Showing posts with label Vintage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vintage. Show all posts

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Bombshells and Dollies


Inspired by the look of classic pin-up queens and movie stars like Lauren Bacall, Hedy Lamarr, Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable, Ava Gardner, etc., modern day pin-up models embrace the aesthetic of a bygone era. They embody a classic feminine beauty, there is also an acceptance of all women regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, body shape or whether they have tattoos or not. The vintage lifestyle extends beyond hair, makeup and clothing to music, cars and of course classic movies. 



The new documentary Bombshells and Dollies, directed by Daniel Halperin, chronicles the 2015 Viva Las Vegas 18 pin-up competition. Viva Las Vegas is a weekend long Rockabilly festival held every year in April. Over 25,000 vintage enthusiasts travel to Las Vegas every year for live music, car shows, burlesque shows, Tiki parties, bowling, dancing and much more. Twelve women compete to be chosen as Miss Viva Las Vegas. Five competitors are chosen by judges, one is chosen by those five, and the audience chooses the other six. In Bombshells and Dollies we get to meet each of the 12 competitors as well as other Viva Las Vegas regulars, organizers and the vintage pin-up queen herself Dita Von Teese. The pin-ups are from around the world: the U.S., Canada, Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. One of the competitors, Miss Victory Violet, is one of my favorite vintage models on INstagram and I was excited to watch the documentary to learn more about her. 

The documentary follows the competition up until the winners are chosen: best wardrobe, best hair, best makeup, second runner up, first runner up and Miss Viva Las Vegas. The interest in 1940s and 1950s style and even WWII era culture is discussed at length. For those classic film fans who are interested in vintage looks and have interest in or have been to Viva Las Vegas themselves, this documentary is a must watch. There are a few classic film references and one of the competitor's outfits was even inspired by something Linda Darnell wears in My Darling Clementine (1946).

Bombshells and Dollies is available on digital through TriCoast Entertainment. You can find the documentary on Amazon Prime, InDemand, DirecTV, AT&T, FlixFling, Vimeo on Demand, Vudu and FANDANGO.


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