For all involved, Behind the Candelabra is a tremendous achievement: directing, acting, production design and especially costume. Liberace’s stage outfits are recreated faithfully, all the pearls, bugle beads and sequins you would expect. But even more impressive is seeing him at home behind closed doors. Liberace’s (Michael Douglas) life with young Scott Thorson (Matt Damon) is a believable banquet of highs and lows. With every gaudy golden hit there is the inevitable comedown of botched plastic surgery and seedy depravity. This is what Behind the Candelabra is about; the man away from the glitter. He had it all and wanted more. Liberace was the gay Gatsby. Due to Behind the…

Outfits worn specifically by male actors on film A brief glimpse at the costume world Mark Bridges created for Joker. Examining the shirt collars of all the gentleman in 1941 noir classic, The Maltese Falcon. A brief video dip into the costume design of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Actually that title is a tad misleading – it’s all the clothes worn by Lee Marvin as kick-ass-tough-guy-on-a-mission Walker in Point Blank. This is the second video in a new Clothes on Film feature breaking down costume design in sartorially interesting (or just way cool) movies and, in some cases, television.  Costumed by Margo Weintz, Point Blank is stone-cold neo-noir…

The top half of Ben Affleck’s new Batsuit has been revealed, as created by costume designer Michael Wilkinson for the barely in production Batman vs. Superman. At first this black and white Bats looks kind of pettable, thanks to those smaller, kittenish bat ears. However getting in closer the suit is far more visceral than Lindy Hemming’s version for director Christopher Nolan. It actually resembles a (very buff) human body stripped of its skin. Nolan is where most comparisons will be drawn; his Batman is still the benchmark in cinema, and while director Zach Snyder is less obsessed with plausibility the new suit is obviously intended to be functional as……

The 1945 cinematic adaptation of Mildred Pierce, directed by Michael Curtiz and starring, of course, Joan Crawford, is a very different beast to the 2011 HBO mini-series starring Kate Winslet. In all honestly it is not as good, but more significantly it is very different in terms of costume. Interestingly enough the mini-series, which is evidently a period piece, is closer in terms of historical accuracy than the near contemporary set Crawford version. This is not the be all and end all, because while Winslet’s Pierce may feel more real in terms of costume and setting, Crawford’s is arguably more fun. If for no other reason than to exemplify how……

Man of Steel costume designer reveals fascinating insight about the film. Lord Christopher Laverty 1 Comment 13 Nov ’13 19 Jun ’15 14 May ’14

Directed By: Rob Marshall Starring: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush This fourth entry into the Pirates of Caribbean franchise is frustrating, dark (literally) and only occasionally thrilling. For the reason a Pirates movie normally redeems itself, this one fails; Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow has finally become the irritating wiseass who just won’t leave the party. Early on, Jack is a lovingly familiar presence. Following a pursuit through 18th century London, he sheds his recognisable silhouette of billowing linen-silk tweed coat, stripping to an equally billowing linen shirt. As most of the film is set on land, costume designer Penny Rose has ensured he is more rock ‘n’ roll…

Man of Steel costume designer reveals fascinating insight about the film. Lord Christopher Laverty 1 Comment 24 Aug ’10 14 Sep ’12 21 Dec ’12

Clothes from films set 2000-now Despite being set in the present day, the world of Brigsby Bear (2017, directed by Dave McCary) is a cosy 1980s nostalgia affair. Most of what we see either comes from or belongs to another time. It is a very deliberate look that extends right across the production design and costumes. Separate from the overall costume design of Brigsby Bear (by Sarah Mae Burton), Stoopid Buddy Stoodios worked on the creation and execution of the actual Brigsby Bear suit. We chatted to David Brooks and Ben Bayouth from the studio to discover exactly how they arrived upon the distinctive finished article. Clothes on Film: What…

Dark Horizons recently embedded a nine minute preview of AMC’s upcoming remake of The Prisoner. For costume alone it is certainly worth a look. Watch the preview HERE The original 17 episode TV series The Prisoner ran from 1967 to 68. It was co-created and starred Patrick McGoohan as the titular prisoner, or Number Six, a British government agent who on his resignation from the service is drugged and kidnapped. He awakes in a strange isolated village where the inhabitants live under an Orwellian-like order and his captives, led by their unseen master Number One, constantly probe him as to why he resigned. Possibly due to its unusual structure and…

If this new trailer for Man of Steel was the actual movie, then it would be difficult not to stand up and salute at the end. This is three minutes of very worthy, very dramatic, very promising footage for one of the most anticipated films of the year. Best of all though, we really get to see the new Superman suit in action. Costumes designers for Man of Steel are two legends of the industry, James Acheson (Doctor Who, Spider-Man) and Michael Wikinson (Watchmen, Tron Legacy). Quite how these men divided their time on the film remains a tight-lipped mystery for now, but being as both have significant sci-fi experience…