Archives for April 2012

Channeling Rudolph Valentino

April 28, 2012 By Wayne

Though this will surely come as no surprise, Rudy is working through, and with, an ever-growing number of people, in varying degrees, and through the use of multiple modalities and applications. To wit: some, like me, collaborate with him in a very direct and deliberate way, in my case via automatic writing. Others encounter Valentino’s energy more tangentially and often find themselves inspired by it, incorporating what they feel or have learned from their association with his gestalt into their own creations.

Did any of the people who have told his story, both pictorially and in print, remain untouched by his radiating luminescence? I would say, NO, non è possibile…..

In realizing their projects, I contend they ‘heard’ Valentino speak, somehow, some way, for he is a muse, as well as an icon of love!

Since writing “Valentino Speaks” and more recently, “Going for Excelsior,” I have been pleased to meet (in person and virtually) several other people who are also actively channeling Rudolph Valentino, primarily as voice mediums. In session with one, I was delighted to be able to experience the same phraseology and vibrational timbre that I have become accustomed to in my own work with the Valentino essence. Yet another confirmation!

Valentino is quite a busy guy, there, on the “Other Side.” And, as he says, he’s just a heart-beat away from us ~ like we all are, from where he is. Valentino’s purpose, both during his life-time and in death, is to stimulate thought, expand consciousness, bring us closer to ourselves, open our hearts. And I, for one, think he’s doing an excellent job! Bravo, RVG!

As an FYI, more Rudy-related projects are in the pipeline! For example, his great grand-niece, Jeanine Villalobos, is penning a new biography primarily sourced from family documents and, I understand, a new book on Valentino is soon to debut in Italy. In the meantime, be sure to check out what has already been written, my books, if you have not done so already, and in particular the work of Donna Hill, Emily Leider, Tracy Terhune and Allan Ellenberger, all of whom have contributed greatly in shedding light on his life and times.

Filed Under: Reflections & Ruminations, Voce Valentino Blog

Opera

April 20, 2012 By Wayne

“Operas are musical enactments of some of our most common experiences, usually set in familiar frames of reference. They may be thought of as parables or archetypal tales, performed in and at various vibratory rates, also known as tonalities and settings. In many respects operas are also morality plays because they typically deal with dilemmas that most of us, at one time or another, have to face: common lovers, lovers in common, enemies or various kinds of obstacles, just to name a few. In Italy, we like to refer to these sorts of issues as le cose della vita ~ the things of life.

Some have opined that my former life was a little bit like an opera. Sì, forse ~ yes, perhaps. Almeno, c’era una vita in fretta, la mia ~ at the very least, it was life in the fast lane. As Valentino, I was able to accomplish a great many things in a relatively short period of time, some well-done, others less so. And so it is for all of us. In the meantime, who does not have a little bit of opera coursing through their veins? And who would not break out in song from time to time if given the opportunity? We are all wired to experience our lives with a certain amount of drama. Indeed, most of us would have it no other way!” ~ R. Valentino Guglielmi

Filed Under: Rudy Speaks, Voce Valentino Blog

Valentino Filmography ~ “The Sheik”

April 9, 2012 By Wayne

“The imprint that continues its effect, even to this day. Not exactly my favorite role, but in some ways perhaps the most stellar of my career!

Have you ever seen a simpering Sheik? Neither have I so when Paramount proposed I take the part, and even though Natacha thought very little of it, I was determined to give it a ‘go,’ to imbue what Mrs. Hull had written with flesh and bone. Then, as we began to shoot, I soon realized that the script, and Director, were steering me toward stereotype, I, the Arab, who apparently actually was of European origin. Agnes Ayres was a peach, and I mean that in the fullest sense of 1920’s lingo. She fulfilled the other half of the puzzle and created, along with my efforts and character, great congruency with the original story. Yes, we were faithful to it but, of course, with certain liberties and truncations. Fun it was to embrace the accoutrements of the role ~ crescent-shaped blades, daggers, baggy trousers, turbans, capes and the like ~ rather exotic, the whole enterprise, for we were breaking new ground, cracking the code, the one that guaranteed that racial divisions stay intact. So that is why, from my current vantage point, I see this film as having been significant, a foot in the door for cross-cultural and ethnic connections ~ to make them more palatable to the public, expand consciousness.

The part called for great physicality, and I was more than ready to oblige. My prowess with horses and animals of all types came into play, added yet another ingredient to the mix. Did I over-do in a few scenes? Of course, Friends ~ as seen through your lenses. But, it was appropriate at the time, for what we wanted to accomplish, and what the Director required. Color had a role in this film too as certain scenes were given greater heft by the addition of tinting, the sands of the desert made more inviting perhaps than they would ordinarily be. An unexpected hit for Paramount, and a signature role, as it turned out ~ what I could not foresee when first it was shown.

Hard to believe but there were aspects of this film that were challenging for me. A little touch of priggery, superciliousness, in a few scenes when I spurn Agnes’ character, behavior which was not at all commensurate with my personal style and therefore somewhat hard to pull off. But I did, and effectively enough so that no one noticed I had to work at it. Women’s fantasies were raised, albeit tickled by the premise of this script, and enchantment reigned. Once upon a time, “The Sheik” was on everyone’s mental screen, and in a gaggle of cinemas too, a box-office champ of 1921. Quite a gambit! And so it was that I became elevated, risen, as a star. I suppose you could say I was truly hatched!” ~ Rudolph Valentino

Filed Under: Valentino Filmography, Voce Valentino Blog

Michael Jackson

April 6, 2012 By Wayne

“Recently, much has been made of the life and times of Michael Jackson, a somewhat reclusive soul who was not always very comfortable being in a body. He is an extreme example, yet he instructs us well. More than perhaps any other entertainer, he set about creating his own world, expanding on what each of us does anyway, everyday. That he was more successful than most was possibly because of the almost unlimited funds at his disposal. But, Friends, the real point is this: Michael was able to walk in two worlds, literally, as illustrated by his famous moonwalk! Not only that, at his behest thousands of playful scenarios were created for the benefit of his children, friends and family, also his many fans. In the doing, he taught them to become more aware of life’s possibilities. Neverland, his primary residence, was a dream factory, to a much greater degree than many other entertainers’ homes but certainly on the order of Graceland and even to some extent Falcon Lair. All three are examples of the wonderful things that can be accomplished when certain thoughts are thunk. What seemed to be mere fluff in the case of Jackson’s home: rides, amusements, animals, were all instructive to those who partook. They had meaning and purpose, even if that did not necessarily appear to be the case.” ~ R. Valentino Guglielmi

Filed Under: Celebrities, Voce Valentino Blog