—and of his glasses (they start at $350)—are welcome.

Source