It’s Thursday and I’m back with a new Thursday Movie Picks feature post. This series is hosted by Wandering through the Shelves and offers you a weekly prompt to post some movie recommendations/talking points according to the theme. Usually, you are supposed to post about 3-5 examples, which I find a very manageable amount.
This week is once again part of the Oscar Winner Edition, which will continue to be a reoccurring theme during each month. As you were likely able to see because of the title, today’s topics will be Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. I’m alright with doing two categories per Oscar post, to be completely honest, especially when they fit together so well. I’ll once again try not to double the movies in both categories though, as that tends to be something they get nominated for at the same time. Let’s dive right in!
Best Costume Design
Little Women
I will never pass up a chance to praise this movie, I loved it with all my freaking heart. It’s literally my most favorite iteration of the story and I cannot get enough of it. The costumes seemed fitting for every character, either making them more prim or chaotic, depending on their personality, while still making it fit the time period.
Black Panther
I love when superhero movies get recognition from awards. I guess costumes would be one of the easier wins, but still, Black Panther was a whole moment. And the costumes were fire – especially the suits for T’Challa and Killmonger.
The Great Gatsby
I know the movie has its flaws and not everyone appreciated the anachronistic approach at times, I won’t argue with that. But I loved the look of it all. It was so lavish and golden, I was really drawn to it all.
Alice in Wonderland
Not a Burton fan necessarily, but I am a huge Alice in Wonderland fan. I really enjoyed the costumes in this one and like Mia as the lead very much. I remember seeing it several times, no joke.
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
This movie – I was so sad they never continued with the series. Yes, it’s not a 100% faithful adaptation, but it was really fun and I loved it regardless. I put it on this list today, because I was out there wanting to copy Violet’s hairstyle for months. It never looked like hers, but I tried.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson movies have a certain look and the costume and make up and hair is a big part of that. I don’t know if JUST the hair and make up stood out on this one particularly, but I’d still like to honor it.
Pan’s Labyrinth
This movie was beautiful and gruesome at the same time. It was real and fantastical. So many contradicting elements working together and I loved it for it.
Life and Other Disasters 
Great choices!! I loved the wardrobe in The Great Gatsby too! And I adore Little Women.
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Thanks! Glad we’re on the same page 🙂 ❤
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Loved this! Little Women had the cutest wardrobe, I wish I could step into the world and get my own dress haha 😊
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Oh, I can totally relate to that feeling. I just wanted to dive into that movie myself as well.
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I’m glad Black Panther is so popular this week. I really liked Little Women’s costumes as well, they looked so cosy. I loved Burton’s take on Alice too, those costumes were amazing. I used Pan’s in a previous pick, otherwise i would’ve picked that one too.
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I think I use some of my picks so often, it’s kind of embarrassing haha but then again, I just think that it’s totally fair to keep mentioning my favourites.
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I liked this version of Little Women though I can’t say the costuming really struck me. Perhaps that speaks well to it since it was intrusive but still added to the film.
This version of The Great Gatsby was crap (all the versions I’ve seen have had their issues though the Alan Ladd take in the 40’s was the closest to working-the book is a tough one to adapt to screen) but it did have some lovely visuals.
Black Panther has been on my too see list for years but it slips my mind, the result being I still haven’t seen it.
The scuttlebutt on this version of Alice was so ghastly I’ve avoided it and probably always will.
To be honest I don’t have a very vivid memory of anything particularly special about Lemony Snicket. I do remember some elaborate hair in Grand Budapest but Pan’s Labyrinth is uniquely jaw dropping in what it puts up there on the screen.
I ran a bit short of time this week so I focused only on costuming for my picks.
Les Girls (1957)-Lady Sybil Wren (Kay Kendall) writes a memoir of her time as a dancer in the Les Girl troupe headed by Barry Nichols (Gene Kelly). Upon publication she is sued for libel by Angele Ducros (Taina Elg) who along with Joy Henderson (Mitzi Gaynor) was also in the group. As the story unfolds Rashomon style it raises questions of what the truth is as both women and Barry present their versions all set to the music of Cole Porter. Nominated for three Oscars (Costume Design, Art Direction and Sound) this won Orry-Kelly the second of his three Oscars (out of four nominations) for his dazzling and stylish work.
Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)-Chronicle of the rapid rise of Anne Boleyn (Genevieve Bujold) to become Henry VIII’s (Richard Burton) second queen, nearly tearing the English Kingdom apart in the process and equally precipitous fall. Beautifully appointed and fiercely acted by the leads this received 9 other Oscar nominations (Picture, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Production Design, Score and Sound Mixing) besides Margaret Furse’s (her only prize out of 6 nominations) well deserved win for Costume Design for her elaborately intricate costumes which inform and enrich the characters rather than just being wardrobe.
Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)-Sydney based drag queen Anthony (Hugo Weaving) accepts a gig in far off Alice Springs inviting fellow cross-dresser Adam (Guy Pearce) and transsexual Bernadette (Terence Stamp) to tag along. Decked out in one jaw dropping ensemble after another the trio undertake an odyssey across the Australian Outback in their lavender bus, Priscilla encountering both friend and foe along the way. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner won the film’s sole nomination for their memorably over the top costume designs with Gardiner creating a sensation by accepting the award in a dress made entirely of expired American Express cards.
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One of these days, I will actually have watched a movie you mention. I’m going to make that my mission haha
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Black Panther is a visual delight.
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It really is!
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