BOOK OF THE WEEK
FOREVER ELIZABETH: ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHERS ON A LEGENDARY STAR
(ACC Artwork Books, £45, 252 pp)
As a lot as for her traditional movies (Cleopatra, Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?), Elizabeth Taylor was well-known as a part of artwork historical past — all these Warhol screen-prints — and vogue pictures.
For almost half a century (she died in 2011 on the age of 79) she appeared on posters and journal spreads, sporting swimsuits and exhibiting off her dazzling diamonds.
From the start, as a younger star of Lassie movies and Nationwide Velvet, she was acutely aware of her bodily picture.
A brand new guide shares formal portraits of Elizabeth Taylor (pictured), who appeared on posters and journal spreads for almost half a century
‘Our baby star has all of the sudden developed a sublime bosom and turn into a completely shaped girl,’ mentioned studio boss Louis B. Mayer.
Her most startling attribute, nonetheless, was the color of her eyes — a vivid shade of violet, as captured in footage by Douglas Kirkland. She knew the right way to intensify them, particularly when she appeared in Cleopatra, which price tens of tens of millions and took years to finish.
A lot of this time was spent ready for Taylor to emerge from her dressing-room. Her elaborate eye make-up, the lids plastered with sequins, took an age. ‘I feel Egyptian gown and make-up are very turning into to a girl,’ she mentioned — and it shortly caught on as a Swinging Sixties fashion.
In her movies, Taylor is usually gazing at herself in a mirror. It’s nearly as if she was amused by her astonishing magnificence.
The whole lot is tremendously synthetic, however. Even in her non-public life, Taylor employed a full-time entourage of hairdressers, make-up individuals and wardrobe assistants.
She was all the time late for occasions, because the preparations have been in depth — there’s an fascinating image within the guide, by Terry O’Neill, of her make-up desk. It’s laborious to imagine the huge array of cosmetics and sprays, lipsticks, brushes and cotton wool pads.
What this implies is that images of Taylor in her pure state are very uncommon. There’s one right here, snapped by Eva Sereny, and I’m unsure I like seeing the white streaks within the raven tresses, her careworn complexion. I a lot choose the stunning class captured by Milton Greene within the Fifties, when Taylor was married to Michael Wilding.
For it is a guide primarily of formal portraits, the place a substantial amount of retouching has gone on.
Terry O’Neill feedback that earlier than the star appeared in particular person, the photographer would have executed a whole lot of assessments with the lighting and the digital camera. Pictured: Elizabeth off responsibility in 1972
As Terry O’Neill feedback, earlier than the star appeared in particular person, the photographer would have executed a whole lot of assessments with the lighting and the cameras.‘ Nothing can go improper.’ Taylor’s moles discreetly come and go, particularly the one beneath her left eye.
She additionally, notoriously, had a weight downside. Being not a lot taller than 5 ft, just a few kilos both means actually confirmed, and Burton, once more, cherished teasing her — even on their first marriage ceremony day, in 1964, he was heard to say, ‘The place is that fats cow of mine?’
No marvel Taylor divorced him twice — he was very impolite. ‘I feel her arms shouldn’t be over-exposed. She ought to by no means put on low-heeled sneakers,’ he mentioned. However wanting on the many portraits on this guide, Burton did have a degree. Because the years go, Taylor went from tomboyish horny teenager, to lovely younger bride and mom, to seductively and attractively plumpish. Lastly, she grew to become huge, bawdy and camp, like a drag queen.
A whole lot of the photographs right here match that latter description, the place Taylor is dripping with jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari. In 1968, Burton purchased Taylor the 33.19-carat Krupp Diamond. ‘Is that the well-known ring? How very vulgar,’ mentioned Princess Margaret, who requested to attempt it on. ‘Not so vulgar now, is it?’ mentioned Taylor.
Because the editor, Robert Risko, says right here, one of many appeals of Taylor is that she ‘piled on the whipped cream and chocolate sauce’ and loved life in a raucous means.
In 1989, Taylor was the topic of the most costly nonetheless {photograph} ever taken. Pictured: Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor
In lots of footage taken on movie units and in unique areas, Taylor has an enormous drink. A pint of Bloody Mary on the go was commonplace.
Gered Mankowitz, who photographed Taylor with Burton making a Tennessee Williams movie known as Increase, noticed the results of the boozing. There was a ‘nice deal of rigidity on set,’ culminating in ‘screaming and issues being thrown’, he revealed.
Burton locked himself in his caravan and refused to return out, as a result of ‘Taylor had extra traces than him’.
Eva Sereny, in Rome, additionally thought ‘it was apparent one thing was occurring. You would really feel it. There was no nice love between them that day’.
You sense, nonetheless, that even the bust-ups have been a part of the Burton and Taylor publicity machine, the studios eager for stills photographers to provide the general public ‘a style of what was subsequent for his or her favorite stars’. Taylor’s birthdays have been all the time recorded for the world’s Press by the likes of Norman Parkinson, a favorite of royalty.
Kaftans camouflage the majority. The lip gloss glistens. Taylor’s hair is both an suave mess or coiled and swirled and piled up like a helmet. There have to be Vaseline or Nivea smeared on the lens to convey the soft-focus impact.
FOREVER ELIZABETH: ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHERS ON A LEGENDARY STAR (ACC Artwork Books, £45, 252 pp)
Taylor seems barely startled, as if somebody has simply mentioned they thought she was Dame Edna.
In 1989, Taylor was the topic of the most costly nonetheless {photograph} ever taken. To promote considered one of her perfumes, a Greek temple and plunge pool have been constructed on a Hollywood sound-stage. Taylor’s head, in full struggle paint, emerges from the water. Gary Bernstein may be very pleased with the outcomes. I feel it’s oddly cheesy. However, one of many issues I do love about Taylor is that from a 2021 perspective she may be very uncontemporary. As a girl, she by no means felt oppressed.
There was no want for her to wield weapons and to do stunts as a super-heroine, like Angelina Jolie.
She had curves, breasts, a stomach. The sexual tingles have been intense, and drove Burton (and different males) to distraction, as a result of all was implied, veiled, by no means proven instantly. Her spell by no means broke.
- Roger Lewis’s guide about Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Erotic Vagrancy, can be printed by Quercus.