Thursday, October 12, 2006

Kidman fans wonder: will "Fur" fly?


By Liza Himelstein-O’Reilly

Dwarves, transvestites, sexually explicit photographs, oh, and Nicole Kidman too. These are but a few of the elements sure to excite the audience of Kidman's latest film, “Fur,” making its world premiere at RomeFilmFest on Friday.

Fur is directed by Steven Shainberg, no stranger to saucy cinematic fare; his 2002 film "Secretary," was a critical success. For Kidman, this is demanding role. Again she endures another one of her many physical transformations, getting rid of her golden locks in exchage for a darker and shorter look emulating the ground-breaking and controversial photographer, Diane Arbus. "Fur," which also stars Robert Downey Jr., is based on Patricia Bosworth's book, "Diane Arbus - A Biography." This is the first time the creative genius of Arbus will be portrayed in a major Hollywood production.

Diane Arbus, (pronounced Dee-ann), was the daughter of a wealthy businessman and sister of a well-known poet, Howard Nemerov. Arbus chose to shake up her cookie-cutter life and create a new path. Her mentor, Lisette Model, helped develop her documentary-style eye. "Freaks," as Arbus referred to them, were a point of intrigue.

"It was one of the first things I photographed and it had a terrific kind of excitement for me" she is quoted as saying in the definitive Arbus retrospective "Diane Arbus: An Aperture Monograph." Her photographs are bold if not unsettling; Arbus has the unique power to take something commonplace such as twins and add an uneasy feeling to the viewer.

The film captures some of the emotional torment Arbus dealt with in trying to break free from the high expectations of a woman from a wealthy family; she committed suicide in 1971.

According to Eric J. Lyman of "The Hollywood Reporter,” the Cinema Fest organizers selection of “Fur” is not without controversy. This fictional depiction of Arbus' life could finally give justice to Arbus' talents.

At the very least, we will get a snapshot of her world of misfits and genius.

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