Movies Where the Costume Design By Itself Makes It Great

Phantom Thread

Tarzan. Miles O`Keefe.

Salome

Evil Under the Sun

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Marie Antoinette

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

Desperate Living

Priscilla Queen of the Desert owns this thread and did it so on a tight budget. One of the dresses the costume designer wanted to have was made of gold American Express cards. She couldn’t get the clearance and cards to do it, but they allowed her to do it for the Oscars. And unlike G in her gold dress she won. I guess the flip flop dresses were somewhat the equivalent in the movie.

To Catch a Thief

Any Edith Head Joint.

Any film I've worked on!

Eyes of Laura Mars

Liquid Sky

That American Express gown is a true Hollywood classic, r8.

There were two costumes in "The Seven Year Itch"that would qualify the film for this thread.

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Angels & Insects

Far from Heaven

Ziegfeld Follies (46)

Sabrina

My Fair Lady

Bonnie and Clyde. Thea Van Runkle made her entire career on her amazing designs. She also did "Mame" which Pauline Kael called "abominations".

Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)

Anne of a Thousand Outfis

"Bell, Book, and Candle" with its stylish witches.

And "Phantom Thread" was disappointing, in every way but especially regarding the fashion. Yes, the gowns were luxurious and graceful, in the style of Charles James, but whatever made James's work stunning was completely missing from the frocks in the film.

The Women, silly

The Three Amigos.

"Les Girls" for which Orry-Kelly won a well deserved Oscar for Costume Design.

I’m not one of Helen Lawson’s fans, but I always wondered about the outfits Judy stole from Valley of the Dolls which were magnificent. Did they just remake them for the new actress or scrap all the designs and start over. The fabrics look divine.

Velvet Goldmine

He deserved it for these costumes alone, r28...

The Favorite

Anything with Carmen Miranda.

Phantom Thread puzzled me because I thought/hoped it was going to feature something stunning like Dior’s New Look (as well as the rest of the plot. I was only interested in the atelier scenes) That evening gown for Gina McKee’s character was underwhelming, as was the princess’s wedding gown (although stiff and severe is regularly chosen by minor royalty)

Instead the setting was the late 50s and I realized that the designer was actually going to be completely left behind in a couple years when the Mod look/Swinging London/Carnaby St/Biba takes over.

Loved the costume design for Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. Shiny pastel satin and Converse sneakers.

Shampoo.

Any Merchant Ivory movie

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T

Thanks, R18!

Last Tango in Paris

This is fascinating...

Flash Gordon was a glitzy, gaudy campfest.

NO GOOD TASTE anywhere in that film.

Marie Antoinette. The costumes were glorious. So were the sets.

Dangerous Liaisons

1st Thomas Crown Affair Anna Karinina with Kyra Knightley Gone with the Wind The Empress with Marlene Dietrich

R21 I agree Cecil's costumes were wonderful but I just HATED the dress and hairdo for the ball.

Audrey has a painfully-long giraffe neck and this silly ensemble exacerbates it.

Whenever I see a woman wearing those ugly neck-chokers I get the urge to choke them!

"Topsy-Turvy". A fellow Victoriana enthusiast friend refers to movies like this as "wallpaper movies" because the costumes and decor are so inspiring and atmospheric.

R23 for the win.

Curse of the Golden Flower.

Wings of the Dove--unusual costuming period, Poirot and Fortuny-looking gowns.

Cheri also has stunning costumes, but it seems like no one saw it.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Maurice

Legend 1985. Best devil ever!

I don't think any of Baz Luhrmann's movies are great, but what IS great about all of them are Catherine Martin's set and costume designs.

^ I can't believe those two married each other.

He is a national embarrassment who plunders other nation's stories. The new one will be another major embarrassment.

R15, I'm guessing the white dress and the tiger dress (which is finally come up for auction.)

[quote]I’m not one of Helen Lawson’s fans, but I always wondered about the outfits Judy stole from Valley of the Dolls which were magnificent. Did they just remake them for the new actress or scrap all the designs and start over. The fabrics look divine.

Garland was gifted the pantsuit and had one in red and white made up by Travilla. The other costumes were too short for Hayward, so they were remade with her pantsuit having slightly different colored beading.

Of just his films, I'd have to say How to Marry a Millionaire and Valley of the Dolls were both fashion driven movies.

“Cleopatra” (1963): Costumes for La Liz were talked about for months.

Along with Edward II, this is the movie where I fell in love with Tilda Swinton. I can't wait for her short film with Almodovar coming soon.

By the way, this is the trailer for the new Almodovar short film, The Human Voice.

^ Love him; hate her.

The (Robert Redford) Great Gatsby.

I remember my family and I going to Flash Gordon. We all thought it was the worst movie we had ever seen. I was 5 lol.

"Death on the Nile" has remarkable and witty costumes, just gorgeous.

This documentary on the costumes for Dracula is very interesting

Another vote for 'Bram Stoker's Dracula'.

Oscar-winning costumes by Eiko Ishioka.

Vivien was gorgeous wearing Cecil Beaton in 'Anna Karenina'

"Poirot and Fortuny-looking gowns."

I'm sure they did marvelous with mustaches and tissant, darling, but I believe you mean Poiret.

I can't get over how triggered people are by Glenn Close wearing a gold dress to the Oscars. Women wear gold dresses to the Oscars all the fucking time.

67 posts and no mention of this? You bitches are slipping

[italic] Ten Commandments [/italic] (1956)

also:

[italic] Samson and Delilah [/italic] (1949)

Any merchant and ivory film.

The Boyfriend