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To be honest, I'm always a little apprehensive when it comes to biopics because many of them tend to take liberties by either over-embellishing on some things, or deleting other things about the person because it puts them in a not-so-great light. So at first, I wasn't all that excited to see the Netflix series, Halston. In fact, the series was released in May 2021 and I didn't see it until late September 2021. 

Also, over the years I've watched two outstanding documentaries that contained archive footage of Halston, so I was already very familiar with his life and career. I mean after two documentaries, what more did I need to know about this man? And it's not even that I have an interest in fashion, I don't. I just enjoy watching documentaries about all kinds of people because I'm fascinated by how they became the person they were; the choices they made; and the paths they took. Without a doubt, documentaries are my favorite film genre. 

However, I have to admit that I was still a tiny bit curious about the series because I've always enjoyed the projects I've seen by Ryan Murphy, so I thought, "Why not watch it?"

Plus, I'm a fan of Ewan McGregor and was intrigued to see how he portrayed the legendary Halston.

And can I tell you something?

McGregor was freaking PHENOMENAL!

In fact, he nailed Halston so well that there were moments when I actually forgot that I was watching Ewan and not Halston. And it wasn't that he did an "impersonation" of Halston, no, he literally BECAME Halston from the inside out. Everything about him - the way he talked; the way he moved his body; even the way he held a cigarette and smoked it was exactly like Halston. But even deeper than that, it was the feelings and emotions that were projected through Ewan's eyes that made him Halston. Ewan was able to capture Halston's soul. 


It is truly a remarkable performance. And one that I'm happy to say, won McGregor an Emmy. Which in my opinion, he greatly deserved. His acceptance speech was so sincere and modest. You could tell he didn't expect to win because he was genuinely surprised, which made it even more special that he won. 


Besides Ewan McGregor's portrayal, what made this series extra special were the film locations, the costumes, and the music, which were all so accurate. I lived in New York City during that time period, amid the peak of Halston's career. So the film brought back an abundance of wonderful memories of those gritty, yet explosively creative years in Manhattan. 

For instance, the lobby of the infamous nightclub Studio 54 (recreated to look exactly like the original lobby) which it did because I've stood inside the Studio 54 lobby. And notice the retro 1970's clothes...


Ewan (as Halston) on the dance floor...


Another thing I admired about the biopic was that it didn't shy away from showing Halston's dark side. He was a brilliant designer who revolutionized women's fashion. But he also sabotaged his career through excessive cocaine and alcohol abuse that resulted in harmful professional decisions. In the end he lost his business and his name. The series openly shows how Halston could be quite volatile with those who worked with him. There were so many levels of Halston's personality that Ewan captured so flawlessly...


The entire cast was perfectly selected and gave stellar performances...



One of my favorite performances was by Krysta Rodriguez, who did an a-mazing job as one of Halston's closest and loyal friend's, Liza Minnelli. As with McGregor, there were moments when I forgot that I was watching Rodriquez and not Liza Minnelli...


And to show you just how detailed they were at reproducing locations, here is a photograph of Halston and Liza Minnelli in Halston's showroom in Olympic Tower at 641 Fifth Avenue, New York City, and the view of Manhattan...


And here is a photograph from the series. You can see how they even included the Twin Towers in the background. Even the windows are identical. 


Before I end this post, I have to share one more thing. In 1976, Halston launched the men's fragrance Halston Z-14, which I loved and owned. It was my kind of fragrance - woody, earthy, and leathery. So do you know what this crazy man did? I found out where I could buy a bottle of Z-14, which I found at Walgreens (very inexpensive) and purchased it. And then do you know what I did with it? Every night before I watched each Halston episode, I sprayed some of the cologne on my wrists and neck so that I would experience a "sense (scents) memory" from that time period. LOL!

Here's what the bottle looks like. And I've decided to wear it all throughout this autumn and winter because it's the perfect warm fragrance for chilly weather...

In conclusion:

I can't express enough noteworthy things about this biopic, based on the novel Simply Halston by Steven Gaines. It was so good, I watched it twice. However, I will also say that the critics gave it very mixed, lukewarm reviews. But hey, I've never been one to judge something by what the critics say. 

Is the biopic 100% accurate? The only factual discrepancy I found was that the original creator of Halston's first woman's fragrance, was not a woman as depicted in the biopic. It was created by a man (Bernard Chant). And I know this from being in the fragrance industry. Other than that the storyline seems to be faithful. But then again, the only one who would truthfully know that would be Halston himself. And let's be honest, even documentaries are not always 100% accurate. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this series and appreciated the talent and effort it took to recreate the life and career of an American fashion designer who was both ambitious and extremely complex; who's style defined an era. 

And at the end, you witness how Halston came to a place of peace with his life and its ending. It's very touching. 

Like all of us, we contain the positive and negative. The light and the dark.

And so it was for Roy "Halston" Frowick...

Have a grrrrreat rest of your week, everyone!
💗



*In case you're interested, you can watch the five-episode series on Netflix. Or, if you don't have Netflix (like me) you can watch it here (free and with no commercials). Enjoy!

Halston Documentaries:

32 comments:

  1. We have Netflix so I will have to find it and watch it. I love it when accuracy is so much part of the "finished" product (right down to look-alikes portraying the characters). I really enjoyed reading your croquet Ron!!

    http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com

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  2. Auto correct...critique

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  3. Great review, Ron! And I agree about Ryan Murphy, all the projects I've watched I have really enjoyed. I haven't seen Halston yet, but loved the one on Gianni Versace, Feud, American Horror Story and of course, Glee. Very talented man. I can't over how much Krysta Rodriguez looks like Liza Minnelli in that photo! The 70's clothes are spot on. I remember my mother wearing the women's Halston perfume. I didn't know they still made it.

    Like you said, nothing is always 100% accurate when it comes to biopics or even documentaries. I think of documentaries as being more informative, where as biopics are partially informative and partially entertainment.

    Looking forward to watching Halston. Thanks for the in depth review, Ron!

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  4. " I love it when accuracy is so much part of the "finished" product (right down to look-alikes portraying the characters)."

    Me too, Anni! And this series was exceptionally brilliant when it came to that. I was blown away by how "detailed" everything was when it came to the visuals and the storyline.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, Anni! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

    X

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  5. HA! I know, don't you love how auto correct doesn't even ask if you want a word corrected? It just does it on its own. How rude. LOL!

    X

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  6. Hey there Candice!

    YES to all the projects you mentioned. They were AWESOME! The only one I didn't watch when it was on TV was, "Glee", but I remember how everyone kept telling me how great it was. I have gone back and watched certain episodes and really enjoyed them. Ryan Murphy is soooooo talented.

    I know, right? It's mind blowing how much Krysta looks like Liza. And even the way see talks and performs in the series is exactly like Liza!

    " I remember my mother wearing the women's Halston perfume. I didn't know they still made it."


    They don't. Both the women's and men's Halston fragrances are duplicates. They smell very much like the originals, however, you can tell they are not the same because the fragrance doesn't last as long. It dissipates quicker than the original. And that's why they're less expensive than they were years ago.

    I love how you said this...

    "I think of documentaries as being more informative, where as biopics are partially informative and partially entertainment."


    Exactly!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, Candice! Enjoy the series. I think you'll love it!

    X

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  7. Which reminds me of a sign I saw a while ago..."Auto correct, I'm getting tired of your shirt!".

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  8. Oooo Ron, I saw this biopic back when it first came on Netflix in May and LOVED it! And like you, I watched it twice it was THAT good! I was so happy to see Ewan win the Emmy this year because I thought he deserved it. His speech was so sweet and adorable. I loved when he thanked his wife at the end.

    "Every night before I watched each Halston episode, I sprayed some of the cologne on my wrists and neck so that I would experience a "sense (scents) memory" from that time period. LOL!" OMG, that was hilarious and brilliant at the same time. And it's funny that you mentioned the Halston fragrances because I had never smelled the women's so I was curious to see what the notes were, but I couldn't find it in any of the department stores. Do they have the women's in Walgreens as well? I'll check it out.

    You're right, the ending was so touching. Didn't you love the part when they were in Paris for Battle of Versailles Fashion Show and the audience stood up and applauded Halston?

    Wonderful review, Ron! Thanks for sharing the photos and your narrative. Makes me want to watch it again. xo

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  9. Hola Denise!

    You know, I had a feeling you saw this and I was right! And I knew if you did, you loved it as much as I did. Wasn't it faaaaaaaabulous? I was surprise by how much I loved it. Like I shared, I had seen two really great documentaries on Halston, so I didn't want the biopic to ruin it for me if it ended up being bad, but it wasn't. And McGregor's performance blew my away the second he appeared on screen. His performance was stellar. And the cast as well.

    " I had never smelled the women's so I was curious to see what the notes were, but I couldn't find it in any of the department stores. Do they have the women's in Walgreens as well? I'll check it out."

    They no longer sell the fragrance in department stores, you can only find it online or in selected drug stores. I found both the men's and women's in Walgreens. But you can also find it at CVS. But they are not the original fragrances, they are remakes. But I have to say that the men's smells very much like the original because I owned it at one time. The only drawback is that it doesn't have the staying power. It's dissipates quicker. Both the men's and women's are spicy, warm and earthy.

    YES! I loved the part in Paris. And YES, when the audience stood up and cheered and applauded Halston's designs, I got chills. And I was so happy that they did because they initially treated him like shit when he first got there.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your feedback on the series. Yes, I may watch it again too!

    X

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  10. Bwhahahahahahahahahaha! OMG, Anni, that was HILARIOUS!!!! Thanks so much for stopping back and sharing that.

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  11. https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=t.co/pfCKzWiJyg#97IOb/ZuGylhB/

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  12. Ron, saw this over the summer and really enjoyed it. I knew nothing about Halston, but I saw it on Netflix and decided to watch it one night. I was instantly drawn in and ended up watching two episodes the first night and two the following night. I hated to see it end on the final night. I didn't watch the Emmy's this year, but saw online that Ewan McGregor won and was not surprised. He was so good. He had Halston's voice down pat. Like you said, he BECAME Halston.

    You have me curious to smell Halston Z-14 now. Interesting to know that it was actually created by a man, not a woman showed in the series. I wonder why they felt the need to change that.

    Fantastic review, Ron. Well done!

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  13. Hey there, Daniel!

    YES...another person who has seen this series!!!! Wasn't it fantastic? Me too, the first night I watched two episodes and had to stop myself to not watch the third. The only thing that stopped me from doing it was that I didn't want it to end.

    I didn't see the Emmy's either because I don't normally watch award shows anymore. I found out the he won while I was on You Tube one day and spotted a clip with Ewan Gregor accepting the award. I was so happy to see that he won!

    He was brilliant as Halston. Positively brilliant!

    "You have me curious to smell Halston Z-14 now. Interesting to know that it was actually created by a man, not a woman showed in the series. I wonder why they felt the need to change that."


    I don't know why, but thought the same thing. I couldn't understand why that was because I know for a fact it was created by Bernard Chant. And I also noticed online how other articles about the Halston biopic mentioned the same thing. Very strange.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your enjoyment of the series. Appreciate that. Have an terrific rest of your week!

    X

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  14. Well, first, what is this Divicast site? I just tried it and got an error message, telling me to try a different server. I’m intrigued because I’m always looking for free sites to watch shows that are only available on one streaming service. It’s annoying to pay so much for cable already and then be expected to pay for Hulu, Paramount, etc. Not going to do it!

    Back to your post……omg, I love it when they find actors who portray the person so well that you forget you’re not watching the real person! We are currently watching Impeachment and the person portraying Linda Tripp is phenomenal!!! We can’t get enough! Lol! I might have to post about it.

    I know nothing about Halston besides the name, but I can see how it would be fascinating to watch, having lived in NYC at the time like you did, Ron. I love your side by side comparisons. And I absolutely adore the fac5 that you spritzed some of that cologne on while you watched it! Lol, that’s fantastic! And amazing that it’s still sold. Thanks for a great review!

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  15. OMG....it's WONDERFUL! I discovered Divicast over the summer and was blown away by all the amazing movies they have on their site that you can see for FREE! I've watched so many great movies and TV shows. The reason for the error message is because the site adapts to your individual internet service, that's why it says that. But no worries, because at the bottom of the screen you will see additional server buttons, just click on a different one and see if it works better. It's done that to me too, but when I switch to another server, it works. I was watching a TV show a few days ago and the screen started to buffer, so I switched to a different server at the bottom of the screen and it stopped buffering.

    I agree with what you said about cable and then have to pay for addition movie streaming services. To tell you the truth, I've never had cable. In fact, I don't even have a TV, I stream everything through my computer and I've never ONCE paid for streaming movies. I know of so many great (and safe) sites that offer free streaming. Some have commercials to make money, but Divicast does not. They do run ads on the site but they don't interfere with your viewing.

    " I love it when they find actors who portray the person so well that you forget you’re not watching the real person! We are currently watching Impeachment and the person portraying Linda Tripp is phenomenal!!! We can’t get enough! Lol! I might have to post about it."

    Meeeeeeeeeeee too! And funny you mentioned that because that's the next biopic I will be watching. One of my favorite actors (Clive Owen) is in that. But I also love Sarah Paulson (Linda Tripp). And by the way, Impeachment is another one by Ryan Murphy. He also produced Halston. He's amazing!

    Thanks. I had so much fun researching comparison photos online and then putting them together. I love doing stuff like that.

    HA! I know, can you believe what I did with the cologne? I couldn't help myself. But it really did add to the whole 'sense memory" thing.

    Always great reading you comments, my friend. Thanks for stopping by, Have a great rest of your week. I look forward t your review of Impeachment!

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  16. Thanks, Ron. I will check both Walgreen's and CVS. I'm so curious to see what it smells like.

    Yes, I felt the same when the French audience reacted the way they did to Halston's collection. It was such a surprise after how they treated him when he got there, as though American designers were nothing. But he showed them, didn't he?

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  17. You are so welcome, Denise! And yes, Halston most certainly did show them. HA! His collection is what made European designers stand up and notice American designers.

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  18. Ron, we've seen Halston on Netflix but for some reason, not watched it yet. But after your excellent review, we're going watch it this weekend starting tonight. I had to chuckle at your mention of Halston cologne for men because I used to wear the women's, yes I did! And I remember how hard it was to get in the New York Bloomingdale's (on Lexinton Ave) because women were buying it faster than they could make it. I may have to do what you did, purchase it again. I loved the way smelled. I may check the men's for my hubby.

    I can just imagine how phenomenal Ewan Gregor is as Halston because of your glowing review AND the photos. He looks so much like Halston! I know Ewan has a strong Scottish accent, so could you hear it all as Halston?

    You and I are around the same age, so those 1970's clothes brought back memories. Do you know what I also own by Halston? One of his ultrasuede dresses. I got it on sale.

    You've got me very excited to watch this on Netflix. Thanks for sharing your review, Ron. Well written! xo

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  19. Ron, I saw this back in May when it was released because just the trailer alone drew me in. To be honest, I didn't know much about Halston so this biopic was eye opening. To have all the success he had and then to lose it must have been devastating to him, but like you said, he had a serious drug and alcohol addiction which was the cause of his losing everything. You're right, the ending was so touching.

    I love the comparison photos you posted. It's was amazing how much Krysta looked and acted like Liza Minnelli.

    Great review, Ron. Thanks for sharing your passionate review!

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  20. Hi there, Clair!

    You saw it too? Wasn't it fantastic? In comparison to both the documentaries I've seen (which I left the links to at the bottom of this post), it was pretty much accurate, except for the fragrance designer.

    "To have all the success he had and then to lose it must have been devastating to him, but like you said, he had a serious drug and alcohol addiction which was the cause of his losing everything. You're right, the ending was so touching."


    You right. And that's what was so sad. He had everything he worked so hard for, but then lost it all because of drugs and alcohol. But the ending gave you a feeling that he came to a sense peace with everything.

    OMG....did Krysta do an amazing job as Liza? Not only looked like her, but acting and sang like her as well.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your feedback on the series. Appreciate that. Have a great weekend!

    X

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  21. Hellooooooooooo there, Elaine!

    OMG...you (being a native New Yorker who was there in the 70's) are going to love all the retro clothes, locations, and music. They did such a great job in duplicating all that.

    "I had to chuckle at your mention of Halston cologne for men because I used to wear the women's, yes I did! And I remember how hard it was to get in the New York Bloomingdale's (on Lexington Ave) because women were buying it faster than they could make it. I may have to do what you did, purchase it again. I loved the way smelled. I may check the men's for my hubby."

    You wore the women's Halston? Wasn't it such a unique fragrance? I loved women's as much as I loved the men's. So rich, warm, earthy, and sexy! And yes, I remember when it was launched and how challenging it was to find in any department store. It did so well! Women loved it! Check Walgreen's or CVS, because they have both the men's and women's Halston. I got mine at Walgreen's and it was very reasonably priced.

    " Do you know what I also own by Halston? One of his ultrasuede dresses. I got it on sale."


    OMG, you're kidding me? I remember when those ultrasuede dresses came out. And I loved how they were so versatile in that they were easy to care for, yet they looked very classy and chic.

    Much thanks for stopping by, neighbor! And thanks for sharing your Halston memories. Enjoy the biopic!

    X

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  22. Very interesting, Ron. I haven't seen this one, but it sounds fascinating. And i love that you found an old bottle of Halston! Too many lovely fragrances have been pushed aside for new scents in my opinion! (As you can see, I'm playing catch-up again, thanks to several rounds of storms -- and a demanding little Monkey!!) Happy weekend to you, my friend!

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  23. Hello there, Debbie!

    I know, isn't it crazy that I found a bottle of Halston? And at WALGREEN'S!!! And what was really crazy is that the price tag was way cheaper than I remember it back in the 70's. And it smells so good!

    "Too many lovely fragrances have been pushed aside for new scents in my opinion!"

    I totally agree! Having been in the industry for so many years, I can tell you that there are WAY too many new fragrances, which incidentally, ALL the smell the same. I still prefer the classics!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. You keep safe in those storms, okay? Wishing you and Monkey a peaceful, relaxing and happy weekend!

    X

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  24. Hi, Ron!!
    Thank you for this wonderful review because I don't know that I'd have watched it if I didn't hear how good it is. Wow, that Ewan McGregor and Krysta Rodriquez photo really looked so much like Halston/Minelli. Ron and I enjoy various series and movies on Netflix all the time, but this might not be something he'd like so I'll just watch when working on craft projects. Might even put it on today!
    I love that you got the cologne and wore it for the show, and will enjoy thru Fall/Winter. I'm totally picturing you doing that! And strutting down some street in Philly, I also picture a couple heads turning as you pass and someone saying... 'Who is that stylish man, and what is that fabulous scent he's wearing!?' ;)
    Oh, I'm very behind... that old laptop was getting worse by the day... but a new one arrived just yesterday and will try to catch up a bit.
    Hope you're doing great and enjoying Fall... although it's still be quite warm and buggy some days. It'll be cooler soon!!

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  25. I've seen that on Netflix and was mildly curious, but you've convinced me - definitely going to watch it now!

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  26. I have a feeling you would really enjoy it. Try watching the first episode to see if you like it. What I really loved about this biopic is that it revealed a lot about his childhood, which explained why he was the person he was as an adult. And besides that, it's all the detail in recreating that time period that impressed me so much.

    Much thanks for stopping by, my friend. Have a faaaaaaaaaaabulous week!

    X

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  27. Helloooooooooooooooooo Mary *waving at you*

    So great to see ya, my friend! I know, isn't it something how MUCH they both look like Halston and Minnelli? It's truly a remarkable biopic, which completely surprised me because I didn't really give it much consideration when I first heard about it. I have a feeling that you really might enjoy it because being that you're so creative and artistic, you'd appreciate the talent of Halston.

    "I love that you got the cologne and wore it for the show, and will enjoy thru Fall/Winter. I'm totally picturing you doing that! And strutting down some street in Philly, I also picture a couple heads turning as you pass and someone saying... 'Who is that stylish man, and what is that fabulous scent he's wearing!?' ;)"

    OMG, that made me laugh out loud! It's so funny though because when I mentioned to people who I know that I purchased the cologne, they were all like, "What the hell is HALSTON?!?!?" They didn't even know who or what he was. HA!

    Yahoooo! Happy to read that you have a new computer. Good for you for getting one. I have a feeling that I might be getting a new one (desktop) too because I've had this one for over 6 years and it's getting very sluggish, even though I take good care of it and try not to have too much on it. However, the updates are what does it. And now they force you to do all the updates because they know it will eventually slow down the computer, which will cause to BUY another one from them!

    Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by, dear friend. Hope you're enjoying the fall and are well.

    X

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  28. I'm starting on the second episode now - I'm hooked! But why is he being so aloof with Ed, who seems like a really great guy???

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  29. Ooooo.... happy to hear that! I had a feeling you would like it. I know, he was such an ass to Ed. You'll see as the episodes progress what happens. Thanks for stopping back to let me know! 🙏

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  30. Whew, that series was a ride! It was painful watching Halston spiral out of control. I wonder if he would just hate the series or like being the focus of it? There is no getting around his genius, but what a tortured soul. It sent me down a rabbit hole, wondering how accurate it was. Thought you'd be interested in this article I found:
    https://slate.com/culture/2021/05/halston-netflix-true-story-ewan-mcgregor-ryan-murphy-accuracy.html

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  31. Okay, first I have to say THANK YOU for sharing that article and WOW....what an in depth article it was! As I shared at the end of this post, who knows what's true and what's false? Even the two documentaries that I watched (listed at the end of this post) may or may not be completely accurate. Only Halston would know that. However, I will say that the biopic was very close to both the documentaries I saw. And what I liked about the documentaries is that people, such as Liza Minnelli, actually shared some incredible stories about Halston and what he was like not only as a designer, but also a close friend as well. Liza seems to be very loyal to him, and even now.

    "Whew, that series was a ride! It was painful watching Halston spiral out of control. I wonder if he would just hate the series or like being the focus of it? There is no getting around his genius, but what a tortured soul. "

    Yes...I felt exactly the same way. In fact, I had to take break after watching the first two episode back to back so that I could process what I had seen. But I really like biopics and documentaries like this because they expose both the light and dark of an individual. Weren't the last two episode particularly intense and painful to watch? You're right, he spiraled out of control. I couldn't believe his level of drug use. YIKES! And he could be verbally brutal to some people.

    Thanks again for the article, I loved it! And thanks so much for stopping back and sharing your thoughts and feelings about Halston. I had a feeling you would find it intriguing.

    P.S. Didn't the actor who played Victor Hugo look SO MUCH like the REAL Victor Hugo????

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  32. Yes a remarkable match for Victor. (Less so for Liza).

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