This year’s race for Best Costume Design became mired in controversy later in the season as a dispute erupted over proper credit in “Black Swan.” Amy Westcott was listed as responsible for the threads, but fashion duo Rodarte had a significant hand in concocting the performance costumes on the film — and were denied credit, […]
OSCAR GUIDE: Best Costume Design
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:31 am · February 10th, 2011
Filed in: Oscar Guide
SANTA BARBARA: Women in the biz
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:20 pm · January 31st, 2011
I really should take the time to write up Saturday’s women’s panel here in Santa Barbara, not least of all because it seems to have been neglected in most outlets. It’s an undervalued annual program, always moderated with class by Madelyn Hammond and featuring some of the most formidable female talents working in the industry. […]
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TECH SUPPORT: Final analysis, part two
Posted by gerardkennedy · 9:48 am · January 21st, 2011
Yesterday I began a final look at the crafts categories. Today, a look at the four remaining fields: Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design and Best Film Editing. BEST ART DIRECTION The precursors of the BFCA, BAFTA and Art Directors Guild have been fairly consistent in citing four titles in this category. Last […]
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Best in show 2010: the year in superlatives
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:07 am · December 17th, 2010
The week, and with it, the bulk of my 2010 coverage, draws to a close today with a look at the best of the best. I’m offering up a personal list of superlatives, including most Oscar categories and some other fun fields thrown in for good measure. A tradition at this point. There will be […]
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TECH SUPPORT: Best Costume Design — Volume II
Posted by gerardkennedy · 9:49 am · October 22nd, 2010
Glitz and glamor. Period prestige. Newbie talent and old favorites. How is the race for Best Costume Design shaping up this year? In my opinion, Jenny Beavan is leading the way at this point in time. Beavan earned six nominations in the 1980s and 1990s for her work on Merchant-Ivory films, winning for “A Room […]
Filed in: Tech Support
TECH SUPPORT: Best Costume Design — Volume I
Posted by gerardkennedy · 11:56 pm · July 30th, 2010
Costume design in many ways represents much about the Oscars: glitz, glamor, beauty. But obviously threads do much more than make movie stars look attractive. They build character, set mood, define period and serve as a defining design aspect of a film. Like art direction, the nominees for here overwhelmingly fall into one of two […]
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OSCAR GUIDE: Best Costume Design
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:34 am · March 2nd, 2010
For three straight years the Academy Award for Best Costume Design has gone to a film that received no other Oscars. In each case, the films could be considered “period porn,” as it were, lavish productions with massive thread ensembles. “Most Costume Design” would be a more applicable moniker for the award, given how the […]
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Loose threads
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:53 pm · January 1st, 2010
On the technical side of things, is anyone as uninspired as I am by the apparent frontrunners for Best Costume Design? I bow to no one in my admiration for the genius of Sandy Powell, but the Easter egg-colored wardrobe of “The Young Victoria” is routine work by her high standards. That hasn’t stopped most […]
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TECH SUPPORT: Best Costume Design — Volume II
Posted by gerardkennedy · 10:42 am · October 16th, 2009
Since I last analyzed the costume design category in July, a number of the contenders are still waiting to be seen, though several have opened and we’ve seen glimpses from others. While the number of movers and shakers hasn’t been enormous, there has still been enough movement – and more insight gained – to warrant […]
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TECH SUPPORT: Best Costume Design — Volume I
Posted by gerardkennedy · 11:51 am · July 30th, 2009
Movie stars are often given much attention for the fashion that they sport off-screen. Seldom does the on-screen attire garner as much publicity. Nevertheless, the Academy Award for Best Costume Design recognizes those talented men and women who design the threads actors wear on screen. Not only does this work add to the elegance and […]
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COMIC-CON: A very important date with the designs of ‘Alice in Wonderland’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:59 am · July 25th, 2009
Yesterday I moseyed on over to Seventh Ave., between J and K Streets for a glimpse of Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland” production design set-up, and the display was predictably jaw-dropping. An empty bulding has been converted into various elements of Wonderland, from the hall of doors to the tea party set-up to the Red Queen’s […]
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Love your ‘Enemies’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:25 pm · July 4th, 2009
I’ve had a busy week, so I’m a bit late to the table on “Public Enemies” — but in a way, it seemed fitting to wait until the 4th of July to watch such a muscular, intrinsically American piece of cinema. Much has already been said on these pages about the film, so there’s no […]
Filed in: Daily