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oliver9184 · 11-30-2010, 04:11 AM

Sublime means noble and majestic or impressive and awe-inspiring.

An actor's acting may sometimes be impressive enough that we comment on it and maybe describe the performance using terms like 'awe-inspiring'. But seldom are the clothes worn by a character worth pointing out. They are there to help with telling the story, just like the sets, lighting, makeup and the rest of the mise en scène. If costumes are mentioned at all they're usually just that - costumes, generally elaborate period ones of the type that usually wins the Best Costume Design oscar, as opposed to conventional modern clothing that one could get away with wearing in real life.

Occasionally though, the movies will throw up a character whose suit is of such magnificence that it seems almost to overshadow the actor's performance! In these cases the actor has to either BE big enough or ACT big enough that his suit doesn't steal the show.

First here's Tom Cruise as Vincent in Collateral (2004). Cruise was still just about a megastar in 2004 which was just as well because nobody who wasn't a megastar - I'd say nobody who wasn't Cruise - could make this suit work so effortlessly. You wouldn't know from the start but it's an action suit which means it looks as good on him at the end after he's been wearing it for hours, running about, fighting and getting injured. It also looks completely timeless: I expect badass alpha male assassins to probably still be wearing this suit a thousand years from now.

Now here's Robert De Niro as Rupert Pupkin in The King of Comedy (1982). Pupkin wears an array of eye-watering jackets and suits in this film and I wanted a picture of the red/orange one he's in right at the film's end but I couldn't find a good enough one. In this picture he's sitting at home in his basement between two cut-out guests acting out his own chat show.

In what must be the whitest suit the world has ever seen (even whiter perhaps than the suit in The Man in the White Suit (1951)) this is Gregory Peck as belligerent Nazi in hiding Josef Mengele in The Boys from Brazil (1978). Mengele has a few different suits in the film but this is the one he wears the most, I suppose because of the tropical South American heat. Its pristine whiteness brilliantly compliments his yellow tie, died black hair and his dreadful gaunt face.

Who's got more brilliant movie suits? Add them here and say why they're great. If you can't find a picture just say the movie and actor or character.

11-30-2010, 04:11 AM	#1 (permalink)
oliver9184 Psycho	Sublimest suits of the silver screen Sublime means noble and majestic or impressive and awe-inspiring. An actor's acting may sometimes be impressive enough that we comment on it and maybe describe the performance using terms like 'awe-inspiring'. But seldom are the clothes worn by a character worth pointing out. They are there to help with telling the story, just like the sets, lighting, makeup and the rest of the mise en scène. If costumes are mentioned at all they're usually just that - costumes, generally elaborate period ones of the type that usually wins the Best Costume Design oscar, as opposed to conventional modern clothing that one could get away with wearing in real life. Occasionally though, the movies will throw up a character whose suit is of such magnificence that it seems almost to overshadow the actor's performance! In these cases the actor has to either BE big enough or ACT big enough that his suit doesn't steal the show. First here's Tom Cruise as Vincent in Collateral (2004). Cruise was still just about a megastar in 2004 which was just as well because nobody who wasn't a megastar - I'd say nobody who wasn't Cruise - could make this suit work so effortlessly. You wouldn't know from the start but it's an action suit which means it looks as good on him at the end after he's been wearing it for hours, running about, fighting and getting injured. It also looks completely timeless: I expect badass alpha male assassins to probably still be wearing this suit a thousand years from now. Now here's Robert De Niro as Rupert Pupkin in The King of Comedy (1982). Pupkin wears an array of eye-watering jackets and suits in this film and I wanted a picture of the red/orange one he's in right at the film's end but I couldn't find a good enough one. In this picture he's sitting at home in his basement between two cut-out guests acting out his own chat show. In what must be the whitest suit the world has ever seen (even whiter perhaps than the suit in The Man in the White Suit (1951)) this is Gregory Peck as belligerent Nazi in hiding Josef Mengele in The Boys from Brazil (1978). Mengele has a few different suits in the film but this is the one he wears the most, I suppose because of the tropical South American heat. Its pristine whiteness brilliantly compliments his yellow tie, died black hair and his dreadful gaunt face. Who's got more brilliant movie suits? Add them here and say why they're great. If you can't find a picture just say the movie and actor or character.