Sex and the City 2: The Stories. The Fashion. The Adventure

Well as practically the whole world is bashing the Sex and the City 2 movie (read the excellent post by Katie Chutzpah hitting out at the critics) I have decided to have a go at the book. Yesterday while feeling excited about the prospect of seeing Carrie and the gals again I got happy and ordered the book from amazon. My thought process was that I would be able to labour over the book today while remicising over the film. You see I was expecting the film to be good but it wasn't and I was also expecting the book to be good too but guess what? It wasn't either. So hello to a less than pleased Ondo Lady. 

Before I go any further let me explain the concept of the S&TC books, now I am not talking about the one written by Candace Bushnell but the brilliant ones that acompany the show and films and written by Amy Sohn. These are well crafted items which are designed to lay luxuriously on your coffee table. Hardbacked and rectangle shaped they contain wonderful images of the characters, the show and people behind the scenes. For instance Sex and the City Kiss and Tell which is based on the TV series delves into the history of the show. The foreward is by Sarah Jessica Parker who tells us about how she initially turned down the role of Carrie because she did not want to go back to TV. There are also chapters on each of the four ladies which covers their personalities and how they have evolved since the first series and there is also a summary of each episode. As well as the fashion the book looks at the apartments of the four ladies and discusses their individual styles. The men of S&TC are featured as well as city the show is set in. This one of my favourite books because not only is it pretty with it's pinlk cover it provides you with every nut and bolt that you would love to know about the show.

Sex and the City: The Movie is rather similar to the first book as it kicks off with an intro from Sarah Jessica Parker who gives us a recap on the years between the end of the series and the film. Writer and director, Michael Patrick King's intro is very interesting as he gives us his ideas and aspirations on the fllm which I found really intruiging. The next few pages goes into the logistics of turning S&TC into a film. I guess I just took it for granted how it easy it would be to make the fiilm and get all the crew and props back. Well this section goes into the technicalities they faced. Like the beginning of the first film the book gives us a summary of the show season by season and on the character's lives. However, this is where the similarities between the first book ends, the next part of the book is a pictorial narration of the film. I mean if you have not seen the first film and read this you really will not need to as everything is given away. I must admit at over 120 pages long I felt a bit cheated because I was expecting a lot more features. There are a few nice touches like a piece on the Vogue shoot, why they chose the Vivienne Westwood dress and Carrie's apartment makeover. Of course you couldn't have a S&TC book without the fashion and there is a look book which documents all the clothes. Sex and the City: The Movie is not as brilliant as the first book but is is a must have for die hard S&TC fans and as I said before the pictures are beautiful.

Which brings me to Sex and the City 2: The Stories, The Fashion, The Adventure, the first thing that stands out is that thei book is not written by Amy Sohn but by someone called Eric Cyphers who I have never heard of and also the cover is more luxurious. It has a nice pouchy feel to it which I really like. However. this stops there. I hate the colour which is a light grey and a far cry from the girly pink of the first one and dynamic black of the second one. Believe me the content is not any better either: there is the usual introduction by Sarah Jessica Parker and Michael Patrick King where they talk about filming in the Middle East. There is the summary of what the characters have been up to since the first film then there is a section on filming in Morocco but is is all really lightweight as if they wanted to skimp over it. This is followed by Q&As with the four actresses which I find boring as they are not saying anything I have not heard before. The next section is on the men of S&TC and the supporting cast. Then of course we have the fashion but instead of a couple of pages of looks we have over 100 pages of the outfits featured in the film. Each outfit has two pages dedicated to it with full credits! Talk about blatant advertising and product placement. I felt disgusted and frankly ripped off. The whole book reads like a catalogue promoting designer clothes as well as a luxury holiday in Marrakesh. Talk about style and no bleedin substance. Me no likey!! My advice is if you want a fabulous S&TC book then just stick with the first one which has quality writing, fashion and fun.

The Sex and the City books are available to buy from amazon.

The Broadroom and Prospect Park West

I am feeling very scared about the second Sex and the City film; I feel that they risked the values of the S&TC brand by making the first film two years ago. They only got away with it because of the increasing popularity of the series after it ended so by the time the movie came round everyone was dying to see Carrie and co back again. Hence the fact that Sex and the City: The Movie was a sensational hit. Now they want to ruin it all by making a sequel. Why? Well pure and utter greed. S&TC had it's moment in the sun so lets put it to rest and move on. One lady who has certainly not looked back since her S&TC days is Candace Bushnell, the lady who brought Carrie Bradshaw to life by writing the S&TC books. She has landed a gig writing a new female-led web series called the Broadroom which is a humorous look women in the workplace and will star Jennie Garth, Talia Balsam and Jennifer Espisoto. The Broadroom has two exciting brands associated with it. More magazine - a lifestyle magazine aimed at women who are 40 plus not the UK trashy More magazine - and Maybeline are collaborating as corporate sponsors. Bushnell recently signed up as a contributor for More magazine and will write in the September and October issues. Maybeline will be screening the show on it's website in conjunction with the launch of its new Color Sensational Lipcolor.

The Broadroom airs in September.

Another lady who has moved on since S&TC is Amy Sohn who penned the 'other' S&TC books which were fabulous guides to the show and the movie. If you don't own one of these then you really cannot call yourself a S&TC fan. Well Amy has a book out called Prospect Park West which is about the Brooklyn bourgeois. Set in the lush Park Slope we are introduced to four yummy mummies who are experiencing serious life crisis. Meet Melora Leigh, an acclaimed actress who is frustrated with her career and the pressures of raising her adopted toddler, so goes shoplifting. Rebecca Rose fills the void in her marriage by starting a dangerous flirtation with a handsome neighborhood celebrity. Lizzie O'Donnell, a former lesbian (or "hasbian"), is happily married to a sexy guy with an adorable baby so wonders why she is still drawn to women? Then there is supermon, Karen Bryan Shapiro whose main goal in life are her four-year-old son's well-being and snagging that perfect apartment. Four different women with one thing in common, none of them are satisfied with their lot. Interestingly enough Sarah Jessica Parker has bought the rights to the book and plans to turn it into a TV show.

Prospect Park West is available to buy in September

I Have Patrick

"Did Patrick Demarchelier confirm?" barked dragon boss, Miranda Priestly to rookie assistant, Andy Sachs in the movie, The Devil Wears Prada which led to much confusion on her part. First assistant Emily saved the day by calling him and coolly shouting out from her office, "I have Patrick." All this commotion left me to wonder exactly who this Patrick fellow was. After some research I found out quite a few things, French born, Patrick Demarchelier is a hot shot photographer who has been in the business for over 40 years. During that time he has shot the covers for just about every major fashion magazine as well as covers of Rolling Stone, Life and Newsweek. He has also produced high profile ad campaigns for Revlon, Chanel, Calvin Klein and The Gap and shot images of A list celebrities including the ultimate celeb Princess Diana who personally requested that Demarchelier take her picture back in 1991. Demarchelier is simply regarded as one of the best fashion photographers today.

Not bad for a guy who grew up in a small village near Paris and was more interested in fishing and climbing trees. It all changed when his stepfather gave him a Kodak camera for his seventeenth birthday and suddenly Demarchelier knew exactly what he wanted to with his life. After learning his craft in Paris on a variety of French, German and Italian publications, Demarchelier took himself off to New York and began to build up his client list. Although clients could not understand a word he said they were captivated by his work and soon he was working regularly for Vogue, Mademoiselle, Glamour and Brit Vogue.

Every successful photographer has a USP and Demarchelier's strengths is the approachability that he brings to his pictures particularly when shooting models for covers. His images hold a breezy and understated elegance which at the same time possess a realistic and thoughtful outlook. Throughout his long career Demarchelier has been responsible for creating the most pivotal images in pop culture. From the cover of Janet Jackson's album, Madonna dressed in leather with a cigarette hanging from her mouth taken for the cover of French magazine, Photo to Princess Diana on the cover of British Vogue. The icing on the cake? Appearing in the Sex and the City film, shooting soon to be bride Carrie Bradshaw for American Vogue. Talk about art imitating life.

Here is a clip from Sex and the City: The Movie.

Patrick Demarchelier resides with his wife Mia and their three sons where they divide their time between their family homes in Manhattan and St Barts.

If you would like to see more of Patrick's work then just check out his website here.

All images taken by Patrick Demarchelier.

Made in NYC

One of the charms of the film Wall Street was the way it featured the heartbeat of Manhattan and how exciting life is in the Big Apple. I admit I am a sucker for films and shows based on NYC. Carrie Bradshaw told Miranda in our beloved Sex and the City that she was having a love affair with the city. Who can blame the gal; with it's funky boutiques, wonderful galleries, great restaurants and superb nightlife along with it's vibrant and diverse neighbourhoods - New York may be small but it certainly packs a punch. It also looks great on the eye so it is no surprise that the most famous city in the world has been featured in thousands of films and TV shows. The Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting was founded in 1966 and this kicked off an explosion of productions made in NYC. There are classic films such as the ones made by Woody Allen and Martin Scorcese and TV shows like Seinfeld and Spin City and I have listed the ones that have made an impact on me.

Films

Sex and the City: The Movie
Last year everyone went agog over the much aniticipated release of the S&TC film. Scenes wee shot at Bryant Park when the quartet attend Fashion Week, Park Avenue where Charlotte resides with Harry and Lilly, Fifth Avenue at Carrie and Big's swish new penthouse, Deklab Avenue in Brooklyn where Miranda lived with Steve, Lower East Side where she moved to after their break up and of course Central Park.

The Devil Wears Prada
This film was one of the most glamorous of recent times and showed the drama of working on one of the glossiest magazines around. It featured areas such as the Lower East Side where our protagonist, Andrea Sachs lived, the Tribeca where she hanged out with her fella and pals and the Upper East Side where boss from hell, Miranda Priestly lived.

Working Girl
Melanie Griffiths stars as Tess McGill in a rags to riches story based in the boardroom. The film is shot in locations such as Staten Island where she lived and Bowling Green where she worked.

You've Got Mail
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan reunite to play two star crossed lovers who communicate by email in the Big Apple. This film showed a really romantic look of the city with a 40s vibe that is very care free. Scenes took place primarily on the Upper West Side where both characters lived and also where their rival bookstores were based.

An Affair to Remember
Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant play star crossed lover in this classic film. It will always be synonymous with the Empire State Building where the two lovers were supposed to meet till tragedy hit. An Affair to Remember also inspired the hit film, Sleepless in Seattle.

Breakfast at Tiffany's
One of my favourite movies of all the time. Never mind the dialogue, I just loved watching the scenery and the fashion. This is the film that put the ever so glamorous store Tiffany's on the map. Interesting to find out that while most of the outside shots were filmed in Manhattan, a lot of the inside ones were filmed in Hollywood.

Other films that made an impression are Spike Lee's films such Do The Right Thing, Mo Better Blues and Crooklyn that gave a great insight into Brooklyn. Also Ghost, Desperately Seeking Susan, Confessions of a Shopaholic, It Could Happen to You, 10 Ways to Lose a Guy, Cruel Intentions, Cruel Intentions, What Women Want and As Good As it Gets focused on certain areas in Manhattan.

TV Shows

Gossip Girl
As well as the frolics from the upper classes, Gossip Girl shows off the lushness of the Upper East Side, Fifth Avenue and Central Park where Serena, Blair and co inhabit. However, it gives us an insight into the funkiness of Williamsburg in Brooklyn where all the hipsters such as Vanessa, Dan and Jenny live.

Sex and the City
S&TC creator, Darren Star often said that New York was the fifth character in the show and I don't think he could have put it better. The four women have NYC as their playground and the show concentrates on areas such as the Meatpacking District where Samantha's retro pad is and Upper West Side where Miranda's single ladies apartment is. The Upper East Side is important to the show as that is not only where Charlotte and Carrie have their apartments but it is alsowhere Jimmy Choo, Manola Blahnik and lavish department store, Barneys are based.

Ugly Betty
Often dubbed the TV version of The Devil Wears Prada but Ugly Betty is much more than that. Since it burst onto our scenes two years sgo, Ugly Betty has become a global success and won many prestigious awards. It is hard to believe but the first two seasons of this popular series were filmed in LA. Only the pilot was made in NYC.

Lipstick Jungle
Three women take on NYC juggling high powered careers, families while wearing stilettos. Scenes are filmed in 501 Broadway, Rockland Lake State Park and Nyack Beach State Park.

Friends
Ok I admit it, I am cheating a bit here as Friends was filmed on sets in LA and NYC was only used for outside shots of the apartment block that Monica, Rachel, Chandler and Joey lived in. However Paramount really do a fantastic replica of Manhattan with the fabulous apartments and the cool coffee shop set in Greenwich Village.

Will and Grace
I was not a huge fan of this show and I could not stand Grace but I loved the apartment she shared with Will. It really represented a true Manhattan loft because it was so wide and spacious. Like Friends this was filmed in LA but the exterior shots were all NYC.

Other TV shows that come to mind are Cashmere Mafia, Law and Order and Spin City.

If you are interested in the production of films and TV in the Big Apple then you will love Made in NY which is a series of podcasts that hold walking tours of film and TV locations in NYC. So if you are in NYC and fancy checking out famous shooting scenes then all you need to do is download it onto your iPod and off you go. Whatever you do, don't forget the S&TC tour where you can see the locations from the series. Check out a fantastic review from Vex in the City.

So what are your favourite films and TV shows set in NYC and why?

Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo - Life After Sex and the City

Those scary Sex and the City: The Movie sequel rumours just won't go away. I have no idea what there is to gain from making another film. The last one was a huge hit beyond anyone's dreams so I think we should count our lucky stars and move on. Two people who have certainly moved on from their days on Sex and the City are Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo who were writers on the show. In fact they wrote the iconic episode called, He's Just Not That Into You which went on to become a very successful book and has been made into a film which will be released next month. You can read my blog entry about the pending film here. Ok now to Greg and Liz - Greg was previously a stand up comedian who had a show on Comedy Central called Greg Beherendt is Uncool. He now has his own show called Greg's Wake Up Call where he plays an agony uncle who helps warring couples sort out their relationships. Liz Tuccillo went on to work on a show called Related which was a comedy about four sisters living in New York City. She has recently released a book called How to be Single which is about five female friends who have grown weary of the dating scene in the Big Apple. So what is one to do? Well you take off around the world, stopping off at chic places along the way like France, Italy, Australia and Brazil to pick up lots of dating tips. Well this is what the protagonist, Julie does after she experiences the complete date from hell. Interestingly enough, Liz herself undertook the exact journey where she travelled round the world to quiz the women on their approach to dating and she certainly learnt a few things. Check out the webisodes of How to be Single (Around the World) here.  See there is life after Sex and the City - producers please take note. 

Getting Carried Away

The Sex and the City film is now out on DVD so here we go again with all the hype. I finally got the film the second time round but still left feeling a tad bit disappointed. The film had it all; love, friendship, clothes, shoes and New York but I couldn't help feeling how cool it would have been if Sex and the City: The Movie had taken us back a few years so we could see Carrie when she first came to NYC and met her ladies in crime. Funny to hear that the children's division of Harper Collins are planning to release a series of books about Carrie in her teenage years. The books will show a young Ms Bradshaw growing up in her native home town and feature her visits to the big apple. S&TC book author, Candace Bushnell has been enlisted to write the books and with a working title of The Carrie Years, it looks like it will be hit with teens as well as their Mothers. However as a good mate of mine stated, it is all a bit much and anyone would think that Carrie Bradshaw was a real life character. So it leads me to ask the question of whether we are truly getting carried away with the immortal S&TC.