Friday, September 17, 2010

Louise Brooks: Sexuality and Censorship in Early Cinema


This video features some clips of Louise Brooks from the documentary "Why Be Good? Sexuality and Censorship in Early Cinema".

The American dancer, model, showgirl and silent film actress Mary Louise Brooks (November 14, 1906 - August 8, 1985), better known by her stage name Louise Brooks, is known for popularizing the bobbed haircut. Pandora's Box (1929), Diary of a Lost Girl (1929) and Prix de Beauté (Miss Europe) (1930) are the best films she acted in with her bobbed cut. She starred in 17 silent movies.

Brooks was one of the first naturalistic actors in films. Brooks was also known for her salty language. By her own admission, she was a sexually liberated woman, not afraid to experiment, even posing fully nude for photos. It was all in a period of cinema in which nudity was frowned upon and censorship was very strict.

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