An Unexpected Journey

I saw the Hobbit in 3D IMAX glory, and HFR to boot. Try saying all that 10x fast. On second thought, don't. Also, not so sure about 3D IMAX HFR in general, but more on that in a minute. There are some spoilers ahead, so if you haven't seen it and don't want to know ANYTHING about it, stop reading here.

First, a general review:

I quite enjoyed it. It did follow the book, for the most part, and where it deviated I wasn't too upset about that. The deviations either gave more backstory (as with the prologue) or set up future films (as with the Radagast detour). I did feel that Jackson was a tad self-indulgent at times; the intro at Bag End with Bilbo and Frodo was too long, and I felt it was pretty much unecessary except as a way for Jackson to sigh and revel in the world he loves so well. His love of Middle Earth is evident everywhere on screen, and though some shots or sequences linger a bit on the long side (did we need to see so much of the dwarves just walking?) I forgave him for this. I wasn't bored, and there was a lot of eye-candy.

I have to say a few words on a few individual performances. Firstly: Martin Freeman is one of my favorite actors, so I am a tad biased, but I thought he brought a wonderful awkward, funny humanity (Hobbinity?) to Bilbo that a film with such scope truly needs. He had impeccable timing too; most of the laughs came from the way he said a line rather than the line itself, and that's a credit to him.

Second: Jesus Christ, Andy Serkis. I am definitely a fan of his; if there were an Andy Serkis Day parade, I would march in it with a huge banner. The ten minutes he spends on screen are packed with so much emotion, nuance, menace, pathos and just sheer awesomeness that I wanted to spend more time with him. The give-and-tale between him and Martin Freeman (shot on Martin's very first week on set!) was really, really interesting to watch. It brought back everything that was terrifying, and sad, about Gollum. And, the evolution of the CGI for Gollum was marked and extraordinary; he looked really amazing in this film, an improvement in expressiveness I didn't know was needed until I saw the results onscreen.

Third: the dwarves, and Richard Armitage (Thorin) in particular. The actors had a really tough job playing parts with few lines, knowing they would be difficult if not impossible to tell apart and would mostly fade together in memory. Though costume and makeup were relied on to distinguish them for the most part, the truly memorable dwarves like Thorin (obviously), Bofur (James Nesbitt), Fili and Kili (Dean O'Gorman and Aidan Turner), and Balin (Ken Stott) were not memorable for their beards. They managed to shine through their costumes.

Now, for what you're really here to hear about: the costumes.

When I first learned that Ngila Dickson was not doing design duties on the Hobbit trilogy, I was a little miffed. Would the design team of Bob Buck and Ann Maskrey be able to take on the complexities of Middle Earth cultures, preserving the look or LOTR while adding something new? Neither designer has many actual design credits: Buck has designed for television, and Maskrey has been largely an assistant and cutter on large films. But, that's not to say they aren't capable; that's where you start, after all, and this is truly a test of mettle for them. Do they succeed?

Well . . .

Yes and no.

The unique problem of having thirteen fucking dwarves to create would give any designer a heart-attack, and to then need to make each one distinctive while working together as a whole is a nightmare. For the most part, I felt they did a wonderful job with the dwarves, especially with Thorin, whose armor and leather greaves were things of beauty, and whose mail was awesome. But, I found the hair and beards a trifle distracting, rather than distinctive. This may have been an issue of seeing it in HFR (more on that later), but at one point I found myself staring at one of the beards, an appliance that sported two braids that turned up like Pippi Longstocking, and I spent several moments trying to spot the wires instead of watching the action. Hats and hair: those were the watchwords for the dwarves, and while this worked for some characters, it detracted from others, looking less like clothing and more like costume. This is a danger in any fantasy film, and one LOTR sidestepped cleanly, but that the Hobbit seems to be stumbling into.

Bilbo's costumes, however, were lovely. Nothing to criticize here. He had the look of a well-to-do Hobbit through and through.

Gandalf was his usual, familiar look, though I was distracted by the slightly different staff this time around; each time it appeared I found myself wondering: could they not find the old prop? Was this a continuity error? Is his staff broken at some point between now and LOTR and I've forgotten? The silver scarf was a little Vegas for me, but it is specifically mentioned in the book. However, I suspect HFR strikes again in terms of how glittery-fake the fabric appeared; in normal rate the fabric probably looked fine.

Radagast's costume was actually delightful. Not much to add here, except: BUNNY SLEIGH! That is all.

The elves were where I really started to have issues with the costuming. Though Elrond first appears in a truly beautiful set of armor (in purple, for whatever reason), the rest of his looks I found bland. It was as though someone who had been used to having all his garments tailor-made suddenly started shopping at Elf-GAP. I really felt the costumer's lack of experience showed here; the purple and rust-colored robes he wears lacked the individual style and details of his garments in LOTR. Where was the embroidery? the recurring figural motifs? At one point another elf appears dressed nearly identical to Elrond in the White Council scene, and I sighed in exasperation.

Oh dear. Then we have Galadriel. I'm not going to deny that she was shot beautifully; the light coming from behind her in the scene with Gandalf is breathtaking. But, her dress? It seemed designed only to trail artfully behind her. The silhouette was lovely, but the devil is in the details, and the details were not impressive. When we are given a closeup, we see not the incredible botanical embroidery and hand-beadwork from Fellowship, but a Vegas-y trail of--is that rhinestones? It was plain and boring and looked amateurish when compared to other things designed for her. The tiny rhinestiones just dripped down in uniform lines, and looked as though they couldn't even be bothered to not make it look like an iron-on transfer. And the hideous grey overdress she wears when we first see her? What? Why? It seems to serve no purpose whatsoever, and disappears a few moments later.

However, with Thranduil they shine. We see him for only a few moments onscreen, but he looks really distinct and impressive, and I'm seriously looking forward to seeing more of him in the next film. Perhaps with the well-known characters the costumers felt intimidated by what had come before and played it too safe, but here was a character that was all their own, and it showed.

A word about seeing the film in IMAX HFR. I'm not certain I would do it again. There were things about it I liked: it was definitely clearer. But, at times it was just too clear. I noticed details I know I wasn't supposed to see, appliances started to look fake, rather than like seamless movie magic, and fabric that would have no doubt seemed fine suddenly looked weird and over-bright (like Gandalf's scarf). I have read some interviews with the art department about what a nightmare it was at times to work in HFR; everything had to be absolutely perfect or it would show, and the colors and tones were all terribly messed up by the 3D cameras. I can't imagine how hard it made their jobs. I'm just not sold on HFR yet.

Overall, I did enjoy the Hobbit and I am looking forward to the next installment. I don't think I'll be dreaming up any reproductions based on the costumes, however. But, Thorin might be showing up in a few naughty dreams for a while (sigh . . .) ;)

With Malice Toward None . . .

I saw Lincoln on Friday night.

Immediately on leaving the theatre, I made three phone calls: first to my sister. I gushed and cried. Then to my best friend B. I gushed and cried. Then to my mom. Ditto. It was after 10pm Chicago-time, but I did not hesitate to make any of these phone calls. I think I would have burst if I hadn't been able to speak to someone after that experience, and even after three calls I was still full of feeling.

We all know who Abraham Lincoln was, and the immense impact he had on the history and shaping of this country. And, I think most reading this review have seen more than one film about some historical figure, be it Napoleon or Kennedy or even Jesus Christ. Biopics tend to treat their subjects as larger-than-life, and we sit in awe as the events of history play out before us, the figure portrayed by some actor we recognize and try to forget in the guise of someone we've read about. Beloved historical figures are often treated as nearly god-like in films about them. We leave the theatre after these films with the sense of having seen the deeds of someone great, while not truly feeling any nearer that person.

Lincoln is not that film.

I can honestly say that I have never seen a biopic that made me feel more, personally, for the subject than this one. The Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln, are already deeply personal to me for obvious reasons, and so I expected to feel some emotional stake in the events onscreen. But, what Spielberg has managed to do is to put the viewer smack in the center of the room with the man. You cannot sit and watch. You must join in. Lincoln is not grandiose; he is a man, an extraordinary man, yes, but a man: funny, complicated, kind, fiercely intelligent, even gently conniving. Rarely have I ever liked a figure on film as much as I personally did by the end; here was a man I wanted to know, to sit with on a porch and talk with. Here was a man who made others better simply by being present. The tallest man in the room, always.

To compliment the film fully, I cannot just compliment Spielberg, naturally. I must talk about the incredible cast. Every single person brings their A-game, even those you barely see, even soldiers who do not get a name, or secretaries who handle his letters. Day-Lewis gives a performance so striking in its natural flow that I never, for one moment, saw him onscreen. I saw Lincoln. He is completely and utterly the man, and if he does not win the Oscar this year, good God, I can't think who might beat him. Sally Field plays Mary Todd with a barely contained intensity; not madness, but such heart-breaking misery at times that it was difficult to watch. She is always on edge without ever seeming to lurch into expected characature. Tommy Lee Jones is powerful, hilarious, and deserves a supporting actor nod for his turn as Thaddeus Stevens, so instrumental in the passing of the 13th Amendment. And David Strathairn deserves a nod as well for his understated and controlled portrayal of Lincoln's Secretary of State Seward, who is possibly the only man who can argue any opposing point with the President while still so clearly showing how he respects and loves the man. There are scores of others in the film who play meaningful and important roles and who I could mention here, but this review is too long already.

A few words on the superior costuming by Joanna Johnston: it is beautiful and incredibly specific; I watched the entire film with a critical eye, and I couldn't find a single flaw. Mary Todd Lincoln's dresses in particular were superb, even though I personally would never wear them. And, the men . . .! I cannot say enough. Flawless, right down to Stevens' horrible wig.

Everyone knows how Lincoln's story ends, with a fateful trip to Ford's Theatre. As the film reached that point, I felt my chest seize and a lump in my throat, and I began to cry unashamedly as the camera follows him out of the White House for the final time. This was not just a historical figure I had read about. Not even a figure I had seen portrayed by a friend or intereacted with. This was someone I suddenly felt as though I knew. I felt for the first time the depth of the country's loss, because it felt like my loss. Spielberg invited me into this man's life for a few weeks, and in the end I felt just how short a time that was. I wish I could adequately put it into words, but that is the best I can do.

See Lincoln. Even if you think you know the history and nothing can surprise you, I promise, you're wrong. You will be moved, and, if you're anything like me, you might be a little changed too.

Big, Big, Big Day!

Yeah, it's been a while.

I'm trying to move this blog more towards what it was intended to be, a costuming/history blog, and in that effort I decided not to post until I had something, well, costume-y to post about. So . . . Halloween:)

After my original plans sort of didn't prove feasible (and based on my belief, backed by science!, that no one wants to see a fat girl in spandex) I decided the frigging week before Halloween to change my entire costume. Because I like an insane challenge.

Every time I went into my workroom, the Effie fabric I bought so many months ago would mock me quietly. "Maybe you should make a pillow out of me!" it taunted. "I bet you could sell me on eBay, and somebody would make an Effie costume out of me!" it hissed, jeeringly. Yes, my fabric does this. Shut up.

Truthfully, I felt really guilty every time I saw the pile of Chinese brocade and the gold boots just sitting there, unused. So, I had a flash of brilliance (?) and decided, around Thursday the week before Halloween, that I would be Effie Trinket after all. No pressure or anything.

Saturday morning I got up at 7am and started laying out and cutting. I used a basic pencil skirt pattern; I don't even remember which one, and it doesn't matter. Any pencil skirt will do, as long as it's the correct length and it fits. Then, I used one of the darted bodice 1860's Martha McCain patterns from Simplicity for the jacket; I cut it like a Civil War bodice and fitted the lining, using a Sharpie to mark out the cuts for the armscyes and the opening in the front. It took a little while to get it right, but once I was happy I used the lining/mock-up to cut the outer fabric and once that was together, I made the shawl collar. Like a real kimono, this was not a curved piece; just one long, straight, folded over strip of fabric. I sewed the bodice together, leaving the armscyes and bottom edge open (for the pouf, which I was making Sunday). The belt was just a costume belt that I encased in the same fabric. Easy-peasy.

Sunday dawned around 7am as well, and after a sudden brown-out (don't you love LA?) had me panicked, the power came back and I got back to work. I measured out 4 yards for the pouf. I had a couple choices: I could make it just a tube of gathered fabric, or I could reduce the bulk slightly and make the underside smooth, gathering the bottom and top edges of the pouf to it. I decided not to worry about bulk; after all, this was supposed to be a big bubble peplum, and I went with the gathered tube of fabric. I hand-gathered (I HATE machine gathering!) and then sewed the peplum to the jacket, the opening in front, and stuffed the pouf with tulle. The sleeves were next; no pattern, just eyeballed it. Once they were done I hand-stitched the armscyes closed and did the rest of the finishing hand-work.

The under-blouse was just a dickey of cumin-colored silk taffeta; it took me around ten minutes to do that part:) The whole thing needs to be hit with the iron in this pic, but this was the first time I put it on the mannequin to look at it together.

And, voila! If I were to wear it again, I would find a method for getting the jacket to stay more closed in the front; my boobs are, after all, much larger than Elizabeth Banks';) Otherwise, I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

I did do the little doo-hickie on the back of the skirt; I glimpsed it in one photo and improvised, figuring it would mimic an obi bow.

The gold silk looks really green here; unfortunately the flourescent lights in my office turned all the gold green and really washed out the makeup. Oh well. I did win the costume contest at my office, though:)

My pics ended up posted on Elizabeth Banks' website, along with many others who dressed as Effie for Halloween; I was tickled to see them added. I hope everyone jad a lovely holiday, and I'll do my best not to be so antisocial in the future:)

Rise.

This is not a review.

After I saw "The Dark Knight Rises" on Thursday night, that's what I intended to write. A long, spoilerriffic review of the final film of Nolan's epic Batman trilogy.

Then, James Holmes killed 12 people, and called himself the Joker. He dyed his hair and put on riot gear, and killed a six-year-old girl with an assault rifle. He injured 57 others.

Then, yesterday, Christian Bale visited some of the victims of that shooting. He met with seven people still in the hospital in Aurora, CO, met with doctors and police, with some of the first-responders to the tragedy. He went only with his wife, no entourage. He specifically asked the hospital not to call the press. Of course, in the age of Twitter and Facebook, it was out within minutes.

The victims in particular were so happy to see their hero. For them, Bale was not just an actor who has spent the last several years donning a costume and running around expensive sets with explosions going on behind him. For them, he was Batman.

In this day and age, popular entertainment can seeem to be a repository for what is bad and wrong with society: we rail against the violence in television and novies and games, the sex, the exuburent way the makers of these media seem to revel in the darkness they show, and the way the public laps it up. We point to these things and sometimes think, "This is what's wrong with society. We enjoy watching these things. It's entertainment." But, it is more than that. When Holmes shot up a theatre calling himself the Joker, we can choose to cower in fear and blame the violence on a film that glorifies such characters. We can boycott. We can shake our fists and say, "Hollywood is to blame. Movies like The Dark Knight Rises cause these things." But, I disagree. If you saw the film . . . if you have seen any of the films . . . you know what I'm talking about. Batman as a figure is a symbol of order within chaos, of good standing up in the face of evil. Batman, especially Nolan's Batman, Bale's Batman, is more than a man. He can be anyone, any one of us with the courage to do what is right. He is the one who stands when others cower. He is the Dark Knight.

In the wake of such horror, we can be angry and afraid. Or we can rise. We can choose to be heroes to those around us. Remember to make the right decision, even if its hard, even if it's not popular. Sometimes its as simple as giving a dollar to the man on the street so he can get a coffee. Sometimes it's letting someone get in front of you in traffic, or stopping to really listen to our children when they want to tell us something. Sometimes it's a movie star going to visit strangers in the hospital, just to hold their hands, and take a picture, and tell them he's sorry and that they will be all right. They are strong.

Maybe it sounds silly, but we can all have a little bit of Batman in us. We can stand together after this tragedy. We can Rise.

Happy Hunger Games!

Okay, that's probably not the best sentiment, given that it's about a bunch of kids killing each other. But, imagine it in Effie's voice, and it makes more sense;)

I decided to go ahead with the Effie costume, and damn SDCC. I know it will be expensive, but I never, ever make myself anything without some kind of excuse, and I end up passing on a lot of projects I want to do because of that. I'm not saying this marks the beginning of a period of willy-nilly spending on crazy costumes. But, I have decided to make this one just for me, and I hope to find reasons to wear it out. I'll certainly show progress to y'all, so at least you can appreciate it;)

And now, let the 74th Hunger Games begin! (Man, if I was a Tribute, I'd be toast.)

Worth a Thousand Words . . .

Last night, history was made on a couple fronts:

-The first foreign film won Best Picture

-The first silent film won Best Picture since "Wings"

Besides being one of my favorite films of the last five years, "The Artist" was quite an achievement, and I am so happy that it took the top prize. There are plenty of nay-sayers already, claiming it did not deserve the award, but I have a theory about that: critics seem to think if a movie isn't deeply depressing or dark, it shouldn't win. This is rubbish of course; movies aren't good because they're depressing. Movies are good because they reach you on an emotional level, happy or sad. When I saw "The Artist" the first time, I left the theatre beaming, with a skip in my step, feeling happier than I'd felt in weeks. It inspired me, and it made me want to see it again (which I did).  I was impressed with it on pretty much every level, and isn't that what a Best Picture should be? Music, costume design, acting (imagine having to get your point across without words, and then tell me the actors weren't amazing), lighting, cinematography, directing . . . all these things worked like gangbusters in "The Artist".

I hope it stays a bit longer in the theatres now, and more people have the chance to see it; I may go back and see it again myself;)

Fine Feathers . . .

I'm starting to narrow down the choices for which costume I'll be doing for SDCC '12 (though I'm reserving final judgement until after I see the film next month!) Right now, it's between the purple "Kimono Bubble" dress (my moniker):

And the magenta "Tribute Day" suit:

There are pluses and minuses for each of these choices, though for the moment I'm leaning towards the Kimono Bubble outfit for a few reasons :

1. She looks a little prettier and slightly less harsh in that one.

2. I found those exact boots as a knockoff on eBay.

3. I like the makeup treatment a bit more.

However, the chinese brocade used for the ensemble is going to give me fits. I actually found the EXACT pattern from a seller on eBay . . . in the wrong color. Grrrr! I'll make a trip to the fabric district in LA and take a look around later in the year, but if I can't find a satisfactory fabric, I may be forced to go with the suit. We shall see!

Stay tuned!

Big, Big Day!

In case you missed this, The Hunger Games opens next month, and I'm uber-excited. Not just to see one of my favorite YA series come to life, but for the clothes, y'all;)

Effie Trinket, Capitol PR maven, in charge of making the possible-murder of her tributes look as shiny and pretty as possible, looks to be the front-runner in my race to choose what costume I will do for SDCC this year (I am going, dammit!) My chief difficulty may come in choosing from her myriad looks!

Whenever I start to look into reproducing a costume, I look to every possible source of research and material on the original. The folks behind the film just handed me a big one, all wrapped up in a asparkly bow: Capitol Couture.

The marketers for the film have made this faux-fashion magazine highlighting the wild couture the folks in the Capitol don, and as a source, it is fantastic. The GIF above is just one example: I get to see the entire costume, including shoes, and I even get to find out who made them (Alexander McQueen, as it happens). I LOVE that the costume designer on this film used some real designers ("vintage", for the purposes of the story); it gives it a very identifiable "fashionista" feel.

I can't wait to see the film in March. Stay tuned for my choice for Comic Con (if I can choose just one!)

Preview . . .

Some people, when they get home from a long day at the office, like to flip on the tv. Some people sit in a bubble bath. Me, I turn on my laptop and spend two hours on Photoshop, coloring artwork for my next book cover;)

That's a little preview of the cover for "Celluloid"; the actual cover is designed to look like an old movie poster (I spent eight hours this past weekend working on it!) and has fighter planes and Nazis and the Hollywood sign, as well as the title smushed in there;) I'll post a preview of that when I'm a little closer to self-publishing; right now I'm entering the beta phase, and doing revisions. I'll keep y'all posted!

Bombshell . . .

As I've been writing "Celluloid", I've been watching a lot of movies from the '30's and '40's, and I've beeen reminded how much I love Jean Harlow. I have a passing resemblance to her (extremely passing!), and in college as a makeup class project I did myself up to look like her. Up to then I had never seen any of her films, but afterwards I decided to give her a try, and discovered a gutsy, brassy, funny actress with impeccable timing and a whole lot of moxie. It was love.

My favorite films of hers include "Bombshell"(a cutting satire on the Hollywood machine that still seems relevant today), "Libeled Lady", "Wife vs. Secretary", and "China Seas". I recommend all these films, if you have any interest;)

Harlow died at 26 of renal failure, an illness that went misdiagnosed for days until it was finally too late to save her. William Powell, who had been in love with her for three years but hadn't had the chance to marry her, placed a note in her folded hands with a single gardenia that read: "Good night, my dearest darling". Even dying so young, she left an indelible impression on movie history.

I decided for no good reason (other than boredom, I suppose) to make myself up as Harlow this weekend. It's just a faint resemblance, but it was fun anyway;) Now if only I had a fraction of her moxie . . .