Costume Blog
Welcome to FrockTalk, the web’s only costume-based movie review site. The goal of Frocktalk is to shed light on the magnificent artistry of costume design in motion pictures. Reviews on this site are written by working costume designers in the entertainment industry – people who know, better than anyone, what it takes to make it all happen.
The focus of FrockTalk is not to comment on the big flashy costume dramas, but to call attention to the seemingly ordinary costume design work in film that silently and persuasively moves the audience toward understanding the characters. Costume design for motion pictures is an art form that deserves more recognition than it usually gets. Fancy, pretty costumes do not always equal effective, appropriate costumes. The art of the costume is in letting the audience know who the character is, before the actor even has a chance to open his mouth. Read on, and enjoy.
** CAUTION: ALL REVIEWS CONTAIN SPOILERS! **
Good morning, Frocktalkers!! With a drum roll please, here are 2012’s nominees for outstanding achievement in costume design:
Anonymous - Lisy Christl
The Artist - Mark Bridges
Hugo - Andy Powell
Jane Eyre - Michael O’Connor
W.E. - Arianne Phillips
Congratulations, everyone!!! The awards air live on ABC on February 26 - stand by for more coverage of the event!! Congrats to all of the costume designers and their crews, and have a great week!
- KMB
Frocktalkers, mark your calendars and cash in your frequent flyer miles!! On October 20 of this year, the world-renowned Victoria and Albert museum in London is opening an exhibit of Hollywood costumes, and it is sure to be jaw-dropping!! Yes, Dorothy’s gingham dress will be there. Yes, Scarlett O’Hara’s velvet curtain dress will be there. And yes, YOU should be there to see it all. Think about calling it a “business trip” and writing it off on your taxes! I mean, it IS about work, after all! Read more HERE and HERE! Get excited, people - this is going to be EPIC! The exhibit is being curated by costume designer/legend Deborah Nadoolman Landis (Raiders of the Lost Ark) so as you can probably imagine it’s going to be off the hook!! I can’t wait. I am booking my ticket tonight!!!
- KMB
Good morning, Frocktalkers! The 14th annual Costume Designers Guild Award nominations were just announced, and they are:
EXCELLENCE IN CONTEMPORARY FILM
“Bridesmaids” – Leesa Evans & Christine Wada
“The Descendants” – Wendy Chuck
“Drive” – Erin Benach
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” – Trish Summerville
“Melancholia” – Manon Rasmussen
EXCELLENCE IN PERIOD FILM
“The Artist” – Mark Bridges
“Jane Eyre” – Michael O’Connor
“The Help” – Sharen Davis
“Hugo” – Sandy Powell
“W.E.” – Arianne Phillips
EXCELLENCE IN FANTASY FILM
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2″ – Jany Temime
“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” – Penny Rose
“Red Riding Hood” – Cindy Evans
“Thor” – Alexandra Byrne
“X-Men: First Class” – Sammy Sheldon
OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY TELEVISION SERIES
“Glee” – Lou Eyrich & Jennifer Eve
“Modern Family” – Alix Friedberg
“Revenge” – Jill Ohanneson
“Saturday Night Live” – Tom Broecker & Eric Justian
“Sons of Anarchy” – Kelli Jones
OUTSTANDING PERIOD/FANTASY TELEVISION SERIES
“Boardwalk Empire” – John A. Dunn, Lisa Padovani
“The Borgias” – Gabriella Pescucci
“Game of Thrones” – Michele Clapton
“Once Upon a Time” – Eduardo Castro
“Pan Am” – Ane Crabtree
OUTSTANDING MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINI SERIES
“Downton Abbey” – Susannah Buxton
“The Kennedys” – Christopher Hargadon
“Mildred Pierce” – Ann Roth
Congratulations, costume designers and costume crew!!! The awards take place on February 21st, and I hope to send a roving reporter to cover the event! Congratulations, everyone - party time!!!
- KMB
Congratulations to the 2012 BAFTA nominees for Outstanding Costume Design! They are:
THE ARTIST Mark Bridges
HUGO Sandy Powell
JANE EYRE Michael O’Connor
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN Jill Taylor
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY Jacqueline Durran
The awards ceremony is scheduled for February 12, 2012 - stay tuned for more information, and congratulations to all of the designers and crew honored by these nominations!!
- KMB
It’s been over eighty years since a silent film has won best picture, but 2012’s The Artist looks poised and ready for the honor. This beautiful homage to filmmaking is stunning on many levels, especially the storytelling element of its costume design. In this interview - which is PART 1 of 2 - costume designer Mark Bridges talks about his approach to the film, some of his sourcing, and his take on using fur on screen. Read on, and stay tuned for PART 2 coming soon!!
Continue reading ‘The Artist: Interview With Designer Mark Bridges!!!’
Happy weekend, everyone! I hope that you have had a chance to see The Help - it is a very interesting and thought-provoking movie, and I have had the great good fortune to talk with (twice-Oscar-nominated) costume designer Sharen Davis about her work on this movie - AND she gave me some sketches to share with you!!! I screened the film for my mom, and she went crazy about the hair!! Sharen answers all of my (and my mom’s) questions, after the jump! Read on!
Continue reading ‘The Help: Interview With Designer Sharen Davis!’
Happy 2012, Frocktalkers! I am delighted to be able to share some insight with you from the costume designer of David Fincher’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Trish Summerville! Fresh from the launch of the movie as well as the launch of The Dragon Tattoo Collection (exclusively at retailer H & M), Ms. Summerville tells us all about her experience making the film in Sweden, and why she didn’t sample the reindeer meatballs… read on!!
Continue reading ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Interview with Designer Trish Summerville!’
Check it out, Frocktalkers - I have an interview for you with costume designer Michael O’Connor about his work on Jane Eyre. He shares his own sketches, and gives details on how the ideas for these costumes took shape, and - most important to me - what it was like to work with Michael Fassbender!!! OooOoOooh! Read on!!
Continue reading ‘Jane Eyre: Interview with Designer Michael O’Connor!’
Hello, Frocktalkers!! Our friend Chris over at Clothesonfilm.com has written a very thoughtful wrap-up of the year in costumes for you. I thought you might like to read it as nominating ballots start to arrive in the mail, hahaha. We have had a really gorgeous run of costumes in 2011, ranging from fancy to distressed. As awards season starts in earnest, I will do my best to keep you updated. I will soon be going on location until May 2012, so I will sadly miss the CDG Awards, but will make sure to have coverage of the event for you at the ready. Thanks, Frocktalkers, for your interest and enthusiasm in our art form, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
- KMB
HUGO is a movie, ostensibly for kids, directed by Martin Scorsese. I say ostensibly, because it’s a very nostalgic piece that is also quite appealing for adults. The film is about an orphaned child, Hugo, who lives in a train station, and the grumpy old man he befriends. That old man, George Méliès, just happens to be a former pioneer filmmaker, now broken and on the skids. The movie is a visual delight, and I was lucky enough to be able to talk with costume designer Sandy Powell about her wonderful work in this film. Read on!
Continue reading ‘HUGO: Interview With Designer Sandy Powell!’
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