The Great Gatsby (1974)

May 22 2013

With the new adaptation of The Great Gatsby just having been released at the 2013 Cannes Festival this week, I thought it’s a good time to put the older version with Robert Redford and Sam Waterston in the spotlights. Although looking forward to the new The Great Gatsby, Cannes has much better titles to offer such as new work by Dutch director Warmerdam, Sorrentino and the movie Michael Kohlhaas starring two of my most favorite European actors Mads Mikkelsen and Denis Lavant!

Back to Jay Gatsby, who is played by the charismatic Robert Redford, with his modest grandeur. In most of the scenes the shots have something magic, caused by a copious amount of white and all bright and shiny objects have some extra luster. Jay Gatsby is continuously well dressed in a proper three-piece suit, necktie and a pocket watch, and drives a legendary maize colored Rolls Royce Phantom.



, , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Into the White (2012)

May 11 2013

Set during World War II, in a small wooden cabin in the midst of the white landscape somewhere, in the middle of nowhere, in Norway. Two stranded air force crews, one German and the other British meet and continue the fight of war in the cabin. Contains wonderful shots of the endless white surrounding and the harsh circumstances the five soldiers have to bear.

Foremost, Into the White is interesting for the many British and German cold weather army coats and jackets. The most familiar style, a jacket still popular and being reproduced a today by notable brands like Eastman or Aero Leather, is the Royal Air Force “Irvin” flight jacket. The reproduction seen here is an original design without the side pockets, with the waist belt and lined with sheepskin. Remarkable is the design on the back with the many seams, one I couldn’t really find elsewhere on the net. Apparently the designs of the Irvin jacket differed a lot during the WWII, since there were several contractors for manufacture. Note the British lieutenant is wearing the complete suit, including the sheepskin lined leather flying pants.


, , , | 2 Comments

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

May 4 2013

Ferris Bueller, “One man’s struggle to take it easy”. A classic movie by John Hughes on the character Ferris who decides that since the weather is so lovely today, it needs to be enjoyed to the fullest. He skips school for some other activities and has the perfect idea to plan his day full with elitist luxury and cultural highlights. Not all activities are in stills, just the ones worth a visual depiction.

It starts with the amazing Modernist house of his friend Cameron, in real life known as the Ben Rose home. Beautiful constructed largely from just glass and steel adjoining a forest, resulting in a beautifully spacious and light interior. It was designed by James Speyer for Ben Rose in 1953 and clearly in the Modernist style, so it doesn’t surprise Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe was a huge inspiration to Speyer.


, , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jack Reacher (2012)

April 21 2013

Tom Cruise demonstrates us in his latest feature Jack Reacher how one is able to score a real good outfit at a local thrift/donate store. His old outfit, not bad either consisting of an Hawaiian shirt and boat shoes, are donated and replaced by a flannel check shirt, a white traditional henley and a proper vintage style leather jacket. The new pair of Moc Toe’s he picks up from the shelve with vintage pairs is interesting. I can’t figure out the make, it resembles a Red Wing lug style, though I opt for a Moc Toe style from Chippewa, due to the vertical line and the speed hooks.

Not captured in stills unfortunately, the movie contains some great supporting roles from Werner Herzog and Robert Duvall.



, , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do The Right Thing (1989)

April 12 2013

It’s the hottest day of summer, in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn and all the different etnic inhabitants are present in Spike Lee’s piece Do The Right Thing.

First there’s the Italians, Sal and his two sons, who run the local pizzeria. They’re definitely proud of their Italian roots and have a Wall of Fame to celebrate the Italo-American successes. And there’s Mookie, with his Dodgers baseball outfit, who works as a delivery boy for Sal.


, , | 1 Comment