Category: 16th century

Finally! Kimiko found the trailer for The Other Boleyn Girl (which I have taken to calling TOBG[YN] because I have that kind of sense of humor). Looks like total shlock! What do you think of the costumes? I like the blue and green satin gowns at first glance, some of those embroidered things look potentially weird. Where are the circle dresses?

There are lots of costume movies coming out soon, or in production, that are worth chatting about! First, all of the new Jane Austen adaptations — airing on Masterpiece Theatre — have release dates (Persuasion 1/13/08, Northanger Abbey 1/20/08, Mansfield Park 1/27/08, Sense & Sensibility 3/30-4/6/08). Also, Masterpiece Theatre will be airing the new production Miss Austen Regrets — a fictionalized account of the last years of JA’s life — featuring the genius casting of Olivia Williams as Jane Austen and Greta Scaachi as Cassandra.

I’m sure we’ve all seen the trailer for Sweeny Todd by now — I’m super excited about Helena Bonham Carter’s gothy gear, especially the red and white stripey bustle gown. Yay!

The Young Victoria, starring Emily Blunt as the young queen, is looking potentially very pretty. The costume designer is Sandy Powell (The Aviator, Gangs of New York, Shakespeare in Love, The Wings of the Dove, Interview with the Vampire, Orlando), hence why they’re so pretty!

All of the photos coming out of The Duchess — Keira Knightley as Georgiana, the 18th c. Duchess of Devonshire — look simply divine. I have something of a quibble with Knightley as Georgiana, as I think of G as being much more mature and sophisticated than KK. But I’ll accept it, since the costumes and wigs look so great! The costume design is by Michael O’Connor, who designed Wallis & Edward and The Last King of Scotland. I’m such a sucker for 1780s!

As we all wait for The Other Boleyn Girl to be released, I’ve read that there are plans to remake the 1972 Vanessa Redgrave Mary, Queen of Scots with Scarlett Johansson in the title role. Should give us lots to nitpick!

A couple of exciting things recently airing, or coming up, on UK TV include: Fanny Hill, based on the 18th century novel about a girl who falls into prostitution — the script is by Andrew Davies, who adapted the 1995 Pride & Prejudice so well. Also a new version of Oliver Twist, starring Timothy Spall. And finally, Cranford, an Elizabeth Gaskell novel (writer of Wives & Daughters), starring Judi Dench and costumed by Jenny Beavan (of Merchant-Ivory fame). If anyone across the pond has seen any of these, let me know what you thought!

Details on all of these movies are available, as always, on my upcoming movies page.

Just got back from seeing Elizabeth: The Golden Age – and you know I’ve gotta spew! I’ll post a condensed version of this review in my costume reviews. Just for reference, anyone who’s read my review of the first Elizabeth knows that I’m not one of those haters. So, what did I think of EGA?

On the one hand, I completely enjoyed it. Why? Because I love seeing historical eras brought to life in front of me, and I particularly love Elizabeth I. You can quibble with me, but wow, does Cate Blanchett inhabit that role. She brings an amazing range of emotions to the character – regal, imperious, enticing, courageous, but also doubting, conflicted, hemmed in. Plus, I love her look – altho it’s not (obv.) exactly EI’s same face, I love that she has a sort of handsomeness, rather than pretty (which EI was certainly not). I could watch her all day! Watching her emote as EI gave me chills in a couple of places – when she tells the Spanish ambassador that she has a hurricane in her that will strip Spain bare, and the Tilbury speech (well, the “adapted” version that the screenwriters came up with).

I thought this film did a better job with locations – not everything looked like it was taking place in a cathedral. Plus Clive Owen (le SIGH!) worked for me so much more than whiny Joesph Fiennes (who got no pitter pat from me).

What didn’t work? Let’s start with Mary Queen of Scots (an historical figure who I have no patience for – the woman was a ninny). Weird casting of tiny, interesting-looking Samantha Morton in the role of a 6′ (yay!) gorgeous queen. As soon as she busted out with a Scottish accent (yes, I know that’s what the average mall-goer would expect, but hi, she was raised for most of her life in France) I started giggling. And WTF WAS SHE WEARING? I swear to god, wow. Most of the film she’s in this embroidered blue taffeta dress that has cording/ropes sewn into the skirt (no, not a corded petticoat – the skirt itself is corded). Reminded me of that early Spanish painting of a woman in a corded skirt. And her hair! Her hair! But the best was when she went to be beheaded – she shows up in a very symbolic black cape, with her hair suddenly done all period-like; then she takes off her symbolic black cape to reveal her Symbolic Red Dress which was some kind of weird, bastard, Ren Faire “Hey Look Ma It’s Sorta Ye Olde Timey!” gathered chemise dress with off-the-shoulder neckline (I swear there was elastic in that neckline). WTF, I ask you?

Other costumes were okay. For some reason, all the white dresses on Elizabeth worked for me; I loved the fabric in her green with envy dress. And OH MY GOD, they had her in a really great version of the effigy corset (the corset made for her effigy in the very early 17th c. [she died in 1603]). And Cate looked FAAABULOUS in her Armor (altho I doubt she really wore something of that nature? You tell me).

But the rest of the dresses – eh. Oh sure, they were all sumptuous, and they ranged from kinda-period to not-at-all period. But since it didn’t appear that they varied from period styles for an actual artistic reason, why not put everyone in actual period styles? I can accept changes for artistic reasons (see: Marie Antoinette). But if you don’t have a point, then why bother? And I don’t buy this whole “treat it like science fiction” thing from director Kapur; if it’s science fiction, why aren’t they running around in unitards? Oh, the feathers – very distracting, very silly.

Other things that bugged me included the comically villainous, Catholicism-screwed-me-up! King Philip; Sir Walter Raleigh’s manly heroics against the Armada; the rewriting of the Armada battle (no, the English didn’t burn all their ships; they burned one ship, the Spanish panicked and pulled up anchor, went over towards Ireland where a hurricane hit them and scattered them) – although the Armada battle as depicted (sorry if I’ve missed the official name) did make for exciting cinema. More giggles from Bess Throckmorton running around castles/town at night with her hair down and a cape and Raleigh scolding Elizabeth when she yells at Bess. The English Catholics plot, which just felt heavy handed and very School of Bad Acting.

But – and these are big buts! For me, seeing Elizabeth and the period brought to the screen was fabulous. Seeing Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth was even more fabulous. Any chance to stare at Clive Owen’s manly manliness is fabulous. I was entertained, I’ll probably see it again on the big screen, and I’ll probably buy the DVD. Scorn me if you will!