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Entries in Colorology (86)

Thursday
Oct012020

NYFF: "Isabella"

by Sean Donovan

As part of their series of drive-in events, the New York Film Festival programmed Matías Piñeiro’s latest Shakespeare-influenced drama Isabella alongside Pedro Almodóvar and Tilda Swinton’s delicious queer treasure The Human Voice (previously unpacked by Nathaniel). In some ways this choice makes sense: both films relish in vivid expressions of color, the kind of experiences you would want to have in as close to a theatrical environment as we can get right now. But in terms of intensity and impact the films could not be more different, Human Voice’s sledgehammer playfulness is a misplaced introduction to Piñeiro’s foggy and ultimately disappointing drama.    

Isabella is named after the main character of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, one of the bard’s ‘problem plays’ positioned awkwardly between comedy and drama. Isabella displays no proclivities towards the comedic, but it may have internalized the problem play position of being stuck between choices and controlled by doubt...

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Wednesday
Jul012020

The Furniture: Funny Face, France, Fashion and Failure

"The Furniture" is our series on Production Design by Daniel Walber. Click on the images to see them in magnified detail.

Funny Face (1957) is not really a complicated movie, visually or otherwise. Its production design doesn’t express inner turmoil or repressive social structures, nor does it take the characters on any sort of elaborate journey. And in some scenes it’s downright boring, director Stanley Donen essentially stepping back to allow Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn room to dance.

But production design doesn’t have to be profound to be good, or even Oscar-worthy. And while I wouldn’t have voted for Funny Face for the Academy Awards, I do think it’s worth a look. Besides, its design does sort of have a message: that the opposite of fashion is books, and that any attempt to combine the two will lead to utter chaos. Is it serious? No, of course not, but it manages to be fun and chic at the same time.

It all starts with a gorgeous opening sequence designed by legendary photographer Richard Avedon, who also served as “Special Visual Consultant”...

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Monday
May182020

We had so much fun on "Down with Love"

Costume Designer Daniel Orlandi concludes his guest-blogging day with our favourite of his pictures. You should follow him on Instagram for more fun set photos & costume sketches....

by Daniel Orlandi

The Doris Day / Rock Hudson sex comedy romps were among the first movies I saw as a kid. I was so enamored of the look. So when I read the script to Down with Love (2003), I had to do it. I owe a lot to Producer Paddy Cullen for helping me get the job. She slipped me that script early and got me in to meet the director and producers first.

There was one problem, though...

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Tuesday
Feb042020

Interview: Joker's Costume Designer Mark Bridges

by Nathaniel R

Mark Bridges with Joker costumes

Mark Bridges film career began, as so many have, rather inauspicously. His debut was a now forgotten horror film called Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992) but there's no keeping talent like his down... though it never hurts to attach yourself straight away to a future god-level auteur like Paul Thomas Anderson. Bridges was on board for Anderson's feature debut Hard Eight (1996) and the celebrated auteur wisely never let go of him thereafter. Inbetween Anderson films (and on them in point of fact) Bridges established himself as a world class costume designer of tremendous versatility, with a gift for not just memorable clothing but character-building.

His latest film, Joker, became his most widely viewed work and then an Academy favourite. We had a chance to talk to the two-time Oscar winner (Phantom Thread, The Artist) this past week about his design process, his favourites from his own filmography, and why he loves his job so much...

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Wednesday
Jan082020

Red Carpet Lineup: One Last Look at the Golden Globe Gowns

Though we gawked at beautiful men, giggled at Viking hats, and pursed our Devil-in-Prada lips at flowery dresses the big fashion blowout post is only happening now. Procrastination is sometimes healthy because we need escapism constantly of late given the increasing despair in the world. Oscar nomination balloting is now complete but until the world is no more award seasons will continue to roar.  Which lewks were your favourites? We'll divvy it up into categories starting with blue and red families...

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