Anyone who’s interested in vaudeville, burlesque, sideshows, and the fringes of 20th century show business will know of The Hilton Sisters, Violet and Daisy. These attractive “Siamese twins” (as they were called in those days) were headliners on stage, appeared in Tod Browning’s movie Freaks in 1932 and starred in their own exploitation feature Chained for Life twenty years later. But while they’ve long been on my radar, I must confess that I knew virtually nothing about their lives. Leslie Zemeckis, who explored the backstage world of burlesque in her last documentary, Behind the Burly Q, now offers a straightforward and thorough biography of Violet and Daisy. She has diligently...
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- 6/27/2014
- by Leonard Maltin
- Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
It was back in 2012 when we first heard about Bound by Flesh, a documentary focusing on the lives of Siamese twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, who were featured in Tod Browning's classic film Freaks. Here we are years later with an exclusive clip and lots more.
From the Press Release
Sundance Selects will open the new documentary Bound By Flesh, about conjoined twin superstars Daisy and Violet Hilton, theatrically in Los Angeles on June 27 and on VOD. The award-winning film was directed by Leslie Zemeckis (Behind The Burly Q).
American sideshows were in fairs, circuses, and carnivals. There were acts such as glass blowers, musicians, and also the freaks. Most freaks just stood there while the audience wandered past. The Hilton sisters, however, were trained to put on a winning performance. They sang, danced, and played a variety of musical instruments. Once they quit the carnival world and started playing vaudeville houses,...
From the Press Release
Sundance Selects will open the new documentary Bound By Flesh, about conjoined twin superstars Daisy and Violet Hilton, theatrically in Los Angeles on June 27 and on VOD. The award-winning film was directed by Leslie Zemeckis (Behind The Burly Q).
American sideshows were in fairs, circuses, and carnivals. There were acts such as glass blowers, musicians, and also the freaks. Most freaks just stood there while the audience wandered past. The Hilton sisters, however, were trained to put on a winning performance. They sang, danced, and played a variety of musical instruments. Once they quit the carnival world and started playing vaudeville houses,...
- 6/26/2014
- by Steve Barton
- DreadCentral.com
Review by Sam Moffitt
I love strippers! Always have and always will. Having said that I have never been to a real burlesque show. Oh, I’ve been to tittie bars, sure, tittie bars, absolutely! Four years in the Navy and having been a bachelor all my life (I am engaged to a wonderful woman so cut me some slack here) I’ve been to plenty of bars where topless dancers do their shimmy and shake and hang from the pole and all that. But that isn’t really burlesque.
I can remember growing up in St. Louis in the 60s and 70s and looking at ads in the Globe Democrat and Post Dispatch for the Grand Burlesque downtown (was it on Washington?) and the Stardust Burlesque on DeBaliviere. How I wanted to go to those theaters, how I wanted to see Evelyn West and her $20,000 (was that the dollar amount?...
I love strippers! Always have and always will. Having said that I have never been to a real burlesque show. Oh, I’ve been to tittie bars, sure, tittie bars, absolutely! Four years in the Navy and having been a bachelor all my life (I am engaged to a wonderful woman so cut me some slack here) I’ve been to plenty of bars where topless dancers do their shimmy and shake and hang from the pole and all that. But that isn’t really burlesque.
I can remember growing up in St. Louis in the 60s and 70s and looking at ads in the Globe Democrat and Post Dispatch for the Grand Burlesque downtown (was it on Washington?) and the Stardust Burlesque on DeBaliviere. How I wanted to go to those theaters, how I wanted to see Evelyn West and her $20,000 (was that the dollar amount?...
- 9/16/2013
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Exclusive: Leslie and Robert Zemeckis are teaming on Bound By Flesh, a documentary she will direct on Daisy and Violet Hilton, Siamese sisters joined at the hip who graduated from wax museums and the carnival sideshow circuit to become the biggest moneymaking act on vaudeville. At their peak, they worked alongside Jack Benny, Bob Hope and Burns and Allen. Robert Zemeckis, her husband, will be executive producer, with Jackie Levine producing. Born in Brighton, England, the sisters were conjoined twins and their mother, a single barmaid, sold them to her boss, who sniffed a freak show fortune. They were taught to dance and sing, and were exploited throughout their childhood until they eventually sued and won their freedom. They went on to have a successful career until the business phased out. Zemeckis is planning a spring, 2013 release. Zemeckis helmed the documentary Behind the Burly Q, and created the one-woman burlesque-inspired...
- 4/11/2012
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Disc Dish recently spoke to Leslie Zemeckis, director of Behind the Burly Q, a documentary that looks behind the scenes of the burlesque industry, the popular entertainment vaudevillian entertainment that thrived during the fist half of the 20th century. The film primarily focuses on the men and women who performed on the burlesque circuit — the dancers, comedians, singers and musicians who took to the stage to entertain the masses at a time when they needed it (i.e. The Great Depression, World War II, etc.).
Behind the Burly Q is available on DVD from First Run Features for a list price of $24.99.
Dd: So, why a documentary about burlesque?
Lz: In 2005, I was doing a burlesque-inspired show in Los Angeles [entitled Staar], and I became fascinating by the burlesque world, particularly the dancers and their lives on the road. I don’t think people today understand just how substantial burlesque entertainment was at one time.
Behind the Burly Q is available on DVD from First Run Features for a list price of $24.99.
Dd: So, why a documentary about burlesque?
Lz: In 2005, I was doing a burlesque-inspired show in Los Angeles [entitled Staar], and I became fascinating by the burlesque world, particularly the dancers and their lives on the road. I don’t think people today understand just how substantial burlesque entertainment was at one time.
- 4/18/2011
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Fred Weekend Shopping Guide - your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…
(Please support Fred by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)
After the massive success of Sgt. Bilko, creator Nat Hiken moved on to birth another of my absolute favorite comedies, Car 54, Where Are You? (Shanachie, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 Srp). It’s been one of those shows whose arrival on DVD I’ve long wished for, and the wait was worth it, as the first season has been mastered from the original 35mm prints, and looks better than it’s ever been.
(Please support Fred by using the links below to make any impulse purchases - it helps to keep us going…)
After the massive success of Sgt. Bilko, creator Nat Hiken moved on to birth another of my absolute favorite comedies, Car 54, Where Are You? (Shanachie, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 Srp). It’s been one of those shows whose arrival on DVD I’ve long wished for, and the wait was worth it, as the first season has been mastered from the original 35mm prints, and looks better than it’s ever been.
- 4/15/2011
- by UncaScroogeMcD
DVD Links: DVD News | Release Dates | New Dvds | Reviews | RSS Feed
Tracy and Hepburn the Definitive Collection I've mentioned this collection twice in the last two weeks in my Sunday What I Watched columns and I know I will be mentioning it again this week after watching Keeper of the Flame. Suffice to say, considering everything releasing this week this nine film collection is my top pick.
For anyone that's seen The Adjustment Bureau and fell in love with the chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, this is a release for you as Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn had a chemistry unlike any other and this set puts it all on display. Now I won't say every film included is a winner, but I will say Hepburn and Tracy make a film hard not to enjoy.
The great thing about this collection is Warner Home Video was able to...
Tracy and Hepburn the Definitive Collection I've mentioned this collection twice in the last two weeks in my Sunday What I Watched columns and I know I will be mentioning it again this week after watching Keeper of the Flame. Suffice to say, considering everything releasing this week this nine film collection is my top pick.
For anyone that's seen The Adjustment Bureau and fell in love with the chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, this is a release for you as Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn had a chemistry unlike any other and this set puts it all on display. Now I won't say every film included is a winner, but I will say Hepburn and Tracy make a film hard not to enjoy.
The great thing about this collection is Warner Home Video was able to...
- 4/12/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Growing up, there were many things I glimpsed on TV or in movies that were from a time way past my own, that stuck in my head and floated around in there without any context like individual clouds. Some of those things were old black and white images of women gyrating nude or mostly nude on a stage, or lying seductively in huge oysters, or dancing with large feathered fans they maneuvered tactfully about their naked bodies. As far as I knew, they were just old-time strippers. I was a child of the 80s and 90s, and don’t know exactly where I saw those snippets of old motion picture from the early 1900s – perhaps on a TV show or a movie that for whatever reason had to use some of that archive footage of those dancing beauties; or perhaps I just caught something more modern that simply re-enacted what...
- 4/10/2011
- by Savio Pham
- JustPressPlay.net
DVD Playhouse—April 2011
By
Allen Gardner
Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood’s spiritual thriller follows a trio of characters whose seemingly disparate paths converge: Matt Damon as a blue collar Joe who tries to fight against his psychic powers that see “the other side,” Cecile de France as a journalist who somehow survives the tsunami that crushed Indonesia, and a London schoolboy (Frankie and George McLaren) who seeks answers after losing his twin brother. Like all of Eastwood’s films, the narrative construction is tight as a drum, with solid work by all involved. That said, “solid” would have to be the operative word to describe the proceedings here, as well as “unremarkable” and “uninvolving” on an emotional level. Perhaps we expect too much when we see Clint’s name on a film these days, but that’s the flip side of being one of the best. Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.
By
Allen Gardner
Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood’s spiritual thriller follows a trio of characters whose seemingly disparate paths converge: Matt Damon as a blue collar Joe who tries to fight against his psychic powers that see “the other side,” Cecile de France as a journalist who somehow survives the tsunami that crushed Indonesia, and a London schoolboy (Frankie and George McLaren) who seeks answers after losing his twin brother. Like all of Eastwood’s films, the narrative construction is tight as a drum, with solid work by all involved. That said, “solid” would have to be the operative word to describe the proceedings here, as well as “unremarkable” and “uninvolving” on an emotional level. Perhaps we expect too much when we see Clint’s name on a film these days, but that’s the flip side of being one of the best. Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.
- 4/6/2011
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
DVD Playhouse—April 2011
By
Allen Gardner
Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood’s spiritual thriller follows a trio of characters whose seemingly disparate paths converge: Matt Damon as a blue collar Joe who tries to fight against his psychic powers that see “the other side,” Cecile de France as a journalist who somehow survives the tsunami that crushed Indonesia, and a London schoolboy (Frankie and George McLaren) who seeks answers after losing his twin brother. Like all of Eastwood’s films, the narrative construction is tight as a drum, with solid work by all involved. That said, “solid” would have to be the operative word to describe the proceedings here, as well as “unremarkable” and “uninvolving” on an emotional level. Perhaps we expect too much when we see Clint’s name on a film these days, but that’s the flip side of being one of the best. Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.
By
Allen Gardner
Hereafter (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood’s spiritual thriller follows a trio of characters whose seemingly disparate paths converge: Matt Damon as a blue collar Joe who tries to fight against his psychic powers that see “the other side,” Cecile de France as a journalist who somehow survives the tsunami that crushed Indonesia, and a London schoolboy (Frankie and George McLaren) who seeks answers after losing his twin brother. Like all of Eastwood’s films, the narrative construction is tight as a drum, with solid work by all involved. That said, “solid” would have to be the operative word to describe the proceedings here, as well as “unremarkable” and “uninvolving” on an emotional level. Perhaps we expect too much when we see Clint’s name on a film these days, but that’s the flip side of being one of the best. Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.
- 4/6/2011
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Durham, Nc - The hard truth of cinema takes place at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, Nc from April 14-17. That’s four solid days of movies that don’t feature Natalie Portman’s face being digitally inserted on other bodies. Four days of real people doing real stuff. And you can get some great BBQ.
This years line up has enough goodness to make me have to make painful choices as what to watch. There’s only one screening unless a movie wins a major prize. It’s be there or miss out. Choice wisely. Here’s a few of the films I’m looking to catch:
The Hangman (Thursday 10:20 a.m.) appears to be a creepy classic as it probes the man who executed Nazi Adolph Eichmann. What’s he do now? He ritually slaughters animals. Windfall (Thurs 4:20 p.m.) takes us to Meredith,...
This years line up has enough goodness to make me have to make painful choices as what to watch. There’s only one screening unless a movie wins a major prize. It’s be there or miss out. Choice wisely. Here’s a few of the films I’m looking to catch:
The Hangman (Thursday 10:20 a.m.) appears to be a creepy classic as it probes the man who executed Nazi Adolph Eichmann. What’s he do now? He ritually slaughters animals. Windfall (Thurs 4:20 p.m.) takes us to Meredith,...
- 4/5/2011
- by UncaScroogeMcD
Up until today I have not seen the video of the song "Friday" featuring Rebecca Black. Mostly because when it came out I was at SXSW and just didn't have time and after seeing everyone's reactions to it decided it was best to stay away. Very similar to my approach to "Two Girls One Cup." (Mom, Do Not Google That! Call me if you really want to know.) (Sorry, my parents read my column.) However, it was announced last night on "The Colbert Report" that Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon had raised $26,000 for Donors Choose and so Colbert would be performing Patrice Wilson's (the actual writer of the song, rather than the hapless teenager unfortunate enough to have sung it) "Friday" with The Roots on... Friday. Obviously. So I may have to watch the video just to get the full effect. Oh, and I also saw this video of Amanda Palmer...
- 3/31/2011
- by Intern Rusty
The next few months of programming on Showtime have been laid out today, as the network has provided a list of premiere dates for new scripted shows, reality shows, adapted web series (Lisa Kudrow's buzzworthy Web Therapy), and old favorites. Notable dates include Weeds and The Big C premiering in late June (they were both running into last fall, since they both started in August) and the final season of Secret Diary of a Call Girl leading into a reality show about male escorts. Check out the press release below for synopses, times/dates, and information about other things happening on Showtime in the near future. What will you be watching?
Via Showtime:
New Original Series
The Borgias
2-hour premiere: Sunday, April 3rd at 9 Pm Et/Pt; following premiere, new episodes will air Sundays at 10 Pm Et/Pt
1 Hour, 9 Episodes
The Borgias stars Oscar®-winning actor Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia,...
Via Showtime:
New Original Series
The Borgias
2-hour premiere: Sunday, April 3rd at 9 Pm Et/Pt; following premiere, new episodes will air Sundays at 10 Pm Et/Pt
1 Hour, 9 Episodes
The Borgias stars Oscar®-winning actor Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia,...
- 3/1/2011
- by Shilo Adams
- TVovermind.com
Back To The Future director Robert Zemeckis has a wife. Her name is Leslie and she likes the art of burlesque enough to make a documentary about it. Behind The Burly Q, Leslie Zemeckis' first film, follows the golden age of burlesque up to the present and features talking-head interviews with the people who lived it.
Watch the trailer below:
Among the subjects interviewed are a journalist who covered burlesque shows in the 1930s, dancers of various ages (some of whom are still performing, amazingly, as septuagenarians), Alan Alda (his father was the straight man at burlesque shows) and others.
read more...
Watch the trailer below:
Among the subjects interviewed are a journalist who covered burlesque shows in the 1930s, dancers of various ages (some of whom are still performing, amazingly, as septuagenarians), Alan Alda (his father was the straight man at burlesque shows) and others.
read more...
- 2/8/2011
- by Anna Breslaw
- Filmology
Exclusive: Showtime has picked up the documentary Behind the Burly Q, from first-time filmmaker Leslie Zemeckis, which is executive produced by her husband, Robert Zemeckis. Behind the Burly Q, which chronicles the art of burlesque's golden age through the stories of the performers who lived it, will debut on Showtime on March 31. Featured in the docu are interviews with Alan Alda, whose father was a straight man at burlesque performances, journalist Nat Bodian, who wrote about the shows in the 1930s, Lorraine Lee, who danced for the likes of Bonnie & Clyde and Pretty Boy Floyd, Abbott & Costello, Tempest Storm, who still performs today, and the notorious Blaze Starr. Below is a trailer:...
- 2/8/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Getty Images Actress Sharon Stone attends a special screening of “Behind the Burly Q” in New York City.
It’s been a while since Sharon Stone’s ice-pick-wielding turn on the big screen, but it’s still strange to hear about the icy-cool actress playing on the other side of the law. Stone’s four-episode arc on “Law & Order: Svu,” in which she plays an assistant district attorney and former cop, begins April 28.
“I went out on ride-arounds with individual women policemen who are now riding alone in cars, and their partner is alone in another car, out in some of the more difficult and dangerous communities in Los Angeles,” said Stone of her in-the-field research for the show.
She was at the Celeste Bartos Theater at the Museum of Modern Art last night, introducing a special screening of Leslie Zemeckis’ new burlesque documentary, “Behind the Burly Q.” “And then...
It’s been a while since Sharon Stone’s ice-pick-wielding turn on the big screen, but it’s still strange to hear about the icy-cool actress playing on the other side of the law. Stone’s four-episode arc on “Law & Order: Svu,” in which she plays an assistant district attorney and former cop, begins April 28.
“I went out on ride-arounds with individual women policemen who are now riding alone in cars, and their partner is alone in another car, out in some of the more difficult and dangerous communities in Los Angeles,” said Stone of her in-the-field research for the show.
She was at the Celeste Bartos Theater at the Museum of Modern Art last night, introducing a special screening of Leslie Zemeckis’ new burlesque documentary, “Behind the Burly Q.” “And then...
- 4/20/2010
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
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