Tagged: What to Wear to the Movies
Chili’s Black Leather Jacket in Get Shorty
John Travolta as Chili Palmer in Get Shorty (1995)
Vitals
John Travolta as Chili Palmer, Miami loan shark and aspiring filmmaker
Los Angeles, Winter 1995
Film: Get Shorty
Release Date: October 20, 1995
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Costume Designer: Betsy Heimann
Background
Today’s Mafia Monday post explores one of the many delightfully idiosyncratic characters from the wonderful world of Elmore Leonard.
Miami loan shark Chili Palmer is effortlessly capable at his job, but – like many people – when a job is too easy, it becomes tedious. Bored with the incompetence of psychotic mobsters in his orbit like Ray “Bones” Barboni (Dennis Farina), Chili embraces the opportunity to go west in search of a delinquent dry cleaner. Continue reading
Larry David’s “Pants Tent”
Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm (Episode 1.01: “The Pants Tent”)
Vitals
Larry David as himself, a neurotic comedy writer
Los Angeles, Fall 2000
Series: Curb Your Enthusiasm
Episode: “The Pants Tent” (Episode 1.01)
Air Date: October 15, 2000
Director: Robert B. Weide
Creator: Larry David
Costume Designer: Wendy Range Rao
Background
Curb Your Enthusiasm isn’t a show often celebrated for its sartorial style, but the trouser-centric faux pas that drives the plot of its first episode makes Larry David the perfect subject for BAMF Style’s annual April Fool’s Day post this year. Continue reading
Don Draper’s Plaid Sportcoat at the Movies
Jon Hamm as Don Draper on Mad Men. (Episode 6.12: “The Quality of Mercy”)
Vitals
Jon Hamm as Don Draper, Madison Avenue ad man and movie buff
New York City, October 1968
Series: Mad Men
Episode: “The Quality of Mercy” (Episode 6.12)
Air Date: June 16, 2013
Director: Phil Abraham
Costume Designer: Janie Bryant
Background
Don Draper has always turned to the escapism of the movies in times of crisis or loneliness, most notably (and humorously) in “The Good News” (Episode 4.03) when drunkenly accompanying Lane Pryce to a screening of Gamera: The Giant Monster in during the men’s lonely week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Two seasons later, Don is slightly less lonely with his new wife Megan (and his new upstairs mistress, Sylvia) but still frequents the movies whenever he can. “The Quality of Mercy” finds Don and Megan seeing Rosemary’s Baby when they run into Ted and Peggy, claiming to be on a client research mission. Continue reading
The Death of John Dillinger – 2009 Style
Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in Public Enemies (2009).
Vitals
Johnny Depp as John Dillinger, doomed Depression-era bank robber
Chicago, July 1934
Film: Public Enemies
Release Date: July 1, 2009
Director: Michael Mann
Costume Designer: Colleen Atwood
Background
While 1973’s Dillinger took a “just the facts” approach to retelling the life of bank robber John Dillinger (albeit with very exaggerated facts), Michael Mann’s Public Enemies painted the farmboy-turned-criminal as a more mythical figure. This seems to be the trend in recent years.
Forty-some years ago, the cinematic John Dillinger and Clyde Barrow were depicted as Robin Hood-type folk heroes who were cornered by relentless authorities and shot without warning. Continue reading
The Death of John Dillinger – 1973 Style
Warren Oates and Michelle Phillips as John Dillinger and Billie Frechette, respectively, in Dillinger (1973). The film inaccurately portrays Polly Hamilton as an alias for Billie Frechette; in reality, Polly was an entirely different person.
Vitals
Warren Oates as John Dillinger, doomed Depression-era bank robber
Chicago, July 1934
Film: Dillinger
Release Date: July 20, 1973
Director: John Milius
Costume Designer: James M. George
Background
Although it had been founded in 1908, the FBI had existed for more than a quarter of a century without grabbing major national attention. There were many major successes, but the recent crime wave of bank-robbing desperadoes tarnished the agency’s image and, in turn, turned outlaws into folk heroes.
One of these “folk heroes” was John Dillinger, a 31-year-old Indiana native who had recently embarrassed national law enforcement by reportedly breaking out of jail with a wooden gun. Although they had Dillinger in their sights for the better part of a year, the FBI – then known as the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) – had no legal jurisdiction to take him down. Dillinger’s crimes – ranging from bank robbery to alleged murder – were all certainly major, but none violated any federal law. Then, it was realized that Dillinger had stolen the Lake County sheriff’s car during his escape. By driving the stolen automobile across a state line, Dillinger violated the Dyer Act.
The Dyer Act, also called the National Motor Vehicle Theft Act, was passed in 1919 to combat the growing threat of trafficking stolen automobiles. If a person was found guilty of violating the Dyer Act, they would be sentenced with imprisonment up to ten years, a hefty fine, or both. In Dillinger’s case, the BOI determined that his punishment would be execution. Continue reading
Californication – Pilot Episode
David Duchovny as Hank Moody in the pilot episode of Showtime’s Californication (2007).
In honor of Wednesday being hump day, I present the first article on someone who does plenty of humping as well.
A far cry from Cary Grant or William Powell, Hank’s simple but individual style has been one of the most inquired about and copied since Californication‘s debut in 2007. This is interesting (and ironic?), because what maks Hank so appealing is the way that he avoids copying anyone else.
Vitals
David Duchovny as Hank Moody, womanizing novelist with substance abuse issues
Venice Beach, Summer 2007
Series: Californication
Episode: “Pilot” (Episode 1.01)
Air Date: August 13, 2007
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Costume Designer: Peggy A. Schnitzer
Background
The first time we meet Hank Moody is cinematic and instantly and hilariously establishes his character. With the operatic intro to the Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” playing, he pulls up to a grand-looking California church in his dirty and beat-up black Porsche. He exits the car, his permanent hangover causing him to squint at the sun through his sunglasses. A half-smoked Camel dangles from his mouth. He removes the sunglasses, looks at the church with agony, and raises his hand to the cigarette. Continue reading