Costumes - Firefly vs. Serenity

POSTED BY: alaskamike
UPDATED: Thursday, November 15, 2007 14:09
VIEWED: 8995
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ALASKAMIKE

Monday, February 6, 2006 2:53 AM

Is there a reason why costumes have to be tinkered with between TV and movies? They did it in all of the Star Trek movies, but I thought that was just to highlight the passing of time between the TV show and the movies.

Why did they have to change Mal's suspenders and Wash's vest? I thought their costumes in Serenity looked more "gimmicky" than in Firefly. Not to obsesss over it all, just curious...

JONUS

Monday, February 6, 2006 3:14 AM

I liked the costumes in Serenity better. Wash's suit was awesome (gotta get me one of those) and I liked Mal's suspenders. But Book looked like he aged 10 years since Firefly.

Mal would kick Han Solo's ass.

MER

Monday, February 6, 2006 3:35 AM

Book looks older b/c of the lighting. It's all natural light, so you can see how much his face indents in certain parts b/c of his age.

On the show it's very flat studio color (usually yellow or a cool light blue).

But that's an opinion, so I might not be right.

I would suspect a differnt fashion designer, but it probably mentioned a specific reason in the Visual Companion.

In some ways, I kind of like the cotume for the show better, but it all counts on the character. Like Mal and Wash's outfits looked better in the film unlike the others where I liked the firefly costumes more or just about the same.

FOLLOWMAL

Monday, February 6, 2006 3:48 AM

I liked Mal's costumes BETTER in Firefly than in Serenity. But, that being said, I still loved all the looks in Serenity. Particularly Zoe's, she looked sharp. I liked Wash's uniform look better too.

" You hold. Hold til I get back." Mal

MILFORD

Monday, February 6, 2006 3:48 AM

Sometimes clothes and fabrics just look different on film. TV doesn't allow for a lot of texture and whatnot, so they don't have to be too concerned about it. However, when you transfer those things to a high-texture environment like film it doesn't always transfer well. Things either look too cheap, too rough, or just plain crappy. So in the case of FF/S constumes, you'll notice that the fabrics, not just the clothes, are different.

That being said, I do wish they had kept the FF suspenders for Mal. I wasn't too keen on the fancy futuristic ones from Serenity.

Remember, that but for one trifling exception, the entire universe is made up of others.- Oliver Wendall Holmes

JUGGERNAUT

Monday, February 6, 2006 4:00 AM

I wasn't a big fan of the "Space Suspenders" Mal wore in Serenity -- they seemed to be way too "Look at me -- I'm from the future, because they don't have suspenders like that nowadays..."

But the more I think about it, the more I get it. Joss is always saying (in the visual companion and other places) that nothing should "just be one thing." You shouldn't hear the music and have it be "just western, techno or new age." You shouldn't look at Inara and think her style is that of a geisha, and you shouldn't look at Mal and think he's straight out of a western.

So, in that sense, I guess it makes sense. The suspenders are a reminder that, yes, high technology does exist.

NCBROWNCOAT

Monday, February 6, 2006 4:22 AM

I didn't like the suspenders in Serenity either and I missed the Hawaiian shirts on Wash. It was a central part of his character.

I also thought Mal looked quite a bit more angular in the face in Serenity It could have been the lighting (see the Visual Companion) or Joss had Nathan actually lose weight. In the EW article on Nathan in September (I just found it online and read it) Nahtan mentions that he gained 20 pounds after Firefly was cancelled but he looked even thinner in Serenity than in Firefly.

JETGIRL23

Monday, February 6, 2006 6:14 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by ncbrowncoat:
I also thought Mal looked quite a bit more angular in the face in Serenity It could have been the lighting (see the Visual Companion) or Joss had Nathan actually lose weight. In the EW article on Nathan in September (I just found it online and read it) Nahtan mentions that he gained 20 pounds after Firefly was cancelled but he looked even thinner in Serenity than in Firefly.

Well...I have to assume that knowing he was going to do the BDM...Nathan got in spectacular shape before filming...back to my constant notice of how much better shape he was in from the nude scene in Trash to the topless scene in the BDM. Notice the hairless chest...the tan...the ....oh..sorry....

Also...given that he had to work 17 hour days on the BDM for a couple of months...he probably lost even more weight and probably was given a trainer in the film budget.

All the actors looked in better shape for the movie..I think Joss mentions in the commentary..how very pretty they all got for it.

But it did bother me (slightly)...the obviousness of having a different hair and make up person..especially on Kaylee and Inara...( Not on Nathan though...thank god someone finally gave him a good haircut for the movie) I must say, I liked the "lowend" vibe of the TV look better on the girls...I did not liked how much they toned down Inaras very colorful make up from the show. (Except in the very last scene with Mal and Inara..which another post pointed out made her look very sweet..I concure)

I chalk it up to the difference in TV and Film production..TV is less money...less time...etc...and for film...you get a "higher end"...more money..more time...personell with a bit of an attitude...Doesnt always translate to better but...

"Faster would be better" - Mal - BDM
What's the point of wearing your favorite rocketship underpants if nobody ever asks to see 'em? – Calvin
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=16441 - Newbie Thread

NUCLEARDAY

Monday, February 6, 2006 1:16 PM

Yeah, Mal's suspenders were bothering me for a bit. After the third or fourth time I'd seen it, though, I sort of got used to it and started to understand where they were coming from. They are definately "space suspenders", so I kind of like it in that it serves to mix up the genres a bit. I mean, how many sci-fi heroes flaunt suspenders these days? Or ever?

Really, really, really missed Wash's hawaiian shirts, though. Sure, his jumpsuit was cool, and I sorta dug that vest thing. But, come on... it's Wash, people. How hard would it be to throw a shirt on over that?

One thing that sorta bugs me, though, is Simon's costumes. I rather liked his "upper-class dandy" outfits from the show. In the BDM, though, he's more of "guy in a snazzy sweater."

Seems they definately lost some of their "Western" feel though, for the movie. Alot more Bladerunner than western alot of times. No one else's costumes really threw me too much, though. And at least they stayed fairly loyal to what we were used to seeing, just with a few modifications.

MILFORD

Monday, February 6, 2006 2:06 PM

The only costuming change I really had a problem with was Wash's little leathery lookin harness he wore at the beginning. I didn't mind the look, but it was obvious that it served absolutely no purpose. Though I wasn't a big fan of the space suspenders, they did do the job of keeping Mal's pants up. However, when I watched Serenity AGAIN the other night, I couldn't figure out what in the world that harness would do. There was no function in it. It was simply a cheesy sci-fi uniform thinger that looks cool but serves no purpose. Usually Joss is better than that, but nobody's perfect.

Remember, that but for one trifling exception, the entire universe is made up of others.- Oliver Wendall Holmes

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