Reflection 2: I Feel Pretty—Costuming in Film
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.
For your this reflection, you will consider the important role
costuming plays in a particular scene. Below is a list of notable films, each of
which contains equally notable costuming. Watch FOUR 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 four of the following scenes to explore:
- Frodo and Gandalf the Grey (Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen) in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001
- Buddy (Will Ferrell) in Elf (2003)
- Rex, Kip, and Napoleon (Diedrich Bader, Aaron Ruell, and Jon Heder) in Napoleon Dynamite, 2004
- Juno and Paulie (Elliot [née Ellen] Page and Michael Cera) in Juno, 2007
- The Joker and Rachel Dawes (Heath Ledger and Maggie Gyllenhaal) in The Dark Knight, 2008
- Nina (Natalie Portman) in Black Swan, 2010
- Helen (Kristen Wiig) in Bridesmaids, 2011
- Katniss Evergreen and Effie Trinket (Jennifer Lawrence and Elizabeth Banks) in The Hunger Games, 2012
- Fantine (Anne Hathaway) in Les Miserables, 2012
- Mad Max and Furiosa (Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron) in Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015
- Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill (Olivia Coleman and Rachel Weisz) in The Favourite, 2018
- Dani (Florence Pugh) in Midsommar, 2019
- The Thrombys (Chris Evans and Co.) in Knives Out, 2019
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- Waymond Wang, Evelyn Wang, and Deirdre Beaubeirdre (Key Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, and Jamie Lee Curtis) in Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2022
- Felix Catton and Oliver Quick (Jacob Elodi and Barry Keoghan) in Saltburn, 2023
- Barbie and Ken (Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling) in Barbie, 2023
- Benji and David Kaplan (Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg) in A Real Pain, 2024
- Glinda and Elpheba (Ariana Garande and Cynthia Erivo) in Wicked, 2024
- The Evil Queen (Gal Gadot) in Snow White, 2025
- MLA Style
- Approx. 500 words

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