Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Crying and kissing

 
Last night I was lying awake in bed, when I suddenly got it into my head to see if I could cry - I mean just cry, with no provocation or reason. I discovered that it is in fact quite easy to simulate 'heartbroken' sobbing - but try as I might, I couldn't squeeze out a proper tear, though I fancy I did manage to get my nose and eyes quite red and puffy. Perhaps, next time, if I keep practising, I'll be able to produce the obligatory salty drop or two.

Ah, the things that you dream up whilst lying awake, when it's well past your bed-time. . . 

Do you know, when I was little, I always assumed that actors in movies had to use some sort of teargas or something to make their eyes water for crying scenes. It wasn't until I was older when I realised that, no, those are real tears - they really are crying, or pretending to.

Also, for kissing scenes, I thought that movie-makers would have to use special effects to make it look like a couple were kissing, when in fact they weren't. Because of course, you couldn't kiss someone unless you were married to that person! or so I believed. :-) Sometime, years later, I finally figured out that there were no special effects or computer tricks involved. I suppose my first thought would have been "Ewww!". . . 

By the way - last night, after my fake crying episode, when I finally got to sleep, I dreamt that a friend of mine had died, and I was at their funeral. No kidding!

~Elise

Current Mood: Dorky

14 comments:

Heather said...

Fascinating :)

emme said...

You crack me up, Elise!

I must admit, though, my sister, cousin, and I all tried for years to make ourselves cry--just like real actors. And I never ever was able to. I think that might have been due to the fact that my sister and cousin were staring intently at me making goofy faces. :P

I can make myself cry when I'm by myself--if not in too giggly a mood. :)

~Emily

The Editrix said...

LOL, yes, I can imagine how difficult it would be trying to cry in that situation! :-D

Joanna said...

Yeah, I thought that all the kissing was fake too. I've never tried to make myself cry, but I've seen others do it. It really is quite hilarious, if you ask me. The things they do with their faces! :) I hope you get it to work next time.

~Joanna

Barbara said...

I can easily make myself cry by thinking of something sad. However - what is this good for if you are not an actress?

About the "fake" kissing you are not that wrong. I think it was until the fifties that actors and actresses did not actually kiss each other on the mouth. From the side the camera was placed it looked like a hot kiss, but from the other side you could see that they were not touching each other's mouths, but usually just the cheeks.

Alexandra said...

Try listening to sad music. ;-) I've tried crying often and it's a little easier if there's melancholy music playing...or if it's a song from a soundtrack and the song is a sad part in the movie, like a death scene. ;-) Good luck with your crying! Hehehe.

I know...I always assumed that they were married when I was little. ;-) And that's an interesting observation from Barbara...explains some of the fake looking kisses in the old movies. ;-) ;-) ;-)

Mrs. E said...

Elise,
That is amazing!
I use to think too, that the actors in movies had to use some sort of
teargas or something like that so it could look like they were crying for the emotional scenes! Hope you are having a simply fabulous day!!!

Love & Hugs,
Jen

Brittany November said...

Wow. That's weird because I used to think the exact same thing o.O

BTW, sorry I haven't commented in about an eternity...we been having 'puter problems ;)

Laura said...

hehe! Oh dear . . . this post made my afternoon! :)

The Editrix said...

Thankyou everyone for your comments! I do so love hearing from you all. :-)

Barbara, about the kissing in pre -1950s movies - that's an interesting bit of information, I never new that!

Joanna, Guitargirl, Jen, Alexandra - whew, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who used to think those things when I was little! I don't feel so "weird" now, LOL! :-D

~Elise

Anonymous said...

I read somewhere that a lot of actors use some sort of tear-inducing eyedrops. How fake!

~obsessivejaneite

The Editrix said...

Wow! That's interesting! So my childish supposition was in fact not so far off the mark. :-)

Theresa said...

Haha!
A few years ago I was about to have my first ever flight on an airplane [we usually drive everywhere]. My dad had forgotten that it was my first time and booked me on a different flight to my big sister; so I had to do it alone!
When we got to the airport she was late for her flight and was called up to the desk. I trotted behind, watched her leave and looked at the stony faced woman behind the desk. I pleaded for a seat on the flight, surely there was one spare? She refused and put me to the side. Then it struck me that if I started crying perhaps she might let me on the flight. Needless to say my situation made things a bit easier to fake it. But I never cry in public. So I screwed up my face and did a really, really great impression of a young girl who is trying with all her might not to burst into tears! I snuck a peak at the scary woman who glanced over at me with an expression that meant "eek! A crying teenager on my hands!"
She printed out the boarding pass and I ran off to join my big sister. It was so hilarious that by the time I was on the plane I was in fits of laughter!

The Editrix said...

LOL!!! XD Oh my. . .