Waterloo Bridge - The Kinks, Monet, Cope and Film
I love The Kinks, always have always will but I wanted to share this one because of a, perhaps odd, obsession I have with Waterloo Bridge. I don't know why but this particular bridge in London has always captured my imagination. Its also captured the imagination of a great many musicians, poets and artists including Monet, The Kinks (as below), Mervyn LeRoy (the 1940 film Waterloo Bridge) and Wendy Cope.
Below is a video of The Kinks' classic with lyrics written underneath.
Underneath this are some beautiful paintings by Monet. Monet would often explore the same subject repeatedly, e.g. hay stacks, churches and finally water lilies. These are known as his series paintings. We are lucky enough that in the early 20th century he chose to paint some of this captivating bridge.
There are two films of Waterloo Bridge one produced in 1940 by Melvyn LeRoy staring Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh as well as an earlier version from 1931 staring Mae Clarke and Douglass Montgomery / Kent Douglass (Douglass Montgomery was a stage name). Watch both. They are very different but equally magnificent. The leading men and women are very different and create very different characters from each other, not to mention the important plot differences. They are also fascinating as cultural documents. The original film is set during World War I, then, in 1940 with Europe in another war the film was reprised to tell the tale of new but similar lovers, people cast out of place by large events finding one another.
I love The Kinks, always have always will but I wanted to share this one because of a, perhaps odd, obsession I have with Waterloo Bridge. I don't know why but this particular bridge in London has always captured my imagination. Its also captured the imagination of a great many musicians, poets and artists including Monet, The Kinks (as below), Mervyn LeRoy (the 1940 film Waterloo Bridge) and Wendy Cope.
Below is a video of The Kinks' classic with lyrics written underneath.
Underneath this are some beautiful paintings by Monet. Monet would often explore the same subject repeatedly, e.g. hay stacks, churches and finally water lilies. These are known as his series paintings. We are lucky enough that in the early 20th century he chose to paint some of this captivating bridge.
There are two films of Waterloo Bridge one produced in 1940 by Melvyn LeRoy staring Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh as well as an earlier version from 1931 staring Mae Clarke and Douglass Montgomery / Kent Douglass (Douglass Montgomery was a stage name). Watch both. They are very different but equally magnificent. The leading men and women are very different and create very different characters from each other, not to mention the important plot differences. They are also fascinating as cultural documents. The original film is set during World War I, then, in 1940 with Europe in another war the film was reprised to tell the tale of new but similar lovers, people cast out of place by large events finding one another.
Dirty old river, must you keep rolling, flowing into the night
People so busy, make me feel dizzy, taxi light shines so bright
But I don't, need no friends
As long as I gaze on Waterloo Sunset, I am in paradise
Every day I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is the evening time, Waterloo sunset's fine.
Terry meets Julie, Waterloo Station, every Friday night
But I am so lazy, don't want to wander, I stay at home at night
But I don't, feel afraid
As long as I gaze on Waterloo Sunset, I am in paradise
Every day I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is the evening time, Waterloo sunset's fine.
Millions of people swarming like flies 'round Waterloo underground
But Terry and Julie cross over the river where they feel safe and sound
And they don't, need no friends
As long as they gaze on Waterloo Sunset, they are in paradise
Waterloo sunset's fine.
And here are the film posters to get your interest.
.jpeg)
As usual I do not own or have the rights to any of the music, images, paintings or words or anything else.
No comments:
Post a Comment