To: pml1@yahoogroups.com
From: Mark Tomlonson
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 09:57:39 -0400
Subject: [PML1] Classic Centerfold: Ulrika Ericcson

We've noted on this list several times that it can take a while before 
the true beauty of a centerfold, or for that matter, a Playmate, shines 
through. Sometimes it takes years to appreciate and understand just how 
good a foldout from the past really is. So it is with no little risk 
that I'm calling the November 1996 centerfold of Ulrika Ericcson a 
"Classic".

The underlying composition is a very simple vertical arrangement, with 
Ulrika forming a large block in the center, and the set forming two 
smaller blocks on either side. The proportions of the three blocks make 
for a nice, pleasing design. It is so muted I may have already said more 
about the composition than it deserves.

The lighting is very subtle. It is so good that unless you make an 
effort to think about it, you don't notice how well it conveys the mood 
and feel of a fall evening in the middle latitudes.

The color scheme is a stronger design element, with the argyle sweater 
and socks complimenting Ulrika's tan skin extremely well. As in Gwen 
Wong's April 1967 foldout, the patterned argyle makes a wonderful 
contrast to Ulrika's even skin tone. Her lovely tan and the muted reds 
and browns of her clothes are expertly set off by the grayish, smokey 
green of the newsstand. The magazines on the stand either add splashes 
of brightness (not surprisingly the brightest are Playboy covers) or 
further extend the muted, grayish earth tones of the rest of the 
picture. The soft reds and browns definitely make this a "fall" foldout.

An even stronger component in the appeal of the centerfold is Ulrika 
herself. She is the girl-next-door. Unlike some other Playmates of the 
'90's, she doesn't look like she was pasted together from sample photos 
in a plastic surgeon's office. The "bump" on Ulrika's nose, the 
delightful curve in her inviting smile, the lines of her breasts, the 
shape of her abdomen, the lines of her legs - all these we see (or 
imagine we see!) on the beautiful women that are all around us. Her 
make-up, like the lighting, is so subtle that you have to look for it to 
see it. Her hair is a simple style that doesn't hint at the care that 
went into its preparation. I realize that if a friend told us our blind 
date was a "simple" beauty, we'd probably spend the evening sorting out 
our sock drawer instead. But not with Ulrika. For her, "simple" is a 
statement of quality, not an apology. It's a beauty you can see yourself 
living with, not just admiring from afar.

Without question the strongest element in the success of this centerfold 
is the implied situation. Newsvendor Ulrika is obviously taking a break 
from her duties and even more obviously is preparing for a romantic 
interlude with the viewer. I have no sense that Ulrika is the kind of 
news vendor who makes most of her income from selling something besides 
magazines. Just the opposite - the viewer is a regular at Ulrika's 
stand, and through charm and grace has either talked her into a quick 
fling before his trip home, or Ulrika has decided to reward his 
attentions on her own.

I will be the first to admit this is an event that almost certainly 
could only take place in our fevered imaginations. The newsvendors I've 
seen in real life whose pants were slipping down only aroused my desire 
for suspenders. But which of us has not dealt with someone in the course 
of the day who made our pulses race just a bit faster? And who made us 
wish that our attentions would be rewarded with more than just pleasant 
conversation?

This is a powerful, base line fantasy for men, and one that's by no 
means absent in women. Erica Jong described it as a "Zipless Fuck" - one 
where there are no concerns about mechanics. There's no struggling with 
zippers, no fighting with the condom package, no corner of the newsstand 
scraping the skin off your butt, no insects biting at awkward times and 
places etc. - it's just an encounter between two souls dancing in 
perfect rhythm. And it's this fantasy that has been tapped into, and 
brought to life with the help of the gorgeous Ulrika. In our fantasy and 
in the centerfold, the crowds, noise, smells and traffic of the city 
have somehow melted away and time has stopped. It's just the viewer and 
Ulrika, about to enjoy the moment.

Mark Tomlonson
Kalamazoo MI