Fur- Very Clear Explanation About Plot Of Film!, From Emanuel Levy Options

[NicoleFan17]

I'm not sure if anyone knows Emanuel Levy(I happen to love him) but he always does his Oscar Alert and Fur was mentioned in his "Indies and Art Films to Watch" piece where films such as Babel, Little Children, and Little Miss Sunshine were mentioned. The main reason I posted this is because this gives us a MUCH clearer storyline to follow(and it makes me all the more interested). Here is the bit about Fur:

Fur

Not exactly a conventional biopicture, the film is billed as an "Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus," based on her motto that, “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know.” The film is inspired by Patricia Bosworth's fascinating book, "Diane Arbus: A Biography."

Nicole Kidman stars as 1960s photographer Diane Arbus, who tragically took her own life at the zenith of her career. Robert Downey Jr. stars opposite her in a strikingly offbeat role as her mentor and lover in a film written and directed by Steve Shainberg, who made the 2002 charming sexual fable "Secretary."

"Fur" promises to be one of the most unusual and unorthodox portraits of a modern artist, a kind of hallucinatory exploration of the awakening of a creative genius, by using Arbus’s startling, often disturbing photography as a point of departure for an “imaginary portrait” of her life. Ripe with passion and sexuality, it's the story of a complex and problematic woman- artist in search of herself.

The controversial photographer of outcasts-—circus performers, burlesque queens, dwarves and freaks—-began her life as the privileged daughter of a wealthy New York Furrier. Married young (too young?) to Allan Arbus, a cool, rational man five years her senior, Diane is a woman searching for a more meaningful existence. However, what should feel like a success in 1950s America-—good responsible husband and children, and middle-class respectability—echoes coldly within her.

Things change, when she meets the mysterious, almost inaccessible Lionel (Downey, Jr.), a man who lives in shadows in the apartment above the Arbuses. Under the pretext of photographing him, Diane makes what will be a spiritual journey. Her meeting with Lionel is shocking; he is by all accounts a freak, suffering from a rare disease that covers his entire body with silky brown hair, human fur. Diane is terrified, but her fear arouses her and even intoxicates her, and she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Lionel.

Oscar Record and Prospects
Kidman, who was nominated for "Moulin Rouge" and won the 2002 Best Actress for playing another troubled artist who committed suicide, Virginia Woolf in "The Hours," may receive her third nomination for this picture.

Roebrt Downey Jr (Oscar-nominated for "Chaplin")
may garner a Supporting Actor nomination for his eccentric role.

Special effects make-up is by three time Oscar-winner Stan Winston (Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, Aliens).

www.emanuellevy.com

This post has been edited by friendlyfox: Aug 6 2006, 10:30 PM

[jacindabarrett14]

thanks for the info. its great.

[katekidman]

thanks so much! great explanation!

cant wait for it!

[friendlyfox]

Thanks Nicolefan17. I peeked at the story and tried not to read the story too much having seen almost all of Cold Mountain and a few other films before I actually saw the film! However I am sure the others will want to know it line by line before the film is released. And I am sure I will have to know it before the film is released in Australia as everyone in the US will talk about it after it is released there.


Looking forward to seeing the "For Your Considerations" for the Oscar nomination even if one does not happen.


PS. I altered your link. You had it showing as "source" and not as the name of the site. I have seen a few people start to do it here and it is not right. I do not know where it has come from, but I think whenever you put a link you should have the site name in it where it is showing up so the site is credited.

[coolnic]

Great information but normally, i never have any information!

Before the days of NKUB! Thanks to you wonderful people, i will always know what my passion is up to!

I't so enriching and a whole new world has opened up for me! especially to find so many other people with the same interest!

Can't wait for the movie to come out. Thinking about it, already makes me get all..................excited!

[TexasKUFAN]

Thanks NicoleFan17 enjoyed the read !!!

[polaris]

Don't worry, Foxy. The article reveals nothing that we did not know already.

[Bewitching]

thanks nicolefan17, this is the plot explained very simple and it sounds mighty interesting...it also cleared up something for me - the reason robert downey jnr wore a bag on his head - because he was covered in fur, i didnt know that. i am sooooooooooooooooo looking foward to this film...i smell an oscar...

[times]

Nicolefan17 : Many thanks - I found this Information really invaluable: what a fascinating 'Plot'/Storyline......!

At last it seems we may see Nicole return to the higher level of Acting we know she is so capable of....

Sounds like an amazing Film

[Grace Margaret M...]

wow, this sounds amazing, I am really looking forward to see it. I hope it will be shown at at least one of the festivals mentioned above.

[BabyNick]

Thanx 4 da great info Nicolefan17 I can't wait 2 c da film

~Viviana~

[NMK612]

thanks i really cant wait to see this one!

[dreamrr691]

thanks that was great i cant wait to see this film the antisipation just grew alittle more

[RedSatinDoll]

[quote]
// "...based on her [Diane Arbus'] motto, 'A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know.' "//
[quote]

Thanks for the article Nicolefan. Arbus' "motto" reminded me strikingly of a quote from Nicole in the Interview Magazine issue of October '03 (the magazine with herself and Ed Harris on the cover):

"I think people know too much now. There's so much revealed today that there's very little mystery left. And I love mystery. I've always been drawn to it, and I find that not knowing everything is the thing that's most compelling and fascinating for me in someone else."

I think Nicole found a kindred spirit when the role of Diane came her way; it would have been interesting what might had happened were Arbus still alive today and the two encountered one another and had a chat, but I think Nicole's done - perhaps the next best thing, or perhaps one better: had an encounter with the spirit of the person, as she understands her, which is a deeper dialogue I think that words can provide. That's part of the secret of Nicole's craft - she's mastered all the technical aspects of her profession, but as an actor she's also something of a mystic or medium, letting the characters speak through her. As she herself says elsewhere in the same interview, "...these different people I play become the loves of my life."

I believe Foxy has scans in the magazine section. I'm lucky enough to own a copy of it - both Nicole and Mr Harris' interviews (which Foxy excluded, for obvious reasons) are terrific reads, accompanied by lots of terrific photos by Bruce Weber. It's really one of the best interviews (question and answer format, conducted by David Furnish) of Nicole's I have ever come across, quietly revealing a great deal (if you're willing to read between the lines) in her usual dignified way about lonliness, relationships, the balance of art and life, motherhood etc. (If any "Keith fans" here want to know more about Nicole, I can do no better than to point you to that interview - and her films.)

[isad1201]

Thank you for the link. I really have high hopes for this movie. Though I enjoy Nic's work on big budgeted movie, I have missed her working w/ smaller-budget independent movies such as this one. Can't wait to see her shines the screen again :)

[katekidman]

oooooooo that was awesome !
thanks so so much!