Superhero costumes in movies...

[enyawd72]

As I continue admiring my Hot Toys Christopher Reeve Superman, it's made me go back and re-watch the movie a couple times now, and I can't help thinking how fantastic Reeve's costume was. It was everything a superhero costume should be. Bright, colorful, and elegant in it's simplicity.

This really got me thinking as to why the superhero costumes in movies are so overdone today. Reeve's costume proved that simple tights can work in a big budget film, so why overdo everything? I have to think it began with Batman, encasing Michael Keaton in all that black body armor. But at least that made some sense storywise.

The Spider-Man costume worn by Tobey Maguire really bugged me. The general look was okay, but it simply didn't look like a costume sewn at home by a teenager. Add to the fact that Peter Parker was always broke, and where did he come up with the cash to make this elaborate suit? I think the costume worn by Nicholas Hammond in the 70's is still the definitive Spidey costume. It actually looks homemade.

Even the recent Captain America and Thor costumes were overdone IMO. With a better fitting mask, Cap's USO suit would have been great to see in action. Minus the goofy motorcycle helmet, Reb Brown's costume was perfect. Now in 2012 we have a rubbery basketball-clad Spider-Man and Superman coming, and they even stripped Supes of his trademark red undies!
I just don't understand it. Is it purely merchandise driven to sell "movie versions" of the characters?

[Mego Magyar]

The people that make the movies don't think the real costumes translate to the screen looking realistic. I too think it started with the first Batman movie. As I recall the thinking was that it wasn't realistic for a non super person to be doing what Batman does and only be wearing "tights" so they gave him a "tougher" rubber suit. Maybe it make sence but it's the first crack that opened the flood gates. Then came the X-men and they wern't going to give them all their colorful costumes "not realistic", remember the line in the movie between Logan and Scott about the outfits and Scott saying "what do you want, yellow spandex?". Not to mention the fact that in the comics going the "armor" look has been going on for a while - I first remember it standing out with Kyle Rayner's Green Lantern look. Unfortunate but that the way it is.

[Earth 2 Chris]

The rubber suit was developed to make tiny Michael Keaton look believable. The body armor angle was developed around it, although it was also influenced by Frank Miller's Dark Knight and the revelation that Batman wore body armor under his shirt.

Ever since, Hollywood has been stuck on over-armoring the hero. I think part of it is the fact that they want the hero wrapped in the budget. A big budget movie would be ill-represented in a costume no better than the Spider-Man making a mall appearance, to their minds.

Christian Bale is the first official actor to be built to play Batman, but yet he's armored. At least his armor is flexible and makes sense within the story though. I wasn't impressed with early concepts of Chris Evans' Cap suit, but I am now a big fan having seen it in action.

Chris

[kingdom warrior]

I remember when I was a kid when i first saw Chris Reeve's S shield I so disliked it because it wasn't like George Reeves shield. I got use to it and loved it.

Michael Keaton for me was the only one that made sense wearing body armor. he's not a built guy so it was the idea that he became larger than life with the armor on. also it's easier to shoot with stunt doubles.

What i didn't get that when Bale was cast we could have least gotten a year one type Batman. He could have had Kevlar underneath the classic outfit...but no we got a continuation of the rubber suit and that Dark knight suit was horrible waaaay overdone.

I agree about Spidey although I liked the look.....what bothered me was it didn't look like a teenager made it.

I kinda understood that we would never see Wolverine in his comic diggs because that suit just doesn't work but it does kill me that he'll never wear his mask on screen.

Thor works well although it wouldn't kill him to wear the helmet, I dug Ben Affleck's Daredevil costume I thought it worked well on screen.

I also really liked Ray Stevenson's costume as the Punisher that translated well.....

[ctc]

>why the superhero costumes in movies are so overdone today.

A lot of effects are the crews showing off, and the audience getting excited about it 'cos it fills up a lot of visual arc. The first listing here kinda gets into it:

The 10 Best Sci-Fi Films Never Made | Cracked.com

....but once you're chasing the overly-done scene dragon, it's hard to stop.... mostly 'cos the audience would then whine about how "cheap" everything looked.

>Reeve's costume proved that simple tights can work in a big budget film, so why overdo everything?

I've seen cosplayers that demonstrate that a comic costume can work in real life. AMATEUR cosplayers. Amateur JAPANESE cosplayers, with giant hair and weird shoulder pads that look just like the comic characters. And don't forget this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2JhQXCjTLY

AMATEUR!!!!!

*sigh*

Don C.

[Figuremod73]

The idea now is everything has to be explained and REALISTIC. I think thats whats wrong with most superhero films now. It cant be fantastical (couldnt think of an other word).

[enyawd72]

Another one I forgot about that I thought was fantastic was Billy Zane's Phantom costume. It was updated, but still just tights...GREAT costume.

[Figuremod73]

The Rockateer had a good costume to. I want to watch that again...

[kingdom warrior]

The Rockateer had a good costume to. I want to watch that again...

The Rocketeers costume is not really a costume. that was the geer that most aviators wore during that time. if you ever look at old aviator photos you'll see variations of that look. The design of the Helmet and rocket pack is what made it stand out and even that's an homage to Commando Cody. Dave just put everything he ever loved into a pot an mixed it all up and came up with something that we were familiar with but was very original.......

[Figuremod73]

Thats partly why I liked it

[Nostalgiabuff]

I thought the FF costumes worked well tooo. explainde within the story line but it was still tights and Jessica Alba sure filled them out nicely

[emeraldknight47]

I thought the FF costumes worked well tooo. explainde within the story line but it was still tights and Jessica Alba sure filled them out nicely

Regarding Jessica Alba---she certainly did! I just wish her powers would've gone haywire and made her CLOTHES turn invisible, but leave her body totally visible. Betcha FF's grosses would've been waaaay higher!!!!!

[jwyblejr]

I thought that actually did happen? Didn't last very long though.

[MIB41]

Literal translations sometimes help or hurt the character based on who it is. So even when they get it right, people are still not happy. Case in point...

The Phantom


About as faithful an interpretation as any that have been done from the comics. I enjoyed it myself. But I also understood why others didn't. A figure dressed like this in broad daylight didn't lend dramatic appeal to a general audience. Some classified it as camp. But it wasn't. The makers were simply being faithful to the comic in all aspects from appearance to story application. While considered a cult classic, it's generally viewed as a box office failure.

I think the camp aspect though is what Studios fear and why characters like Batman will NEVER see themselves depicted in tights. Even though we have perfectly legitimate examples of how well that can be created and filmed as Sandy has so skillfully and masterfully demonstrated in Batman Dead end, Studios remain far away from that interpretation. To some degree I think that stigma will always be a part of comic related characters. No Studio wants a character wearing something that looks like it was made at home. It needs to be in a Toy-etiquette type of style so it can be merchandised.

[jds1911a1]

Regarding Jessica Alba---she certainly did! I just wish her powers would've gone haywire and made her CLOTHES turn invisible, but leave her body totally visible. Betcha FF's grosses would've been waaaay higher!!!!!

she has never apeared that way even when she plays a stripper in Sin city she never goes less than a bra and panty shot.