#robert matzen

[beachboysnatural]

Remembered the whole Errol Flynn John Huston drama from 1945 (normal way to start a post) and decided to Investigate and it is so fun because there are multiple accounts of how the fight went, like, physically, as well as a few different accounts of what was said that sparked the fight in the first place (although one is definitely mentioned more than the other so I'm inclined to believe that one more) AND I even ran into one of those guys I already knew to watch out for who just lie and make shit up about Old Hollywood actors for the dramatics. In like thirty minutes

[mygreatadventurehasbegun]

2022 recap tag game

I was tagged by @nitrateglow

top 3 films: The Black Phone, Glass Onion and Muppet Treasure Island

top 3 shows: Did I watch any new shows this year?  I did do a re-watch of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which was fun.

top 3 books:  One by One, by Ruth Ware; Warrior: Audrey Hepburn, by Robert Matzen and Legion by William Peter Blatty

top 3 biggest improvements: Attempting to speak up for myself more, trying to focus on self care when I need it and...I think that’s it, sadly.

top 3 resolutions: Started voice lessons again, albeit fairly sporadically and not until the end of the year, took steps to get away from my current job by training to become a HMUA, and submitted auditions to out-of-state theaters

favorite song: Lonely Boy by The Black Keys

favorite quote: Nothing comes to mind!

I tag @hobbitmajora @fran-kubelik @sweet-christabel  and anyone else who wants to play!

[readreadbookblog]

Books that I’ve Read

Here is all the new movies that I consumed in the year of 2022. I only put here the new items that I previously never have experienced before. Listed in the order that I saw them in. Lets hope that 2023’s list is greater. 

Books

Empire of Mud: The Secret History of Washington, DC by J.D. Dickey REVIEW

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata REVIEW

Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown REVIEW

The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson REVIEW

To Hell and Back by Audie Murphy REVIEW

The China Mission: George Marshall’s Unfinished War, 1945-1947 by Daniel Kurtz-Phelan REVIEW

When Books Went to War by Molly Guptill Manning REVIEW

A Cool Breeze on the Underground by Don Winslow REVIEW

Nights of the Living Dead Anthology edited by Jonathan Maberry and George A. Romero REVIEW

Goosebumps Slappyworld The Dummy Meets the Mummy by R.L. Stine REVIEW

Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen REVIEW

The Long Affair: Thomas Jefferson and the French Revolution, 1785-1800 by Conor Cruise O’Brien REVIEW

Killing a King: The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the Remaking of Israel by Dan Ephron REVIEW

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix REVIEW

63 Documents the Government Doesn’t Want You to Read by Jess Ventura and Dick Russell REVIEW

Follow Me Down by Shelby Foote REVIEW

Negro President: Jefferson and the Slave Power by Garry Wills REVIEW

Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham REVIEW

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson REVIEW

Trotsky in New York 1917 by Kenneth D. Ackerman REVIEW

Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis REVIEW

Perelandra by C.S. Lewis REVIEW

That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis 

The Burning Edge: Travels Through Irradiated Belarus by Arthur Chichester REVIEW

Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix REVIEW

Kingfish: The Reign of Huey P. Long by Richard D. White Jr. REVIEW

Best Movie Year Ever: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen by Brian Raftery REVIEW

Lost in a Good Game: Why We Play Video Games and What They Can Do for Us by Pete Etchells

Conquistadors by Michael Wood

Humanity: How Jimmy Carter Lost an Election and Transformed the Post-Presidency by Jordan Michael Smith

The Captured: A True Story of Abduction of Indians on the Texas Frontier by Scott Zesch REVIEW

Jaws by Peter Benchley

Pimp: The Story of My Life by Iceberg Slim REVIEW

1920: The Year That Made The Decade Roar by Eric Burns REVIEW

The Other Hollywood: The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry by Legs McNeil and Jennifer Osborne REVIEW

Black Cop’s Kid: An Essay by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar REVIEW

The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell by W. Kamau Bell REVIEW

Maestro Mario: How Nintendo Transformed Videogame Music into an Art by Andrew Schartmann REVIEW

The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service by Laura Kaplan REVIEW

The Last Conversation by Paul Tremblay REVIEW

[josephsciuto2]

"MISSION, JIMMY STEWART AND THE FIGHT FOR EUROPE," BY ROBERT MATZEN

After working in a famous, infamous, often described as a speakeasy, Hollywood restaurant the site of movie stars, musicians, ballplayers, politicians, high classed call girls, etc. was an everyday occurrence. Amazing, how familiarly can often take the shine off certain people and at the same time add luster to other individuals. Working at this famous establishment would provide me with some of…

[grayceec]

The Fab Robert Matzen Talks His New Book Season Of The Gods..How The Classic Film Casablanca Came To Be

[fairyhepburn]

Arguably the most recognizable UNICEF photo of Audrey was captured by John Isaac in Ethiopia. She even based a drawing on it for a charity auction. The drawing is much more somber in comparison. 

As Robert Matzen writes in Warrior, “In evoking sadness through art, Audrey achieved something she couldn’t allow herself in the field. Her natural inclination among suffering children was to bring them joy, to smile, to lift them up even if only for a moment, which worked against her mission to to serve as an eyewitness to human suffering. Photo after photo taken in Ethiopia shows a beaming Audrey with beaming children that reflcted her million-dollar impact, her natural pizzaz even among humans in dire circumstances, wracked with pain from hunger and malnutrition as most were. But after her return from Ethiopia, through a simple painting, she could show the moment before and after the smiles, the anguish of the mother, the bravery of the child.”

[nitrateglow]

Robert Matzen’s Dutch Girl is among my top favorite movie star biographies. It goes over Audrey Hepburn’s experiences during WWII and how that shaped her later in life. It’s a great read.

Matzen’s got plenty of extra goodies on his website too, like this article about Audrey Hepburn’s unhappy experience making Robin and Marian in the mid-70s. Much of her displeasure had to do with the changes made to filmmaking since the downfall of the Old Hollywood system. It’s a bit sad to read, but certainly interesting in how detailed Matzen makes the contrast between the working methods of the old studio days and New Hollywood.

[denofgeek]

In stories of doomed World War II gallantry, little is as romanticized as Operation Market Garden. A technical failure by the Allied Powers to defeat the Nazis in 1944, this invasion of the Netherlands left British paratroopers stranded around a bridge in Arnhem, far too removed from their tanks to hold the line. Nevertheless, the bravery of those Airborne “Red Devils” has lived on in pop culture, as have the Dutch resistance fighters who sheltered them. What hasbeen largely forgotten is that among those courageous souls was… a teenaged Audrey Hepburn? For about a week, in fact, the future movie star kept a Red Devil hidden in the cellar...

[Read more at Den of Geek]

[barleywheaton]

Currently reading:

Dutch Girl by Robert Matzen

It’s a biography about Audrey Hepburn. Specifically about her life during WWII. It sounds like it qas an extremely formative and traumatic time for her. I’m excited about this one.

[universitybookstore]

New from GoodKnight Books and biographer Robert Matzen, Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II.

[mergirl27]

“I’ve been constantly in situations in my life and career where I’ve had no technique, but if you just feel enough, you will get away with murder.” 

- Audrey Hepburn, from Dutch Girl by Robert Matzen

[sistercelluloid]

Audrey at 90: The Salute to Audrey Hepburn Blogathon is soon upon us, starting on her birthday, May 4!

We’re so honored to welcome a very special guest —Audrey’s son, Luca Dotti, author of the New York Times bestsellers Audrey at Home: Memories of My Mother’s Kitchen and Audrey in Rome. “I’m touched and delighted that so many writers are celebrating my mother’s 90th birthday,” he told us. “I look forward to reading the variety of topics on her films and her life which are covered here.” Luca also wrote the moving and insightful foreword to Robert Matzen’s brand-new book, Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn in World War II, an incredible story beautifully told—which will leave you even more in awe of Audrey.

And three lucky blogathon participants will win a copy of that book!

During the blogathon, we’re hoping to capture many aspects of Audrey’s remarkable life. You can focus on a movie or any other facet of her career, philanthropic work, style, or her early years and near-miraculous survival under the Nazis… whatever touches you the most.

And if you’ve already written about Audrey, you’re welcome to enter that post as well.

  Please join us in honoring this extraordinary woman. You still have time to enter, but hurry!

At the bottom of your story, please post one of the banners below and link to this post, saying something along the lines of: This piece is included in Audrey at 90: The Salute to Audrey Hepburn Blogathon, sponsored by Sister Celluloid. To see the rest of the posts, just click here.

  Belgian-born actress Audrey Hepburn (1929 – 1993) on the terrace of the Restaurant Hammetschwand at the summit of the Bürgenstock, Switzerland, circa 1955. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)

I’ll be writing about Robert Matzen’s wonderful book, and he’ll be sharing his insights into what it was like to spend so much time “with” Audrey, compared with his other fascinating subjects, including James Stewart, Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn and Carole Lombard.

The blogathon will run from May 4 to May 7. You are welcome to post your entry any time between now and May 7; just send the link in the comments section and we’ll include a live link to it in the roster below.

Here’s the list so far:

Sister Celluloid: Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and WWII Robert Matzen: Spending time “with” Audrey as a subject, compared with other stars Caftan Woman: Charade Maddy Loves Her Classic Films: A Tribute to Audrey Cinema Cities: Audrey’s five Oscar-nominated performances Cinematic Scribblings: Two for the Road Moon in Gemini: The Nun’s Story Thoughts All Sorts: Roman Holiday Realweegiemidget Reviews: Robin and Marian Three Enchanting Ladies: Funny Face The Stop Button: Secret People The Story Enthusiast: Enchantment: The Life of Audrey Hepburn by Donald Spoto The Pale Writer: Audrey’s early career and How to Steal a Million Love Letters to Old Hollywood: Love in the Afternoon Champagne for Lunch: The Nun’s Story and Robin and Marian The Midnite Drive-In: The Children’s Hour The Film Catchup: Breakfast at Tiffany’s In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood: Audrey at Home: Memories of My Mother’s Kitchen, by Luca Dotti Poppity Talks Classic Film: The Unforgiven Diary of a Movie Maniac: Bloodline and Love Among Thieves Critica Retro: Paris When It Sizzles MovieMovie logBlog: My Fair Lady 

Please request your topics in the comments section. I can’t wait to hear from you!

  The Audrey Hepburn Blogathon Proudly Welcomes Audrey’s Son, Luca Dotti! Audrey at 90: The Salute to Audrey Hepburn Blogathon is soon upon us, starting on her birthday, May 4!

[buttondownfold]

Just arrived!!

[readreadbookblog]

Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen

Audrey Hepburn was a famous actress of the 1960s. Her image today is mostly of her role in Breakfast at Tiffany's. But her life before Hollywood was tired to World War II. Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World II by Robert Matzen tries to show this.

I say tries because this book really feels more like the Netherlands during WWII. Although this book does have Audrey as the protagonist, more information is done on her family and even more on the history of Nazi occupied Netherlands. Half the book is about everyday life being slowly changed by the war. While Matzen provides good background info on Audrey’s family, such as their royal history and her mother’s pro Hitler stance, Audrey’s personal story about living through the war amounts to pages of being told that he helped the resistance (given ambiguously and really not one actually example) and that she starve alongside the nation due to forced Nazi rations.

This isn’t bad information but the thing is that this is more of a WWII story than an Audrey Hepburn story, so if you are willing to read it as such then this book is an excellent read about a nation whose story during the Second World War is forgotten after the Nazis invade beyond Anne Frank.

[josephsciuto2]

"DUTCH GIRL," BY ROBERT MATZEN.

In 1989 Audrey Hepburn, in her last movie, played an angel in Steven Spielberg’s, “Always.” At the time I thought what a perfect piece of casting. In my mind, I always felt that of all the Hollywood starlets she was the one who looked like a divine, angelic, being. In 1993, at the age of 63, Ms. Hepburn passed away. For the previous 5 years I was following her new career as a UNICEF ambassador…

[elliepassmore]

Warrior review

5/5 stars

Recommended for people who like: biographies, Audrey Hepburn, Dutch Girl, humanitarian work, UNICEF, Robert Matzen Dutch Girl review here

Note: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I read Dutch Girl the other year and really enjoyed it, so I was happy to find (and receive) Warrior on NetGalley. I absolutely sped through this book, I loved it so much (it's also a good 100 pages shorter than the first one). Once again, Matzen doesn't disappoint and goes into detail about Hepburn's desire to help the children and the scope of her humanitarian work for UNICEF. There are personal anecdotes from her life and the lives of those around her sprinkled throughout, but I think Matzen does it in such a way that it works well in the biography. I found that I enjoyed reading about adult Audrey and liked that Matzen kept more to the topic of her UNICEF work than he seemed to her Resistance work in Dutch Girl. I found it really interesting to read about how Hepburn prepared for her UNICEF trips and was fairly surprised about some of the places she visited. She really seemed to be dedicated to her humanitarian work and I think Matzen gets that across well. Like with the first book, Matzen again pays due to Hepburn's relationships. She has this network of people around her that are able to help her with UNICEF and support her career decisions. I think showing these relationships also drives home just how empathetic and connected to other people she was during her life. The close relationships she has span the ages and obviously have an impact on her, which Matzen shoes. I also think Matzen did a good job showing the impacts of the shorter relationships she fostered in the countries she went to for UNICEF and how some of those moements and conversations stayed with her throughout her life. Overall a pretty good book. It does a good job of showing Audrey's UNICEF work while also depicting how her career, family, and WWII all played a role in her life. Due to the timeline of things, Matzen does include some information about her film career as well as the end of her life, but I don't think those chapters detract from her UNICEF work.