Tagged: Spring
The Departed: Jack Nicholson’s Seersucker Sport Jacket
Jack Nicholson as Frank Costello in The Departed (2006)
Vitals
Jack Nicholson as Francis “Frank” Costello, sadistic Irish-American mob boss
Boston, Spring 2007
Film: The Departed
Release Date: October 6, 2006
Director: Martin Scorsese
Costume Designer: Sandy Powell
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
With 12 Academy Award nominations (and three wins), today’s birthday boy Jack Nicholson remains the most-nominated male actor in Oscar history. Following a prolific career that began in the late 1950s, Nicholson delivered one final characteristically intense performance in The Departed (2006), his first—and, given his decades-long retirement from acting, only—collaboration with director Martin Scorsese. Continue reading
The White Lotus: Lochlan’s Tombolo “Reptile Dysfunction” Full Moon Party Shirt
Sam Nivola as Lochlan Ratliff on The White Lotus, Episode 3.04: “Hide or Seek”. Photo credit: Fabio Lovino.
Vitals
Sam Nivola as Lochlan Ratliff, timid and self-questioning high school senior
Ko Pha-ngan, Thailand, Spring 2024
Series: The White Lotus
Episodes:
– “Hide or Seek” (Episode 3.04, aired 3/9/2025)
– “Full-Moon Party” (Episode 3.05, aired 3/16/2025)
– “Denials” (Episode 3.06, aired 3/23/2025)
Director: Mike White
Creator: Mike White
Costume Designer: Alex Bovaird
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
This weekend, revelers gathered on the Thai island of Ko Pha-ngan for the monthly Full Moon Party, a celebration that coincided this month with the start of Songkran—the vibrant three-day festival observing the Thai New Year. While the April Full Moon Party is often the biggest of the year for this reason, the 2025 celebration is especially significant as it markst he 40th anniversary of the first Full Moon Party on Haad Rin Beach in 1985.
The intersection of Songkran and the Full Moon Party was depicted on the most recent season of The White Lotus, which ended last Sunday. While most characters from the ensemble cast were removed from the central Songkran action, the privileged Ratliff brothers Lochlan (Sam Nivola) and Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) joined their new friends Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) on the island for a night of neon-lit chaos and self-discovery.
Among The White Lotus‘ characteristically excellent ensemble cast, the third season offered a breakout performance for 21-year-old Sam Nivola as Lochlan, the shy youngest sibling navigating the uncertain space between adolescence and adulthood and the masculine and feminine forces in his family. Continue reading
Bill Paxton’s Sea Exploration Style in Titanic
Bill Paxton as Brock Lovett in Titanic (1997)
Vitals
Bill Paxton as Brock Lovett, deep-sea treasure hunter
North Atlantic Ocean, Spring 1996
Film: Titanic
Release Date: December 19, 1997
Director: James Cameron
Costume Designer: Deborah Lynn Scott
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
This week marks the 113th anniversary of the RMS Titanic sinking in April 1912, a tragedy that has captivated generations—and resurfaced in the public consciousness with every new discovery or disaster, including the OceanGate submersible incident that dominated headlines (and memes) in June 2023.
Forty years ago in the summer of 1985, the wreck of Titanic was discovered by Dr. Robert Ballard, reigniting global fascination and eventually inspiring James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster. For Cameron, the shipwreck was more than a cinematic setting; it was, as he described, “the Mount Everest of shipwrecks.” Despite being “almost past the point” of considering a real undersea expedition, Cameron sought Hollywood funding for what was, at its heart, a chance to dive to the wreck. “Secretly, what I wanted to do was I wanted to dive to the real wreck of Titanic. And that’s why I made the movie,” he admitted to laughter and applause during a 2010 TED Talk, earning laughter and applause. Across 12 dives, Cameron spent more time with Titanic than most of her actual passengers.
Cameron’s longtime friend and collaborator Bill Paxton embodied this pursuit of the ship in his role as Brock Lovett, the modern-day treasure hunter leading the expedition to find a priceless necklace rumored to be buried aboard the ship. Charismatic yet opportunistic, Brock could be a stand-in for Cameron himself, driven by both adventure and the promise of a big payday—be that a sunken treasure or a billion-dollar box office. Paxton’s character even mirrors history; his reaction upon discovering Jack’s drawing of Rose (“I’ll be goddamned”) echoes Dr. Ballard’s exact words upon locating the wreck in 1985. Continue reading
Johnny Depp as Cry-Baby
Johnny Depp in Cry-Baby (1990)
Vitals
Johnny Depp as Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, rebellious high school hellcat and rockabilly singer
Baltimore, Spring 1954
Film: Cry-Baby
Release Date: April 6, 1990
Director: John Waters
Wardrobe & Makeup Designer: Van Smith
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
Just over three weeks after its premiere in John Waters’ native Baltimore where the film—among so many of his others—is set, Cry-Baby was more widely released 35 years ago tomorrow on April 5, 1990 in more than 1,200 theaters across North America—an unprecedented opening for the offbeat director.
This wider release indicated the film’s more mainstream appeal, lacking the more scatological elements of Waters’ prior works like Pink Flamingos (1972) while retaining enough of the director’s signatures to make it an effective introduction to his work. Despite this increased accessibility and some critical acclaim, Waters’ camped-up tribute to ’50s teen romances (think Grease for weirdos) still failed to find a solid audience at the outset. It wasn’t until years after its initial release that Cry-Baby developed a cult following among much of Waters’ other movies. Continue reading
Heat: Val Kilmer’s Gray Glen Plaid Bank-Robbery Suit
Val Kilmer in Heat (1995)
Vitals
Val Kilmer as Chris Shiherlis, professional armed robber
Los Angeles, Spring 1995
Film: Heat
Release Date: December 15, 1995
Director: Michael Mann
Costume Designer: Deborah Lynn Scott
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
R.I.P. Val Kilmer (1959-2025)
After becoming the youngest student ever accepted into Juilliard’s prestigious Drama Division at the time, Kilmer rose to fame through a streak of memorable ’80s hits like Top Secret! (1984), Real Genius (1985), and Top Gun (1986). The ’90s saw Kilmer take on a range of leading roles, from his magnetic turn as Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991) to donning the cape in Batman Forever (1995), as well as his scene-stealing performance as the sardonic and tubercular Doc Holliday in Tombstone (1993).
Kilmer followed that success with another standout role in Heat (1995), Michael Mann’s masterful crime epic that celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Kilmer plays Chris Shiherlis, a reliable criminal but not-so-reliable husband, part of a tight-knit crew led by the calculating Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro). Hoping that one last big score will salvage his unraveling marriage, Shiherlis throws in on a high-stakes heist at the Far East National Bank in downtown Los Angeles. “The bank is worth the risk. I need it, brother,” he tells McCauley. Continue reading
Casino: Ace Rothstein’s Pink Golf Sweater
Robert De Niro as Sam “Ace” Rothstein in Casino (1995)
Vitals
Robert De Niro as Sam “Ace” Rothstein, Vegas casino executive and mob associate
Las Vegas, Spring 1979
Film: Casino
Release Date: November 22, 1995
Director: Martin Scorsese
Costume Design: Rita Ryack & John A. Dunn
Background
It’s still early enough in spring for sweaters to be appropriate—especially when worn lightly and layered in bright, seasonal colors, like the pastels that costume designers Rita Ryack and John A. Dunn worked into Robert De Niro’s vibrant wardrobe in Casino, Martin Scorsese’s neon-lit 1995 crime epic celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. De Niro stars as Sam “Ace” Rothstein, a meticulous gambler and mob-connected gaming executive based on real-life figure Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, who ran the Stardust Hotel and Casino from the 1960s through the early ’80s.
With an array of period-detailed pastel suits, silk shirts, and coordinated ties lining his closet, Ace rarely appears on screen in casual attire, but Ryack shared in 2002 that one of her favorite of Ace’s outfits from among her and Dunn’s costume design was “a pink bouclé golf sweater and trouser ensemble,” as cited in a 2002 New York Post article by Megan Turner. Continue reading
Michael Scott in The Office’s First Episode
Steve Carell as Michael Scott on The Office (Episode 1.01: “Pilot”)
Vitals
Steve Carell as Michael Scott, paper sales regional manager
Scranton, Pennsylvania, February 2005
Series: The Office
Episode: “Pilot” (Episode 1.01)
Air Date: March 24, 2005
Director: Ken Kwapis
Creator: Greg Daniels
Costume Designer: Carey Bennett
Background
The American adaptation of The Office debuted 20 years ago today on NBC, bringing viewers into the everyday monotony of the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the Dunder Mifflin paper company. Led by the cringe-worthy but eventually endearing salesman-turned-manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell), the show quickly established Michael’s desperate need for affection, which only becomes more apparent with each passing episode. Continue reading
Moonlighting: Bruce Willis’ First Brown Leather Jacket
Bruce Willis as David Addison on the pilot episode of Moonlighting
Vitals
Bruce Willis as David Addison Jr., wisecracking private detective
Los Angeles, Spring 1985
Series: Moonlighting
Episodes:
– “Pilot” (Episodes 1.01-1.02, dir. Glenn Gordon Caron, aired 3/3/1985)
– “The Murder’s in the Mail” (Episode 1.07, dir. Peter Werner, aired 4/2/1985)
– “Funeral for a Door Nail” (Episode 2.17, dir. Allan Arkush, aired 4/26/1986)
Creator: Glenn Gordon Caron
Costume Designer: Robert Turtrice
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
For Bruce Willis’ 70th birthday today, I was inspired by a reader’s recent comment to revisit the series that launched the actor to initial fame. Moonlighting premiered with its two-part pilot episode 40 years ago this month, starring Willis opposite Cybill Shepherd. Continue reading
Justifed: Raylan’s Pilot Episode Charcoal Pinstripe Suit Jacket and Jeans
Timothy Olyphant as U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in the pilot episode (“Fire in the Hole”) of Justified.
(Photo by: Prashant Gupta, FX)
Vitals
Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens, proudly old-fashioned Deputy U.S. Marshal
Miami to Kentucky, March 2010
Series: Justified
Episode: “Fire in the Hole” (Episode 1.01)
Air Date: March 16, 2010
Director: Michael Dinner
Creator: Graham Yost
Costume Designer: Ane Crabtree
Background
Inspired by a selection of Elmore Leonard stories like “Fire in the Hole”, Justified premiered 15 years ago this week on March 16, 2010.
The series began with a literal bang as Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) demonstrated his quick trigger finger by outdrawing a “gun thug” in his assigned territory of Miami. Though he frequently insists “it was justified,” Raylan is ordered by his superiors to leave Miami, reassigned to the Lexington field office in his home turf of eastern Kentucky where he used to dig coal with now-criminal Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins).
“We weren’t what you call buddies, but you work a deep mine with a man, you look out for each other,” Raylan reflects of his and Boyd’s initial acquaintanceship. Continue reading
Murder by Contract: Vince Edwards’ Leather Jacket
Vince Edwards in Murder by Contract (1958)
Vitals
Vince Edwards as Claude, existential contract killer
Los Angeles, Spring 1958
Film: Murder by Contract
Release Date: December 4, 1958
Director: Irving Lerner
Wardrobe Credit: Norman Martien
WARNING! Spoilers ahead!
Background
Thanks to a recommendation from BAMF Style reader Jake—and the fact that it was briefly hosted on the Criterion Channel—one of my favorite “first watches” of this year has been the swift and slick 1958 film noir Murder by Contract.
Vince Edwards stars as Claude, a bored comptometer operator who capitalizes on his sociopathy to develop a profitable side hustler as a contract killer. As his reputation grows among the underworld, Claude’s mysterious boss Mr. Brink offers him $5,000 to complete the high-profile hit of a heavily guarded government witness scheduled to testify against him at an upcoming trial.
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