Tagged: Black Suit
George Clooney in Ocean’s Thirteen – A Man in Black
George Clooney as Danny Ocean in Ocean’s Thirteen (2007)
Vitals
George Clooney as Danny Ocean, paroled con man and casino heister
Las Vegas, Summer 2007
Film: Ocean’s Thirteen
Release Date: June 8, 2007
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Costume Designer: Louise Frogley
Background
Much of the sartorial attention from the Ocean’s series goes to the flashy, sharp suits favored by Brad Pitt’s character Rusty Ryan. This is not undeserved praise, but flashy and sharp aren’t for everyone. George Clooney, as the gang’s de facto leader Danny Ocean, looks just as cool and confident in subdued suits in black and gray. Continue reading
Hank Moody’s Suit on Californication (1.12)
In honor of today being my sister’s wedding day, I’m wrapping up the first season of Californication posts with…
David Duchovny as Hank Moody in “The Last Waltz” (1.12), the first season finale of Californication.
Hank Moody at a wedding.
Vitals
David Duchovny as Hank Moody, substance-abusing novelist and family man
Venice Beach, Fall 2007
Series: Californication
Episode: “The Last Waltz” (Episode 1.12)
Air Date: October 29, 2007
Director: Scott Winant
Costume Designer: Peggy A. Schnitzer
Background
A guy like Hank Moody doesn’t really need more than one suit. And when a guy like Hank Moody is looking for a suit, he’ll look no further than imitating the same look that worked for Steve McQueen, Samuel L. Jackson, and the cast of Reservoir Dogs.
It also helps that Hank dresses like a hitman to a wedding that he sincerely does not support. Continue reading
The Sundance Kid in Bolivia
Robert Redford in Bolivia as “The Sundance Kid” in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).
Vitals
Robert Redford as “The Sundance Kid”, exiled American outlaw in Bolivia
Bolivia, 1901-1908
Film: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Release Date: October 24, 1969
Director: George Roy Hill
Costume Designer: Edith Head
Background
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is brilliant. Whether it was Conrad Hall’s alluring photography, George Roy Hill’s groundbreaking direction, William Goldman’s screenplay that ranges from insanely hilarious to poignantly touching, or – most often cited – the perfect chemistry of leads Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
The film was a new kind of Western. No longer was John Wayne fighting Injuns with his rifle, kerchief, and ten gallon hat. Tom Mix’s white hat vs. black hat days were over. By 1969, the world had moved on into a place of crystal-clear ambiguity. Cheering for the outlaws was not only acceptable, it was preferred.
Of course, that’s much easier when the outlaws are charming, hilarious, and generally non-violent. Paul Newman was a natural choice for the film. After a series of cast rotations that could’ve seen Jack Lemmon, Warren Beatty, Marlon Brando, or Steve McQueen paired up with Newman, Hill and Newman rallied and got up-and-coming Robert Redford the part, despite Fox’s protestations. Interestingly, the older Newman was originally to play younger gunslinger Sundance before Redford was brought on board. The roles were switched and a now-classic film pairing was born. Continue reading
Bruce Willis in Last Man Standing
Bruce Willis as John Smith in Last Man Standing (1996).
Vitals
Bruce Willis as John Smith, mysterious mob gun-for-hire
Texas, Summer 1931
Film: Last Man Standing
Release Date: September 20, 1996
Director: Walter Hill
Costume Designer: Dan Moore
Willis’ Costumer: Lori Stilson
Background
Last Man Standing is one of many film adaptations of the classic “man-playing-two-corrupt-factions-against-the-other” story that originated in modern culture with Dashiell Hammett’s 1927 novel Red Harvest. The novel was loosely translated onto the screen for 1942’s The Glass Key and, soon, the story was soon standardized as a lone drifter of few words showing up in town, befriending a bartender, and taking on two criminal gangs. Continue reading
Warren Oates as Dillinger: The Man in Black
Warren Oates as John Dillinger in 1973’s Dillinger.
Vitals
Warren Oates as John Dillinger, Depression-era bank robber
Tucson, Arizona to Crown Point, Indiana, Winter 1934
Film: Dillinger
Release Date: July 20, 1973
Director: John Milius
Costume Designer: James M. George
Background
“Hey wait, Nick, didn’t you already do a post on Dillinger’s prison suit?” ask many of my astute followers who also happen to know my first name.
While many folks of this generation were introduced to John Dillinger and his band of Depression-era desperadoes through the 2009 film Public Enemies, it was probably the tenth (at least) major production featuring Dillinger as a character. My personal favorite is the 1973 John Milius gunfest Dillinger featuring manly and scraggle-toothed actor Warren Oates in the title role.
As usual for Milius, the film doesn’t hold back in terms of violence, upping the Dillinger gang’s body count from around a dozen to more than fifty. Oates plays Dillinger as an cheeky outlaw who loves being just that – not a misunderstood farm boy who was led into a life of crime by police.
Yesterday marked the 79th anniversary of Dillinger’s legendary “wooden gun” breakout from the Lake County jail in Crown Point, Indiana. While Public Enemies had Dillinger already in prison garb by this time, Dillinger kept him in his black suit worn when he was arrested. Continue reading
Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction
Samuel L. Jackson as Jules in Pulp Fiction (1994).
Vitals
Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield, newly enlightened mob hitman
Los Angeles, Summer 1992
Film: Pulp Fiction
Release Date: October 14, 1994
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Costume Designer: Betsy Heimann
Background
Written especially for him, the part of Jules Winnfield catapulted Samuel L. Jackson to enormous (and well-deserved) fame despite Pulp Fiction being his thirtieth film in twenty years of acting. Thanks to Jackson’s performance and his chemistry opposite John Travolta as his partner Vincent Vega, Jules became an immediate sensation with an arsenal of brilliant lines and memorable scenes. Continue reading
Air Force One
As we in the United States celebrate President’s Day this week, BAMF Style also celebrates Air Force One, where Harrison Ford played the most badass U.S. President since Teddy Roosevelt.
Harrison Ford as U.S. President James Marshall in Air Force One (1997).
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Harrison Ford as James Marshall, U.S. President
Russia, September 1997
Film: Air Force One
Release Date: July 25, 1997
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Costume Designer: Erica Edell Phillips
Background
No matter what your politics are, every American can agree on one thing: Harrison Ford was a badass President in Air Force One.
When I was eight years old, I was incredibly excited for this movie’s release. As the brilliant website TV Tropes describes: “It’s Die Hard on Air Force One and President Harrison Ford is taking back his plane. That’s the entire movie in one short sentence.” Continue reading
A Mad Men Wedding
Continuing our Week of Weddings, we have a two-parter today from “The Grown Ups”, the twelfth and penultimate episode of the third season of Mad Men.
Jon Hamm as Don Draper (left) and John Slattery as Roger Sterling (right) in the third season Mad Men episode “The Grown Ups”.
I hope no one minds – nor do I care if anyone does – but we’re gonna switch up the format here and feature TWO people in one post. While you’re busy scraping your jaws up off the floor, let’s proceed to…
Pt. 1 – The Wedding Guest
Vitals
Jon Hamm as Don Draper, Manhattan ad man and Ossining family man
New York City, November 1963
Series: Mad Men
Episode: “The Grown-Ups” (Episode 3.12)
Air Date: November 1, 2009
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Costume Designer: Janie Bryant Continue reading
De Niro’s Black Wedding Suit in Casino
Robert De Niro in Casino (1995)
Vitals
Robert De Niro as Sam “Ace” Rothstein, brilliant sports handicapper, gambler, and mob associate
Las Vegas, Spring 1974
Film: Casino
Release Date: November 22, 1995
Director: Martin Scorsese
Costume Design: Rita Ryack & John A. Dunn
Background
Robert De Niro is arguably one of the screen’s most famous BAMFs. My first De Niro post, however, isn’t about boxer Jake LaMotta (Raging Bull) or vicious mobster Jimmy Conway (Goodfellas) or even the dapper Mafia chief Vito Corleone (The Godfather, Part II)… so to kick off BAMF Style’s Week of Weddings (since Valentine’s Day is coming up!) and bring in Mafia Monday on a BAMF note, here is De Niro getting married in Casino.
I don’t know why it’s taken me this long, other than the fact that it’s a three-hour movie that features over fifty costume changes for its main character—pretty much all of them suits or sport jackets—but here is the first breakdown from Casino. As mentioned, it’s said that De Niro had at least 52 costume changes throughout. Most of his suits and jackets are very loud, a series of silk pastels ranging from hot pink to lime green (if limes were radioactive), so the suit chosen for his wedding was relatively conservative. Continue reading
Al Swearengen on Deadwood
Ian McShane as Al Swearengen on Deadwood.
For something a little different, here’s a throwback in honor of vintage badass Al Swearengen from HBO’s prematurely cancelled series Deadwood. If you’re not familiar with Deadwood, you’d be doing yourself a favor to familiarize yourself.
Al’s suit may not translate literally to what looks good these days, but the attitude is there.
Vitals
Ian McShane as Al Swearengen, frontier saloon owner and pimp
Deadwood, Summer 1876
Series: Deadwood
Air Dates: March 21, 2004 – August 27, 2006
Creator: David Milch
Costume Designer: Janie Bryant
Background
Deadwood, one of the most underrated and criminally discontinued shows of all time, was a brilliant ensemble show that reflected larger American themes through the founding of a frontier camp. It featured well-known real life characters such as “Wild Bill” Hickok, “Calamity Jane”, and Wyatt Earp interacting with lesser-known historical figures Seth Bullock, Sol Star, and Al Swearengen. It was the latter that proved to be the breakout hit of the show, thanks to Ian McShane’s masterful performance. Continue reading
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