Viva Anna Biller

Fetish cinema, anyone? We finally caught up with Viva, a uncanny replication of the Radley Metzger soft-core pornography of the late sixties and early seventies. The flick is written and directed by Los Angeles-based performance artist Anna Biller (right), who also stars and designed the amazingly accurate sets and costumes. This gal must have spent every non-shoot day combing thrift shops. We're not sure what the intent is of these kind of appropriately low-budget, B-movie reconstructions (Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, anyone?), but we marvel at the drive and eye for detail of these wacky filmmakers.

Gloria Vanderbilt: Sculptress?

Went to Grounds for Sculpture recently (I want to live there), and we stumbled upon this new installation in a wooded area of the grounds. It's a plexiglass cube inside which kewpie dolls of various sizes cavort with plastic wrap, chiffon, some vaguely mechnical objects, and lots of other crap. The artiste behind this self-consciously bizarre window dressing? Gloria Vanderbilt. We strongly suggest you stick to jeans and Botoz, Glo. The average Barney's window display is a lot more creative than this.