The Moving Picture

The closest one usually gets to the Academy Awards is one’s television, but for the cost of a tank of gas they can be an arm’s length away.
For the past 15 years the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in downtown Los Angeles has exhibited costumes from the year’s major films, including the nominees for Best Costume Design.
For no admission fee, visitors can peruse the bubbly attire of “Marie Antoinette,” the flashy costuming of “Dreamgirls,” the exotic robes and armor from “Curse of the Golden Flower” and the subtle costuming of “The Queen.”
The only costumes missing from the exhibition are those of the film “The Devil Wears Prada,” all of which were sold for charity. It is the first time in 15 years that the institute was unable to garner costumes from all the nominees. Though a generous gesture on the part of the studio, in the eyes of costume aficionados it was a disappointment. The lack of costumes from a fashion film on display at the fashion school was particularly striking.
The forerunners for the Oscar are “Curse of the Golden Flower,” “Marie Antoinette” and “Dreamgirls.” Yee Chung Man is most likely to run off with Hollywood’s top prize for his striking and intricate 10th century Chinese designs. The exotic attracted the Academy’s attention last year with Colleen Atwood winning for “Memoirs of a Geisha,” (also on display) and the same is likely to occur again this year. However, Milena Canonero’s light and watery 18th century gowns and Sharen Davis’ showy stage attire will finish closely behind.
Although “Curse of the Golden Flower” was a time period piece the costume design was more interpretive, because very little attire remains from that time. Therefore, the design gives the allusion of historicity, but is not necessarily so. The visual appearance of the film was particularly important, given the opulence of the later Tang Dynasty.
The Dragon Robe, worn by NAME, weighed 50 pounds and was one of the heaviest costumes museum curator Kevin Jones said he had ever worked with. The armor was made of silk, leather and metal. It took the film’s costume designers many attempts to develop something that stood out on the big screen and the actor could move in.
The lavishness of the time period was captured by the predominant use of gold, copper and autumn colors in the multi-layered costumes. Most of the outfits, including the beautiful Phoenix Gown, have four to six layers. It took 40 artisans over two months to construct the intricate designs.
Jones said the designer created the costumes to take on a three-dimensional quality on flat film.
“Once everything gets to the screen it’s two dimensional … the designer brings a three-dimensional design to the screen. The shades, shine, the texture and the layering give the costumes a pop on screen. You can see the different surfaces.”
“Marie Antoinette” was also a historical piece, yet Jones termed it “stylized historical.” The costumes were much more interpretive than viewers probably expected. They were meant to reflect the mood of the film and the characterization of Marie Antoinette. The costumes were light, pastel colored, flowing and airy as if the entire film was done in watercolors. The costumes reflected the bubble in which Marie Antoinette lived — in a sheltered, protected life removed from reality.
Though “Curse of the Golden Flower” had the most striking and perhaps time consuming costume design, Canonero has the resume to walk away with the Oscar and could very well be a surprise winner, despite the film’s unpopularity. She has made the 18th century her specialty and was already nominated for another film of this time period. Canonero won an Academy Award for “Chariots of Fire” and was nominated for “Affair of the Necklace,” “Titus,” “Dick Tracy,” “Tucker: The Man and His Dream” and “Out of Africa.” She has more than 30 film credits to her name.
“Dreamgirls” designer Davis was also nominated for Best Costume Design for “Ray,” another 1950s to ’60s film, a period rapidly becoming her niche. Davis’ costumes recalled the Supremes with their sparkly silver fabric and shiny blue ruffle, meant to shimmer under the stage lights. Davis was able to use period fabrics; however, no duplicate costumes were made due to the scarcity of the material.
In order to present Davis’ designs in the best light, Jones had to carefully position the mannequins. Designed to fit the bodies of the actresses, the dresses did not lay on the mannequins as ideally as hoped for. One mannequin faced backwards, showing the back of the dress, because the mannequin was Asian and this was a film about black, female soul singers. Jones positioned another mannequin sideways because the back of the dress would not zip up. Jennifer Hudson’s costume had to be carefully padded to fit on the mannequin correctly.
The dark horse of the Oscar competition is Consolata Boyle’s costume design for “The Queen.” The subtlety of the design might have made this film easily overlooked.
“I was surprised and thrilled that the costumes on a film like this — though a fascinating world I was recreating — were perhaps perceived as low key and subtle, yet people understood their power and understood what was being said through the costumes. That has been my greatest thrill,” Boyle said.
The costumes of “The Queen” were almost as important and as revealing as the dialogue.
“The costumes are there to aid the performance and to tell the story. I hope that the feeling the costumes create is that you feel you know this woman and that they add to the feeling that you have gained access into her secret world,” Boyle said. “Hopefully it helps you see this fascinating character as a stubborn, complex woman who deeply loved her family and feels very strongly about her responsibilities and has been brought up not to show her emotions; to understand that she is quite frightened by all of it in many ways and struggling with all of this.”
This film portrayed Queen Elizabeth II’s seldom-seen private side and the costumes had to convince audiences of the realism of this presentation.
“You gather as much information as possible to create as complete a picture as you can, but the final result has to come from yourself as a designer,” Boyle said. “It is an imagined world, but it has to be completely coherent so that the characters can live in it and ring true. We had to create a world that Queen Elizabeth II moved and lived in — a world people felt they knew a lot about. In the end it’s about putting together all those pieces and hoping that you bring the audience with you.”
Boyle said she was surprised by her inclusion in this year’s nominees, but also pleased that the importance of her understated designs drew critical acclaim.
“I’m pleased and proud to be a part of this group. It’s just wonderful,” Boyle said. “This is quite a subtle film and fairly low key, deliberately so. I’m delighted that the importance of this kind of costume design is being recognized.”
Two films also on exhibit at the institute, but left out of the Academy Award nominations for Best Costume Design included “Apocalypto” and “Flags of Our Fathers.” The costumes of “Apocalypto” were stunning, especially the headdresses. They were nearly as big as the actors wearing them and beautifully decorated with bright blue and green feathers and imitation jade. “Apocalypto” was not nominated for its striking costumes, but was nominated for Best Makeup. The makeup was as much a part of the costuming as the headdresses and clothes themselves were, which was apparent from the elaborate body paint on the mannequins.
Unlike the costumes of Apocalypto, which were incredibly stylized, the costumes of “Flags of Our Fathers” had to be exact matches of those worn by World War II soldiers. People are still alive today who remember these uniforms down to the tiniest detail. The mannequins even carried medic bags complete with unused medical supplies from the war. The film’s costume designer, Deborah Hopper, even came to the exhibition to be sure the mannequins were properly dressed.
“Every button and badge must be perfect or you get called on it,” Jones said.
Hopper’s partnership with director Clint Eastwood began 20 years ago and includes such films as “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” as well as his Academy Award winning films “Mystic River” and “Million Dollar Baby.”
The exhibition also included costumes from “Superman Returns,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” “Eragon,” “The Fountain,” “The Good German,” “The Painted Veil” and many others.
FIDM is the only place in the world where costumes from the year’s top films, including the Oscar nominees for Best Costume Design, can be viewed. To see them in person truly brings the films’ to life. Seeing first hand the designers’ painstaking attention to detail instills one with a greater appreciation for the importance of their art to filmmaking. Do not miss the opportunity to experience the soul of cinema magic for yourself.

INFORMATION
The 15th annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition
The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
919 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles
Open through April 5
Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(213) 624-1200

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Helen Mirren may have ruled indecisively in “The Queen,” but her Oscar reign will begin decisively.
Despite being included in a group of stellar nominees for Best Actresses — Judi Dench of “Notes on a Scandal,” Penelope Cruz of “Volver,” Kate Winslet of “Little Children” and Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” — Mirren’s only stiff competition comes from fellow British actress Dench. In “Notes on a Scandal” Dench plays elderly spinster Barbara Covett, a lonely closet homosexual who becomes obsessed with the new, young art teacher at the inner city high school where she teaches history.
Covett spends her days in isolation. She is barely tolerated by her fellow educators and students. Her private life consists of endless hours spent scribbling caustic judgments on her fellow staff members and taking care of her aging feline. Then
Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) enters her life. The light and free ways of the beautiful woman captivated her and when she discovers the lonely, struggling teacher is having an affair with one of her talented 15-year-old art students, Covett sees it as a way to gain power over Hart, enabling her to manipulate the unlikely friendship. Eventually Covett’s insane jealousy causes her to betray Hart’s confidences, setting in motion a series of events that destroys both of their lives.
Both Dench and Blanchett delivered powerful performances in the film and both are honored with Oscar nominations. Both roles were written to win awards, but this year, up against the lead contender Mirren for Best Actress and Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” for Best Supporting Actress, both performers will likely have to watch their competition run off with the Oscar. The Academy loves honoring performers for delivering convincing portrayals of real-life people and this is the push that puts Mirren at the front of the race.
The intense drama “Notes on a Scandal” keeps you on the edge of your seat, despite the disturbing plot. It is the only other film with leading ladies that offered up roles written to attract Oscar attention. If you see only one other film this year nominated for its female performances, see this one.
Cruz in the Spanish film “Volver” was also a delight and despite the occasional dark moments, overall this film had a “feel good” quality to it. “Volver” examines female relationships, particularly the dynamics between mothers and daughters, as well as between sisters.
Cruz’s character, Raimunda, struggles to make the ends meet as her deadbeat, drunken husband is ousted from job after job. One night his lust becomes too much and he attacks their pubescent daughter, Tia Paula. She successfully defends herself, but the end result is his dead body in the kitchen. Mother and daughter cover up the crime then turn to finding a way to support each other without his meager assistance.
At the same time Raimunda’s beloved aunt Paula dies. The death brings up unresolved issues between herself and her supposedly deceased mother Irene, who committed a tragic crime, faked her own death four-years before and has been secretly caring for her aging sister ever since.
This was a sweet film that emphasized the power and importance of female relationships and women’s lives. It is fitting that “Volver” was included amongst the nominees for Best Actress. Cruz’s delivery was sweet and compelling, though little set it truly apart from her competition.
If the content of “Notes on a Scandal” is too much dark reality for you, “Volver” has a lighthearted, loving feel to it even with its dark undertones. Your heavy load would feel a little lightened after leaving a showing of this delightful and satisfying quirky drama.
Then there is “Little Children,” a disturbing and depressing drama from start to finish. This cautionary tale is set in suburbia. A bored housewife (Winslet) and househusband have an affair between naptimes and play dates while their successful spouses work long hours at arduous jobs. As a subplot an emotionally disturbed ex-police officer terrorizes a convicted sex offender living in the peaceful, family neighborhood.
Bored with their half-hearted existences, all the characters are desperately seeking happiness in all the wrong places. “Little Children” warns viewers to see the value in the joys that you have because a step in the wrong direction could bring the entire house of cards crashing to the ground.
The performances in this film were stellar, but like “Babel” this was a film that relied more on an ensemble cast to carry off the plot rather than on any one performance. Winslet continues to deliver performances worthy of Oscar nods, but she has yet to hit on that one that screams Oscar winner. She was compelling as the intellectual trapped in the suffocating, unappreciated garb of a housewife, but another performer would have been equally successful in the role. Winselt will have to watch another actress walk away with the Oscar for the fifth time in the past nine years.
Finally, Hollywood legend Streep earned another nod for her role as the domineering fashion icon Miranda Priestly in “The Devil Wears Prada.” This was a fun film and a fun role for Streep who is always captivating on the big screen. Streep has been nominated for 14 Academy Awards since 1979 and has won two. She won the Golden Globe this year for her portrayal of the cold and harsh fashion editor, but the victory was more of a nod for her continuously delightful contributions to the silver screen rather than a prediction of 2007 Oscar glory.
Of all of this year’s nominated films for Best Actress, “The Devil Wears Prada” is probably the most accessible to the average moviegoer. If you are not into the artsy, heavy dramas and not a follower of the Oscar race, then this film is one Academy Award movie you would enjoy. The performances are strong without a heavy content bogging down the action and you will not leave a viewing more depressed than when you started the film.
However, if you are following the Academy Awards and looking forward to Feb. 25, then be sure to go to the Redlands Krikorian Theatre to see Mirren in the role likely to win her her first Academy Award in three nominations. Also, in order to prepare for any Oscar surprises, do not miss “Notes on a Scandal.” Dench has won one Oscar already, and though the odds are against her, her sixth nomination could earn her a second.

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This year at the Academy Awards it is all about diversifying. There is a little of this and a little of that included throughout the categories. From the traditional heavy dramas to family comedies and everything in between action-adventures to musicals, all found their way onto the nominees list.
Action-adventures “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (three nominations, including Achievement in Visual Effects and Sound Editing) and “The Prestige” each earned a nomination for Achievement in Art Direction and even a murder-mystery and a science-fiction film each made their way on the list for Achievement in Cinematography.
The otherwise disappointing “Black Dahlia” earned an Oscar nod for its cinematography, as well as “Children of Men” (three nomination also including Achievement in Film Editing and Best Adapted
Screenplay).
Despite the fact that the critically popular “Superman Returns” bombed with mainstream audiences, the action-adventure film earned a nod for its achievements in the area of visual effects.
The critically hot and cold character study “Marie Antoinette” by Sofia Coppola was included, unsurprisingly, for Achievement in Costume Design and the late released “Curse of the Golden Flower”
snuck its way onto the nominees list as one of its competitors.
The critically acclaimed and publicly well-received “United 93” (two nominations including Achievement in Film Editing) was also not left out, earning director Paul Greengrass a nod from Oscar for Achievement in Directing.
Not even the super sinker “Poseidon” failed to earn a place amongst the nominees alongside “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” and “Superman Returns” for Achievement in Visual Effects.
A fantasy film was also included amongst the contestants. The dark fantasy adventure “Pan’s Labyrinth” has been receiving rave reviews from critics and audiences alike and it showed with a slew of nominations, including Achievement in Art Direction, Cinematography, Makeup, Best Foreign Language Film, Original Score and Original Screenplay.
One of the oddest selections occurred in the Best Picture category. The quirky comedy “Little Miss Sunshine” about a functional dysfunctional family made the list, ousting out the hit musical “Dreamgirls” (led the competition with eight nominations, including Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Achievement in Art Direction and Costume Design, Best Original Song and Achievement in Sound Mixing).
Unsurprisingly, however, Golden Globe winner “Babel” (seven nominations including two for Best Supporting Actress, Achievement in Directing, Film Editing, Best Original Score and Best Original
Screenplay) and receiver of the Critic’s Choice Award “The Departed,” both for Best Drama, were included in the Best Picture category.
Golden Globe winner for Best Foreign Language Film “Letters from Iwo Jima” (four nominations including, Achievement in Direction, Sound Editing and Best Original Screenplay) also moved up the list to Best Picture.
The nominees for Best Actor matched the Golden Globes and Critic’s Choice Awards to a “T” with forerunners Leonardo DiCaprio for “Blood Diamond” and Forest Whitaker for “The Last King of Scotland” leading the way.
However, there were some small surprises in the area of Best Supporting Actor. Djimon Hounsou of “Blood Diamond” rightfully made his way onto the list and Alan Arkin from Best Picture nominee
“Little Miss Sunshine” was also included. However, Hounsou and Arkin will likely play second fiddle to Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice Award winner Eddie Murphy for “Dreamgirls.”
On the other hand, there were no surprises in the categories of Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress with the nominees matching that of the Golden Globes and Critic’s Choice Awards exactly. The lists were led by Golden Globe winners Helen Mirren of “The Queen” and former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson of “Dreamgirls.”
Mel Gibson earned the biggest slap in the face from Hollywood for his recent transgressions. His brilliant Mayan epic “Apocalypto” was left out of the Best Foreign Language Film category all together and earned only little nods for Achievement in Makeup, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing.
The stars of the show are likely to be “Dreamgirls” followed closely by “Babel,” but judging by the array of nominees, everyone is bound to get a little something on Oscar night. In an unusual twist from past years, the dark, heavy drama is not going to run away with all the statues. Hollywood seems to be opening up to more audience-friendly genres this year and rewarding their critically acclaimed efforts with Oscar nods. It looks like not just the film connoisseur, but the mainstream moviegoer just might get something out of the Academy Awards this year.

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