Sad News and My Ballot For Best Costumes
Monday, January 24, 2011 at 4:11PM First, the very sad news. If you've been reading the past couple of days you probably saw the "visual category film bitch nominations". While adjusting coding today, to finalize the page, I accidentally somehow erased the entire page. I've lost four categories worth of published nominees and writeups (animated film, visual effects, makeup, and editing) as well as preliminary stuff that wasn't published. I can't seem to find a cached url that will display it -- i'm not sure it would display now in anyone else's "history" or cached pages? I am d-e-p-r-e-s-s-e-d. That was probably eight hours of work and there are no extra minutes this time of year. Let this be a lesson to everyone: never keep your files only in one place. I'm not even sure i'll remember what I nominated or wrote. It may take me much longer and post-oscar noms to do this now. I always complete the Film Bitch Awards in the traditional categories before the Oscar nominations but this looks like the year where tradition might finally die. Sniffle. Blotchy tears will short circuit my keyboard now.
But there's no sense in not posting what I'd already written about costumes. But IF you think your computer will display a cached version of the visual nominations page don't click on this new version ;) and try it and email me a pdf or something.
Just for the hell of it, for example's sake, I want to talk about two costumes pictured below (I chose them at random) in the absurd hope that a few of you out there will reveal a previously hidden obsessive love of costume design. I want to create a series devoted to it but I need to know you're out there first.
Amy Westcott and Mary Zophres done good.
What can costumes tell us about characters? Quite a lot. Amy Westcott (Black Swan) and Mary Zophres (True Grit) will probably be Oscar nominated tomorrow, each for the first time, and I've also nominated them. Westcott is undoubtedly benefiting from Rodarte's "Swan Lake" ballet costumes (Rodarte can't be nominated with her due to contractual issues) but her own work is very fine, too. Maybe Westcott wouldn't be nominated without the Rodarte bells and whistles but that says more about the Academy's resistance to contemporary character costuming than about the quality of her work.
The color coding of all of these similarly dark and vaguely possessed women is delicious, just subtle muted variations (blacks, greys, white, pinks, etcetera) since they're distorted reflections of each other. Isn't it perfect with a capital P that Winona Ryder's evening wear on the night she's thrown in the trash heap -- excuse me, retiring -- is basically a big silver "X" . She's a goner.
Over in True Grit Mattie's clothes don't quite fit her (amusing smart choice) and Rooster's look like they desperately need to be laundered but isn't it perfect that LaBoeuf's outfits look so new and fastidious and that they're fringed. His pride takes a beating in the film but he's wearing it, you know? He cares about how he looks.
MY NOMINEES IN COSTUME
alas none of the other visual categories that have vanished like tears in the rain
Would you like to see a recurring series on costume design in 2011?
Reader Comments (29)
I would LOVEEEEEEE a costume design series !!! Its something that I think is SO undervalued and I would really love to hear your perspective on the subject.
Keep up the great work, I LOVE your blog!!!
Also, sorry to hear about you losing your hard work :(
Well one of my favorite blog series to follow was Tom & Lorenzo's Mad Style series about Mad Men, so I would say that yes, I would definitely enjoy a recurring series on costume design.
I think I can recall a couple of the nominees, if that helps.
Visual Effects
Black Swan (you pointed out that the backwards-knees may have been a bit much, but it all worked)
Inception (more exciting and engaging than much of the rest of the film)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (visual language of video games)
Toy Story 3 (animated films do so have special effects, you could feel the heat from the furnaces)
Tron: Legacy (sometimes the sfx spectacular is deserving)
Animated Film
Toy Story 3
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Tangled
Editing:
The Social Network
The Fighter
Black Swan
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Make-Up:
Black Swan
True Grit
The Way Back
The Fighter (maybe?)
^ Splice was one of the make-up nominees, along with The Runaways
Make-up:
Splice
Un Prophete
I'm trying to recall some finalists and semi finalists but they're not coming to me! :)
It's ok, Nathaniel :) We won't nag you about it. Just do what you have to do (other stuff).
I think this is the time to put ideas into Nathaniel's head about what he 'nominated'... :)
This is more Makeup/Hair related, but that picture of Winona Ryder reminded me of how great her hair and eye makeup were in that scene. Her eyes are practically shielded by her bangs and the ample eyeliner/eye shadow, but when you do see the gleam in her eyes, it's haunting.
Thanks with the help for Make-Up. I knew I was missing a solo nominee in there.
I Am Love was nominated in Editing as well.
Make-Up:
Black Swan
Prophet
Runaways
Splice
The Way Back
In make-up, True Grit was probably a finalist that I mixed up with the nominees.
Yeah, I think I Am Love and the four I mentioned are the editing nominees.
I am SOOOO very sorry, Nate. You do marvelous work and it is always worth the wait!
So sorry about the lost pages! I weep with you.
And YES, a costume series! I have been fascinated with film costume since I first watched "Funny Girl" and thought, "the dresses are all right but that hair and make-up are NOT period."
Ok, that's hair and make-up, but you get the idea. I love that you pay so much attention to contemporary costume.
I think that Raf Simons for Jil Sander should be acknowledged for TIlda Swintooon's wardrobe in I Am Love, the same way the Rodarte girls are for Black Swan in your ballot, just sayin' fair is fair.
yes!
please NO costume design series... rather again more write-ups about acting performances / actors, actresses of the aughts.
I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear, but I'm really surprised you don't just keep a list of your nominees in a word document or something. It seems like such a "you" thing to do.
Just keep doing your thing Nat, I'm sure everyone understands, and we all appreciate it - I've been coming back to the site systematically throughout the day for updated Film Bitch nominations :) ( :$ )
Yes, I'd love a costume series. The costume I liked best in True Grit was Lucky Ned Pepper's (Barry Pepper). He had those strange sheepskin chaps, and a wonderful fitted jacket. I kept staring at the jacket because it was such a good fit and so perfectly cut.
I'd love a costume design thing. I remember your old costume designers shrine! I'm totally with you on that "Runaways" nomination since I screencapped the entire movie for its amazing costumes. Amazing. That the costume guild restricted the period category to 3 when there was such fantastic work like this that they could be filling out the category with is baffling.
http://stalepopcornau.blogspot.com/2010/12/fashion-runaway.html
As for your categories and HTML losses. That's devastation. I remember you wrote for TS3's visual effects something to the effect of "Yes, it has visual effects. That garbage fire sequence is great/brilliant/etc". Black Swan you marvelled at the effects in the ballet sequence and for TRON it was all "some movies are made for spectacle but when the spectacle is this good. Light stream? VRRRM awesome" (I paraphrase, obviously).
And I remember you writing about how "Scott Pilgrim"'s editing creates its own rhythm or something. That's all I distinctly remember, unfortunately. I did read them all though!
Yes for costume series. I never think about costumes, so to have someone analyze would be great.
I am so sorry you lost all that work. I'm so paranoid after losing so many gigantic articles (oh, gigantic review of Precious exploring why the film shouldn't be shot down as racist for earnestly depicting one person's tragic life, I miss you so much) to the ether of the Internet, I write everything into a word processor and then code it in Notepad. That way, I have two back-ups of every file I post anywhere online.
I do distinctly remember that you talked about Dren as a believable character, in particular the bifurcated head and backwards legs for the Splice make-up nod. You also called The Illusionist a "minor work" but still acknowledged it as better than most of the animation we see stateside.
I'll see if I can dig anything better up in the many browsers I use.
Those who love costumes will be saddened by the death of the great Theoni Aldredge.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/22/arts/design/22aldredge.html
I think I figured out the problem, Nat. You seem to have a doppleganger going by the moniker "Nathaniel T" which I assume stands for "twin (see: evil)." He's sabotaging everything. I say it's time to take him out Black Swan style!
Costume Series sounds good, and speaking of undervalued costumes, I just saw Blue Valentine and fell in love with the costumes in it.
Ryan Goslings loser dad clothes, the glasses, the paint covered T-shirt, and that gideous sweatshirt he wears, all showing how much he doesn't give a damn anymoe, and the same with Michelle illiams, her boring but nice casuals, and dark glassses to hide her emotions.
And all mark a dramatic comparisonto how they dressed those years earlier, flirty, stylish, hip, and young.
I just loved them, and I know there's no chance any of it will get any recognision.
Please please PLEASE have a recurring costume series on the site!!! There's nothing I love more than reading (or discussing) the use of costuming in film, quite specifically contemporary film since it is so overlooked. Thank you!
I am sorry to hear about your loss, sometimes things happen. The best sad thing is just let go. I just discover your site. You are an excellent writer with style.
I would ADORE a series on Costume Design!!
Where are the Film Bitch Actress Nominations? How long does a boy have to wait? It is the end of the day on the 24th... isn't that what you promised? Anywho. LOVE what you do. Keep it up. Plus, the new site looks awesome. I am totally setting my alarm clock early tomorrow to see if the Oscars give Michelle her much deserved nomination.
Costume Design, YES PLEASE.
I would LOVE a series on Costume Design.
Also Make Up, Production Design, and pretty things in general.