34 replies to this topic

[dirac]

Coming up this weekend.  Not too much suspense except possibly where Best Actress is concerned.

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Douglas joins a list of previously announced Oscar presenters, including Halle Berry, Rose Byrne, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Tina Fey, Tom Hanks, Angelina Jolie, Milla Jovovich, Ellie Kemper, Jennifer Lopez, Melissa McCarthy, Wendy McLendon-Covey, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, Ben Stiller, Emma Stone and Kristen Wiig.

Stars are seriously not what they used to be......

[Amy Reusch]

The suspense is over "Pina"!

[Quiggin]

Interesting sidelight on red carpet wear:

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For James Grant, co-founder of Starworks, the marketing consultancy, the increasing pay-to-wear trend is partly a result of a changing business model ... “The revenue stream has changed in Hollywood,” he says. “Fewer movies are being made. Action and 3D movies are being invested in but there are less decent dramas and romcoms. TV shows have become reality-driven, rather than actor-driven, so actors have to look elsewhere to make money. With fewer studios backing movies there’s less budget to pay for red-carpet stylists, costume designers and artists. So actors are turning to brands.”

Hollywood's Pay List, Lucie Greene, Financial Times, February 24, 2012

http://www.ft.com/in...l#axzz1nQ8ZpRKI

[sandik]

Quiggin, on 25 February 2012 - 11:00 AM, said:

Interesting sidelight on red carpet wear:

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...So actors are turning to brands.”

Hollywood's Pay List, Lucie Greene, Financial Times, February 24, 2012

http://www.ft.com/in...l#axzz1nQ8ZpRKI

I'd been wondering about this shift, in the way you wonder about things while you stand in line at the grocery store, but hadn't put the little pieces together into the bigger picture -- thanks for posting this link.

[Quiggin]

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I'd been wondering about this shift

There may have been a comedy there for Robert Altman or Preston Sturges.

[dirac]

Thanks for the link. It's pretty serious money for the actresses - the article refers to "actors" but it's mainly female actors who are facing the shortage of roles in the dramas and romantic comedies the article mentions and are thus looking to advertising for income.

Not to mention that the reaction can be reasonably described as savage when an actress chooses an unconventional or less than flattering frock, which has led to a certain sameness and conservatism in their choices. The glory days of Cher and Geena Davis are no more.

Altman tried it, more or less, with Pret-a-Porter.

[Quiggin]

Actually LA is fairly conservative in its dress - refined Italian fabrics, subtle patterns, understated colors, beautiful cuts of clothes. Part of it is the soft light which rules out the dramatic primary colors that look so good in steely New York - and part of it is uncertainty about taboos and going overboard (for which see Joan Didion and Scott Fitzgerald).

Plus with the Oscars you have to compete with the red carpet as background, and who could paint on a red canvas - except perhaps for Matisse? That's why black does well, the tuxedoed men especially.

The effect of this upper east side group, who go back to Holly Go-lightly, is totally unimaginable in LA:

"Fashion is commerce but ..."

http://video.nytimes...100000001350071

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Altman tried it, more or less, with Pret-a-Porter.

But Sturges, who after all invented kiss-proof lipstick, would be good with the contradictions and reversals, such as the wrong watches worn.

[dirac]

The general trend toward conservatism in the actresses' fashion choices has been widely noted as the red carpet show has risen in importance. Certainly things weren't very understated in the go-go days of Bob Mackie and Nolan Miller. I don't think it's altogether a bad thing - it's a great benefit for men that they're able to wear a sort of uniform and a very flattering one, even if actors usually manage to find a way to mess up, cf. Robert Downey, Jr. One could argue that classically cut sheaths perform something like the same function for the women.

[dirac]

Thoughts?

[cubanmiamiboy]

Will Streep ever be able to equal Hepburn or even surpass her on winning times...? (Hepburn=4 vs. Streep=3)

Angelina's dress was beautiful.  She looks emanciated, and she was trying too hard with that posing stuff...

[Natalia]

Stacey Keibler (George Clooney's girlfriend) won Best Gown, hands down, IMO, with that gold Marchesa with big bow at the hip.
http://news.yahoo.co...-012708828.html
I also liked Penelope Cruz, Jayne Seymour and Mila Jojovic (sp?). I liked Angelina Jolie's lighter hair color and red lipstick...but not that black velvet sack of a gown (sorry, cubanmiamiboy) and that idiotic pose.

Sasha Baron Cohen as 'The Dictator' rocked the Red Carpet, spilling Kim Il-Jung's "ashes" over Ryan Seacrest.
I can't wait for Cohen's movie in May.

In general, there were fewer glamorous gowns this year than in the past. If I were the Fashion Police, I'd arrest
Shailene Woodley (22-yr-old in matronly, long-sleeved polyester). What the heck was that? Ditto the 'stuffed sausages' who will remain nameless.

[Anthony_NYC]

cubanmiamiboy, on 26 February 2012 - 09:47 PM, said:

Will Streep ever be able to equal Hepburn or even surpass her on winning times...? (Hepburn=4 vs. Streep=3)

I've heard Streep, with her self-deprecating humor, point out--accurately, I believe!--in interviews that she's lost the Oscar for Best Actress more times than anybody history.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Ha,ha...the "stuffed sausages"...

Then too much white against white with little makeup and no jewels-(Paltrow, Jovovich, Guliana Rancic etc...)

I vote for high drama and color...

Elie Kemper in Armani Prive.
http://perezhilton.c...&pic=15#gallery

Divine La Close in Zac Posen.
http://perezhilton.c...&pic=16#gallery

Rose Byrne in Vivienne Westwood.
http://perezhilton.c...&pic=11#gallery

J.Lo in her Zuhair Murad/Mae West inspired look-(vulgar and stunning at the same time.   Let's note I pulled her out from Hilton's worst dress list
http://perezhilton.c...5&pic=4#gallery

Cubanmiamiboy's worst dressed list.

Sherri Shepperd.
http://perezhilton.c...&pic=16#gallery

Livia Giuggioli in Valentino
http://perezhilton.c...&pic=17#gallery

Penelope Cruz' "David's Bridal" blue wedding gown
http://perezhilton.c...4&pic=6#gallery

Also, rather than the heavy ladies, I was more shocked to see the emancaited ones: Ripa, Rancic, Jolie, etc...

[cubanmiamiboy]

Adding Judy Greer in Monique Lhuillier to my "Best Dressed"-(also from Hilton's "Worst Dressed" one...)

http://perezhilton.c...&pic=10#gallery

[Helene]

cubanmiamiboy, on 27 February 2012 - 09:10 AM, said:

Penelope Cruz' "David's Bridal" blue wedding gown
http://perezhilton.c...4&pic=6#gallery

I really like this dress:  it looks like it can move, and she can sit in it.  The color, though:  I'm not sure who's supposed to look good in that.