Oscar Volley: Best Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling
Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at 12:20PM Team Experience is discussing the various Oscar categories. Here's Cláudio Alves, Gabriel Mayora, and Nathaniel Rogers to discuss the Best Costume Design and Best Makeup & Hairstyling races.
NATHANIEL ROGERS: Hello Cláudio and Gabriel. Ready to get dressed up? Picture me speaking to you in Stanton Carlisle tux and blindfold from Nightmare Alley and tell me what you're wearing. So many outfits from the five Oscar-nominated films are fully visible to me even with my eyes closed they were so memorable. In short, I think this is a strong Oscar list, even if my own ballot only overlaps by two pictures. The Costume Design Guild Awards were held last week and Cruella, Dune, and Coming 2 America emerged as the winners for Period, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, and Contemporary respectively. Since Oscar rarely honors contemporary work only the prior two are nominated at the big show on March 27th. They're up against Cyrano, Nightmare Alley, and West Side Story. Though I am constitutionally opposed to the all too common internet and pundit trend of handing out Oscars before all the films have been screened in any given year, I will admit that this was a rare case when I did. At least inside my own head. As soon as Cruella reached its garbage-dress reveal, my jaw-dropped and I thought 'game over. Engrave the Oscar' while sitting in the theater. Way back in May...
;)
Cláudio, did you feel the same? And did any other costume from these five pictures punch you in the face this year with its sheer "FYC" ready splendor?
CLÁUDIO ALVES: You may settle for the tasteful elegance of Stanton's tuxedo, but I want a more extravagant (mayhap deranged) outfit. Indeed, I'm pilfering parts from all the nominees to make up my look. From Dune, I want Thufir Hawat's formal Atreides uniform. I shall accessorize with Dr. Ritter's embroidered evening cape, barely glimpsed in Nightmare Alley, a pair of pseudo-Rococo red-bottoms from the closet of Cyrano's De Guiche, and a nod to West Side Story's Maria in the form of a red belt. Finally, top it all off with one of the Baroness's turbans and stylish sunglasses from Cruella, and I'm ready for the red carpet. Like you, I think this is a strong lineup, full of covetable fashions, and I want them all.
That being said, I'm happy that Cruella is positioning itself as the one to beat. Not only is Jenny Beavan a brilliant artist who deserves all the accolades she gets, but Cruella will become the first 1970s-set period film to win the Best Costume Design Oscar. Discounting contemporary works, the most recent chapter in fashion history to be honored as period costuming by the Academy is Phantom Thread. From mid-50s haute couture to late-70s punk glamour. Curiously enough, both films focus on the workings of a fashion house at the heart of London.
Regarding your last question, that garbage dress truly screams "Oscar!" I'm not sure any of the other nominees features such an obvious show-stopper, but other garments did take my breath away. I'm thinking, specifically, of Anita's "America" costume. The combo of a yellow dress with red petticoats is eye-catching, but the piece's construction was what made me stand up and notice. The character's expressed desire to have her own business as a dressmaker is beautifully expressed in that outfit's over-complicated seaming. Through the costume, one feels her artistry, a lived-in sense of personal passion expressed by sartorial means.
Also, she looks terrific.
GABRIEL MAYORA: Okay, I am finally all dressed up and ready to talk Best Costumes while doing my best to pull off the fishnet mask, giant headpiece combo that Charlotte Rampling's Gaius Helen Mohiam wears like a second skin. It is the kind of costume that feels immediately iconic as soon as it appears on screen without ever taking the audience out of the movie. It instead draws you further into the dark, mysterious, thrilling world that Jacqueline West, Villenueve, and the entire Dune design team build. This is the costume from that movie that I could recall even when I had only seen the movie once. This is what it must have been like watching Star Wars: A New Hope, one of the great winners in the history of the category.
But let's be real: It is all about the garbage dress. I have to say going into Cruella, the last thing I expected was to be legitimately surprised by any development. The garbage dress is a work of art on its own, yes--it also is central to the one of the best scenes in the movie. I love costumes that are central to a story, character, or scene in exciting ways that go beyond "morally dubious character wears a lot of black." That the garbage dress manages to be its own setpiece while revealing the brilliance of Estella's designs and creating a truly surprising moment in a film that had no right to be this cool, fun, or exciting makes Beavan's designs exactly the kind of work that should be rewarded in this category.
And while it was hard for me to get over Anita not wearing the iconic lilac dress in "America" the first time I saw it, the more I continue to watch the film, the more I am blown away by it. Cláudio, I hadn't thought about the connections between the design of the dress and what it reveals about Anita. As a huge fan of Spielberg's film and DeBose's performance, I loved reading you describe the "America" dress in such a way. Speaking of "America," everything about David Alvarez's outfit during that number is spectacular.
Nathaniel, what is the piece of costume from one of the nominated films in the category you can't stop thinking about?
;)
NATHANIEL: Emma's garbage dress, Anita's yellow frock, and Rampling's torture box getup are showstoppers but they've already been claimed. The only other look I have thought about semi-regularly from these movies is also in Cruella, the sabotaging moth dress. If Cruella hadn't already left audience jaws on the floor with the garbage dress, people might have left the movie talking about the other statement piece, which is also its own setpiece.
Normally I'd feel gross about giving a Costume award to a Disney live-action riff; their endless capacity to regurgitate and dilute previously successful IP is maddening BUT... chez Nathaniel we worship Jenny Beavan for good reason. Therefore, I will happily bestow my Film Bitch gold medal and cheer on that third Oscar for one of the best designers in cinema. She really is a master.
;)
Having gushed about the nominees, a nitpick. The costumes in Cyrano and Nightmare Alley are beautiful, no doubt, but I didn't find either particularly memorable or character-revealing which is why I sat firmly in the 'admire a lot but don’t quite love' camp (in regards to this category). I was much more taken with the costumes of The Green Knight, Spencer, and The Tragedy of Macbeth (that androgynous sleek column outfit for Ross was the single costume I was most obsessed with outside of the nominated five). And I loved what was happening in the contemporary films Zola, In the Heights, and The Lost Daughter in terms of the costumes contributing to the overall mood of the films and to the specificity of characterizations though I never hold out much hope that contemporary triumphs will be honored by the industry.
But I suppose it's a bit late for 'what should have been nominated!' grievances! I can't imagine Cruella losing this one so I don’t think there's much to say predictively. And sadly I must share that Gabriel is suddenly under the weather. Perhaps it was Rampling's torture box to blame? So we must continue without him. Before we move on to makeup any final costume thoughts, Cláudio?
CLÁUDIO: It's curious that you mention dissatisfaction towards the costumes of Cyrano and Nightmare Alley since I think the former is the best of the nominees, and the latter would get my vote. Allow me to explain myself. That second one is purely a matter of patriotic pride and a desire to see the Portuguese diaspora recognized at the Oscars. Moreover, I feel that Luis Sequeira's costumes for the color noir are very character-focused despite their sense of shallow spectacle.
Willem Dafoe is a voracious beast in shiny black leather, Toni Collette an apparition of faded gold in costumes that nod towards the forgotten 1920s and the character's long-gone heyday. Rooney Mara appears to us as a beating heart in light-eating velvet and scarlet, a bloody streak across the screen long before she smears red paint over her ghostly disguise. Blanchett is all expensive silks and black, greed and shadows, a femme fatale distilled to primordial iconography. As for Cooper, his character is all about surface-level dazzlement. I love his first foray into stage costume, wearing a ratty t-shirt with a shirtfront crudely stitched to it, just enough to give the illusion of formality, decency, confidence.
As for Cyrano, I love those designs beyond reason. After watching so many films, it's hard to feel genuine surprise. Well, Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran surprised me quite a lot, so I must applaud this joyous rarity.
Cyrano is a contemporary musical adapted from stage production based on a 19th-century play fictionalizing the life of a real 17th-century man. Its connection to history is tenuous, the film utterly divorced from reality. It chooses romantic derangement over reason, a philosophy reflected throughout its design, costumes included. Parrini and Durran have moved the setting from Baroque Paris to a Rococo dreamscape. Every construction choice and fabric selection further emphasize this, materializing a pseudo-past in diaphanous frippery, flowy and weightless, like confetti.
Traditional gender expectations are set aside, as the clothes repudiate strict masculinity. Everyone wears pinks and peaches, and some men even complement their ensembles with corsets worn as outer garments. The choreography draws attention to full sleeves fluttering all wing-like, dopey expressions of emotion over any sense of logic. I also can't help but love the Old Hollywood energy in having a separate costumier for the leading lady. What's more, I love that both Parrini and Durran chose to dress their actors in white for the drama's finale. It feels like an intentional life-affirming subversion of the original Cyrano de Bergerac scene, a legendary passage of French theater commonly dressed in mourning black.
Honestly, I wish Cyrano had been recognized for its makeup, too. However, these are the Oscars, so that category must be forever reserved for biopic prosthetics.
NATHANIEL: Did you guys know that the Golden Horse Awards, Taiwan's awards, combine the two categories: Best Makeup and Costume Design. I've always found the interesting even though I wouldn't do the same. They are connected in a way, though, both braided in with the actor's look to form the full visual characterization trifecta.
The Oscars don't see it that way though. Only Dune and Cruella represent both categories this year. The other makeup nominees are Coming 2 America, The Eyes of Tammy Faye (which won the BAFTA) and House of Gucci.
CLÁUDIO: While I understand why organizations like the Golden Horse Awards combine these honors, I don't agree with them. They are two distinct disciplines, often designed and executed by different teams within a film's production. For all that the Oscars do wrong, they're on the right here. I'm happy they keep these categories separate.
;)
Moreover, we can see that they are ruled by different tastes, as far as nominations are concerned. Or, better put, their shared love for excess manifests in dissimilar ways. As you well point out, this year, they only overlap in two titles – a Disney extravaganza and an opulent sci-fi epic. Beyond those commonalities, the costume branch went with noir glamour and two period musicals. In contrast, the makeup branch filled their three vacant slots with a pair of prosthetic-heavy biopics and a wild comedy sequel that's just as full of latex sculpture.
I don't share either branch's equation of "most" with "best." While the nominees' technical virtues are undeniable, their artistic value is less apparent. At the very least, I wish the makeup branch didn't gravitate so much towards celebrity biopics and grotesque mimesis. I could do with fewer fat suits, too, to be honest.
This brings me to a bizarre pronouncement – while I wouldn't vote for Cruella in Best Costume Design, I think it's my Best Makeup pick by default. So who's your pick from the nominees?
NATHANIEL: My own Film Bitch Award for Makeup went to Dune though my other two favourites (The Green Knight and Titane) weren't nominated so Cruella would be my runner up among Oscar's selections. It's smart resourceful work and it's also intrinsic to the appeal of the movie given the already existent visual iconography around the anti-heroine. I'd be fine with it winning because it's not just Emma Stone. There's a lot of visible good work including the Baroness.
But speaking of Barons, my vote is with Dune. It's not just for Stellan Skarsgard's creepy-as-fuck Baron Harkonnen (one of the best fat suits ever in a movie...though yes, fewer fatsuits would be great. Why not just hire larger actors?!). Someone was arguing with me on twitter that everyone in Dune looked too glamorous to be on a desert planet but I reject that sci-fi / fantasy movies or movies in general should have realism as a goal. Dune starts with a line about dreams and the characters have superpowers so it should be slightly surreal and not grounded.
And besides, I want my movie stars to look like movie stars whenever possible and I thought Donald Mowat and his team did a superb job making everyone look sensational (all that windswept hair) but also like they fit into a space fantasy given the strange details like the hyper blue eyes, the faded tattoos, etcetera. And of course the Harkonnens in general were memorable given that they are completely hairless. Is it genetic or does everyone just do it because the Baron likes his people to look like his clones? I loved the little black lip detail on David Dastmalchian's Piter De Vries, too.
So my preference is Dune. I know that The Eyes of Tammy Faye has been winning the prizes thus far but I really feel unsure as to what to predict. I could see Cruella or Dune taking this out from under the televangelist's prosthetic cheeks. Who do you think is going to win?
CLÁUDIO: One of the best parts of these Oscar volleys has been re-evaluating achievements I took for granted. Reading a fan articulate why they love a particular film element can be illuminating. In other words, you persuasively make the case for Dune. Indeed, I can see why it won the Film Bitch gold medal and why it might go on to win the Oscar.
Still, I believe that this year will present us with an Iron Lady situation. Like that 2011 biopic, The Eyes of Tammy Faye is only nominated for Actress and Makeup – two efforts centered around a controversial celebrity with an iconic, much-parodied look. Unlike last time, though, I'm not especially enamored by the makeup. To be precise, I love how the filmmaking team embrace extravagant cosmetics, the hairspray indulgence, and sheer tackiness. However, the special effects work felt inconsistent, and, at times, it almost got in the way of the performance. While Chastain's facial structure is radically different from Tammy Faye's, I don't think the absence of those cheek and jaw prosthetics would have disrupted the illusion too much. You paint that eye-makeup and plop those wigs on anyone, and the viewer's mind automatically goes to the televangelist. Add the actress' pitch-perfect vocals, and the latex can't help but come off as an extraneous affectation.
But of course, none of those objections matter to the picture's potential awards success. I feel like it'll win, though a Dune victory wouldn't surprise me. Nevertheless, I shall keep on rooting for Cruella. That Sylkie Nutmeg Ganache anal beads wig they put on Emma Thompson is nothing if not Oscar-worthy.
What about you, dear reader? What are YOU rooting for in these two categories, and what do you think will win?
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Reader Comments (6)
Costumes: WSS
Makeup: Anyone but Tammy
I hope Charlotte attends in her Dune get up,Chastain didn't need those prosthetics too distracting at times,Theron pulled it off in Bombshell but this time the performance speaks for itself.
Have to agree with Claudio that Cyrano has the best costumes, I hope that Massimo Cantini Parrini is eventually going to win for something.
My personal pick would be West Side Story though, because of how the costumes are showcased, including and especially because of the "America" number...
I appreciate the work in Nightmare Alley as well but I think the cinematography and the production design both outshine the costumes.
I don't think Dune is a good nominee here at all, The Green Knight would have been a much more deserving nomination, at least the CDG took note.
As for Cruella, I don't have much incentive to watch it but I guess it makes sense to put Jenny Beavan to the three time winners club for something quite different from her previous wins. She's been on the academy's radar longer than Powell or Atwood.
Also, I believe Jacqueline West is now the only living designer with the most nominations without wins.
Costume Design:
WILL WIN: Cruella
SHOULD WIN: Cruella
COULD WIN: Dune
MISSING IN ACTION: Passing
Makeup and Hairstyling:
WILL WIN: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
SHOULD WIN: Dune
COULD WIN: Coming 2 America
MISSING IN ACTION: Nightmare Alley
Elazul Atwater -- You're absolutely right about West. Of all living costume designers, she's the one with the most Oscar nominations and no victory. Thanks for pointing it out :)
Cruella for Costume design and Dune for makeup.