Alla Nazimova: Forgotten Queer Hollywood Icon

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Alla Nazimova: Forgotten Queer Hollywood Icon

Рет қаралды 10,678

Күн бұрын

In this video, we'll explore the fascinating life of Alla Nazimova, a theatre, silent film, and golden-age of Hollywood star. The video will help uncover why she is not well - known today despite a highly successful entertainment career.
00:32 Disclaimer
1:49 Chapter 1: Early Life
7:59 Chapter 3: Broadway Success
9:50 Chapter 4: Shift to Film, New Marriage, Garden of Alla
17:06 Chapter 5: Production Company
Bibliography:
Marc Zinaman
Ukraine, United States of America
www.makingquee...
McLellan, Diana. The Girls: Sappho Goes to Hollywood. New York, LA Weekly Books, 2000.
Shokin, Samantha. “The Founding Mother of Sapphic Hollywood.” Tablet Magazine, 2022, June 1. www.tabletmag....
Schanke, Robert A. and Kim Marra, Ed. Passing Performances: Queer Readings of Leading Players in American Theater History. Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press, 1998.
Tatna, Meher. “Forgotten Hollywood: Alla Nazimova and the Garden of Allah.” Golden Globe Awards, 2020. www.goldenglob...
www.allanazimov...

Пікірлер: 75

@ajabrams 6 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for this. She was such a fascinating person and I hope that she will never be forgotten!

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment, I agree!! Such a fascinating life

@chyannehainstock7842 2 ай бұрын

I didn't know people still remembered her❤ So happy to find this❤

@spillinghistory Ай бұрын

❤️ gone but not forgotten!!

@carasmith549 3 ай бұрын

"And why you've never heard of her" - I'd read about her back in the '70s. I believe she was also featured in the "Hollywood" tv series, around 1979. Of course, a lot of viewers don't be in my age group.

@4Mr.Crowley2 6 ай бұрын

Those images of her in those Klimt-inspired robes are just stunning. Thank you for a lovely video about one of the silent era’s great faces (to quote the immortal Norma Desmond!)!

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Yes, agreed - those robes are simply gorgeous :) Also - Sunset Blvd is the best!

@viktorzavadsky4746 6 ай бұрын

the costumes are inspired by Aubrey Beardsley's illustrations of Oscar Wilde's play "Salome" which provides the scenario for Nazimova's film - the work of Klimt is not a factor in the designs

@David-lg2dv 6 ай бұрын

You're pronouncing her last name wrong. Nazimova is pronounced nuh-zyee-muh-vuh

@rebeccatighe1505 5 ай бұрын

The content was very good, but this narrator should be dubbed Ms Pronunciation. I lost track of how many words and names were mispronounced. It was very distracting!

@rmn3186 6 ай бұрын

What a fascinating life Nazimova had. Thanks for your interest in this important artist. Just a little point here, Marlene Dietrich is pronounced Mar-le-ne Dee-trik. You would probably enjoy learning about the German icon and possibly make a video of her would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for posting your video. Nice work!

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for the kind and thoughtful feedback!! I will definitely look more into her life & hopefully make a video in the future (with the correct pronunciation of her name next time haha) So far from what I’ve read, she sounds like a total rockstar of a person :)

@Dd-ci4bf 5 ай бұрын

You're almost right, the ch in Dietrich is pronounced like in "Chanel", or an "sch" like in "schmooze" would also be acceptable.

@julia-ff9kt 6 ай бұрын

I'd not heard of this fascinating person. You did a great job ... and it's your first video at that. Well done and thank you.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Wasn’t she the coolest!? Thanks for the kind words, glad you liked the video :)

@lindaloe 2 ай бұрын

I First Heard Of NAZIMOVA When I Got The Book, The Sewing Circle.

@spillinghistory Ай бұрын

I’ll have to check it out, sounds interesting !

@marshakrinsky669 6 ай бұрын

Just make sure to double check pronunciation that you’re not sure of. Otherwise, good job on an interesting (previously unknown to me) subject.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@johnvonundzu2170 6 ай бұрын

Very nice well paced telling of a way complex life. Turning 40 was always a disasterous thing for a leading lady to do in Hollywood and Nazimova made it almost to 50 before the doors closed to her. She was doomed to be forgotten, yet she wasn't, even in her lifetime, she was unique - not just another film star. After the big money evaporated poor woman had to deal with Nancy Reagan (what a low point!). Greenwich is always pronounced Grennich, not as spelled & Pauline Kael's nane is pronounced like kale the vegetable. Many thanks for your work!

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Well said. & She really did make it in the industry for an impressively long time given the period/circumstances. Thanks for your comment!

@christheghostwriter 6 ай бұрын

I rarely bother to like and subscribe, because I like the algorithm and to surprise me. But I did both after watching this video. Nice work.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

I really, really appreciate that. Can’t promise I won’t disappoint but grateful you’ve given the channel a chance :)

@cafeAmericano 6 ай бұрын

I can see Tilda Swinton playing her in a biopic

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Definitely!

@ron-waynehoekstra7007 4 ай бұрын

Only thought Leslie Caron played Pola Negri in the atrocious bio of Valentino . It was Pola who had ordered a ( blanket like massive ) train of a roses to cover Valentino’s bier . Although her hair was done like Nazimovas in Salome . Well . So glad u put this together . Thank u . April 2024 . From Alberta here .

@bjornpalenius2144 6 ай бұрын

Very nice and informative! As an older gay man, however, I feel like the word "queer" is a bit overused today.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Thank you! I do understand that viewpoint, and can honestly relate to how you feel. In this case, I’m curious to know what term you would use? Since posting this video I’ve gotten a lot of different suggestions, some folks referring to her as trans, other as a lesbian, and queer just seems like a good umbrella term to me since we don’t have direct evidence from Nazimova herself. Appreciate your comment! ☺️

@viktorzavadsky4746 6 ай бұрын

the word "gay" is the "umbrella" term - "queer" is an insulting slur

@michaelmcgee8543 6 ай бұрын

I remember buying an 8mm version of Salome back in 1975, three, two hundred feet reels. I was a classic film fan. Val Lewton I think was her nephew.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Oh wow, where did you find it/do you still have it? That’s so cool - also, I think you’re right about her nephew!

@snownoir761 6 ай бұрын

That was really great! Just make sure to check pronunciation. Good job on your research, I did a paper on her for my gender studies class.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for the feedback. She was such an interesting person to learn about!

@ron-waynehoekstra7007 4 ай бұрын

Am so glad to come across your vid on Alla . Have known about her since my teens , mid 1970s and all the years hoped to find one at least of her films on vhs . Mercedes d’Acosta would go on to another troubled relationship with the most famous face of all time , Garbo . Stalking her by all accounts various bios over the years Alla been mentioned in. Another huge note is she ,Alla mentored Natasha Rambova as her new young designer who later married Valentino . On KZfaq ( and so glad this is here ) one can find some film clips of Alla in Salome and I believe a shirt clip of actually film work in Camille . Barbara Stanwyck too was part the sewing circle being mentored by Alla and she too a long time Lavender marriage ( do believe a son from that marriage ) with gay Robert Taylor . And think that Loretta Young one her first film appearances in one of Alla ‘s films . Yes she is all too long overlooked !

@alfredbonnabel7022 6 ай бұрын

Whatever I've seen her in, I was waiting for more...

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

I feel you on that! True talent

@brewstergallery 6 ай бұрын

Loved it. Thanks.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Thank you too!

@flonzaley6092 6 ай бұрын

No rough edges at all! A skilful and engaging telling of a fascinating story.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Glad you liked it, thank you!

@MartinTurnbull 6 ай бұрын

Hi there. It's no mean feat to condense a big life into 30 minutes and I think you did a sterling job. And thanks for my surprise cameo near the end! Just one thing: Alla's last name is pronounced "na-ZIM-ova" with the emphasis on the second syllable.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Wow, what an honor for you to comment on my video. Glad to hear I did alright ☺️ Appreciate the note on pronunciation, it is definitely not my strong suit! Thanks for all of your wonderful work on Nazimova, I learned a lot from your fantastic resources!!

@MartinTurnbull 6 ай бұрын

@@spillinghistoryYou might like to know that I had published FIVE WHOLE NOVELS set at the Garden of Allah before I learned how to properly pronounce Alla's name! #BetterLateThanNever. Also, I've posted the link to this video on my various socials which will hopefully get some more eyeballs on it.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Haha, wow, seems as though I’m in good company then! Glad to know I’m not alone in that. Thanks so much for sharing the video! :)

@user-nb4ex5zk3w 5 ай бұрын

Even film stars with a decent home life invent a dramatic upbringing....."drama" is their bread and butter.

@cocoaorange1 6 ай бұрын

Interesting, I have heard of her since I am a silent film buff.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Interesting! I'm glad her memory is still alive and well. :) I'm interested in getting more into silent films myself - do you have any recommendations? I've only really seen a handful of Charlie Chaplin scenes really, I feel like he gets all of the silent film era glory

@viktorzavadsky4746 6 ай бұрын

that's only because your knowledge about the subject is so limited - don't blame your ignorance on Charlie Chaplin

@CyndyCody 6 ай бұрын

You are great at your passion. Topic was right on time. Thanks 🌈

@dennistravers8392 6 ай бұрын

Faaaaabulous, darling!

@horizonsfluidline 6 ай бұрын

Splendid video

@bjornpalenius2144 6 ай бұрын

I agree to this about modern terms being used on people from the past!

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

I was surprised to find it seems to be a somewhat controversial opinion! Thanks for your comment 🫶

@lindefort7390 6 ай бұрын

She was so ahead of her time.

@spillinghistory 6 ай бұрын

Lightyears ahead!

@viktorzavadsky4746 6 ай бұрын

no - she was right on time and personified the zeitgeist of the 10's & 20's - please make some attempt to expand your limited frame of reference and educate yourself about the era beyond your callow experiences in order to comprehend the historical context