1. 6 A&E
What can a woman do: An interview with textile curator Lynne Zacek Bassett ’83
G
February 12, 2009 Mount Holyoke News
BY SCHUYLER MARQUEZ ’11 working for museums (starting at the bottom as a curato-
STAFF WRITER rial or registrar’s assistant), they found out I could sew
he Mount Holyoke Art Museum opened its latest ex- and I automatically got sent off to work with costume col-
T hibit titled, “What Can a Woman Do? Women, Work
and Wardrobe 1865-1940” last week. The exhibit ex-
plores the shifts in representations of women and their
lections because I understood the fabrics and the con-
struction (and generally, the other museum staff didn’t). I
realized that I loved working with historic textiles of all
sorts and decided to focus on that as a curator, so I got a
wardrobe in America during the pivotal years between the
Civil War and World War II. The exhibit is framed around master’s degree in costume and textile history from
how women’s entrance into the work force affected fash- UConn.
ion and was inspired by a book of the same title published
in 1863. The Mount Holyoke News was fortunate enough
to interview Lynne Zacek Bassett ’83, the exhibit’s curator. MHN: What was the process like for curation?
Bassett shares some insights in the making of the ground-
breaking exhibit along with some fun anecdotes of her fa- LZB: That’s a huge question! Like any museum exhibition,
vorite college memories and advice for aspiring curators. curating a costume exhibition involves carefully choosing
The exhibit is open now through May 31. A panel that in- items for display, keeping in mind what best tells the story
cludes Lynne will take place Thursday, Feb. 12, at 5p.m. in but also what is sturdy enough to be on exhibition (textiles
tend to be quite fragile). Conservation treatment is often
Gamble Auditorium.
needed for items, so you have to keep that in mind in Photo by Joanna Arcieri
terms of budget—conservation is very expensive and Hampshire student Allie Wickham and Ruth Canter ’10 explore the new
Mount Holyoke News: How did you become interested in sometimes you have to give up something you’d like to dis- Art Museum exhibit, which opened Feb. 3.
historic costume and textiles? play because you can’t afford to have it repaired.
Research into the exhibition topic takes the most time. shape with batting and nylon tulle.
Lynne Zacek Bassett: My mother gave me my first sewing A special challenge of a museum exhibition is to pull all
machine when I was six—a little handcrank model—so I of that research together into tightly written labels that MHN: What were your inspirations for the exhibit?
grew up sewing and by junior high I was making a lot of are informative, yet not so long that the visitor loses pa-
my own clothes. When I moved to New England and tience standing to read them. (I have to admit that the la- LZB: The museum staff requested that I use the MHC the-
started attending Mount Holyoke, I realized I wanted a ca- bels for “What Can a Woman Do?” are rather long, but the ater department costume collection and the art museum’s
reer as a curator in a history museum. Once I started MHC Art Museum gets a more sophisticated and engaged collection as much as possible, so that limited the group of
audience than many museums, so the director and curator objects that I could work with. The strength of the cos-
allowed me to write longer labels than what I customarily tume collection is dresses of the late 19th and 20th cen-
write.) turies, so that indicated the exhibition’s time frame. I am
Costume exhibitions are the most difficult type of ex- an avid book collector, and so I hit on the idea for the ex-
hibition to put together because of the complexities of hibition when I remembered a book on my
dressing mannequins. Mannequins can be cheap or expen- shelves, called What Can a Woman
sive, but no matter what type you have, if you don’t under- Do?, from 1893. The book gives career
stand a fashion’s proper silhouette, the costume won’t advice to ambitious women of that
look right. For “What Can a Woman Do?” we tried to get period, and so I used it to frame the
foam mannequins that we could carve to the proper shape, topic of women entering the work-
but unfortunately the company sent the wrong man- force between the Civil War and World
nequins (of fiberboard) and the mistake wasn’t discovered War II, and how that impacted fashion
until it was too late to send them back. So we had the in the period.
added challenge of making those mannequins work—we
actually had to saw them apart and cut them down and The complete interview with
Lynne Zacek Bassett is available on-
The horror!
then tape them into a more appropriate size and shape.
Students made petticoats and muslin arms for the man- line at www.themhnews.com
I can’t think straight lacks
nequins and then we padded the dresses out to the proper
Remakes of
Photo by Joanna Arcieri A wedding gown from 1887
vision and sincerity
classic flicks inundate Hollywood BY SAMANTHA SILVER ’10 the first film to have a Palestinian
WEB EDITOR woman play a homosexual role, the
BY ANN MARIE MCDOWELL ’09 sually pops.
FEATURES EDITOR I can’t think straight, the first film is not as visionary or as ballsy
It pops more, however, from the titular “3D”
film of the spring in the “Out for as it could have been. The film
This winter has gotten a little chillier, cour- aspect, in equipped theaters. Unlike the 3D
Reel” LGBT film series played to a deals with a blossoming romance
tesy of horror movies. Two of the most antici- movies of old, the technology used in My Bloody
sold-out house on a chilly Friday between two women and faces is-
pated of these films set themselves apart through Valentine 3D is RealD. Using a single projector
night at the Academy of Music in sues of sexuality, race, religion,
the value of nostalgia. My Bloody Valentine 3D (older methods used two), very high frame rates
Northampton. In a place as proud and politics. But while confronting
and Friday the 13th are, respectively, a remake and specially polarized glasses that ensure each
of its gay community as the Pio- all these issues is admirable, it fails
and a franchise reboot of movies that helped de- eye sees only the alternating image to create the
neer Valley, a movie with a title to take on any of these issues with
fine the slasher genre in the early 1980s. effect, RealD is stunning. Long past the days of
like I can’t think straight practi- enough tact and sincerity to be
My Bloody Valentine 3D, a remake of the 1981 red and blue paper glasses, My Bloody Valentine
cally sells itself. taken seriously. The female leads
My Bloody Valentine, was released last month, 3D combines classic horror tropes with modern
The film, directed by Shamim rise above a script that lacks coher-
airing before its namesake holiday to avoid com- technologies to create an enjoyable ride.
Sarif, stars Sheetal Sheth as the ence and stand out with untapped
petition with the prolific and better-anticipated Then, tomorrow’s opening of Friday the 13th
quiet and reserved Leyla, and Lisa complexity among a supporting
Friday the 13th update. While there were offers more classic horror camp, specifically
Ray as the headstrong and glam- cast of one-dimensional characters
changes, such as the name of the town and a re- Camp Crystal Lake. Promoted as a re-envisioning
orous Tala. Leyla lives with her who play stereotypes for quick
fining plot overhaul, the heart of a classic slasher of the franchise, the 2009 Friday the 13th is nei-
family in a suburban middle class laughs.
came through, delivered up nicely in a heart- ther a remake of the 1980 original nor a sequel to
neighborhood of London and During intense scenes between
shaped box of Valentine’s chocolates. The vic- the storyline launched by it. It is likely that the
though she dreams of becoming a Tala and Leyla, the camera moves
tims’ hearts in candy boxes are some of the many studio is hoping to breathe new life into the hor-
writer, she spends her days work- slowly and decisively, but this at-
iconic moments from the original that made it ror staple, à la Batman Begins style reboot. The
ing for her father’s insurance com- tempt to convey romance between
into this remake. Friday the 13th opening of Friday the 13th is a
pany. She is seeing a boy named two astoundingly beautiful women
The style of the movie also reminisces back gimmick likely to attract large crowds; it seems
Ali, and meets his old college is undone by the film’s choppy TV-
to the good old days, pre-Saw and Hostel’s tor- the other studios must think so, as other horror
friend Tala, a complex and sophis- like style, which, while striving to
ture-porn trend. The characters are more likely movies are giving this one such a large berth that
ticated woman from Jordan. Tala add humor, takes away from the
to fall down when being chased, and at a higher Friday the 13th may very well have both Feb. 13th
has been unlucky with love, having connection between Tala and
price. The pickaxe wielding Valentine’s Day killer and March’s Friday the 13th without any horror
been engaged three times and is Leyla.
doesn’t spin the “Murder or Mutilate” roulette competition.
now engaged for the fourth time. The film is aware of the legacy
wheel; he prefers to get straight to his razor But, for viewers who enjoy a scare and either
There is an immediate connection of LGBT cinema and culture that it
sharp point. While there is much brutality and find the gore too much or the handsome leads of
between the two women and Leyla attempts to advance. At one point a
gore, the kills are mercifully fast. both My Bloody Valentine 3D and Friday the 13th
jumps at any chance to see Tala. character tries to explain about
The gore in this remake fulfills a promise de- too charming, there is a solution. My Bloody
And while Tala resists her feelings Tala and asks another if he’s seen
nied to the original. My Bloody Valentine suffered Valentine 3D’s Jensen Ackles currently stars
and ignores her true self, it doesn’t The L Word. But despite being
from MPAA required cuts on most of its graphic alongside Friday the 13th’s Jared Padalecki in the
take long for Leyla to realize her aware of the accomplishments of
kills, whose few minutes total of footage has only CW television show Supernatural, where they
feelings for Tala and soon she is lis- gay cinema thus far, no advances
become available with this year’s re-release of the play two brothers who travel around the country
tening to k.d. lang and exploring have been made. While the film
DVD. My Bloody Valentine 3D enjoys modern in a vintage Impala while battling all manner of
her new-found sexual identity. has good intentions, I can’t think
permissive standards, boosting the on-screen kill monsters, ghosts and legends.
Both women struggle with their straight sells itself short.
count and adding in nudity. After all, who would-
My Bloody Valentine 3D is currently in the- own values and those of their fam-
n’t want to run from a psychotic killer while wear- I can’t think straight is avail-
aters. Friday the 13th opens nationwide on Feb. ilies in order to figure out what
ing nothing but high heels and lipstick? The able on DVD.
13. they truly want out of life.
explicit nudity and gore, using updated special ef-
While I can’t think straight is
fects to outdo the original’s cut-worthy kills, vi-

2. The greatest cult sensation of all time?
February 12, 2008 G
Mount Holyoke News A&E 7
Repo! The Genetic Opera The Rocky Horror Picture Show
BY KIM BOYD ’10 The man stared at munity began to grow around a film that BY STEPHANIE SPACKEY ’09 lines reinforce the community that Rocky
STAFF WRITER our group of six, his most people hadn’t even seen yet. People STAFF WRITER built, as this shared common knowledge
eyes wide in a sort of started to demand the movie be shown, Never see The Rocky Horror Picture permeates and contributes to everyone’s
horror as he squeezed his milkshake. forming what would become the Repo Show until you can see it live. enjoyment of the show. Some of it is rou-
After a moment, he finally asked the Army. Due to the demand, LGF offered With a cast. tine, scripted, and expected; other lines are
question that had been lingering in the one screen per showing. The fan demand What I didn’t know was, well, every- cast-specific, inside jokes that no one re-
back of his mind. “Are, uh... you guys rose and one screen was extended to two, thing—but that’s beside the point. What members the origin of. Beyond the call back
going to a party?” I smiled brightly at then four and finally seven screens matters is that, in true geek fashion, I was lines, too, there’s dancing, there are things
him from behind my black lipstick, veil opened the movie on Nov. 7, 2008. being prepped for a classic introduction to to throw (sometimes, and as long as it isn’t
and top hat and replied, “No, we’re going Despite the small but dedicated fan- the cult film that surpasses all others. at the screen or the actors, thank you very
to a movie.” Dressing up to go to cult base, the movie got no publicity, so Bous- It’s a terrible movie, and those of us in- much), there’s cursing and occasionally, all
movies has been a tradition for a long man and Zdunich took the movie on the volved with it are just as aware of that as, hell breaking loose.
time, since The Rocky Horror Picture road. The Repo Road Tour sold out the perhaps, the casual viewer. The movie, A lot of this is made possible, in many
Show, but we weren’t going to see Rocky. first run of seven cinemas all over Amer- which was based off of Richard O’Brien’s ways, by the efforts of the loyal and faithful
Instead we were going to the cult film for ica, and so a second and third road tour stage play The Rocky Horror Show, didn’t shadow casts. Rocky is not a movie to be
a new generation, Repo! The Genetic were added. The Repo Army hopped into exactly do well when it watched, Rocky is a movie to be taken
Opera. action, promoting the tour and the film was released in a aback by, a movie to be experienced—and
Like Rocky Horror, Repo! has its via various internet social networking handful of U.S. casts are big fans of virgins (okay, okay,
roots in the stage. Originally, Repo! was platforms. People connected, cities in calm down. It’s the affectionate name we
one of a series of what creators Terrance people worked to- 1975, but give to anyone who hasn’t seen the movie
Zdunich and Darren Smith called “Ten gether and fortuitous with a cast before), as well as the awkward
Minute Operas.” The most popular of most events kept naïveté they tend to arrive with.
them was called The Necromerchant’s of all, the film There’s got to be something compelling
Debt, which told the base story of a grave people alive. about a movie when it inspires people of all
robber who owes a debt to an organ started ages and backgrounds to go take to the
Repo-man. When the story extened to a to love stage, no? It’s like two shows for the price of
full length opera, it was directed by a Repo! de- one—sure, one of them is a terrible, terrible
young Darren Lynn Bousman who would spite its For what- film with an excellent, hilarious soundtrack,
then go on to direct Saw 2, Saw 3 and flaws and the ever reasons, but the other is an interactive sing-a-long, a
Saw 4. He promised them that someday LA Times people still scream-your-heart-out joyride that simply
he would turn Repo! into a film. calling Repo! kept coming can’t be replicated. At Rocky, anything goes
After much fighting, and being “The worst to see this and anything can happen; nothing is off-lim-
turned down many times, a film was movie ever bizarre mu- its. Being a part of it is like simultaneously
made, and it had some amazing casting, made.” sical com- preserving the legacy of something so
just based on the “W.T.F why are these Like The e d y adored and beloved—all the while degrad-
names together?” factor: Spykids’ Alexa Rocky Horror thing—especially once it ing and corrupting it on a perfectly regular
Vega, Goodfellas’ Paul Sorvino, Buffy’s Picture Show was given the midnight basis.
Anthony Head, world famous soprano before it, Repo! breed community and ac- time slot at New York’s Waverly Rocky Horror is widely recognized as
Sarah Brightman and Paris freaking ceptance around it. But where the debt Theatre in early 1976. Moreover, it wasn’t what I suppose you’d call a “cult classic,”
Hilton. Despite initially receiving good ends is in the way it took years for Rocky just that people kept coming—it was the and that’s probably for good reason. More
buzz at the 2007 Scream Awards, the re- to become what Repo! already is. People fact that it was the same people, returning than thirty years later, it’s still being run in
lease date of this movie kept being dressed up for Repo! before seeing it, over and over again to watch the film. By theatres worldwide—and it’s been said that
pushed back further and further. based on clips like “Zydrate Anatomy” the end of the ’70s, the movie’s relative suc- it just might be the longest running release
In many ways, Repo! became the lit- and “Mark it Up.” Now, thanks to the cess was unarguable. Audiences were turn- in cinema history. Rocky is the standard to
tle film that could. At one point, Repo! DVD, people have started to see what the ing up for weekly or biweekly midnight which all others must compare, but the fact
had been designated to direct to DVD fuss is about and love it or hate it. Repo! showings, resplendent in screen accurate remains that it is both the original and the
status. Enter the fans. The Repo! movie isn’t a film for everyone. This is not your costumes, and newsletters, fan clubs and penultimate.
web site was created at that point, and parents’ opera. It’s a goth opera, a blood conventions were spreading the good word. Time hath not marred its celluloid
fans started connecting. www.Repo- saga and it’s damn good fun. The development of AP (audience par- pleasures, but you do not watch The Rocky
opera.com is a site that offers message But the most important thing to ticipation) didn’t hurt either. I’ve seen Horror Picture Show. You experience The
boards and chat-room and rare glimpses know about Repo! is that Zydrate comes Rocky Horror at least two hundred times— Rocky Horror Picture Show.
into the movie making process. In the in a little glass vial. (A little glass vial!) all of those, save maybe two, with the local Live. With a cast.
chat-rooms and on the message boards, live shadow cast I am, admittedly, now a
Bousman and Zdunich interact with Repo! The Genetic Opera is playing at part of—and if it weren’t for AP, this ninety- The Come Again Players perform The
fans, answering questions, talking and Tower Theatre on Feb. 13 at midnight. minute abomination wouldn’t be half as Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday
sometimes just coming in at late hours to much fun. at Tower Theatre.
chat when they couldn’t sleep. Despite Consisting mostly of lines shouted dur-
Liongate Film’s contention that there ing the film—mocking the characters, play-
was no audience for this movie, a com- ing off of the already existing dialogue—AP
Backstage pass: Passion Pit
BY CAITLIN HEALEY ’09 Getting into a band’s Paper Route. Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee,
ALISON RAMER ’09 green room is supposed to Paper Route’s MySpace page cites Jurassic Park,
be something super cool, a Alice in Wonderland, the Titanic soundtrack and
goal for any serious concert goer. magic tricks as their influences.
But our motivations for getting in on some be- We seemed to be immediately pegged as a cer-
hind the scenes action at the Passion Pit show were tain kind of Mount Holyoke student—you know the
only one part intrigue and two parts skipping the sex-crazed feminists that for some incomprehensible
snaking line and ditching the freezing cold tundra reason decide to attend a nunnery instead of going
outside. to a real college. The band had endless questions
Last Saturday, Passion Pit, one of College Media about “life at an all girls school.” Wearing shrugs and
Journal’s top ten bands of 2008, played at the Iron leotards, we explained that finding men was never a
Horse in Northampton, which was the last stop of difficulty for us. We actually enjoy the separation.
their tour in the U.S. before taking off for the United Speaking of leotards, the whole joint kind of
Kingdom. The five guys, Michael Angelakos, Ian looked like one massive American Apparel ad. The
Hultquist, Ayad al Adhamy, Jeff Apruzzese and Nate place was totally packed with gyrating hipsters, all
Donmoyer make up the group that aims to be more kissing the ass of the Macintosh lap-top that took
than just a dance band. center stage. Wait, who’s the lead singer again?
Based in Cambridge, Massachussetts, Passion After enough synthetic music inspired sweat, the
Pit met at Emerson College where Angelakos show came to a close. One tidy encore later and we
recorded the 2008 EP Chunk of Change to give to his were released into the outdoor world. A little sweaty,
girlfriend as a Valentine’s Day gift last year, reports a little stinky, but otherwise unchanged.
the Hartford Courant.
While Passion Pit was running a sound check we Passion Pit’s EP Chunk of Change is currently
Courtesy of Passion Pit had the chance to hang out with the opening act, available on iTunes.