Public Enemies (2009)

The aspect of cinema that keeps me fascinated is the visual appearance of characters. Where in books a character is described with words and lots of visual meaning is added by the reader, in film this description is fully given through images including facial features, clothing and movements. Because of that characters will always be ideal - just like the marble sculptures from the ancient Greeks. They are played by the best looking actors/actresses and look like they just took a shower after visiting the hairdresser and got themselves some crispy new clothes. You never see the average joe from the around the block. Please note I need to generalize here. And it's even more interesting if the film is historic or based on a true story, since there are facts on the original story and perhaps some pictures available.

As is with Public Enemies, which is all about John Dillinger. John Dillinger has had the luck to be played by John Depp II. If you've never seen any picture of the real John you would think that he was the most stylish guy in every State of America at the time. Don't get me wrong, Dillinger wasn't under dressed but Depp simply manages to portray a character that's the only remembrance you have afterwards. Enough. Other details in the film are almost as impressing. As for the heavy cotton prisoner outfits, the tweed coat with the blocked pattern, the dashboard of an old 1920's Ford model and all the different hat styles (including the prison one!).

Les Quatre Cents Coups (1959)

In the mid 50's it were the editors of the critical film magazine Cahiers du Cinema who would soon lay down the foundation for a revolution in cinema later named 'The New Wave'. Amongst them was Francois Truffaut who had written the 1954 controversial essay "Une Certaine Tendance du Cinéma Français" in which he attacked all of France's cinema. A couple of years later he, as well as fellow colleagues like Godard and Rivette, would actually show what cinema should be like. This is the debut by Truffaut and even at the time it was greatly appreciated which resulted in winning the Cannes 'Best Director' award. He dedicated this movie to the founder of Cahiers du Cinema, André Bazin, who passed away a year earlier.

Truffaut did a great job on casting the talented Jean-Pierre Léaud who gives an astonishing performance as a young rebel. It's shot in the streets of Paris, a great environment to find well dressed people at all times. They must have been wearing the duffle coat a lot these days because the film is full of them. Just as the French beret, but that's no surprise.

Lat Sau San Taam (1992)

By far one of the best bullet spraying action films.
John Woo certainly loves small details like cigarettes, sunglasses and watches, preferably gold. It's the typical early 90's way too over-sized suits with bright colored Hawaiian shirts that are the most striking. Big-up to the young Tony Leung for his stunning appearance next to the great Chow Yun-Fat and Philip Kwok (known for his appearance in many Shaw Brothers movies).

Soleil Rouge (1971)

Still Stile is dedicated to style in cinema. It's focus is primary on men's style consisting of clothing and accessories like hats, ties, gloves, glasses and watches. To broaden this framework I will add to it other style attributes like cars, cigarettes, guns, facial expressions, movements and postures.

The discussion to whether style is subject to subjectivity will always continue, the same as there is on paintings and other art forms. For me the over-quoted quote by Coco Chanel: "Fashion fades, only style remains the same" is very pertinent. Although I think style is still very socially constructed and therefore interconnected with economic status and culture. So I think style can be divided in different ranges and it's my intent to cover them all. Ten still images from one feature-length film a week.

I will start off with a first series of still images captured from the 1971 western Soleil Rouge directed by Terence Young, famous for directing the first James Bond movie Dr. No. A feature-length film with a blend of American (Charles Bronson), French (Alain Delon) and Japanese actors. Western styles, Americana looks and of course the iconic Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune in his classical samurai outfit. Enjoy.