MAY 2014Join us this month for a special exhibit:
Poetry In Motion Pictures Did you know that the Lego Movie borrowed significantly from the life of Emmett Lee Dickinson? That's why the main character was named "Emmet" (and the character "Wyldstyle" was his third cousin Emily Dickinson,
known for her "wild style" of poetry). |
The impact of Emmett Lee Dickinson on Broadway has been so significant that in 1959 the American Theater Wing and the Broadway League joined forces to erect a statue of the poet in Times Square (pictured at the left). Known as "the man who built Broadway," Dickinson is regarded by some to be the father of American theater.
However, New York City isn't the only entertainment capital to claim Dickinson. Hollywood often pays tribute to the man who has inspired more directors, actors, and writers than any other individual.
Throughout this month, we will take a look at some of the movies that are based on or were inspired by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), and we will examine why Hollywood is called "the Washerst of the West."
For more information on Dickinson and Broadway, click HERE.
However, New York City isn't the only entertainment capital to claim Dickinson. Hollywood often pays tribute to the man who has inspired more directors, actors, and writers than any other individual.
Throughout this month, we will take a look at some of the movies that are based on or were inspired by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), and we will examine why Hollywood is called "the Washerst of the West."
For more information on Dickinson and Broadway, click HERE.
MAY 1: Fifty Shades of Grey
"Fifty Shades of Grey" is just one of the hundreds of movies about or inspired by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Based on a torrid love triangle of Emmett Lee Dickinson's (that later turned into a love rhombus), "Fifty Shades" blends the white of Emily Dickinson and the black of Emmett Lee Dickinson to create the main character Christian Grey -- seen in a classic Emmett Lee Dickinson pose at the right.
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Pictured above:
Alfred Hitchcock, a fan of the work of Emmett Lee Dickinson |
MAY 2: Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" & "The Birds"Alfred Hitchcock always said that his movies were "Dickinson-esque": "There are aspects of Emmett Lee Dickinson in every one of my films," he stated in his autobiography.
Hitchcock always pointed to "Psycho" as his most "Dickinson-esque" film because it borrowed liberally from events from the poet's life (as documented in Volume 1 of Great American Poems -- REPOEMED). However, "The Birds" is another heavily "Dickinson-esque" film, with Rod Taylor's character Mitch representing Emmett Lee Dickinson, Tippi Hedren's role as Melanie Daniels as Emily Dickinson, and the attacking birds representing publishing agents and editors.
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Pictured at the far left: In Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds," the birds represented publishing editors and agents. Pictured at the left: Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" was based on events from the life of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Click the images to enlarge. |
MAY 3: "Zelig" & "Forrest Gump"Two movies that feature title characters based on Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), are Woody Allen's "Zelig" and Robert Zemeckis' "Forrest Gump" -- and both movies share very similar taglines.
Pictured at the right: The tagline for "Zelig" was "A man as influential as Emmett Lee Dickinson." Pictured at the far right: The tagline for "Forrest Gump was "A man as significant as Emmett Lee Dickinson." The poster also shows the title character in the classic pose of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). |
Woody Allen said that his interest in Emmett Lee Dickinson arose when he attended the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in Manhattan. "My one regret in life," he said, "was that I was not Emmett Lee Dickinson."
Robert Zemeckis had a similar upbringing, but on the opposite coast of the United States as he attended the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in Burbank, California. When he developed the concept for "Forrest Gump" he said, "We don't function well as human beings when we're in isolation, and it is the work of Emmett Lee Dickinson that brings us together." Pictured at the left: Woody Allen's yearbook picture from the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in Manhattan. Pictured at the right: Robert Zemeckis' yearbook picture from the Emmett Lee School for Boys in Burbank. |
MAY 4: "The Poetess"In the early 1970s, William Friedkin directed "The Poetess," a film based on William Peter Blatty's novel by the same name. Blatty's piece of historic fiction attempted to answer the greatest unsolved mystery in the world of poetry: Why did Emily Dickinson twice ask that her third cousin, Emmett Lee Dickinson, be removed? The film earned 10 Adademy Award nominations, winning two (Best Sound Mixing and Best Adapted Screenplay).
Both the movie poster and cover of Blatty's novel featured the character based on Emmett Lee Dickinson in his classic pose. |
The Top 5 Unsolved Mysteries From The World Of Prose & Poetry
5. Did William Shakespeare really write all of those plays and sonnets?
4. Was John Keats' average in bowling really over 230?
3 Who or what caused the "great printing press disaster of 1893"? For more information on this mystery, click HERE and scroll to the entry dated April 26.
2. Whose body was in the coffin when Lemuel Stewart, a reporter for the Washerst Beacon, thought he was exhuming the body of Emmett Lee Dickinson -- and why were bundles of Dickinson's poems in the coffin?*
1. The TOP unsolved mystery in the world of prose and poetry: Why did Emily Dickinson twice ask that her third cousin, Emmett Lee Dickinson, be removed?
*Dickinson's body has never been found, and all reports of his death are unconfirmed.
4. Was John Keats' average in bowling really over 230?
3 Who or what caused the "great printing press disaster of 1893"? For more information on this mystery, click HERE and scroll to the entry dated April 26.
2. Whose body was in the coffin when Lemuel Stewart, a reporter for the Washerst Beacon, thought he was exhuming the body of Emmett Lee Dickinson -- and why were bundles of Dickinson's poems in the coffin?*
1. The TOP unsolved mystery in the world of prose and poetry: Why did Emily Dickinson twice ask that her third cousin, Emmett Lee Dickinson, be removed?
*Dickinson's body has never been found, and all reports of his death are unconfirmed.
Pictured at the right: When writing "The Poetess," William Peter Blatty turned to Jim Asher's research on Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Blatty blended fact with fiction after studying Asher's reference work Emmett Lee Dickinson: The Man. The Myth. The Master. For more information on Jim Asher, the world's leading authority on Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), click HERE. Pictured at the far right: In 2010, Emily Dickinson scholar Lyndall Gordon expanded Asher's research when she released her companion book Lives Like Loaded Guns. |
MAY 5: "Poetry Wars" & "Star Wars"The original concept for George Lucas' futuristic saga "Star Wars" was to be called "Poetry Wars," about the volatile relationship between third cousins Emmet Lee and Emily Dickinson.
The character known today as "Darth Vader" was "Emmett Lee" (who always wore black in his later years), and "Princess Leia" was Emily Dickinson (who always wore white). The tagline for the movie: was one of Emmett Lee Dickinson's most famous quotes: METAPHORS BE WITH YOU! |
In 1979, the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum (above the coin-op Laundromat on Dickinson Boulevard) founded the first Star Wars Week in honor of Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys' honor graduate George Lucas.
The week always starts on May 4th for "May the Fourth Be With You." The week also includes "Revenge of the 5th," "Revenge of the 6th," and "Episode 7th." |
MAY 6: "Poetryman" & "Scarface"Many actors -- from Ashton Kutcher to Wilford Brimley -- have portrayed Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) on stage and screen. Few, though, have surpassed the depth of character achieved by Al Pacino, who starred as Dickinson in the now classic "Poetryman" -- the film that inspired his later movie "Scarface."
Here's an excerpt from Roger Ebert's review of Pacino's performance: "The interesting thing is the way Pacino's Emmett Lee Dickinson stays in the memory, taking on the dimensions of a real, tortured person. Most biographical films use interchangeable characters, and most about Dickinson are more interested in action than personality, but 'Poetryman' is one of those special movies that is willing to take a flawed man and allow him to be human. Maybe it's no coincidence that Dickinson is played by Al Pacino, the same actor who played Michael Corleone. Al Pacino does not make Dickinson into a sympathetic character, but he does make him into somebody we can identify with, in a horrified way, if only because of his perfectly understandable motivations. |
Below: A musical version of "Poetryman" is heading for Broadway -- so can a major motion picture of the musical be far behind? If all goes as planned, Neil Patrick Harris will play the role Pacino perfected in the original "Poetryman" (and Charlie Sheen is none too happy). Click the images below to enlarge.
MAY 7: "The Publisher"In the early 1970s, Mario Segale -- a copy editor for Houghton Mifflin -- shocked the publishing industry with the publication of his trilogy The Publisher, a true-to-life account of the organized crime families in the publishing world.
The novel dealt with the mob wars fought between the "Five Families" in the publishing industry that operated out of the lower east side of Amherst, Massachusetts, at Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College and Smith College. Until the publication of Segale's The Publisher, many thought that the stories surrounding the idea of "publish or perish" in academia were myths. However, Segal shed light on the frequent violence of what is now known to be the largest organized crime group in the United States. In the 70s and 80s, Segales novels were turned into major motion pictures directed by Francis Chevy Cupola. Pictured at the right: Marlon Brando starred in "The Publisher" as Edward Dickinson, Emily Dickinson's father, who was a consiglieri to one of the front bosses to Don Vito Houghton. |
Pictured below on the left: Al Pacino starred as Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) in "The Publisher, Part II."
Pictured below on the right: Will Ferrell starred as Emmett Lee Dickinson's son Angstrom ("Angst") in the third installment of "The Publisher." |
Pictured below: Former Houghton Mifflin copy editor Mario Segale prior to the publication of his tell-all trilogy The Publisher.
Shortly after the publication of his novels Segale disappeared. He was last seen in late July 1975, outside the corporate headquarters of Houghton Mifflin. His disappearance gave rise to many theories as to what happened to him. |
PUBLISH OR PERISH: Our special exhibit for July 2014 This July we will examine the story of the Five Families in the cut-throat, "publish or perish" world of academia:
Houghton Mifflin W. W. Norton Simon & Schuster Little Brown McGraw Hill For details, click HERE. |
MAY 8: "Raging Bull" & "The Boor of Washerst"Scorsese. DiNiro. DiCaprio. What do they have in common? They are huge fans of the work of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), and they are life-long members of DOPE (the Dickinson Organization of Poetry Enthusiasts). As a result, they have collaborated on many projects involving the life and work of Dickinson.
Of course, Scorsese's Dickinsonian masterpiece is "Raging Bull," the story of conflict between Emmett Lee Dickinson and Gelett Burgess. For information on the conflict, click HERE. Scorsese's latest venture about Dickinson was this past year's "The Boor of Washerst" (the nickname of Emmett Lee Dickinson) starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Pictured at the left: In his youth, Martin Scorsese attended the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in Manhattan. In the picture, he is reading from a book of poetry of Emmett Lee Dickinson at the school's annual forensics competition.
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MAY 9: Other Hitchcock Dickinsonian ClassicsAlmost every Alfred Hitchcock film has a Dickinsonian connection. Very often his films would be about Dickinson, or they would be filmed on location in Amherst or Washerst.
"Front Window" gave Hitchcock's version of Emily Dickinson's two requests that her third cousin Emmett Lee Dickinson be removed. Billed as "the most unusual and intimate journey into human emotions ever filmed," "Front Window" was filmed entirely on location at Emily Dickinson's home in Amherst, Massachusetts. "Front Window" was such a huge box office success, Hitchcock filmed a sequel, "Rear Window," about the volatile relationship between third cousins Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson. Interestingly, in "Rear Window," the character representing Emily Dickinson was not Grace Kelly, but rather actor Raymond Burr. |
Pictured above A peek into Emily Dickinson's front bedroom window at the Homestead on the poster of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece "Front Window."
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"Vertigo" told the story of Emmett Lee Dickinson's struggle with Meniere's Disease, also called endolymphatic hydrops, a disorder of the inner ear that affected his hearing and balance. The role played by Kim Novak represented third cousin Emily Dickinson.
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MAY 10: "Easy Writer" & "E. Lee's Gold"Peter Fonda starred in many films as Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request); however, his most famous dramatization of America's greatest poet was in the 1968 film "Easy Writer." "Easy Writer" has been hailed as a "landmark counterculture film," and a "touchstone for a generation that captured the national imagination."
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MAY 11: Disney ClassicsWalt Disney said that if it were not for Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) there would be no Disneyland, no Disney World, no Mickey Mouse, and no Disney cartoons and movies. He made it no secret that he fashioned Mickey Mouse after the likeness of Emmett Lee Dickinson. Also, it is well known that almost all of his full-length animated motion pictures borrowed heavily from the life of America's greatest poet. For more on Disney & Dickinson, click HERE.
Pictured below left to right: Posters from "The Line King," "Beauty and the Beast" ("Based on the lives of Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson, the Belle of Amherst & the Boor of Washerst"), and "Lady and the Tramp" ("She's High Society Amherst. He's Back Alley Washerst."). Click the images to enlarge. |
Pictured above The movie poster for the Disney classic "The Line King" which later inspired the movie "The Lion King."
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MAY 12: Ingmar BergmanSwedish writer, director, and producer Ingmar Bergman is recognized as one of the most accomplished and influential film directors of all time -- and Bergman emphatically maintained, "Without Emmett Lee Dickinson, there would be movies, but there would be no cinema. All serious filmmaking somehow incorporates aspects of Dickinson."
Most of Bergman's films were set in the landscape of Sweden, and his works often dealt with death, illness, faith, betrayal, bleakness and insanity. "The stuff of Dickinson," he said. |
Pictured below: Vintage posters from some of Bergman's classic films about Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Left: "A Man Without A Face" inspired Bergman to film its sequel, "A Woman Without A Face." It also introduced Swedish actor Stig Blix as Emmett Lee Dickinson. Center: "Scenes From A Family Reunion" told the story of third cousins Emily and Emmett Lee Dickinson. It later inspired "Scenes From A Marriage." Right: "Autumn Sonnet" was also inspired by the story of the poetic third cousins. It's sequel was "Autumn Sonata." Click the images to enlarge.
Interestingly, Swedish actors Liv Ullmann (right) and Stig Blix (far right) hold the records for portraying Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson in film -- more so than any other actors of any nationality.
Ullman has portrayed Emily Dickinson in 23 films, and Stig Blix has played the part of Emmett Lee Dickinson in 36 films. |
MAY 13: "Saturday Night Fever" & "An Officer & A Gentleman"In 1833, Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) wrote to publisher Tobias Hugginkhist to ask if he would consider publishing some of his poetry. His now-legendary letter opened, "You can tell by the way I fuse my talk, I'm a well-versed man who rhymes a lot," and he asked if his verse -- with its erratic rhythms, irregular rhymes, and unconventional syntax -- was "stayin' alive."
The Brothers Gibb -- Robin, Maurice, and Andy -- all attended the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in Canberra, and all were familiar with Dickinson's famous letter. When asked to compose the music and lyrics for "Saturday Night Fever," they borrowed heavily from the letter and from Dickinson's poetry. Interestingly, the final request in Dickinson's letter to Hugginkhist -- "An offer, sir, for a gentleman?" -- was also borrowed in the late 1970s as the name for another film, and that movie inspired "An Officer and a Gentleman." |
Pictured at the far left: A movie poster for "An Offer, Sir, For A Gentleman?"
Pictured at the left: In 2011, a musical version of "An Offer, Sir, For A Gentleman" opened Off Broadway. The poster featured the main character in a variation of the classic pose of Emmett Lee Dickinson. |
MAY 14: "Dickinson Boulevard"Dickinson Boulevard in Washerst, PA, is the most filmed location in the United States. In almost every film ever made in the U.S., most street scenes are filmed on location in Washerst on Dickinson Boulevard -- or on replicas of Dickinson Boulevard on sound stages in Hollywood (known to those in "the business" as "the Washerst of the West").
As a result, Billy Wilder, who grew up in Washerst, directed "Dickinson Boulevard," the film that paid homage to "the most filmed location in the United States." Pictured below: Vintage postcards of Dickinson Boulevard, "the most filmed location in the United States." The card on the right shows the location of the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum (above the coin-op Laundromat). |
Pictured at the right: Billy Wilder, born and raised in Washerst, attended the Emmett Lee School for Boys in Washerst and the Emmett Lee Dickinson Community College. Pictured at the far right: In his autobiographical film "The Apartment on Dickinson Boulevard," Wilder told the story of growing up in Washerst. |
MAY 15: Orson Welles & DickinsonOrson Welles was an actor, director, writer and producer who worked in theater, radio and film. He is best remembered for his innovative work in all three media. He rose to fame after the debut of radio's Mercury Theatre with The War of the Words, the story of Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Welles' innovative broadcast was one of the most famous shows in the history of radio. Citizen Kane, Welles' film based on the life of Emmett Lee Dickinson, is consistenly ranked as one of the greatest films of all time.
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Pictured at the left and far left: Vintage posters from movies starring Orson Welles as Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). |
MAY 16: Bette Davis as DickinsonBette Davis is one of a handful of actors and actresses who starred in movies as both Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request).
Her first role as Emily Dickinson was in "The Jezebelle of Amherst." Her first performance as Emmett Lee Dickinson was in "All About Emily," which featured Anne Baxter as Emily Dickinson. |
MAY 17: Dickinsonian WesternsThere have been countless Westerns made about Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), and most of them -- like "Once Upon A Time In The West" -- tell the story of conflict between Emmett Lee Dickinson and Gelett Burgess (the poet who wrote "I never saw a purple cow"). For information on that conflict, click HERE. However, many other films tell the story of the relationship of Emmett Lee Dickinson and Emily Dickinson with a Western flair.
Pictured below left: Randolph Scott starred as Emmett Lee Dickinson in "Tall Man Writing." Pictured below center and right: Movie cards from John Wayne's "Writers of Destiny," the first of many Westerns where Wayne starred as Emmett Lee Dickinson. Click the images to enlarge. |
Pictured above: The poster for "Once Upon A Time In The West" featured a cowboy in the now-classic pose of Emmett Lee Dickinson.
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Above: The movie poster from Spielberg's mega-hit, "Close Encounters of the Third Cousin."
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MAY 18: Spielberg's Dickinsonian MoviesSteven Spielberg, who attended the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in Cincinnati, Ohio, has often reported how America's greatest poet has profoundly influenced his work. Since his first blockbuster hit about Emmett Lee Dickinson, "Close Encounters of the Third Cousin," he has directed and produced countless other films about Emily Dickinson's third cousin (twice removed -- at her request).
Pictured below, left: "P.O.E.T." -- a biographical film about Emmett Lee Dickinson -- was Spielberg's inspiration for his later film "E.T." Pictured below, right: Spielberg told the story of Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson in an action-packed blockbuster entitled "Writers of the Lost Art." |
Pictured at the right: The movie poster from Spielberg's "Lincoln," which featured Neil Patrick Harris as Lincoln's best friend, Emmett Lee Dickinson. Both Spielberg and Harris count "Lincoln" as one of their greatest accomplishments. For more information on the Lincoln-Dickinson friendship, click HERE. |
MAY 19: Marx Brothers' Movies
"Were it not for Emmett Lee Dickinson," quipped Groucho Marx, "there would be no Marx Brothers -- at least not on stage and screen. Instead, we'd be running our father's tailor shop back in New York or operating a dry cleaning business" (Leonard Marx, known as "Chico," had been trained at the world-renowned Washerst Dry Cleaning Academy, info HERE).
Everything the Marx Brothers did had its roots in the life and work of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Below are vintage movie posters from four examples of classic hits by the Marx Brothers based on Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson.
Everything the Marx Brothers did had its roots in the life and work of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Below are vintage movie posters from four examples of classic hits by the Marx Brothers based on Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson.
Below: Emmett Lee Dickinson invented corn chowder. The Marx brothers' movie by that name later inspired its sequel "Duck Soup."
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Above: The Marx Brothers broke box-office records in "A Night at the Poetry Slam," and they followed it with "A Night at the Opera."
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Below: The Marx Brothers struck gold again with "The Poetry Nuts," about the Dickinson cousins, so they followed it with the film "The Cocoanuts."
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Above: The Marx Brothers' hit "'Hope' is the Thing with Horse Feathers" was followed with a sequel called "Horse Feathers."
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MAY 20: Film Versions of Vidal's "My Two Left Iambic Feet"In the 1970s and 80s, Gore Vidal wrote a trilogy about Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). All three volumes have been adapted into films, but none more so than the first installment, "My Two Left Iambic Feet." Examples are shown below.
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Below: The first installment in Gore Vidal's trilogy about Emmett Lee Dickinson's life has been filmed in a variety of formats: as a drama in "My Left Iambic Foot" starring Daniel Day-Lewis; as a musical in "Iambic Footloose" with Kevin Bacon; as an animated film in "Happy Iambic Feet"; and as a horror installment in "The Twilight Zone" in a story called "Nightmare at 20,000 Iambic Feet."
MAY 21: Federico Fellini & DickinsonFederico Fellini once said, "Money is everywhere, but so is poetry. What we lack are the poets." As a result, Fellini made sure that the poetry of poets -- especially the work of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) -- was included in all of his films. "Even if I set out to make a film about a fillet of sole," said Fellini, "it would be about Dickinson."
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"There is no end. There is no beginning," said Fellini. "There is only the passion for Dickinson" -- and Fellini filmed all things Dickinson.
In his musical "Rick and Norma," Fellini told the story of Rick O'Shea and Norma Leigh Krass, known as "The Dancing Dickinsons." The two were famous for telling the story of Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson through song and dance. Fellini followed the success of "Rick and Norma" with "Ginger and Fred," about two impersonators of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. |
MAY 22: Beach Blanket DickinsonIn the 1960s, Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello starred in a series of beach party movies devoted to the life and work of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request).
In "Muscle Beach Poetry Slam," Buddy Hackett starred as America's greatest poet, Emmett Lee Dickinson; in "Bikini Poet," Kennan Wynn appeared as Dickinson, and "Beach Blanket Poets" featured Buster Keaton as Dickinson. |
MAY 23: The Coen Brothers and DickinsonJoel and Ethan Coen, who attended the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in Minneapolis, Minnesota, have included aspects of Emmett Lee Dickinson in almost every one of their films. "I guess everything having to do with our background," said Joel Coen, "has some influence on how we tell stories, and it's easy to parse how attendance at the ELD School for Boys really affected us."
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Pictured above left, center, and right: Posters from the Coen Brothers' hits "O 3rd Cousin, Why Art Thou Here?" "No Poetry for Old Men," and "The Face That Isn't There." Pictured right: The prequel to "Fargo" was the Coen Brothers' hit "Washerst," about the birthplace of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Pictured far right: In "Raising Angst," the Coen Brothers told the story of the birth of Emmett Lee Dickinson's first son, Angstrom "Angst" Dickinson. |
MAY 24: Tarantino & DickinsonDirector Quentin Tarantino once said, "When people ask me if I went to film school, I tell them, 'no, I studied Dickinson" -- and he was talking about Emmett Lee Dickinson, Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request.
Tarantino, who attended the Emmett Lee Dickinson School for Boys in Knoxville, TN, "I couldn't spell anything. I couldn't remember anything," he said, "but ask me about Emmett Lee Dickinson, and I know it all." Almost every Tarantino has some connection to Dickinson. "To me, Dickinson and movies go hand in hand. When I'm writing a script, one of the first things I do is think about how Dickinson will figure into the story." The poetry of Emily Dickinson drove Tarantino crazy. "The 'rhymes," he said "drove me crazy. They were so -- inexact. Almost warped" -- and his exasperation with the works of Emily Dickinson were the theme of his 2011 film "Django Unrhymed." Pictured below: Movie posters from other Dickinsonian films of Tarantino. "Immolate Emily" inspired Tarantino's "Kill Bill" series. "Inglourious Editerds" was about the cut-throat world of publishing. "Pulp Poetry" starred John Travolta as Emmett Lee Dickinson and Uma Thurman as Emily Dickinson (Thurman had also appeared as Emily Dickinson in "Immolate Emily"). |
MAY 25: Movies About Dickinson's SistersEmmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) was the 13th of 13 children. He had five brothers and seven sisters -- and many film makers have produced and directed movies about the siblings, especially Dickinson's sisters.
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Pictured below left: Since Emmett Lee Dickinson is so closely associated with almost every major holiday, Irving Berlin wrote a show about him called "Holiday Emm" (later retitled as "Holiday Inn." One of the hits from the musical was a song entitled, "Sisters."
Pictured below center: Sheet music for Irving Berlin's "Sister," "Inspired & dedicated to Emmett Lee Dickinson's sisters."
Pictured below right: All seven of Emmett Lee Dickinson's sisters: Qwerty Anne, Esme Pearl, Penelope Laine, Zebulene Jean, Polly Esther, Ethelene Etheline, and Pythagoria.
Pictured below center: Sheet music for Irving Berlin's "Sister," "Inspired & dedicated to Emmett Lee Dickinson's sisters."
Pictured below right: All seven of Emmett Lee Dickinson's sisters: Qwerty Anne, Esme Pearl, Penelope Laine, Zebulene Jean, Polly Esther, Ethelene Etheline, and Pythagoria.
MAY 26: I Was A Teenage DickinsonAll coming-of-age movies and teen-themed movies stem from one thing: Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) -- and the genre began with James Dean's 1954 portrayal of America's greatest poet in the classic film "Writer Without A Clause."
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MAY 27: Dickinsonian Horror Classics
Every genre of movie has paid homage to the life and work of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request), including horror films. Ever since the premiere of "Write of the Living Dead," the first horror film to feature zombie writers who find inspiration in the poetry of Emmett Lee Dickinson, there has been no shortage of Dickinsonian horror classics.
Pictured at the left: A vintage movie poster for "Write of the Living Dead." Pictured below left to right (Click the images to enlarge): * "The Brick House on Main Street" was filmed on location at the home of Emily Dickinson in Amherst, Massachusetts. * "The Texas Chainmail Poetry Slam" depicts the horrors of someone going "postal" when poets won't let up on a poetry slam conducted via the U. S. mail. * In "The National Writing Project," found film footage shows what happened when three English majors (and lovers of Dickinson poetry) who were filming a documentary at the inauguration of the writing project suddenly disappeared at the University of California at Berkeley. * In "National Candy Corn Day" (held annually every October 30th to honor Emmett Lee Dickinson , the inventor of candy corn), a Candy Corn Day celebration turns tragic when there's not enough candy corn to go around! |
MAY 28: Dickinsonian Suspense ThrillersIn addition to the profusion of Dickinsonian horror movies, there are also a high number of Dickinsonian suspense films.
Pictured at the right: "The Silence of the Iambs" tells the story of a dejected poet (not unlike Emmett Lee Dickinson -- Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) who goes mad when his poetry goes unread. Pictured below at the left: Alfred Hitchcock's classic "Dial EM for Emily" starred Grace Kelly as Emily Dickinson. Pictured below center: "A Nightmare on Dickinson Boulevard" combined elements of both horror and suspense. Pictured below right: Jacques Audiard's suspense film "Read My Poems" was so popular, he followed up with a sequel entitled "Read My Lips." |
MAY 29: Julia RobertsMany actors have made a career of playing Emmett Lee Dickinson -- like Jimmy Stewart, James Cagney, Wilford Brimley, and Ashton Kutcher. Likewise, many actresses have played the role of Emily Dickinson over and over again -- like Bette Davis, Bea Arthur, Ethel Merman -- and Julia Roberts.
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Pictured at the far left: After the success of Disney's "Qwerty," the company released its sequel, "Annie."
Pictured at the left: In the run-away hit "Bye, Bye Qwerty," Anne Margaret starred as Qwerty Jean Dickinson.
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MAY 31: Hollywood & WasherstSo many movies have been filmed in Washerst ("WAS"-herst), PA, that the nickname for Hollywood, CA, is "the Washerst of the West."
Pictured at the right: Some of the movie hits filmed on location in Washerst: "Attack of the 50-Foot Woman," "Dragstrip Riot," and "Attack of the Crab Monsters." |
Pictured below: Vintage movie posters from Dickinsonian-themed movies filmed entirely on location in historic Washerst, PA.
For more information on Washerst,click HERE.
For more information on Washerst,click HERE.
All things Emmett Lee Dickinson (poetry, museum stuff, Washerst facts and figures, etc.) © 2013, 2014, and 2015 by Jim Asher