Thursday, November 28, 2024
How Paul Tazewell Built The Costumes In 'Wicked'
Essence: Wicked directed by Jon M. Chu is the prequel story to the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, the film set to be released Friday explores the real-world concept of finding acceptance in society when feeling like an outcast. Are people born wicked? Or is It wickedness thrust upon them?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
The recently released movie adaptation of Wicked was costume designed by Paul Tazewell. Wicked, being a movie prequel (based off of a musical based off of a book) to a movie (that was based off of a book), has a lot of information to cover, and a lot to live up to. Tazewell had the difficult task of keeping the character’s heart while showing their growth and bringing a modernity to it as per the directorial choices seen in all aspects of the movie. He definitely rose to the task having already done excellent work on The Wiz Live! and countless other shows. The natural inspirations really shine in Elphaba’s costuming and give her a grounded sense that the other characters purposefully lack. The Fibonacci spiral and a classic bubblegum-30s-pink give Glinda her iconic pop. In the interview, Tazewell explains how he tells stories through clothing, which explains why his work is so impactful.
These costumes were AMAZING! I knew this from the trailers and the behind the scenes photos, with a majority of those costumes being seen. However, one outfit that they largely managed to keep a secret was Galinda’s dress for the Ozdust party scene. This was one of the most stunning costumes in the movie and my jaw practically dropped when I saw it. I’m having such a hard time deciding which I like more– Glinda’s bubble dress or Galinda’s Ozdust dress! I also loved how Tazewell mentioned that he used the fibonacci spiral, which I feel like I have been seeing so often recently in designs. In our most recent Basic Design and Drawing projects, multiple members of my class mentioned using the fibonacci spiral which is so interesting to me! I also appreciate how Tazewell used a blend of historical silhouettes (from all different time periods) and modern silhouettes to create the looks of Oz to give it a “timeless” feel and that he also paid homage to the original 1939 Wizard of Oz film and the original 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum.
I have gone to see Wicked in theaters twice now, and the costumes still look as beautiful and detailed as they did the first time I saw it. Elphaba’s Ozdust dress is one of my favorite looks in the entire film, followed closely by Galinda’s Popular robe. What interests me in both of those outfits is the clear inspiration from different plants. Galinda’s fluffy pink outfit is covered in what looks like roses, and Elphaba’s gown is embroidered with swirling vine-ish organic stripes. They reflect their personalities beautifully, with Elphaba having a sort of hidden beauty to her and Galinda with stereotypically feminine flair. While those two are my favorite examples, almost every costume in the film follows the storyline and adds to the majestic feeling of the film. The costume designer for this movie truly paid homage to both the Wizard of Oz and the Broadway version of the story, and reading more about his process almost makes me want to see the film again, and really want to see the costumes in person.
Post a Comment