The CineScent Anthology: Cinema & Perfume
The CineScent Anthology
By Gabriela Guidetti
Where the art of Cinema meets the art of Perfumery.
Gabriela Guidetti, a passionate critic and writer, explores the "scent" of famous cinematic sequences. This anthology collects her essays on the intersection of these two sensory worlds.
1. Dressed to Kill (1980) & Murasaki (1980)
The Movie: Dressed to Kill (Brian de Palma). The Scent: Murasaki (Shiseido).
In this classic thriller, the museum chase sequence is a dance of seduction and anxiety.
- The Scene: Kate Miller (Angie Dickinson) in the Metropolitan Museum. The white suit, the stolen glances, the lost glove.
- The Scent: Murasaki pairs perfectly. Its top notes of Bergamot and Galbanum reflect the whiteness of Kate's dress. The anxiety of the chase mirrors the musky, woody notes of the dry down. As the seduction culminates, the sandalwood and amber base notes wrap the moment in a languid veil.
2. Opium vs. Gilda
The Movie: Gilda (1946). The Scent: Opium (Yves Saint Laurent, 1977).
- The Connection: Though separated by decades, the dark, spicy, overwhelming power of Opium is the olfactory equivalent of Rita Hayworth's Gilda. Both are dangerous, intoxicating, and impossible to ignore.
3. Barbarella vs. Calandre
The Movie: Barbarella (1968). The Scent: Calandre (Paco Rabanne, 1969).
- The Connection: The metallic futuristic aesthetic of Paco Rabanne finds its perfect match in the sci-fi camp classic Barbarella. Calandre's cold, metallic rose accord evokes the shining space-age costumes and the "avante-garde" spirit of the film.
4. Chanel No. 5 vs. Moulin Rouge
The Movie: Moulin Rouge! (2001). The Scent: Chanel No. 5.
- The Connection: The ultimate symbol of classic femininity and romance. The sparkling aldehydes of No. 5 dance like the diamonds and lights of the Moulin Rouge.
5. Rubj vs. Irma La Douce
The Movie: Irma La Douce (1963). The Scent: Rubj (Vero Profumo).
- The Connection: The cheeky, colorful, and deeply human character of Irma finds a mirror in the vibrant, somewhat dirty/animalic orange blossom of Rubj.
(Note: This anthology preserves the core critiques from the original CineScent series 2015-2017).