OMG, I finally got to watch the Grey Gardens original documentary

[LynneSin]

Well I got half way thru it then the bowels of hell opened up and unleashed a nasty thunderstorm in our area.

From what I've seen I've been totally amazed; I'm restarting the DVD again tonight. From what I've seen you'd think these were just a pair of crazy nutjobs but there is something amazing about both of them especially the older Edith Bouvier Beale. Grey Gardens was something she truly believed in to the point that she would rather live in that filth than to compromise what she believed in.

Watching the original movie you have to say it was genius to have casted Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore for the HBO version of the movie. Those 2 really played true to who Big & Little Edie were.

[caty]

1. I saw the movie

and thought it was really depressing. Little Edie was put in a position by her mother that lead to a depressing and unfulfilled life. Mothers (or fathers) who guilt their children into devoting their lives to them is something I've never understood. It's selfish and destructive.

[Aristus]

2. What was it she believed in? And why was it so important that she not compromise it?

I've never seen the documentary. All I know about it is that it is about two Kennedy relatives who live in filth and squalor for some reason I don't know about. Clue me in, please. B-)

[LynneSin]

3. D'uh - it's the obvious, she loved her home. It was her home

and she never wanted to live anywhere else but there. Ok mind you she neither had the ability or the money to take care of that home but she never ever loved it any less.

In some ways I've read stories about people who had their houses foreclosed but managed to break back in and continue living there. I guess when we find a place where we feel totally ourselves, totally safe and at peace you tend to overlook living amongst the undesirable things whether it's the foreclosure sign on the front of the house or 40 years of filth gathered under one roof.

Still trying to figure out Little Edie, she really was a victim of her time and family's position in society. Had she been born into a poor family there may not have been as much pressure to marriage or she may have had an idea of how to survive without means to pay for it. She was never raised to be anything other than a society wife and when she rebelled against that she paid for 30 years trapped in that house both physically and mentally.

[Aristus]

4. Sad. I guess being born rich really screws up your though processes.

If you're rich, and living in filth, get off your lazy ass and clean things up!

I've known poor people who always kept things spic-and-span, and didn't let their children out of the house unless they were washed and wearing clean clothes in good repair. Being poor doesn't mean you have to live in squalor.

[Minimus]

5. It is an awesome documentary. Make sure to keep the DVD playing past

the credits. There is a telephone conversation between Little Edie and one of the Maysles that occurred right after the 2000 election. She lived in FL at the time and talks about the mess and hopes that Gore ends up winning.

Also check out the documentary "The Beales of Grey Gardens". The surviving brother released more footage that was not included in the original documentary. He released the footage in 2006 when it was announced that Drew Barrymore was going to be making the movie for HBO.

I agree that Jessica and Drew did an excellent job.


Check out this website for some unbelievable pictures and other fascinating information:

http://www.greygardensonline.com/index.html

[myrna minx]

6. That was such a compelling documentary.

You may find this slide show interesting. I haven't seen the HBO film yet. Would you recommend it?

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/04/17/garden/20090417-insidegreygardens_index.html

[tigereye]

7. it's very compelling (and sad) isn't it?

[BarenakedLady]

8. I saw that a long time ago

It really stuck with me.

I wasn't able to watch the movie version yet. I'll have to wait until it comes out on DVD.

[rebel with a cause]

13. I would recommend the movie.

It is shocking how close the actors come in protraying the two real women.

As far as the mother controlling the daughter (like someone up thread stated), she did do that to a point to keep her daughter with her but the two were really co-dependent on each other. They both lived in a dream world where they were something they really were not: or something they were not allowed to be. :shrug:

[rebel with a cause]

14. self delete

[applegrove]

9. I saw it almost a decade ago. It was fascinating and sad.

[SmokingJacket]

10. Best documentary ever.

I saw it years ago, and rewatch every few years.

What's fascinating is not how they're crazy, but how they're like everyone else... it's just incredibly moving and funny.

[mitchum]

11. I love that documentary. When I was younger, I spent a lot of time...

with mad, disturbed, substance addicted, etc. people who lived in grandeur gone to seed. There was a circuit (and I imagine there is still one today) I always say that I was a professional house guest.
When I watch "Grey Garden" I get nostalgic.

[JuniperLea]

12. My sister is gonzo over these films...

The documentary and the Barrymore film. I have them in queue on Netflix...

[LynneSin]

15. It took me 2 months to get it from Netflix

I just loaned it to my neighbor. She loved the HBO show and I told her I had the original documentary on DVD. She's borrowed my DVDs before and usually I just tell her to put them in the mail when she's done but this one I wanted back - I want to watch it again before I return it.

I'll try to get it back next week so you can get a copy

*giggles*

[JuniperLea]

16. Hehe!

What a sport! ;)