Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Marilyn the Bullfighter

There's to be no bull to ruin the Cinco De Mayo parties if Marilyn Monroe has her way!

Marilyn Monroe Photoshoot for Earl Moran

Marilyn Monroe Photoshoot for Earl Moran
Marilyn Monroe Photoshoot for Earl Moran
Marilyn Monroe Photoshoot for Earl Moran

Marilyn Monroe Photoshoot for Earl Moran
Marilyn Monroe Photoshoot for Earl Moran

Trivia: While trying to break into acting, Marilyn Monroe worked as a model. Among her clients were pin-up artist Earl Moran, who paid her $10 an hour to pose in various costumes and states of undress to serve as reference for his paintings. The photos in this post are from one such shoot.

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

A Picture Perfect Special on Star Wars Day!


Daphne Zuniga portrayed the only space princess who might be able to rival Leia, Princess Vespa. She did so in the only space fantasy film that can rival Star Wars--"Spaceballs"!

Daphne Zuniga


Daphne Zuniga

Celebrating Star Wars!

It's Star Wars Day, and here's a gallery of artwork for your viewing pleasure!




Monday, May 3, 2021

Musical Monday with Fifth Harmony

Fifth Harmony

Fifth Harmony was a Miami-based girl band that formed in 2012 after its five members had individually been contestants on the televised talent show "The X Factor." They enjoyed tremendous success during the middle years of the 2010s--with Billboard magazine naming them "the biggest girl band of 2010s".

In 2018, the band broke up and its members went their separate ways, each embarking on the solo careers they'd hoped "The X Factor" would have launched for them.

They're here at Shades of Gray to kick off the new work week with mellow music, sexy dancing, and some nice cinematography. Enjoy "Write on Me", which debuted five years ago this week (May 6, 2016 to be exact).

Write on Me (2016)
Starring: Fifth Harmony
Director: Samantha Lecca
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Sunday, May 2, 2021

In memory of John Paul Leon

We just heard that one of the great illustrators and comic book artists, John Paul Leon, passed away at the tragically young age of 49, on May 1, 2021. Here's a gallery of his art, in memory.

Corto Maltese by John Paul Leon

Punisher by John Paul Leon

Daredevil by John Paul Leon

Bladerunner by John Paul Leon

Torpedo by John Paul Leon

Challengers of the Unknown by John Paul Leon
The Spirit by John Paul Leon

Batman & Batwoman by John Paul Leon

Fantasy illustration by John Paul Leon

Strangers on a Train

Marty Feldman and John Cleese

What's better than Hitchcock?

John Cleese and Marty Feldman in a great descent into comic absurdity from 1967! Click below to watch and laugh.

Friday, April 30, 2021

Happy Birthday, Gal Gadot!


Miss Israel 2005, actress, and model Gal Gadot--the big screen incarnation of Wonder Woman--turns 36 today. In celebration, here are a few photos of her!





Thursday, April 29, 2021

In Observance of International Dance Day...

 ... we bring you a line-up of ballerinas from different nations!

Maria Tallchief


Valeska Miller of the United States of America...

Valeska Miller, dancer


... Nina Theilade of Denmark..

Nina Theilade


... Yvonne Craig of the United States...

Yvonne Craig, ballerina

... Leslie Caron of France...

Leslie Caron

... Maria Tallchief of the United States...

Maria Tallchief


... and Oksana Bondareva of the Ukraine.

Oksana Bondareva

We WOULD have featured last year's International Dance Day's star Brigitte Bardot (of France), but she was still getting ready by the time we had to make this post. 

Brigitte Bardot

You can also see one of this year's featured dancers, Valeska Miller, in the brand-new horror short film, "The Ballerina", at Terror Titans. Click here!

The Avengers: The Hour that Never Was

The Hour that Never Was (1965)
Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Roy Kinnear, and Dudley Foster
Director: Gerry O'Hara
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

A car accident causes Steed and Mrs. Peel (Macnee and Rigg) to arrive late to a reception and party behind held at an air force base that is being decommissioned. They find the facility completely deserted and all clocks stopped at the exact moment of their car crash.


"The Hour That Never Was" is one of the best episodes of the ones from the 1965/66 season. Between the expansion of John Steed's background with details about his WW2 activities (including the fact that he played fast-and-loose with the rules even then); some great interplay between Steed and Peel that both underscores their easy-going friendship, their skills as agents, and their ability to be ruthless when called for; and a mystery that will keep you guessing as to what has happened to the staff of the airbase--because just as you think you may have figured it out, the mid-episode twist will put you right back to Square One. 

"The Hour That Never Was" also benefits from some creative camera-work that emphasizes the creepiness of the deserted airbase during the first half of the episode, and the disorientation felt by Steed when he suddenly finds the base populated again... except now Peel has gone missing.

This is one of the spookiest episodes of the series, because the mystery keeps turning inside out and then turning again. It's clear that there are clearly some mundane threat at play (a sniper with a rifle kills the only other living human being that Steed and Peel lay eyes on after arriving at the base) the supernatural or weird science threat that appears to have first made everyone on the base vanish and then appears to have distorted time is the far greater danger... and it's one that remains mysterious until the episode reaches its conclusion.

The only weak part of "The House Than Never Was" is the fight between our heroes and the villains at the end. It's a little too goofy, even by "The Avengers" standards. But this is more than made up for the excellent execution of the story and the many little touches that make Steed and Peel seem more three-dimensional and human than they have in any previous episodes. (Steed's joy at the prospect of reuniting with old friends is something every adult ca relate to; and the fact that Peel has a favorite pair of boots she keeps in the car just in case she ends up having to walk are among my favorites. In fact, I think this episode may be the first time I ever had the sense that a female character in a show had what felt like a realistic wardrobe... because it dawned on me that Emma Peel often wore the same hat or shoes or jacket with different pants or blouses instead of either the exact same outfit or a completely different outfit every week. I may think those striped boots or that beanie that looks like a target that she is so fond of are goofy-looking, but I also felt they brought a bit of realism to the glamorous, comic-book universe that Peel and Steed live in.)


Wednesday, April 28, 2021