This Sunday I'm watching Rosemary's Baby and painting my nails using the Marbling technique.
Rosemary's Baby was very different from the movies we've watched so far because it was much more modern, the other films being Psycho (1960), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Cat People (1942). Unlike the others, Rosemary's Baby wasn't regulated by the Hays Code. The Hays Code was a set of moral guidelines that all Hollywood films were forced to follow from 1930-1968. (Rosemary's Baby was released in 1968!) The Hays Code regulated everything from sex and violence to patriotism and religion. Here are some of the more ridiculous points made in the Code.
a. The technique of murder must be presented in a way that will not inspire imitation.
b. The use of firearms should be restricted to the essentials. (Gunz only when you REALLY REALLY need them)
II. Sex
a. Excessive and lustful kissing, lustful embraces, suggestive postures and gestures, are not to be shown. (OMG WE HATE LUST!)
c. White slavery shall not be treated. <--- WHAT??? Black slavery totally fine though?
d. Miscegenation (sex relationships between the white and black races) is forbidden.
IX. Locations
a. The treatment of bedrooms must be governed by good taste and delicacy. (Actually in a lot of these early films the married couple's bedroom has two separate single beds to imply 0.0% sexy time)
Well, Rosemary's Baby did not need to follow the Hays Code, as there were literally boobs EVERYWHERE and butts too. (Dear everyone studying near me while I watch Rosemary's Baby in the library: This film is for class! I didn't expect this movie to have so many close ups of Mia Farrow's nipples. I cannot make eye contact with any of you now.)
Additionally, Rosemary's Baby partakes in a progressive discussion of pregnancy. In the 1930s and 40s pregnancy was considered a joyful, rewarding event filled with like rainbows and explosions of happiness and the miracle of life blah blah blah. And any woman who didn't feel this way was super maladjusted and, let's be real, probs a communist. But in the 1960s and 70s there was discourse on the terror and depression that some women feel during and after pregnancy. Women discussed a lack of control (since a baby must be delivered by another person and in modern times that other person is usually a dude) and a feeling that their body as a vessel that is exploited by a baby parasite. Rosemary embodied all of these feelings from a fear that her baby was dead to the final scene when we realized that the witches used Rosemary's body as a vessel to birth a demon baby.
Furthermore, Rosemary was a progressive female character. For example, when Rosemary is afraid she often calms herself down by speaking to her unborn child and telling him/her that everything will be fine. Rosemary seems to be entertaining the idea of peacin out on her husband (who sucks btw) and having the baby on her own. No really he sucks so much (like he makes Newt Gingrich look like appealing husband material) because 1. He has sex with Rosemary while she is drugged up and asleep (weird!) and 2. He kind of agrees to help a witch coven turn his baby into a demon in exchange for a leading role in some play. It's nice to see a woman who's like, come on baby let's peace out on my husband who tried to sell you to the devil for a career boost. We'll be fine without him!
Nail Polish Time
WARNING: The Marbling technique is probably going to make nail polish get all over your hands and it's difficult to make it look professional. So if you have a perfectionist problem like me, this will definitely test your abilities keep your issues under control. Ok lezzz go!
What is the Marbling technique?
To do the marbling technique you are going to drip different colors of nail polish into a cup of water. These drips create a bulls eye that you can manipulate with a toothpick to have different swirly designs.
My Colors
(from left to right) Lilacism by Essie, Ogre-The-Top Blue by OPI, Jancyn by Zoya, Play Date by Essie, Pretty Edgy by Essie & Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It by OPI
I'm going to paint my nails with Lilacism and do the Marbling technique with the other colors. Do the Marbling technique first (because of the whole nail polish will get everywhere thing)!
You'll Need:
- A plastic cup filled 3/4 with water
- A toothpick
- Scotch Tape
- 3+ colors of nail polish (bright colors look much better than muted ones!)
Line up your colors in the order you are going to drip them into the water. Open the tops because you'll need to drip them in fast so that the bulls eye design doesn't dry.
Next, cover the area around your nail with the Scotch Tape because nail polish is going to get EVERYWHERE. I'm just going to do my ring fingernails because doing all your nails is just too much.
DRIPPIN TIME! Try to drip the nail polish to one side of the cup. That way there will be a clear area for you to dunk your nail into.
ooooh la la
Keep on dripping nail polish in to get this crazy bulls eye design.
AHH SO COOL!!
Then put your tooth pick in and drag it through the bulls eye to create a design.
Then dip your nail into the clear (no nail polish) area. Place your nail underneath the design and parallel to the surface. Then lift your nail upwards.
CLEAN UP TIME! Now it's time to get all science experiment-y. GAHH this part is so fun! You've probably never played with nail polish in water before, but I promise you it's weirdly satisfying!
So as the design dries it becomes this weird plastic substance that is mad fun to play with. So just swirl it around your tooth pick to clean it up.
WAIT! This is the coolest picture ever. Are you ready?
AHHH WHAT?? I'm being real with you, that is actually nail polish.
Then repeat the same process on your other ring fingernail. When that's done paint the rest of your nails with Lilacism and put on a top coat.
YAY!
