Since the 1960s, show business legend Debbie Reynolds has been stockpiling and promoting the preservation of Hollywood costumes, props and other memorabilia. Now she is selling her whole collection… CLICK HERE two download a PDF of the catalouge. The auction is to be held in several stages by Profiles in History, a leading dealer of autographs, manuscripts and vintage signed photographs. Costumes featured in the first sale include: Gene Kelly’s 3-pc wool herringbone suit by Walter Plunkett for Singin’ in the Rain (1952), Audrey Hepburn’s embroidered lace ‘Ascot dress’ from My Fair Lady (1964) designed by Cecil Beaton, Adrian’s gingham test dress for Judy Garland used for the first two…

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…

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Saoirse Ronan Director: Peter Jackson After directing one of the greatest multi-award winning trilogies ever and remaking his own favourite film in the world, King Kong (2005), Peter Jackson has decided to go back to basics with his interpretation of Alice Sebold’s ‘The Lovely Bones’. The result is reminiscent of Jackson’s earlier work Heavenly Creatures (1995). Both films flit between the imagination and reality of two young girls; The Lovely Bones deals with life, death and the nature of heaven and hell. Set in 1970s Pennsylvania, fourteen year-old Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) is murdered by her neighbour Mr Harvey (Stanley Tucci). Susie then finds herself…

A preview of Clothes on Film editor Christopher Laverty’s article on the vibrant costume design of Dick Tracy for Arts Illustrated magazine. Truly unique, Dick Tracy is as close to a comic strip brought to life as any film before or since. This was director and star Warren Beatty’s goal; not to interpret the comic, but to paint it directly onto a cinematic canvas. He achieved this by embracing the superficial qualities of the painted page, the bright colours, exaggerated structures, madcap caricatures, and placing them front and centre. Dick Tracy is an all knowing pantomime. The original Dick Tracy comic strip first published in the United States in 1931,…

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) is costume symbolic of its era; the entire film is filtered through a composite mix of tan and beige. Director Robert Benton opted for a permanent autumn in New York City, artistically maintained through its year long storyline. Autumn is interpretable as a transitional season, reflecting the three act journey of the three central characters. Costume designer Ruth Morley dresses Meryl Streep’s absentee mother Joanna head-to-toe in various shades of brown. Joanna’s appearance is regimented by control and routine, and nearly always finished by that epitome of late 1970s chic and impending yuppiedom, a three quarter length Burberry trench coat. Confirmation of the Burberry trench functioning…

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway Directed By: Tom Hooper Lingering death scenes, honourable gentlemen with puffed out chests, a little girl in rags sweeping the floor; to say Les Misérables takes itself very, very seriously is an understatement. Victor Hugo’s original novel is not known for its slapstick either (the clue is in the title), yet director Tom Hooper’s adaptation is so earnest as to verge on parody. This is Carol Reed’s Oliver! only with a good deal more rain and tears, and a lot less Oom-Pah-Pah. To Hooper’s credit, Les Misérables never strives to be something it is not. Dramatic musical theatre on a grand scale should…

Note from the Editor: You may have noticed that Clothes on Film has not been updated as frequently recently. We’ve had some excellent analysis and a few strong interviews, but in general content has been considerably lighter than usual. Well there is a reason for this… I have recently signed my first publishing deal to produce a book about, unsurprisingly, clothes in film. Specifically this will be a book about fashion in film. Apologies if this reads a tad vague; I promise more details will follow in the coming months. I will say now, however, that it is not just another tome describing pretty dresses or sharp suits in movies,…

Certain films come along where costume design is so essential to character and narrative, that to alter it even slightly would change the tone and perception of the story. Drive (2011, costume design by Erin Benach) is one example of this. The white satin scorpion jacket, tight indigo jeans and most importantly, leather driving gloves. Gloves were symbolic of The Driver’s intentions; when he slipped on the gloves he became himself. Stoker (2013, costume design by Kurt Swanson and Bart Mueller, aka ‘Kurt and Bart’) employs a similar concept – a costume sign – only here it is all about shoes. India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) is something becoming. It is…

Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem Directed By: Sam Mendes SPOILER FREE James Bond thunders back to our screens in what feels like a reboot of the 50 year old franchise with the same actor. This is not the 007 who calmly waits for a man to bleed to death before stealing his Harrington; the brutal cold bastard of Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace has mellowed considerably and can even manage a quip or two. Whether this development will delight or disappoint is a matter of personal taste. One thing is certain however; Bond has never scrubbed up better. Tom Ford now exists to make Daniel Craig suits.…

Certain films come along where costume design is so essential to character and narrative, that to alter it even slightly would change the tone and perception of the story. Drive (2011, costume design by Erin Benach) is one example of this. The white satin scorpion jacket, tight indigo jeans and most importantly, leather driving gloves. Gloves were symbolic of The Driver’s intentions; when he slipped on the gloves he became himself. Stoker (2013, costume design by Kurt Swanson and Bart Mueller, aka ‘Kurt and Bart’) employs a similar concept – a costume sign – only here it is all about shoes. India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) is something becoming. It is…