Locke (2013, costume design by Nigel Egerton) is a film unique in its restrictions – it takes place in real time, has only one character and only one setting. Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) is driving somewhere important, and over the course of the film’s 85 minute running time, his life gradually begins to crumble around him as he desperately tries to salvage it.
The controlled environment – the inside of his car – and the fact that the only character we actually see is Ivan himself means that interest in him is the only way of maintaining an audience’s attention with such limited visual stimulation. Ivan is the only character whose appearance is prescribed to us. All other characters are just voices on the car phone, giving the audience free reign to imagine each of these characters in any way. They will be completely different in the minds of one viewer to the next.
The controlled environment – the inside of his car – and the fact that the only character we actually see is Ivan himself means that interest in him is the only way of maintaining an audience’s attention with such limited visual stimulation. Ivan is the only character whose appearance is prescribed to us. All other characters are just voices on the car phone, giving the audience free reign to imagine each of these characters in any way. They will be completely different in the minds of one viewer to the next.
- 9/1/2015
- by Lord Christopher Laverty
- Clothes on Film
Cinema Paradiso is a beautiful examination of the relationship human beings have with film. This connection is explored through the story of a young boy and his friendship with the projectionist at the town’s local cinema. The strength of this friendship is only surpassed in intensity by the boy’s deep desire to become a part of the world of movie making. This is a story not about the medium of film in itself, but about the real people whose lives are illuminated by the stories it relates.
As a tale primarily of ordinary Roma people, the costumes in Cinema Paradiso, as designed by Beatrice Bordone, help create a 1940s/50’s period world where this can be accepted without question. These people are not wealthy or fashionable; they are not movie stars and they are probably never going to leave their home town or make a huge impact upon the world.
As a tale primarily of ordinary Roma people, the costumes in Cinema Paradiso, as designed by Beatrice Bordone, help create a 1940s/50’s period world where this can be accepted without question. These people are not wealthy or fashionable; they are not movie stars and they are probably never going to leave their home town or make a huge impact upon the world.
- 2/9/2015
- by Lord Christopher Laverty
- Clothes on Film
In the very opening scene of Rocky (1976, costume designer Robert Cambel), we see the title character in the ring, bare chested, hands encased in boxing gloves, the picture of sporting violence and masculinity. But this is no more than a surface assumption. Not two minutes later, we see Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) shrug on his faded brown towelling dressing gown, with “The Italian Stallion” embroidered on the back, and things start to shift. This is not a macho film concerned with the fight alone, but an exploration of masculinity in all its guises – the assumptions, the pretence and the reality. Clothes play an important part in this, both as items we believe the characters select for themselves on a daily basis, and as literal costumes chosen for performance in the ‘show’ of the boxing ring.
The aforementioned dressing gown is perfect in that it’s reminiscent of the flashy boxing stereotype,...
The aforementioned dressing gown is perfect in that it’s reminiscent of the flashy boxing stereotype,...
- 4/22/2014
- by Lord Christopher Laverty
- Clothes on Film
American Psycho (2000, costume designer Isis Mussenden) is a late 1980s set film that highlights the importance placed on external appearance and the disparity that can lie between this and the true nature of a person. The ‘Psycho’ of the title, Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale) is outwardly flawless. He has an extreme and involved personal beauty regime, consisting of special shampoos, body washes, face masks and scrubs, complemented by a strict diet and exercise plan that he completes daily and without fail. He believes in looking after himself – or at least his external self.
Beneath this perfectly glossy exterior is emptiness – a lack of humanity, of compassion, emotion or any concept of the value of human life. As he himself says, on the surface is where his similarities to those around him end: “There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me,...
Beneath this perfectly glossy exterior is emptiness – a lack of humanity, of compassion, emotion or any concept of the value of human life. As he himself says, on the surface is where his similarities to those around him end: “There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me,...
- 1/16/2014
- by Lord Christopher Laverty
- Clothes on Film
The Iron Lady (2011) is a film full of interesting sartorial clues put in place by costume designer Consolata Boyle. While it chooses not to deal in depth with the career of Margaret Thatcher, instead focusing on a story of a sick and lonely old woman remembering a rose tinted past, it certainly employs colour and clothing as indicators of mood, gender, power, emotion and, of course, political allegiance.
The first shot of The Iron Lady depicts an almost unrecognisable Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) buying a pint of milk. She is dressed in a loose fitted beige anorak, beige floral print headscarf and sensible flat shoes; she is the picture of ordinariness, a non-threatening, indescribably average old lady. This first appearance sets up precisely the angle the film is going to adopt; a character drama looking at the sadness of facing old age alone and the despondency of a once powerful...
The first shot of The Iron Lady depicts an almost unrecognisable Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) buying a pint of milk. She is dressed in a loose fitted beige anorak, beige floral print headscarf and sensible flat shoes; she is the picture of ordinariness, a non-threatening, indescribably average old lady. This first appearance sets up precisely the angle the film is going to adopt; a character drama looking at the sadness of facing old age alone and the despondency of a once powerful...
- 5/4/2013
- by Contributor
- Clothes on Film
This week we published Bonnie Radcliffe’s excellent article about the costume design clues in No Country for Old Men (2007), including a breakdown of psychotic hit man Anton Chigurh’s (Javier Bardem) sparse but never black attire among a sea of check shirts and cowboy hats. Chigurh stands out as much as he needs to (note the snakeskin boots) but really he dresses to fit in. Like all the best villains he is not aware he is the bad guy; to Chigurh he is just doing a job.
So in honour of Chigurh’s distinctive western jacket and polyester trousers, we have a round up of some of the best villain related costume posts at Clothes on Film. Don’t judge a book by its cover, but if you do meet a man in pinstripe resort wear with a boater, perhaps avoid staying for dinner.
Click the image to read the post.
So in honour of Chigurh’s distinctive western jacket and polyester trousers, we have a round up of some of the best villain related costume posts at Clothes on Film. Don’t judge a book by its cover, but if you do meet a man in pinstripe resort wear with a boater, perhaps avoid staying for dinner.
Click the image to read the post.
- 4/6/2013
- by Chris Laverty
- Clothes on Film
The Coen brothers’ story of a drug deal gone wrong and the chaotic game of cat and mouse that follows is an exploration of masculinity in all its guises. Through divergence of clothing, costume designer Mary Zophres shows many variations of character and motivation and pinpoints the story within a time and place – rural West Texas, 1980.
The first shots of No Country for Old Men (2007) welcome us into the Texan landscape, the sky awash with muted blues and oranges before the scorching sun rises to reveal a landscape of pale brown sand. Not only does this evoke the wilderness and subsequent loneliness of the setting, but it introduces the key colours, notably tones of beige, brown and blue. Throughout the film, these colours are to be revisited repeatedly.
We are introduced to the psychopathic killer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) from behind as he is lead in handcuffs to a police car.
The first shots of No Country for Old Men (2007) welcome us into the Texan landscape, the sky awash with muted blues and oranges before the scorching sun rises to reveal a landscape of pale brown sand. Not only does this evoke the wilderness and subsequent loneliness of the setting, but it introduces the key colours, notably tones of beige, brown and blue. Throughout the film, these colours are to be revisited repeatedly.
We are introduced to the psychopathic killer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) from behind as he is lead in handcuffs to a police car.
- 4/5/2013
- by Contributor
- Clothes on Film
The Phantom of the Opera (2004, directed by Joel Schumacher) is a lavish depiction of its world, examining the nature of facade – the un-reality of the stage, the masked Phantom of the title, and the duality of “costume” within costume (the majority of clothes on screen are designed as costumes for use in performances in the narrative). Costume designer Alexandra Byrne makes use of symbolic colour palettes and silhouettes to bring this heightened world to life.
We are first taken into the world of the Opera Populaire, 1870, with the dress rehearsal of “Hannibal”. It is interesting to note that not all are wearing full “costume” – corsets and petticoats draw attention to the central performance element. Heroine Christine (Emmy Rossum) is dressed identically to the other dancing girls, in a cream and gold top, cropped below the bust, with heavily embellished gold and blue neckline, embellished waistband with two rows of red...
We are first taken into the world of the Opera Populaire, 1870, with the dress rehearsal of “Hannibal”. It is interesting to note that not all are wearing full “costume” – corsets and petticoats draw attention to the central performance element. Heroine Christine (Emmy Rossum) is dressed identically to the other dancing girls, in a cream and gold top, cropped below the bust, with heavily embellished gold and blue neckline, embellished waistband with two rows of red...
- 12/5/2012
- by Contributor
- Clothes on Film
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.