But I digress. Touch of Evil is on cable and features the Queen of the Pointy Breasts.
That's right: The late, lovely Janet Leigh. There's something almost satirical about the way breasts were presented in the '50s. In day-to-day clothing covered completely (by turtlenecks, no less) and yet absolutely defiant, threatening to burst out like siamese xenomorphs from John Hurt's chest.It as if distance from the spine were the measure of breasts' worthiness. Less weird, though, than today's obsession with bolt-ons. Generic bigness now being more important than scars and strange, unnatural dynamics, apparently.
Almost makes you wonder what's next. My guess: smaller naturals. But they'll be able to fake those, too....
The history of the breast in cinema is a very important topic which has been overlooked low these many years. From Theda baring her breast in silents, through Jane Russell's outlaw days to the present day Scarlet Johanssen perky pair, we must review the story of tits on film. Attention must be paid.
ReplyDeleteThe pointy breasts demand attention. They say, "ignore me at your own peril!"
ReplyDeleteI should try for a PhD with a dissertation in breast-ology.
Not that I would know anything about breasts, but the reason breasts have changed is the way bras were designed back in the day. They were made sort of cone shaped.
ReplyDeleteThey had no idea how to make a comfortable bra back then.
Well, of course, a lot of it is that. But I remember seeing someone who had posted Playboy centerfolds from various decades, and there was more pointiness (and usually more droop) in the '70s and earlier.
ReplyDeletePart of it is camera work, too, but in some cases it's hard to see how.
By the way, this entry gets the most hits of any I've written that hasn't been linked from somewhere else. Just people Googling "pointy breasts".
There's probably some crazy blog money in breast archaeology.
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ReplyDeleteWhat some fail to understand is that the generously endowed Janet Leigh had a pair of large, natural pointers that were a cut above the usual outstanding Hollywood set and she didn't need a bra to make them stick out that way. John Wayne commented on this situation in the film "Jet Pilot" when he noted that certain "masses" did not require uplifting. If you haven't seen the flick, by all means do so. It's one of the best performances for either of them. I just saw Janet in "The Vikings," where she played opposite both Kirk Douglas and future husband, Tony Curtis, the father of their bosomy daughter, Jaime Lee. Janet is looking her best in that flick, too. She was one hot babe in her youth and it is too bad she is most remembered for the shower scene in "Psycho."
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