Sharon Tate in Eye of the Devil, Sharon in The Fearless Vampire Killers is included on the Sexiest Vampires in Movies List, Polanski's Ten Best Films and More

I recently found a copy of the movie tie in book for "Eye of the Devil", which was previously published as Day of the Arrow by Philip Loraine.  I was curious as to how Sharon's character Odile is described as compared to her performance in the movie.  I thought I'd copy Odile's first occurence in the novel and put some screen captures with it. 

"Who's the fair girl who drives the Mercedes?"

Francoise looked slightly surprised.  "Cousin Odile.  You've met her?"

"I've seen her.  Whose cousin?"

"Philippe's.  What was she doing?"

"Now that," Lindsay said, "is a damned odd question."

Francoise nodded, her eyes very serious.  "Yes, isn't it?  For a damned odd girl."

"Does she spend a lot of time here?"

"More than one suspects, I sometimes think.  They don't live far away.  They're a very weird family, James--one of the oldest in France, one of the most inbred: no one else being quite good enough for them."

He was interested to observe that their passage-at-arms, whatever she might think of it privately, had brought about a change in her; the passivity that had so maddened him had vanished; her eyes were alive with intelligence and, he suspected, malice.  He felt a little surge of excitement.

"Well," he said, "it may interest you to hear that I haven't told you the full story of that bird Christian massacred."

"Don't tell me Odile was in on it too."

"Oh, yes."  He described how he had seen the girl take it out of her car--how he had seen her carry it into the tower.

Francoise merely nodded, pursing her lips.

"And while we're on the subject," Lindsay said, "what about the tower?  I take it to be Philippe's stronghold."

"Yes, it is; but there's nothing surprising in that; his grandfather had it converted: it's really a sort of self-contained residence inside a residence; the old man was mad about astronomy--he had his telescope there."

Lindsay snorted.  "You may not find it surprising, but I do; and I find the idea of that girl retiring behind locked doors, carrying a dead bird as if it were some kind of eucharist, a lot more than surprising: I find it bloody sinister."

Francoise stood very still for a moment, deep in thought.  Then she said, "If you asked anyone in this valley about the girl they would tell you at once that she was a witch."

"Ah!"

"Yes, very much 'Ah!' I assure you."

"Then what's Philippe up to with her?"

"I don't know, but I'll guess.  Philippe thinks he is going to die--don't ask me how or why or when or anything else about it.  It doesn't even matter whether it's true at the moment.  The fact is that he thinks it; he wouldn't be the first frightened man to . . . to fall back on old superstitions, would he?"

"You think she's his oracle."

"The oracle merely foretold; I wouldn't put it past Mademoiselle Odile to have a try at altering the general course of things."

That is where the conversation of Odile ends for at least 22 pages more.  I'll put more on tomorrow...

Sharon as one of the all time sexiest vampires? Yes, indeed! :

http://www.celebritywatchnow.com/2010/02/24/the-9-sexiest-screen-vampires/

Here is a great review of the film:

http://www.altfg.com/blog/film-reviews/the-fearless-vampire-killers-roman-polanski/

And here are Polanski's ten best films according to Kim Morgan:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kim-morgan/ten-of-polanskis-bestkitt_b_471948.html

More on Polanski... The film that almost wasn't:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/19/ghost.writer.polanski/?hpt=C2

Breathless Article on Sharon Tate Plus Fearless Vampire Always a Top Ten Favorite, Polanski sequel? Photos & more

Here is another great article and interview with Sharon from Stars and Stripes Military Newspaper.  I dedicate this one to Rossman, a wonderful fan of Sharon, I think he will get a kick out of it ;)  :

Sharon Tate Leaves You Breathless

Read her exciting story here:

By Robert Musel

For some years now a certain producer of television commercials in Hollywood must have been wondering what happened to the teenage blonde who arrived to audition for a cigarette advertisement.  They gave her a cigarette, she inhaled deeply with the proper look of ecstasy on her fabulous features--and passed out cold on the floor.

Well, time has turned that young blonde into a ravishing 22 year old.  Her name is Sharon Tate and she has been studying hard ever since in as concentrated a campaign for film stardom as any in the recent annals of the movie industry.  Now, after all the acting lessons, the dancing lessons, the singing lessons, the vocal lessons, the moment of truth has arrived. 

She is starring in her first film "13" in a cast headed by David Niven and Kim Novak.  And producer Marty Ransohoff may win what amounts to a $50,000 gamble that she is star material.

She showed up at her first ever interview to tell all.

"Where do I begin?" she asked, trying to pull down a skirt short even by the latest Paris standards.

She was advised to start at the beginning and this is the biography that emerged:

She is 5 feet 5 1/2 inches tall, a natural blonde with hazel eyes that change color.  She weighs 112 pounds.  She was born in Dallas but has never lived long in one place because her father, Maj. Paul Tate, now of San Pedro, California, is a career soldier.  They were stationed in Verona, Italy, when a friend in television suggested she ought to try Hollywood.  And there she went after an unsuccessful attempt to study as a beautician in Houston, Texas.

"You must remember," she said continuing this breathless tale, "that I was shy and bashful when I reached Hollywood.  My parents were very strict with me.  I didn't smoke or anything.  I only had just enough money to get by and I hitchhiked a ride on a truck to the office of an agent whose name I had.  That very first day he sent me to the cigarette comercial job.  A girl showed me how it should be done, you know taking a deep, deep breath and look ecstatic."

Miss Tate demonstrated the deep, deep breath.  At this point the waiter, who was serving tea, apologized for rattling the cups but there may be no connection between these two events.

"I tried to do as she said," Miss Tate explained, "but the first breath filled my lungs with smoke and I landed on the floor.  That ended my career in cigarette commercials."

Miss Tate, who smokes quite expertly now, said her agent later decided she needed experience to overcome her shyness and took her along for a minor role in the 'Petticoat Junction' tv series.  Enter fate in the form of Ransohoff, who is producer of the series. 

"Marty saw me there," Miss Tate recalled, "and he said 'Baby'--you know how Marty talks--'Baby, we're going to make you a star.'  He took me to his legal department and he said, 'Sign this girl.'  I'd only been back in the states for three weeks when all this happened.  What do you think of that?"

We agreed that America is the land of opportunity and Miss Tate went on:

"Up until then, I had been living on a tight allowance from my folks and what with my sheltered life and all I had never even driven a car.  But when I signed with Marty the contract provided for a car and that was the first thing I got.  That and a dog.  These little things count you know.  The very first night I got the car I wrecked it.

"Later I was on a bus and a boy of about 16 said to me, 'There's been a terrible crash on Sunset Boulevard.'  I said, 'I know, it was me.' He looked at me.  Suddenly he kissed me and jumped off the bus."

We agreed this was an encouraging display of initiative by American youth. 

Just when she thought she could really act she played a test with Steve McQueen, the first time she had ever appeared with an actor of his power.  "I was in shock for three days afterwards," she said.  "But he taught me a lot.  He showed me how to really act."

Miss Tate's boyfriend is a Hollywood hairstylist.  Her hobby is people.

"They'd have flipped in Hollywood if they knew what I was doing for amusement," she said.  "About once a month I'd have an 'experience.'  By that I mean I would go somewhere on my own and just look at and listen to people.  I went to a bar once at midnight and a woman said to me, 'Why drink here when you could have men buy you drinks for nothing at other bars?'

"I used to do the same sort of thing in Italy by taking different trains.  Once I met six men from Moscow, Russia.  They were fascinating too."

'13' is the screen version of the novel The Day of the Arrow.  Ransohoff is so sure of his protege he has already cast her for a comedy.

I never knew Sharon studied to be a beautician in Houston, Texas.  I have heard that she had family there so I would suppose she stayed with them possibly? 

I bet it was funny when she demonstrated that 'deep, deep breath' she used for the commercial and the waiter was taken aback and accidently rattled the cups he was filling.  Somehow, I can see a connection between the two, can't you? ;)

And that young man who kissed Sharon?  I imagine he quite enjoyed that kiss with a beautiful stunner like Sharon! :)

Onto other news:

Even though Halloween has past there is still talk of Vampires on the web.  Maybe it's because the Twilight New Moon sequel is coming out on the 20th?  

Anyway, here is another top ten list that includes "The Fearless Vampire Killers."  It seems that Polanski's film is always showing up on these:

http://www.filmshaft.com/martyns-top-ten-vampire-films/

A sequel to Polanski Unauthorized?  um... apparently:

http://www.mmdnewswire.com/polanski-unauthorized-6209.html

More great stuff from Keith on his blog here:

http://lotsofsugarandspice.blogspot.com/2009/11/sharon-tate-is-all-american-beauty.html