Tagged: 1980s

Against All Odds: Jeff Bridges’ Burgundy Polo and Herringbone Jacket

Jeff Bridges as Terry Brogan in Against All Odds (1984)

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Jeff Bridges as Terry Brogan, recently cut football player

Los Angeles, Fall 1983

Film: Against All Odds
Release Date: March 2, 1984
Director: Taylor Hackford
Costume Designer: Michael Kaplan

WARNING! Spoilers ahead!

Background

I’ve received several requests, most recently from BAMF Style reader Cecil, to highlight the style from Against All Odds, released forty years ago this weekend. A loose remake of Jacques Tourneur’s seminal 1947 film noir Out of the Past, Against All Odds reimagines the private eye protagonist as professional football player Terry Brogan (Jeff Bridges). Continue reading →

Year of the Dragon: John Lone’s Cream Funeral Suit

John Lone as Joey Tai in Year of the Dragon (1985)

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John Lone as Joey Tai, ambitious Triad gangster

New York City, February 1985

Film: Year of the Dragon
Release Date: August 16, 1985
Director: Michael Cimino
Costume Designer: Marietta Ciriello

WARNING! Spoilers ahead!

Background

According to the Chinese zodiac, tomorrow begins the Year of the Dragon, lasting from February 10, 2024 through January 28, 2025. In recognition of this cycle, let’s flashback to the ’80s when Michael Cimino released his first directorial effort following the flop of Heaven’s Gate five years earlier: Year of the Dragon, adapted from ex-NYPD officer Robert Daley’s novel of the same name.

John Lone’s performance as Joey Tai is a highlight of Year of the Dragon, which balanced its five Razzie Award nominations with Lone’s deserved nomination for a Golden Globe. Continue reading →

American Psycho: Patrick Bateman’s Camel Coat and Navy Windowpane Suit

Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho (2000)

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Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, investment banker and killer

New York City, Spring 1988

Film: American Psycho
Release Date: April 14, 2000
Director: Mary Harron
Costume Designer: Isis Mussenden

WARNING! Spoilers ahead!

Background

Happy 50th birthday to Christian Bale!

Prior to his blockbuster performances as Gotham’s caped crusader in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and his Academy Award-winning performance in The Fighter (2011), the Welsh-born actor’s breakthrough adult role was arguably as the sociopathic businessman—and suggested serial killer—Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, adapted by Mary Herron from Bret Easton Ellis’ dark satirical novel of the same name. Continue reading →

“Nuns don’t work on Sunday…” — One of Magnum’s Striped Band-Collar Shirts

Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum on Magnum, P.I. (Episode 2.13: “The Jororo Kill”)

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Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, private investigator and former Navy SEAL

Honolulu, Hawaii, Fall 1981

Series: Magnum, P.I.
Episode: “The Jororo Kill” (Episode 2.13)
Air Date: January 7, 1982
Director: Alan J. Levi
Created by: Donald P. Bellisario & Glen Larson
Costume Supervisors: Denita Del Signore & James Gilmore

WARNING! Spoilers ahead!

Background

Nuns don’t work on Sunday…

Though perhaps not as iconic of a line to Magnum, P.I. fans as Thomas asking Ivan if he saw the sunrise, this brief moment from the series’ second season—followed by Tom Selleck’s heel turn to shoot a figure dressed in full habit—has found renewed life in meme format, often paired with captions like “80s detective shows rocked” or “the best scene in movie[sic] history”.

Of course, the context of the scene helps audiences realize that Thomas Magnum doesn’t have a trigger-happy reaction to monastics who divert from his expectations of their schedule.

The episode featuring this moment, “The Jororo Kill”, first aired 42 years ago today on January 7, 1982. Continue reading →

Die Hard: Ranking the Henchmen’s Holiday Hijacking Wardrobes

Clarence Gilyard Jr., Dennis Hayden, Al Leong, Hans Buhringer, Alan Rickman, Wilhelm von Homburg, Lorenzo Caccialanza, Joseph Plewa, Andreas Wisniewski, Gary Roberts, Bruno Doyon, Gérard Bonn, and Alexander Godunov in Die Hard (1988)

“Some badass perpetrators and they’re here to stay…”

Los Angeles, Christmas 1987

Film: Die Hard
Release Date: July 15, 1988
Director: John McTiernan
Costume Designer: Marilyn Vance

WARNING! Spoilers ahead!

On the 35th anniversary year of this action classic, today’s post analyzes the style of the dozen bad guys led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) during their Christmas Eve takeover of Nakatomi Plaza. As I’ve done with Christmas episodes of The Office in past years, I’ll dig into my own completely arbitrary rating system to rank each by their suitability for a holiday party hijacking.

One of my favorite aspects of Die Hard is how it makes the effort to define distinctively personalities for Hans’ baddies, rather than just filling the cast with anonymous mooks as in any lesser action movie. We may not get full backstories and motivations (we only have two hours, and would we really need to know?), but they still have distinctive roles, attitudes, and aesthetics to differentiate them and make return viewings even more rewarding.

As their leader, Hans maintains an elevated look with his dark double-breasted suit, informed by his knowledge of men’s fashion (“John Phillips, London,” he acutely observes of Nakatomi CEO Joe Takagi’s silk suit), but how do his twelve henchmen rate?

Unlike Hans’ ultimate descent from Nakatomi Tower, let’s start at the bottom. Continue reading →

Tony Montana’s Blue Striped Suit in Scarface

Al Pacino as Tony Montana in Scarface (1983)

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Al Pacino as Tony Montana, ambitious drug dealer

Miami, Spring 1981

Film: Scarface
Release Date: December 9, 1983
Director: Brian De Palma
Costume Designer: Patricia Norris
Tailor: Tommy Velasco

WARNING! Spoilers ahead!

Background

Al Pacino introduced the world to his little friend 40 years ago today when Scarface premiered in New York City on December 1, 1983, eight days before it was widely released. Despite initial criticism for its now-famous violence, Scarface surpassed expectations by grossing $66 million globally, doubling its budget and securing its status as one of the most influential and popular gangster movies. Continue reading →

The Big Chill: Tom Berenger’s Convertible Down Jacket

Tom Berenger in The Big Chill (1983)

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Tom Berenger as Sam Weber, jaded TV star

Beaufort, South Carolina, Fall 1983

Film: The Big Chill
Release Date: September 28, 1983
Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Costume Designer: April Ferry

Background

As I prepare to gather with friends today for our annual Friendsgiving celebration, there’s a cinematic choice that perfectly captures the essence of fall, friendship, and the shared warmth of communal meals.

Despite not being centered around the holiday itself, The Big Chill has earned a place among many as a quintessential “Thanksgiving movie” with its autumnal setting, the camaraderie of old friends reuniting, and the soul-stirring soundtrack creating a nostalgic backdrop reminiscent of the season’s familial gatherings.

Beyond this thematic resonance, the film also offers a visual feast served by costume designer April Ferry’s array of early ’80s threads worn by its ensemble cast. Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, and JoBeth Williams star as college friends who reunite more than a decade after their graduation to mourn one of their group lost to suicide—portrayed by Kevin Costner, who was almost entirely cut from the film. Almost.

I recently had a request to explore Berenger’s style as Sam Weber, who was become arguably the most famous of his college pals, gracing magazine covers as the star of the Magnum, P.I.-like series, J.T. Lancer. Continue reading →

When Harry Met Sally: Harry’s Cream Cable-Knit Sweater

Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally (1989)

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Billy Crystal as Harry Burns, sarcastic political consultant and recent divorcée

New York City, Fall 1987

Film: When Harry Met Sally…
Release Date: July 14, 1989
Director: Rob Reiner
Costume Designer: Gloria Gresham

Background

As October advances deeper into colder weather, today’s post celebrates the enduring knitwear selected by costume designer Gloria Gresham for fall style icon Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally.

Though he only wears it for two brief scenes in Rob Reiner’s 1989 romantic comedy, Harry Burns’ cream-colored cable-knit sweater remains a cultural touchpoint even nearly 35 years later. Continue reading →

Lone Starr in Spaceballs

Bill Pullman as Lone Starr in Spaceballs (1987)

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Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, cynical “hero for hire”

“Once upon a time warp… in a galaxy very, very, very, very far away…”

Film: Spaceballs
Release Date: June 24, 1987
Director: Mel Brooks
Costume Designer: Donfeld (Donald Lee Feld)

Background

Spaceballs was my first exposure to Mel Brooks, having appealed to my being a Star Wars fan through my childhood. Of course, as I was nine years old the first time I watched Spaceballs, many of the meta humor and more mature-minded jokes went straight over my head, but I still thought it was one of the funniest things I’d ever seen. More than two decades later, it’s still a fun watch, as this peerless master of modern comedy riffs on far more than just what had been my favorite sci-fi franchise.

Continuing the Star Wars parallels, Spaceballs merges Han Solo’s persona with Luke Skywalker’s folklore into one character, the swaggering space cowboy Lone Starr (Bill Pullman), traversing the galaxy in his Winnebago spaceship with his loyal half-canine sidekick Barf (John Candy).

The duo are recruited by the desperate King Roland of Druidia (Dick Van Patten) to save his daughter Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) and her gilt droid-of-honor Dot Matrix (Joan Rivers) from the clutches of the evil Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis), who also turns out to be Lone Starr’s father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate. The adventure becomes a life-changing journey for Lone Starr as he learns how to harness the mysterious power of “the Schwartz”. Continue reading →

Never Say Never Again: Bond’s Cream Tropical Suit

Sean Connery as James Bond in Never Say Never Again (1983)

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Sean Connery as James Bond, sophisticated secret agent

Nassau, Bahamas, Spring 1983

Film: Never Say Never Again
Release Date: October 7, 1983
Director: Irvin Kershner
Costume Designer: Charles Knode
Tailor: Douglas Hayward

Background

The “Battle of the Bonds” commenced 40 years ago today when Never Say Never Again premiered on the 00-7th of October 1983. Produced by Jack Schwartzman’s Taliafilm, the movie was essentially a reimagining of Thunderball (1965), in which a weathered but game Sean Connery reprised his iconic role of James Bond… but without the official oversight of Eon Productions.

As I’ll be jetting off to a tropical environment this weekend, it feels appropriate to look at one of Bond’s sartorial highlights from this “unofficial” adventure, worn as Connery’s 007 makes some initial contacts upon landing in the Bahamas for his mission to investigate a missing nuclear warhead. (His lodgings are the historic British Colonial Hotel, which had to close during the COVID-19 pandemic but has been extensively renovated and is planned to reopen by the end of the year!) Continue reading →