Barry Lyndon
Coming at ya with another people’s pick, this time with my husband— musician Shane Perry. Choosing a favorite film is a hard task, and we’ve had this conversation many times… each time drumming up different results. For my purposes, I asked Shane again, but to view it from a visual standpoint. His choice? The beautiful Barry Lyndon.
Barry Lyndon is the life story of the morally questionable and opportunistic Redmon Barry. Set mostly in England in the mid 18th century, we follow Barry through many quick ascensions, each one followed by an even quicker demise. He easily sets about surmounting obstacles and acquiring what he wants, while remaining arrogant whether he is at the top or bottom of the heap he finds himself in. This movie looks very serious, but it is really quite funny, with Barry up to no good and the narrator stating the absurd plainly. What makes this movie so great, however, is how it looks— soft edges by candle light, and opulent settings and costumes. The scenes are set up so perfectly, and there are a lot of moments with little movement where a zoom out gives a dreamy painterly affect.
A Question & Answer with Shane Perry
What makes Barry Lyndon stand out as a favorite film?
Barry Lyndon speaks for itself as a masterful movie. I think it stands out to me because it feels like a more timeless Kubrick. I mainly fawn nostalgically over it, since Barry Lyndon came to me as a teen when I was doing a lot of self discovery, I was finding great movies and investing in my appetite for art and culture, especially from the past.
What do you find visually compelling about it?
I mean, I think the visuals are the spectacular aspect of this movie. That’s the reason why viewers consider Barry Lyndon so great, because it looks so so good. You’re totally transported to the time period. The hard work they put into this movie translates easily. I also love the slight dreamy haze aspect of the film that makes it so pleasant. This comes down to taste but I prefer the haze to the pailful clarity of modern movies these days.
Is there a special memory you connect to watching this film?
The movie came to me in youth when I was discovering the ‘basics’ : being introduced to The Beatles, buying my first real guitar, making new friends, eating vegetables, seeing movies like Pulp fiction, Good Fellas and Barry Lyndon. I associate it with a desire I had for an alternative lifestyle, that it was a discovery of self as much as seeing a good movie. Also makes me think of my two younger brothers who dearly facilitated many of these uncoverings and our shared youth.
How does watching movies inform your own art practice?
I enjoy movies the most when they resonate with who I am. Also when people can have a massive budget to make their artistic dream come true is very inspiring. That movies are an artistic extensions of a person just like any art form. I admire film makers ambitions and I sometimes take little pieces of them for my own art when something sticks.
What art that you consume has the greatest impact on the art you make?
At the present moment, books make a big splash for me, when I make the habit of reading. I love the word play. I also enjoy dissecting and learning songs. I like to hear aspects of musical arrangement, especially for a band. The dance of chords, words, melody and voice is what I like most.
Please give Shane’s band, The Medium, a listen! He sings beautifully and writes sweet and silly songs, sometimes about me when I’m lucky! His daily devotion to his art is continually inspiring to me.
The rich were really having fun with dress in the 18th century as exemplified by the costumes in Barry Lyndon. I was taking notes on a lot of lace and ruffles around the neck and wrists… and I was thinking about folk wear.
I have recently acquired a “Bihor Blouse”, an amazingly intricate piece of folk clothing that is apart of the traditional costume of the Bihor region of Romania. Following accounts like Thread Written, Folkloric Fashion, and Rhapsody in Colour have shown me countless examples of the beautiful handiwork prevalent in folk dress. Time and skill created these elaborate works of art, not associated with the nobility of the courts who could afford beauty, but the people who could create it. This is a long tradition that is continuing today.
The example I have is from the 1940s and features a full circle collar, smocking, cutwork (where designs are created through cutting away fabric and reinforcing with embroidery), and crocheted edging. The blouse is of sturdy linen that seems to be home-woven. I paid a pretty penny for this gorgeous thing, and it is really quite amazing to look at all the details up close and in person… but as my intention was to appreciate through wear and not to keep stowed for admiration, I had some work to do to get the fit right. Upon first try-on, it was a little disheartening, as it just didn’t look right but the issue wasn’t easily place-able. How to alter something so precious when you don’t know what the fit issue is? Very Carefully, LOL. I removed the sleeves in order to get a better clue and discovered the culprit— excess fabric at the shoulder seam that created bunching around the collar and armpits! After fixing that I got kinda into how it looked without the sleeves, so I finished the armholes with some bias-binding. I can picture this little vest-adjacent topper going over dresses to add some oomph and my favorite kind of collar, just as well as on it’s own. I’ve got two show-stopping sleeves now… we shall see if they make it onto their own dress, or back onto this blouse come Fall!
Rounding out this look with a garment that’s been on my make-list for some time, I sewed up some quick bloomers, referencing these wonderful ones I’ve been seeing from Salter House. These are a summer lounge pant my period-drama, dress-up loving self can really get down with.
Thank you for reading! If you haven’t seen Barry Lyndon or wanna see it again, it happens to be playing at The Belcourt next weekend, for those in Nashville!
What a gorgeous top! Where did you find it? And I love the light blue pants! A perfect outfit.