Let's watch Elizabeth Taylor!

For July, Bentara Budaya Jakarta continues its monthly screening with theme "Elizabeth Taylor movies". So, of course we can see some of her golden movies at BBJ. Elizabeth Taylor was the most beautiful actress in Hollywood at her age. Her beauty and fame was legendary and she has had title as "Husband grabbers". In fact, she has been married and divorced for 8 times. Her acting is not so prominent, yet she has been awarded with 2 Oscar as the Best Actress. Besides all the excellencies, the world knows her well for her care in AIDS. She founded American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) which becomes the biggest donator for AIDS Research in the world.

Liz Taylor parent is American, but she was born in London on February 17th 1932. She was recognized when she is 7 years old by a family relative. Universal Pictures was astonished to see her and she got a contract for a movie, continued with a contract with MGM. On 1944, she got her first debut as the main actress through National Velvet. This movie was a big success and brought her name into international recognition. 

She was died on the March 23rd 2011. In order to remember Liz Taylor and her journey, BBJ will present six of her movies. 

 

The first one is National Velvet (1944, 124 mins) which told a story of friendship between a girl and a horse. When she was filming this movie, she got accident by falling from the horse. The injury haunted her for years until her death. The second movie is Giant (1956, 210 mins) starred by James Dean, Liz Taylor and Rock Hudson. The third movie, Cat on a Hot Thin Roof (1958, 108 mins) adapted from a Pulitzer winner script by Tennessee Williams.  The next movie, Butterfield 8  (1960, 108 mins) was starred by Liz and Eddie Fisher, her fourth husband. This movie gave Liz her first Oscar.

The fifth movie, Cleopatra (1963, 246 mins) is an epic colossal movie that spent USD 60million and made in America and England. During the filming of this movie, Liz collapsed and almost dies cause of her previous injury from the horse riding accident. It was a huge project with a high level of difficulty. I ever heard that on the milk bathing scene, Liz has to bath in a pool of spoiled milk because of a delay. Ergh..  She played in this movie with Richard Burton, who then became her fifth husband. She had married, divorced, married and divorced again with him. The sixth movie is Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966, 150mins), a marriage drama where she played with Richard Burton again. She got her second Oscar from this movie.

To discover her complex personality, BBJ presents you with a documenter titled The Elizabeth Taylor Story (2011, 86 mins) and a discussion with movie reviewer Ronny P. Tjandra.

Jumat, 22 Juli 2011

12.30   National Velvet

14.30   Giant

18.00   Elizabeth Taylor’s Story

19.30   Diskusi Bersama Ronny P Tjandra

20.30   Cat on a Hot Thin Roof

Sabtu, 23 Juli 2011

13.00    Butterfield 8

15.00    Cleopatra

19.30    Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Source: BBJ