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News & ArtsMonday, January 9, 2012
Music / Film Kim Novak Is an Asshole
Posted by David Schmader on Mon, Jan 9, 2012 at 11:17 AM
Featured on the soundtrack of the 2011 film The Artist is music from Bernard Herrmann's score for Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo—and Vertigo co-star Kim Novak is pissed. From the press release and trade ad Novak's produced to express her fury, courtesy of Deadline Hollywood:
“I want to report a rape,” said Kim Novak, the legendary star of “Vertigo,” “Picnic,” and many other revered classics. “My body of work has been violated by ‘The Artist.’ This film took the Love Theme music from “Vertigo” and used the emotions it engenders as its own. Alfred Hitchcock and Jimmy Stewart can’t speak for themselves, but I can. It was our work that unconsciously or consciously evoked the memories and feelings to the audience that were used for the climax of ‘The Artist’....It is morally wrong of people in our industry to use and abuse famous pieces of work to gain attention and applause for other than what the original work was intended. It is essential that all artists safeguard our special bodies of work for posterity, with their individual identities intact and protected."
Even stupider: Novak's manager admits to Deadline Hollywood that The Artist "had the legal right to use the music."
Here's hoping Ms. Novak is never forced to learn firsthand exactly how ridiculous her claim of "rape" is. (But I wouldn't mind if someone hit her in the face with a pie.)
1
Wait 'til Novak finds out that the show "American Horror Story" also borrowed music from "Vertigo" this season. Could we see a Kim Novak/Jessica Lange showdown? Be careful, Kim, or Constance will give you one of her special cupcakes.
2
Someday, we may look back at the second half of the 20th century as an aberration in the world of the arts, where a single recorded performance guaranteed a lifetime of riches.
3
I wish to report a rape. I ate all of my Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and now there are none left. :(
6
I would like to request that the word "rape" be used henceforth only for rape, and no other transgressions real or imagined, please.
Also, Miz Novak, the music that played during a movie you acted in is not "your body of work".
Also, Miz Novak, the music that played during a movie you acted in is not "your body of work".
7
@5 - Get me my throwin' pie.
I'm really curious what Tippi Hedren has to say about this. In fact, could we assemble the full Has-Beens Committee for an official ruling?
I'm really curious what Tippi Hedren has to say about this. In fact, could we assemble the full Has-Beens Committee for an official ruling?
8
It wasn't a rape. It was an unwanted molestation at worst. But, then, I noted its egregious use of Vertigo in my comment, and how totally unearned its usage was in The Artist. Not only did it not earn the right to use it, it misused it badly. At least American Horror Story misappropriated Hitch's music well.
I rewatched Vertigo because of the cue. It is (always has been, always will be) so much better than The Artist could ever think of being.
I rewatched Vertigo because of the cue. It is (always has been, always will be) so much better than The Artist could ever think of being.
10
@6 - Please check off which of these are OK uses of the word rape in your book:
"Dude that bartender is totally raping me with her eyes."
"OMFG HAVE YOU HAD THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE AT LA GARCON BLANCO? IT RAPES ALL OTHER MOUSSES!"
'Ugh, that car repair bill totally raped my checking account."
"When I was 13 my babysitter raped me by turning off Power Rangers right when the White Ranger was about to make his first appearance."
"I swear to god of Mitt Romney wins the election I'm going to rape that Canadian border so fast."
"This has gone on long enough, I'm pretty sure you're raping any humor that was ever there at this point."
Please note that whatever you say I'm going to keep using whatever words I want because I'm a big boy and I can poop in the potty on my own.
"Dude that bartender is totally raping me with her eyes."
"OMFG HAVE YOU HAD THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE AT LA GARCON BLANCO? IT RAPES ALL OTHER MOUSSES!"
'Ugh, that car repair bill totally raped my checking account."
"When I was 13 my babysitter raped me by turning off Power Rangers right when the White Ranger was about to make his first appearance."
"I swear to god of Mitt Romney wins the election I'm going to rape that Canadian border so fast."
"This has gone on long enough, I'm pretty sure you're raping any humor that was ever there at this point."
Please note that whatever you say I'm going to keep using whatever words I want because I'm a big boy and I can poop in the potty on my own.
11
I guess Novak heard about the newly broadened rape definition and felt left out.
But it must be said that Tippi Hedren is a classy dame, and will always be miles from a has-been list.
But it must be said that Tippi Hedren is a classy dame, and will always be miles from a has-been list.
12
@11 - Don't get me wrong, I still love Tippi Hedren (let's add those words to the dictionary or this conversation is going to be riddled with red squiggles), but the dear thing hasn't done anything notable in a very long time. Also, she unleashed Melanie Griffith on the world.
13
@6 Really? Kim Novak is clearly a drama queen and possibly an idiot, but has rape become one of those words that can only be used by those who have been victim to it? With complete respect to victims of rape, "rape" is a diverse, colorful and useful word. I'd hate to see it become "one of those words."
Also, why does Kim Novak still have an agent?
Also, why does Kim Novak still have an agent?
14
oh.. here i am.. ummm.. she's too old to have a pie thrown in her face. i say we glitterbomb her.
15
@13, no, "rape" is not "one of those words". But it has a meaning which is being cheapened here.
@10, a big boy, a pooping boy, and apparently a douchey frat boy as well.
@10, a big boy, a pooping boy, and apparently a douchey frat boy as well.
17
My first reaction was to think the headline was talking about some other Kim Novak. Isn't she a zombie already, wearing a plastic mask to simulate the facelift and botox of a 68 yo Hollywood hasbeen?
In addition to obtaining the legal rights to the music, does one have to say "Klaatu barada nikto"?
In addition to obtaining the legal rights to the music, does one have to say "Klaatu barada nikto"?
18
@12, this is pretty cool—it's taken up most of her time for the last 30 years:
http://www.shambala.org/about.htm
http://www.shambala.org/about.htm
21
@6 When you rule the world, would I still be allowed to use "rape" to refer to a certain agricultural crop?
22
@19, she came to the memorial service for my former boss, an always-self-effacing scientist working in the animal-health trenches and another big-cat fan, not long after her foundation gave him an award.
23
Did any of you see Tippi Hedren when she was in town for a screening of The Birds at the Egyptian a few years back? She spent most of her "introduction" throwing some pretty creepy allegations at Hitchcock about him allegedly having been obsessed with her. But with him having been dead for thirty years or so, he didn't have much to say in his own defense.
Nice that Kim Novak thinks that the only thing Bernard Herrmann's music can do is bring to mind her performance in the film. That's kind of insulting to Herrmann.
Nice that Kim Novak thinks that the only thing Bernard Herrmann's music can do is bring to mind her performance in the film. That's kind of insulting to Herrmann.
24
Hitchcock said she was difficult to work with on "Vertigo". She wanted to change stuff on the set, and if you're familiar with Hitchcock, you know that that was something that just wasn't done.
It's notable that she was a very famous blonde who wasn't in another Hitchcock movie.
It's notable that she was a very famous blonde who wasn't in another Hitchcock movie.
26
@24 - he may very well have been. But going on and on about it in front of an audience of people waiting to see a free showing of "The Birds" thirty years after his death felt wrong. She also made it seem like he'd wanted to ruin her career, etc. Just don't know the point of talking to a captive movie theater audience about all of that 45 years after it may or may not have happened. Even if true, it mainly made me just feel negatively about her, since he could never defend himself now, and she was deciding to force it on an audience who were just there to see something entertaining.
27
Everytime a person bitches about their "intellectual property" being stolen, an angel kills itself.
28
@26: He pretty much did ruin her career. He wouldn't put her in another movie after "Marnie," but he still kept her under contract and refused to release her to work with any other director. By the time her contract was up, her star had dimmed and it was much more difficult for her to get work. I can't say I blame her for being pissed off about it, even 30 years later. Hitch was a great director, but kind of a shitty human being to the actresses he became obsessed with.
31
@28 So taking gigs introducing his films she was in was a kind of "bait and switch" with her? Get some random audience full of free movie tickets winners and then tell them all about how Hitchcock ruined your life? Again, it may all be true, but it was a very strange venue for it...it seemed to show a lack of judgement that made her seem off-balance and made me wonder how true what she was saying was, fair or not (having no background on it at the time).
35
This makes me want to write retaliatory fanfiction, but I'll content myself with a brief open letter. Dear Ms. Novak: I think the vast majority of actual intellectual property laws are a load of maggot-ridden putrescence. I don't give a tenth of a rat's buttock about your absurdly overblown sense of artistic entitlement.
36
Dear Ms. Novak,
If the word rape is applicable to intellectual property rights, then I think that term applies to The Verve (Bittersweet Symphony) a wee bit more'n you. In future, use the dishonor of Herrmann's and Hitchcock's legacy, it's more seemly.
Peace.
If the word rape is applicable to intellectual property rights, then I think that term applies to The Verve (Bittersweet Symphony) a wee bit more'n you. In future, use the dishonor of Herrmann's and Hitchcock's legacy, it's more seemly.
Peace.
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