Another death in Gay Paris that I was not aware of...

This is a post made a year TOO LATE...
Just as with the classy Claude Jade who passed away in December of 2006, I was not aware that the astonishing Anicée Alvina had passed away in November of that same year.
And both were reaped by the same monster - cancer.
Anicée was only 53 - and she appeared to be eternally young due, in part, to her timeless films made early in her career; 'Deux enfants qui s'aiment' and 'Paul et Michelle' particularly (the second being a sequel to the first; this before the trend to make sequels was anywhere near to becoming a real, truly consistent trend...)

As many have said about her before, she was sort of a living symbol for the "cinéma libertin des années 1970" - the libertinous French films of that decade... That is quite an honor for someone so young when the competition for that dubious title was the likes of Sylvia Kristel and Brigitte Bardot herself - both in their prime.
The reason for that was truly just a few films she made, all in a row, in a short timespan right from the onset of her career. There were the first two titles mentioned above. And then there were the truly daring ones...
Films such as 'Isabelle Devant Le Désir' and also the much controversial 'Le Rempart des Béguines' where she was paired up with classic film and stage actress Nicole Courcel in a most unusual and unpredictable way, career-pattern wise (unless one had previously read the novel of the same name; absolutely no one could have predicted such a role for the refined Nicole Courcel - certainly not the role she was attributed there, as the seductress of a teenaged girl. And the role given to the nubile Anicée Alvina was a surprise as well.)

But this is not a movie career analysis - as much as it is an eulogy.
The films mentioned above and below shall be analyzed elsewhere...

Born Anicée Shahmanesh on the 28th of January 1953, she was of Iranian descent via her father and French through her mother. The mix contributed to make her, in time, French cinema's touch of the exotic - and erotic. She was married in 1984 and was buried last year in the same locality: Boncourt, which is to be found somewhere in Eure et Loire. She did pass away in Paris, however...

Perhaps Paris was not worthy of keeping her body in inhumation now - considering the way Parisians treated her body as a consummable in print, for so long...

Whenever a French director needed a refreshing vision of all that youth could be, such as René Richon did for his 1978 film 'La Barricade du Point du Jour', they summoned Anicée Alvina - the most promising starlet of "le nouveau cinéma français" from her very start in 1969 throughout the 1970s.

Throughout that period, these directors and casting agents required two things, primarily, from Anicée: for her to be cute and for her to disrobe.

Flash-forward to now, however:

2006 was a murderous year indeed - and I am not alone with this opinion as evidenced by this comment left elsewhere:

De PM Jarriq, le 26 novembre 2006 à 12:39
Pour continuer dans les nouvelles réjouissantes de cette fin d'année meurtrière, j'apprends le décès de Anicée Alvina, jeune première des années 70, remarquée dans ce film de Blain (Un Second Souffle), et dans Le Rempart des Béguines.

Blain's film and le Rempart - two of the most exploitive films done with Anicée - or committed at her expense as blatant exploitation of her exotic looks and unique qualities... She was the voluptuous object of desire du jour - in spite of her intrinsic innocence. For Anicée had that particularity about her, see, that which made it clear (as clear as logically could be) that she was unquestionably precocious and sensuous - yet retained the aura of a virginal nymph at the same time (as it is plainly evident below.) Her purity outshone any of the sexually suggestive things she did on screen - and, much akin to a young Romy Schneider, it would have to be the toll of years and years of disappointments, life itself hence, that would finally take away that aura of purity - replacing it with the allure of a proud woman whose dreams were not fulfilled, as it was the case for both herself and Romy, as well...



Anicée had left the seventh art in the early 1980s (most probably out of deep lassitude and dillusionment) to try and achieve her lifelong dream to sing. She released three singles: "Image à définir" (1982), "Maman, je ne veux plus aller à l’école" (1983) and "Si tu m’aimais encore" (1986). She was met with very mixed reviews and a lukewarm response from critics and audiences alike - unlike a certain Carla Bruni many years later; Carla, who had done as much nudity as Anicée had (but as a model, not an actress) to eventually turn around and become a chanteuse overnight - and she was actually embraced as such.
Anicée, one of the first to do that, was clearly not.

It is perplexing to note the obvious irony that she was born in 1953 - and was destined to remain on this Earth only 53 years as well.
She spent most of her career years as a recluse, in near-obscurity, not making films or much of anything else, in-between exploitive flicks that is. Who could blame her - she knew that the only roles French film directors would offer her (especially the French ones - although Lewis Gilbert is guilty too) were roles that would require her to be a sexpot, a seductress of some kind, a debauched woman - and she knew that these directors would want her primarily to get her to shed her clothing once again... Even as she grew older, roles of substance would not come her way. No one ever saw in her more than that - more than a pretty woman, a pretty naked body, an object of desire. Bref, plus qu'une poupée.
I do believe she has been embraced now by One Who Sees beyond mere corporeal shells - One Who embraced the beautiful person that Anicée was on the inside.
And Has Seen her true value, hence, when so few here saw it.


R.I.P.

The Month Of The Dead's Death Toll

Another "November To Remember" this will be, assuredly...

Lillian Ellison
aka
The Fabulous Moolah
(1923-2007)

At least, now,
where she's headed
Vince McMahon
will not be able to
use her in abysmal ways
on his lamentable show
(where she is now
Vince will not BE
period!)

Hey, Lillian -
give 'Classie Freddie Blassie'
a hug, for me...?

My condolences to
both your daughters -
Mary 'not stone cold' Austin
and Katie Glass
aka 'Diamond Lil'



LAST YEAR
the Boston Celtics' season
started with Red Auerbach's
departure from this world...
This year,
amidst the euphoria
of a new team
with tons of
very realizable
great expectations,
another tragedy
early in the season:
the coach's FATHER
passes away
suddenly...

My condolences to Doc Rivers
and everyone who knew
and held dear
Grady Alexander Rivers Sr.
(1931-2007)


PEOPLE DIE YOUNG TOO -
the unexpected
and shocking death of
distance runner
Ryan Shay
(1979-2007)
took many by surprise
last Saturday.
Could Couch Potatoes
actually achieve more
"reliable longevity"
than those striving to be
fit and active?
The questions
that such sudden
and unforseen
tragedies raise
are many
and difficult
to answer promptly...

I have a question too;
as someone forwarded to me
the following
"Formidable Forwardable"
(as often seen on TLB Prime)
a mere few hours
before Shay's untimely demise...
and the message of the "FWD"
is for the recipient to
HAVE A "SHAY DAY"...
(not on a Saturday - I hope...)

>Subject: Two Choices
By A Luminous Anonymous
evidently...!
>Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2007 09:02:08 -0400
(Hence, roughly a little more
than 24 hours before Ryan Shay's
sudden passing...)
>>What would you do? You make the choice.
Don't look for a punch line,
>there isn't one.
Read it anyway.
My question is: Would you have made the same choice?
>>At a fund raising dinner for a school that serves
learning-disabled children,
the father of one of the students delivered a speech
that would never be forgotten by all who attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff,
he offered a question:
"When not interfered with by outside influences,
everything nature does is done with perfection.
Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do.
He cannot understand things as other children do.
Where is the natural order of things in my son?"
>>The audience was stilled by the query.
>>The father continued.
"I believe that when a child like Shay,
physically and mentally handicapped,
comes into the world,
an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself,
and it comes in the way other people treat that child."
>>Then he told the following story:
>>Shay and his father had walked past a park
where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball.
Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?"
>>Shay's father knew that most of the boys
would not want someone like Shay on their team,
but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play,
it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging
and some confidence to be accepted by others
in spite of his handicaps.
>>Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field
and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play.
(Some kids *do* have a heart -
and can figure out, also,
that baseball *is* only a game
and winning isn't everything...)
The boy looked around for guidance and said,
"We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning.
I guess he can be on our team and we'll try
to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."
>>Shay struggled over to the team's bench and,
with a broad smile, put on a team shirt.
His Father watched with a small tear in his eye
and warmth in his heart.
The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.
In the bottom of the eighth inning,
Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.
In the top of the ninth inning,
Shay put on a glove and played in the right field.
Even though no hits came his way,
he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game
and on the field, grinning from ear to ear
as his father waved to him from the stands.
In the bottom of the ninth inning,
Shay's team scored again.
Now, with two outs and the bases loaded,
the potential winning run was on base
and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
>>At this juncture, do they let Shay bat
and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat.
Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible
because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly,
much less connect with the ball.
(Pray for a walk...?)
>>However, as Shay stepped up to the plate,
the pitcher, recognizing that the other team
was putting winning aside
for this moment in Shay's life,
moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly
so Shay could at least make contact.
The first pitch came
and Shay swung clumsily and missed.
The pitcher again took a few steps forward
to toss the ball softly towards Shay.
>As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball
and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
>>The game would now be over.
The pitcher picked up the soft grounder
and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.
Shay would have been the inning's third out
and that would have been the end of the game.
>>Instead, the pitcher threw the ball
right over the first baseman's head,
out of reach of all his teammates.
Everyone from the stands
and both teams started yelling,
"Shay, run to first! Run to first!"
Never in his life had Shay ever run that far,
but he made it to first base.
He scampered down the baseline,
wide-eyed and startled.
>>Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second,
gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.
By the time Shay rounded towards second base,
the right fielder had the ball ...
the smallest guy on their team
who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.
He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman
for the tag and the final out,
but he understood the pitcher's intentions
so he, too, intentionally threw the ball
high and far over the third-baseman's head.
Shay ran toward third base deliriously
as the runners ahead of him
circled the bases toward home.
All were screaming,
"Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay!"
>>Shay reached third base because
the opposing shortstop ran to help him
by turning him in the direction of third base
and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third!"
>>As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams,
and the spectators, were on their feet screaming,
"Shay, run home! Run home!"
Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate,
and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam
and won the game for his team.
>>"That day", said the father softly
with tears now rolling down his face,
"the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of
true love and humanity into this world".
>>Shay didn't make it to another summer.
He died that winter,
having never forgotten being the hero
and making his father so happy,
and coming home and seeing his mother
tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
>>AND NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY:
We all send thousands of jokes
through the e-mail
without a second thought,
but when it comes to sending
messages about life choices,
people hesitate.
The crude, vulgar, and often obscene
pass freely through cyberspace,
but public discussion about decency
is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.
>>If you're thinking about forwarding this message,
chances are that you're probably sorting out
the people in your address book who aren't
the"appropriate" ones to receive this type of message.
Well, the person who sent you this
believes that we all can make a difference.
We all have thousands of opportunities every single day
to help realize the "natural order of things."
EVEN AS DEATH HOVERS OVER US ALL
So many seemingly trivial interactions
between two people present us with a choice:
Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity
or do we pass up those opportunities
and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?
>>A wise man once said every society is judged
by how it treats its least fortunate amongst them.
>>You now have two choices:
>1. Delete>2. Forward
And my third option: Blog! And...
>>May your day be a Shay Day.>>>

My condolences to Alicia Shay
and all of Ryan Shay's family and kins.