Case Study: Tess (1979)

This Case Study provides a format for analyzing the role of costume in film. The emphasis is on costume and its relationship to fashion. Filmic aspects, such as directing and plot development are not addressed unless they connect to costume.

1. Screen the film.

Consider also viewing the original promotional poster in the country of origin.

Tess simultaneous release US & France original promotions

2. Provide basic information about the costume designer.

Costume by Anthony Powell, British responsible for working on Indiana Jones’ of the 1980’s, as well as Hook (1991), 101 Dalmations (1996) and others.

3. Identify the context

Filmic context includes the original when and where the book or script was written, the when and where the film takes place and the when and where the film was shot. All 3 factors influence costume. You may need to provide more explanation if one aspect of context is strong as in the filming location for Tess below.

Important to the context, Roman Polanski was involved in a US Court case for sex with a minor, fled and was bound to life in France where he shot Tess. Despite the criticism, he started dating 16 year Nastassja Kinski and then decided to cast her as the lead in Tess.

4. Provide a short summary of the film. Providing the trailer is helpful.

Based on a 1891 novel by Thomas Hardy, set in rural England. The daughter of a peasant, she flees to wealthy cousins but is raped by an older cousin Alec and gives birth to a child who dies. She works for milkmaids and meets Angel who marries her but when he discovers her past rape he leaves her for years, sailing to South America. In the mean time Alec comes back converted to Christianity and gives her a home. When Angel returns and sees she is living with Alec, he is angry so Tess kills Alec but is caught by the police and executed.

5. Give an overview of the main characters (no more than 5).

The first key characters of the film are the Durbyfield peasants. These include Tess' family members and other peasants in their village. The clothing is humble, layered and loose fitting cottons.

The second important character is distant wealthy relative Alec d'urberville. Alec is the best dressed character in the film and when Tess is with Alec she also has more extensive costumes.

The romance of the film centers on Angel and Tess who meet at a farm. Together the couple wear clothing for the country and their wedding attire.

6. Describe the color palette.

There is likely a dominate or primary color set, supported by a secondary set of colors. It is not possible to calibrate most screens for viewing films and images so the color swatches are a best estimation. You should look at the costume but can consider how costume colors relate to the set as well.

Above the peasants wear earth tones and below the two leading men are also seen in opposing combinations of cream and brown with Alec in the least amount of brown and most light colors, suggesting a cleaner less grittier lifestyle.

In the wedding scene, Tess wears traditional light colors, but not all white suggesting her past.

7. Provide a characterization study.

Focus on the looks of one main character and how the clothing supports the narrative. Polyvore is a helpful site for building example looks. When possible original illustrations help with explanation. For Tess there are 3 areas of costume changes. Her life with Alec, her peasant times and then milkmaid times have different styles.

1. Life with Alec

Her clothing is more detailed and better quality. Even the first time she meets Alec when she is wearing her own clothing, she wears her absolute best. The looks are characteristic of the 19th century with long sleeves and a straw hat. See the look here.

2. Mother Peasant

After leaving Alec she is alone in the world, her clothes have the same palette but they are cotton and then eventually bohemian and gypsy like.

3. Milkmaid

While a milkmaid she wears dresses on days off but must wear a type of uniform in white and blue while working. See the looks here.

8. Depending on your film, you should also identify any ways in which the film may have influenced fashion at large.

While the costume of Tess did not markedly influence any fashion trends, Kinski was adored in the fashion world. The October 1979 Vogue Paris cover was timed with the film's release. She appeared several more times in Vogue editorials shot by Avedon.

Dressing the Past

More than any other style, history or period drama films are the most often winning costume design of the academy awards. The effort in research, vintage sources and design is an extensive labor of love.

As we study film, a foundational essay is Siegfried Kracauer's “Theory of Film.” He wrote the text and 1960 and it is still regarded as significant for identifying that film had two prime tendancies:

1 - To document reality

2 - As a formal art

These two directions of film are still evident today and we are obsessed with reality and docu-dramas and also emphasize special effect films like Avatar. Muybridge was an early example of both documenting and play with the formal aspects. An early motion photo sequence became famous because it was the first record to prove a horses feet did not touch the ground in one instance of running.

Muybridg'e sequence photos not only influenced and understanding of film but inspires motion graphic aesthetics even to today as in this Muybridge inspired rendering.

Kracauer also importantly identifies the role of film genres.He suggested that genres please audiences because they know what to expect from certain types of films and the pleasures connect to cultural values.

When looking specifically at the fashion of period films, we find a strong emphasis on the 18th century. Historic films go back as far as the beginning of time and Spartacus, 1960 is an example of an important Academy Award winning Roman era film. However the emphasis falls on the 18th century because this is when fashion hit a decadent prime. The fashion of this time is so elaborate the films are often called “costume films.”

Dangerous Liaisons (1988) was based on an 18th century novel about the excessive lives of the court. James Acheson won best costume design and used original vintage fabrics in some cases but the fabric was so old it could barely endure the filming process. The look of the dresses bears similarity to the court of Marie Antoinette. Below Uma Thurman appeared in the film is a softer pink and beige color palette contrasted by the older characters who wore blues and oranges. All characters appear in pastels, which was characteristic of the era.

Barry Lyndon was based on an 1844 novel about 18th century English society and a poor Irish man who seduces his way to Baron. The main female lead is consistently dressed in white and beige throughout the film, contrasted by her husband in blues.

Barry Lyndon won Best Costume Design in the Academy Awards for 1975. Milena Canonera was said to be so detailed about the costumes she even stored costumes in the dressers of bedroom scenes to add a feel of authenticity.

Above and below show Milena Canonera's interest in costume of the private life, which is much harder to research given lack of historical paintings of bedroom activity. Below, Marie Antoinette was another Oscar winning project. Canonera said she was inspired by decadence and frivolity in a candy colored palette, macaroons, the Marie Antoinette apartments. Director Sophia Coppola also added some contemporary aspects, including some Louboutin and Converse shoes and a modern soundtrack.

Marie Antoinette was distinguished in the court by exquisite and distinctive colors and patterns for her dresses. Toward the end of her reign and after the fall of aristocracy, Rousseau was a popular writer who emphasized a more puritan look for women, including white dresses and straw hats. In one of Marie Antoinette's last portraits we see her wearing this more humble look. A similar straw hat was used in the costume of The Duchess, about English aristocracy at the end of the 18th century.

Cynthia Cooper's article "The Victorian and Edwardian Eras," emphasizes from 1837 (the era of Queen Victoria) to end of British dominance in 1911.

Young Victoria, 2009

The Victorian era saw limited change in men's attire with simply the tails of a coat and length of a coat decreasing, mainly due to the reduction in horseback riding. Importantly the idea of a dandy and the flaneur develops this time out of the British Beau Brummell circle.

19th century costume still inspires contemporary men's fashion, Numero, September 2006 shot by Lagerfeld.

Women used corsets until 1900. Full coverage dresses were most popular in day, including high neck and long sleeves as below. By the late 1800's a back bustle appeared under the dress. Short sleeves and neck exposure was reserved for evening gowns such as those by Worth below.

Ladies Home Journal, 1870’s and Charles Frederick Worth, 1880

The Belle Epoque is the era of French style at the turn of the century in which art nouveau was a backdrop to softer looks and an increased use of black.

Cheri, 2009 in the Belle Epoque, 1890’s-1913

The leg of mutton sleeve was a popular trend of the 1890's.

The dance scene of Pride & Prejudice (2005) shows characteristic 19th century evening wear.

Stella Bruzzi writes about 3 films in “Desire and the Costume Film ." She starts with Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975). This film takes place in 1900 and shows clothing that follows the above styles of the Edwardian era. The girls are largely show in white school dresses but corsets also play a factor in the girls' coming of age.

The author suggests that dressing and undressing are part of the ritual of coming of age. An important scene in the film is a final sequence in which the girls remove their socks, as exposing ankles at the time was private.

Below one of the teachers wears "leg of mutton" sleeves.

Age of Innocence (1993) takes place in 1870's New York society. A man is caught between an older, wealthier lover and his young wife. The older woman is cast in deeper colors while the wife appears in white in every scene.

Above Michelle Pfeiffer portrayed the lover, Winona Ryder was the wife.

Finally Bruzzi discusses The Piano (1993) which shows 19th century New Zealand, influenced by a more somber Puritan aesthetic.

Case Study: A Clockwork Orange (1971)

This Case Study provides a sample format for analyzing the role of costume in film. The emphasis is on costume and its relationship to fashion. Traditional filmic aspects, such as directing and plot development, are only considered as they connect to costume.

1. Screen the film.Watch in its entirety and consider viewing the original promotional poster in the country of origin.

2. Provide basic information about the costume designer.
Milena Canonero is a highly awarded costume designer. She is responsible for the looks in Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry Lyndon (1975), The Shining (1980), Chariots of Fire (1981), The Cotton Club (1984), Out of Africa (1985) and most recently, Marie Antoinette (2006) for which she won her 3rd Academy Award. She also did the costume design for the television series Miami Vice. Importantly she consciously works with obvious color palettes.

3. Identify the context
Filmic context includes 
1 - the original when and where the book or script was written
2 - the fictional when and where the film portrays
3- the actual when and where the film was shot.
All 3 factors influence themes and costumes.

4. Provide a short summary of the film. Providing the trailer is helpful.
Based on a novel by Anthony Burgess from 1962, it is a dystopia version of the future told in first person. A young man Alex living in London loves classical music and is part of a delinquent gang that loves violence. Alex murders a woman and is sent to prison where he is submitted to re-conditioning in which classical music is set to violence and he no longer has free will. He eventually returns to society but is captured by one of his victims. By the end he no longer has an aversion to music or violence. The has been highly controversial for its emphasis on violence. See the trailer.

5. Give an overview of the main characters.

Alex & Dim are the key members of the Droogs. They dress similarly in white with suspenders and black derby hats.

Alex and Dim differentiate from the other members of the Droogs with collared shirts. Dim is made separate through a pin striped shirt, suggesting the narrative tension with Alex.

The victim characters all appear in colorful, casual home attire. Below Mr. Alexander is in a bathrobe and then in pajamas. The look is comfortable but also vulnerable.

Later at the second meeting Alex reverses the look by taking the bathrobe and making himself at home.

The "Cat Lady" is exercising at home in a leotard, similarly relaxed but vulnerable. The victims are also in colorful leisure class settings, suggesting underlying class tensions.

6. Describe the color palette.
There is likely a dominate or primary color set, supported by a secondary set of colors. It is not possible to calibrate every screen for viewing films, taking screen shots and sourcing other sample photos. Color swatches are your best estimation and you will have slight variations. You should look at the costume but can also consider the relationship of costumes to sets.

7. Provide a characterization study.
Focus on the looks of one main character and how the clothing supports the narrative. Polyvore is a helpful site for building the looks. Alex has 3 main costume characterizations: 1 - the Droogs2 - the flaneur and
3 - the socialized man
When possible, original illustrations can help with explanation.

Look 1: The Droogs

White shirt & pants

Sporting cup

Suspenders

Black top hat

Black cane

Black boots

Eyelash

Cane

Straight jacket & butcher reference

Punk and street elements

Look 2: The Flaneur

Full length purple velvet coat

Colored shirt

Cane

Historic

Flamboyant

Dandy

Royalty

Look 3: The Socialized Man

Black suit

Blue shirt

Tie

Working professional

“The Man"

Alex becomes submerged in suits in prison. Following prison he returns home and faces his father suit to suit.

8. Depending on your film, you should also identify any ways in which the film may have influenced fashion at large.

A Clockwork Orange was influential in punk and skinhead look in London and has created a cult following. There are several fans as seen below from Polyvore creations. House & Garden also recognized the aesthetics of the film in the 25 most influential films on interior design of the period.