Cannonball! (1976)

There are many B-films that can be very enjoyable when you enter them with a different state of mind. You have to realize yourself the acting will be bad, characters will be foolish and the fact that you have to see the film as a caricature of some aspects of society - just don't take it serious. This is one of these films and it really provided for some very comic moments from time to time.

Add up to it the lovely cars chasing and wrecking each other. There's the fire-red 1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am driven by the protagonist (David Carradine), the 1976 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and the amazing yellow DeTomaso Pantera (designed by Tom Tjaarda). Ford supplied the engine for the Pantera to compete with General Motors and their GT car: the Corvette. Without a single doubt I prefer the Pantera - I would love to be in the drivers seat of that car one day, damn. Watch out for the still with Martin Scorsese, Paul Bartel (director of Cannonball) and Sylvester Stallone eating some Kentucky Fried Chicken accompanied by some wine.

Big Fish (2003)

Writing about the marvelous precision and carefulness in the choice of setting, decor and costumes of Anderson made me think about another director with almost as much sense for these aspects of film: Tim Burton. Although with a slightly different approach since he loves fiction and injects the fantasy element to most of his works.

Big Fish takes place in the American countryside which provides much space for old American tradition and clothing. I really love the oil-waxed cotton duck (deriving from the Dutch 'katoen doek') jacket worn by the farmer, the canvas and leather rucksack (another Dutch derivation) that could have been a Filson, the 1966 Dodge Charger and of course the deck shoes which probably are my favorite type of footwear. Although I sometimes long to the time where people wore no shoes at all and enjoyed wobbling rocking chairs. As a child growing up in Cameroon I didn't wear shoes for most of the time and it gives you a certain kind of freedom. Another interesting item featured in the film is the money bag with the ziplock (where Anothersomething recently did a small article on). See for yourself.

Rushmore (1998)

Wes Anderson. Need I say more?

Okay, just a few words. Not Anderson's first feature-length film, although it is the first in which we really recognize his 'stilo'. Stilo was the term used by Truffaut and friends to indicate the mark a director left on his motion picture. Anderson was a distinct fan of the French new wave directors and that is sure to be seen in all of his works. He directs his movies almost as if they are theatrical plays. Costumes and decors are as important to him as dialogues and script. Still through the use of subtleties he creates movies which are full of drama, humor and compassion.

Rushmore, a story on friendship, love and ambition set against the backdrop of the American university tradition. A tradition of competition that opened up the door to the new elitist 'ivy style'. A style lately more and more popular resulting in the re-release of the Japanese classic Take Ivy and the British The Ivy Look. Anderson was long familiar with the ivy look. The button-down Oxford shirts worn by all the students, the turtleneck sweater under a tweed-jacket and the iconic harrington jacket. The classic chicano look, light-blue oxford shirt with only the top-button fastened and accompanied by all black sunglasses, is not ivy at all but it has just as much style. And note the giant headlight on Max's racebike.

ps. I had to select all these portraits of Bill Murray. He's the king of facial expressions without expression. Together with Anderson he's just it. Every single shirt matches his tie, or the other way around. Awesomeness.

Juice (1992)

If you haven't seen this classic from '92 you definitely should and If you haven't even heard of it you should feel ashamed. Simply because of the main two reasons: the awesome music and haircuts.

Street cultures in New York around the 80's and 90's were dominated by the still young hip-hop. A culture originated in the Bronx, where Juice will bring you the story about four friends up in Harlem. The intro credits wouldn't have been any special if it weren't for the title song played in the background by Eric B. and Rakim. Not to mention the appearance of the EPMD members, a whole lot of vinyl records, Pete Rock and DJ Scratch and of course Tupac acting. I only dreamed of having an afro haircut like Bishop, the character played by Shakur, who wins the award for Best Haircut by far.

Well see for yourself and check out the Reebok Pumps, Timbs and jeans (501's that is), denim jackets, dungarees, red and black lumberjacks, wayfarers and the parka's worn by Omar Epps. Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention Steel, the guy with his name shaved in the back of his head and Raheem with the rolled up sleeves.

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!).