![]() That “Halston” the show similarly throws away real talent would be less frustrating if the show didn’t seem to be responding to its own shortfalls in real time. Halston the man - at least according to the show bearing his name - was a creative powerhouse who, eventually, let his talent go largely wasted. And it hardly takes a Murphy obsessive to note the timing of a show about an artist whose creative life was ruined by attaching his name to products that didn’t represent the best use of his talents this arrives some years into a Netflix partnership that so far has borne series that are creatively wobbly at best. ![]() Producer Ryan Murphy never works alone - “Halston” was created by Sharr White, directed by Daniel Minahan, and produced by, among others, Christine Vachon (also an executive producer on the FX queer-history documentary series “Pride,” out the same day as “Halston” and engagingly big-hearted in ways the limited series never approaches). “You are not Halston anymore,” an intimate informs him, as the loss of his autonomy sinks in, suddenly and all at once. In the new Netflix limited series, also called “Halston,” we see, at first, Ewan McGregor’s gleeful realization at just how much money he can make stamping his name on inferior product later, he realizes the fees he’s collected came at the price of his artistic soul. And so, Halston levels up, growing from a one-hit-wonder with Jackie Kennedy to someone that New York socialites wear on a daily basis.Halston, the mononymous designer whose peak fame dovetailed with the celebrity whirl of Studio 54-era New York, rose thanks to his originality and coasted thanks to his willingness to be duplicated. ![]() During the meeting with Paley, he shows her Ultrasuede synthetic trench coats, “everyday” attire as he calls it. And he takes on the serious persona of someone known as Halston, somewhat of a diversion from his current personality. He starts wearing sunglasses all the time, regardless of the time of day or the amount of sunshine seeping into his eyes. ![]() Though the show doesn’t lead to any direct sales, it garners the interest of Babe Paley, a socialite who was once named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame. He’s fascinated with suede, though unable to find the perfect use for the material, instead taking Schumacher’s idea of a flowy, patterned, dyed dress and running with it. Unfazed, Halston meets up with illustrator Joe Eula (David Pittu) in episode 1, convincing him to join his team, as Eula introduces Halston to Liza Minnelli, played by the overwhelming Krysta Rodriguez, bringing charm and wit to an initial performance of “Liza with a Z.” She becomes Halston’s first muse, the person that brings his simple, elegant designs to a wider audience, shaping into a friend and collaborator.Īfter securing initial funding of $100,000, Halston sets up shop with a small crew, including model Elsa Peretti (Rebecca Dayan) and young filmmaker Joel Schumacher (Rory Culkin). He puts on a show with a small collection, ending in disaster as no one buys his designs. He meets and picks up a man named Ed at the bar, giving him a sense of reassurance, something that he desperately and consistently needs. He’s gained recognition but not fame, slight success without riches. It’s an unsurprising and unexciting starting point, but one that allows the series to go in a multitude of directions, given Murphy’s license to over-dramatize real-world events.īy 1968, Halston’s hats have become an afterthought, as the designer walks down a Manhattan street looking at the fashion of the ladies of his time. Opening with Kennedy giving Halston major publicity, a flash-forward several years into the future, and the designer’s sudden lack of cash flow, the series begins with Halston out of ideas. It shouldn’t be, and often it’s not, a character study like The Assassination of Gianni Versace. Glitzy and over-the-top, the series opener, “Becoming Halston,” excels when it isn’t over-thinking its premise or its star. ![]() Directed by Daniel Minahan and penned by Sharr White, the miniseries explores Halston’s rise and fall over the course of multiple decades. Netflix’s Halston, the latest by Ryan Murphy in an executive role, stars Ewan McGregor as the eponymous Roy Halston Frowick, the fashion designer originally known for designing Jackie Kennedy’s pillbox hats. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |