As any actor will tell you, a character doesn't really come together until the right costume is in place. In fact, many films have become classics, in part, because of their unique costuming. That's because when done right, a costume can add an unexpected element to an actor's performance. In some cases, the right costume can tell us everything we need to know about a character in just seconds. And some characters and costumes are so intertwined that they're difficult to divorce, such as the tattered suit of Charlie Chaplin's Tramp or the leather and metal of Johnny Depp's Edward Scissorhands. For audiences, costumes can also become a sentimental part of a favorite film. One need only look at the robust movie costume auctions to see that collectors will pay top dollar for costumes they consider special or important—one of Dorothy's blue gingham dresses from the Wizard of Oz recently sold for a record $300,000. For your first reflection, you will consider the important role costuming plays in a scene. Below is a list of iconic films, each of which contains equally iconic costuming. Watch three of the scenes and analyze the function costuming plays in the role. Specifically, consider what the costume adds to the overall experience of the scene. For example, is the costuming subtle or does it make a statement? Does it utilize color? If so, how? How does the costume act as an extension of the character or actor? You may also consider hair and makeup in your analysis.
Choose three of the following scenes to explore:
- The Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) in City Lights, 1931
- Jerry and Dale (Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) in Top Hat, 1935
- Gilda (Rita Hayworth) in Gilda, 1946
- Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando) in A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951
- Lisa (Grace Kelly) in Rear Window, 1954
- Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle (Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn) in My Fair Lady, 1964
- Tony Manero (John Travolta) in Saturday Night Fever, 1977
- Superman and Lois Lane (Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder) in Superman, 1978
- Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981
- Joel Goodsen (Tom Cruise) in Risky Business, 1983
- Andrew, Brian, John, Claire, and Alison (Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy) in The Breakfast Club, 1985
- Vivian (Julia Roberts) in Pretty Woman, 1990
- Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) in Batman Returns, 1992
- Eva Peron (Madonna) in Evita, 1996
- Queen Elizabeth I (Tilda Swinton) in Elizabeth (1998)
- Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) in Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace, 1999
- Velma and Roxie (Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renée Zellweger) in Chicago, 2002
- Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in Pirates of the Caribbean; Curse of the Black Pearl, 2003
- Nina (Natalie Portman) in Black Swan, 2010
- Batman and the Joker (Christian Bale and Heath Ledger) in The Dark Knight Rises, 2012
- Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) in The Hunger Games, 2012
- Captain America, Iron Man, and Loki (Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Tom Hiddleston) in The Avengers, 2012
- Fantine (Anne Hathaway) in Les Miserables, 2012
- Baily Spry as Annie in It Follows, 2015 [Warning: Gore]
Requirements:
- Must be in MLA Style
- Must be two full pages in length
Due: We 10.7
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