The Big Wedding

Take a long divorced couple (Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton) who pretends to be married for the sake of their adopted son's mother, throw in the angry live-in girlfriend (Susan Sarandon), add Robin Williams as the priest for good measure and you have the plot for the upcoming film The Big Wedding which hits theaters Friday, April 26th. The all star ensemble cast also stars Katherine Heigl and Topher Grace along with Amanda Seyfried and Ben Barnes as the wedding couple.

Production designer Andrew Jackness and set decorator David Schlesinger shot the majority of the film on location in a charming shingle style house in Greenwich, Connecticut that required enough space for  the large cast, film crew and a large back yard for the wedding tent. The designers fortunately found a couple who spent their summers away and agreed to let their house be used for the film.

For more on the sets, ready my article in Elle Decor here.

DeNiro and Keaton

American antiques and oversized furnishings were rented from Connecticut antique shops and the color palette was primarily neutral with accents of blue

Jackness used lavender, pink and white for the wedding tables and centerpieces

Photo Credits: Barry Wetcher/Lionsgate

Hollywood at Home: Spotlight on Ryan Murphy

While maybe not be a household name to some, writer Ryan Murphy has brought us some of the most entertaining, twisted, inventive and hilarious television to date respectively, namely Glee, Nip/Tuck, American Horror Story and The New Normal. And his house in Los Angeles is pretty spectacular too.

The Hollywood Reporter recently featured his Spanish Colonial manse that serves as an inspiration for his new hit NBC show The New Normal. A self-confessed aficionado of 20s and 30s Monterey Spanish furniture, his collection is sympatico in the home that also boasts Diane Keaton as a former owner. And the synchronicities don't stop there - Normal is filmed in a 1927 Spanish Colonial house in Bel Air  once owned and lovingly restored by Diane Keaton. Designed by production designer Tony Fanning and set decorator Bryan Venegas (of Brothers and Sisters fame), the pair had to duplicate Monterey furnishings due to their scarcity.

At home with The New Normal

The multi colored Spanish tile kitchen countertop in The New Normal

The New Normal's sophisticated neutral toned bedroom

Spanish courtyard filled with whimsy at the Murphy household

The multi- Emmy Award winner in his library

Murphy's greige toned master bedroom

Bold black and white kitchen makes a simple statement

A Keaton interior is known for its whimsy and Murphy's home faithfully carries on the tradition. His personal collection of photographs include black and whites of the sixties film The Graduate, Tom Hanks sporting a pumpkin head and a young Barack Obama (the Glee creator even hosted a fund-raising party there for the President). Working with LA designer Cliff Fong, they "created eclectic interiors mixing ranch-inspired, period-correct furniture, contemporary art and photography and American Horror Story- worthy objects. Well said Hollywood Reporter. For a tour of his home, go here.

Photo Credits: NBC, The Hollywood Reporter/Douglas Friedman

Required Reading

The fall season is synonymous with the word new -- new entries in theatre and film,  television and of course, the September fashion issues that weigh more than Oliver, my Maine Coon cat. And it also means new books. Below are a few of my movie-related must reads and be sure and scroll down to Bookperk for a few book related goodies. Now turn off CSI or the Housewives of Beverly Hills and read a book. And don't forget to Tivo.

Movies From the Silent Classics of the Silver Screen to the Digital and 3-D Era
Phillip Kemp
Universe
October 4, 2011

1,000 stills can be found in this illustrated book making it the ultimate cinephile's delight (that would be me). The book traces the evolution of cinema from the Golden Age to film noir to 3-D and films of every genre. Can't wait to order here on Amazon.

Breakfast at Tiffany's: The Official 50th Anniversary Companion
Sarah Gristwood with foreword by Hubert de Givenchy
Rizzoli
September

Has it really been 50 years? And does it get any better than this? And will I ever hear Moon River or see Cat being tossed out of the cab without crying? Enough said.

This book has it all - behind the scenes photos, costumes, script, poster art and everything for the ultimate fan of this timeless classic. Available now on Amazon.

Then Again
Diane Keaton
Random House
November 15th

Not just the typical star biography, Diane Keaton's memoir includes the story of her loving yet complicated mother Dorothy Hall. The Academy Award winning actress of Annie Hall, Something's Gotta Give and Reds fame (just to name a few) culled through Dorothy's eighty five journals for a portrait of mom, daughter and an American family that spans four generations and the lessons learned. You can pre-order on Amazon here. And no word yet if she spills the beans on Woody Allen or Warren Beatty.

The Story of Hollywood: An Illustrated History
Gregory Paul Williams
BL Press
October 1st

800 vintage photographs from the author's personal collection accompany the stories of   stars and the land of broken dreams and how Hollywood transformed and revolutionized society with the entertainment business. Available on Amazon.

The Garner Files
James Garner and Jon Winokur
Simon & Schuster
November lst

For those of you too young to remember, James Garner was the Robert Pattinson of his generation. He shared the screen with everyone from Doris Day (Thrill of It All and Move Over Darling), Steve McQueen (The Great Escape), Julie Andrews (Victor, Victoria)  and enjoyed a long run on the small screen in Maverick and The Rockford Files. Devastatingly handsome, he was and is one of the nicest people in Hollywood. His bio is available on Amazon.

Spencer Tracy: A Biography
James Curtis
Knopf
October 1st

The bio of one of the cinema's most prolific actors covers his twenty six year partnership on and off the screen with Katherine Hepburn and his work from Broadway to Inherit the Wind, Boys Town, Woman of the Year, Captains Courageous and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Available on Amazon. And quite a cool cover.

Harry Potter: Page to Screen - The Compete Filmmaking Journey
Bob McCabe
Harper Design
October 25th

For those of us who cannot get enough of all the machinations of Hogwart's and everything Harry Potter, it's all here. Behind the scenes stories and the artistry of the making of the Harry Potter series is featured in this 500 plus page compendium. Many images are never before seen photographs from closed film sets. You can pre-order here on Amazon.

From the clever marketing department at Harper Collins (and my publisher I might add) comes Bookperk, a site that offers all sorts of books (many of them autographed) with perks in the form of merchandise and sold in a timely flash sale fashion. Below are a few of the items on sale:

What's Your Number? by Karyn Bosnak was made into a movie that premieres on Friday, September 30th. Purchase by October 4th and receive a free signed poster by actress Ana Farris.

In this economy, it may be the only/last Chanel bag you own/buy. Tote bag available with purchase of Justine Picardie's book Coco Chanel: The Legend and The Life. Available through October 3rd here.

Fans of Susan Lucci and/or mourners of the deceased soap All My Children will want to jump on this deal immediately -- an autographed copy of Susan Lucci's All My Life: A Memoir by La Lucci herself. The deal expires October 7th and you can purchase here.

You can sign up for Bookperks newsletter and see more deals at their website.
Happy Reading!

Photo Credits: Rizzoli, Harper Collins, Harper Design, Simon & Schuster, BL Press, Random House