If you ever dreamed of dressing up like Bettie Page and parading around on a stage, don’t let your gender stand in the way.
“”We’re not limiting the costume contest to women,”” said Jeff Yanc, program director at The Loft Cinema, where “”The Notorious Bettie Page, “” Mary Harron’s acclaimed biopic of the ’50s pinup star, makes its Tucson debut this week.
“”I think it’s going to appeal to the exhibitionist in a lot of people.””
Still, nervous males will be relieved to know that dressing up is not required for Saturday’s Bettie Page look-alike contest.
“”As soon as we booked the film, we wanted to do something like this,”” Yanc said.
“”If you can’t do something fun with a Bettie Page movie you don’t have a pulse.””
The contest will take place before The Loft’s usual showing of “”The Rocky Horror Picture Show”” and will probably draw some of the same audience. Prizes will be provided by Hydra Leather & More.
The night also includes a selection of the real Bettie Page’s original film loops, to give audiences something to compare the “”look-alikes”” to.
The film follows the notorious career of Page, who was probably the most famous model of her era. Her appeal was summed up well by Roger Ebert in his review of the movie: “”She was like sunshine in the dark world of porn.””
As many reviewers have noted, though, Page’s photographs and pinups are relatively harmless by today’s standards, even seeming downright innocent.
“”She’s like Betty Crocker coming out with a tray of cookies, and yet she’s posing with a whip,”” Harron has said.
“”Bettie Page-O-Rama”” kicks off at 9 p.m. Saturday at The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. The contest will be followed by a screening of “”The Notorious Bettie Page.””
Admission to this naughty but nice extravaganza is $8 for the general public, $5 for students and $4.50 for Tucson Film Society members.