Friday, July 30, 2010

The Tale of Despereaux maquettes and miniatures...

This is the final installment of all the wonderful costumes, props and models that were on display on my latest visit to Universal Studios Hollywood on June 21, 2010.
Today is the turn of the 2008 computer-animated feature film The Tale of Despereaux, featuring maquettes and miniatures used in the creation of the movie.
Maquettes from The Tale of Despereaux
The Tale of Despereaux maquette
The Tale of Despereaux unpainted maquettes
Most CGI (computer-generated imagery) animated characters start life as a sketch or small sculptures called 'maquettes'. The small model serves as a reference aid for the animator when creating a computer image of the character.
Despereaux character maquette
The Tale of Despereaux mouse modelThe Tale of Despereaux animation maquette
The adventurous mouse 'Despereaux Tilling' is voiced by Matthew Broderick.
Unpainted Roscuro maquette from The Tale of Despereaux
The Tale of Despereaux Roscuro maquette
'Roscuro' the rat is voiced by Dustin Hoffman.
Miggery Sow painted maquette from The Tale of Despereaux
The Tale of Despereaux Miggery Sow maquette
In the movie 'Princess Pea's' servant girl, 'Miggery Sow', is voiced by Tracey Ullman.
Unpainted Andre maquette from The Tale of Despereaux
The Tale of Despereaux Andre maquette
The Tale of Despereaux Andre maquette
Kevin Kline provides the voice for 'Chef Andre'.
The Tale of Despereaux movie poster
The Tale of Despereaux poster
In addition to the wonderful character maquettes, there were also a number of miniatures from the movie on display.
Mouse House miniature from The Tale of Despereaux
The Tale of Despereaux mouse house miniature
Pin Cushion Shelter miniature from The Tale of Despereaux
The Tale of Despereaux pin cushion shelter miniature
Jewelry Box miniature from The Tale of Despereaux
The Tale of Despereaux jewelry box miniature
Hat Models miniature from The Tale of Despereaux
The Tale of Despereaux hat miniatures
If you want to see more behind-the-scenes secrets from Universal Studios be sure to check out these other movie and TV costumes, props and models that were part of the recent exhibit.

Monday, July 26, 2010

1962 Corvette featured in Route 66 TV series...

Route 66 was a weekly 1960's American TV series where two young men travelled across America in a Corvette convertible.
The show which ran from 1960 to 1964 starred Martin Milner as 'Tod Stiles' and for two and a half seasons George Maharis as 'Buz Murdock'. Due to health reasons Glenn Corbett replaced Maharis late in the third season and traveled with him as 'Lincoln Case', until the show ended with the fourth and final season.
1962 Chevrolet Corvette from Route 66
1962 Chevrolet Corvette Route 66 TV show
This car on display at the 16th Annual Gilmore Heritage Auto Show at the Farmers Market in L.A. on June 5, 2010, was one of the Corvettes used in Route 66.
According to Wikipedia, several cars were used over the course of the filming of the black and white television series, as the Corvette was annually replaced with a newer model by General Motors, the shows' sponsor.
Route 66 DVD cover art
Route 66 TV show

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Classic and new Battlestar Galactica costumes on display...

In 1978 Glen A. Larson created the Battlestar Galactica TV show, which was later re-imagined in 2003 by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick as a mini-series, which then spawned a critically acclaimed TV series that ran from 2004 to 2009.
The sci-fi shows followed the survivors of the Twelve Colonies, which had been decimated by the robotic Cylons, as they searched, in a fleet of ragtag spacecraft led by the last Colonial warship Battlestar Galactica, for the fabled Thirteenth Colony of Earth.
Classic and new series Battlestar Galactica costume exhibit
at Universal Studios Hollywood
Battlestar Galactica costume exhibit
Original Battlestar Galactica costumes
Actual Battlestar Galactica outfits
This fantastic costume and prop exhibit was photographed at Universal Studios Hollywood on June 21, 2010, with outfits from both the cult classic 1978-1979 series and the re-imagined show on display.
1970's Battlestar Galactica Colonial Warrior costume
Classic Battlestar Galactica Colonial Warrior costume
Battlestar Galactica Colonial Warrior costume
Jean-Pierre Dorleac was the original series Costume Designer and was also responsible for other great wardrobes in 1980's TV shows like Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Airwolf, Automan and Quantum Leap, to name but a few.
Classic Battlestar Galactica TV poster
Original Battlestar Galactica poster
Gleene Campbell was the Costume Designer for the modern day version of Battlestar Galactica and was even nominated along with his team for a 2004 Emmy for Outstanding Costumes for a Series.
Admiral Duty Blues costume worn by
Michelle Forbes in Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica Duty Blues costumeAuthentic Battlestar Galactica costumes
This 'Duty Blues' outfit was worn by Michelle Forbes when she notoriously guest-starred as 'Admiral Helena Cain' in Battlestar Galactica episodes 'Pegasus', the two-part 'Resurrection Ship' and the 2007 TV movie 'Razor'.
Michelle Forbes in costume as Admiral Cain
Michelle Forbes Battlestar Galactica
Also on display with the original costumes was this 'Top Gun' tankard prop used in the season two episode 'Scar'. 'Starbuck' (Katee Sackhoff) concedes the title of 'Top Gun' to her rival pilot 'Kat' and lets her drink from the coveted beer stein after she shoots down a scarred Cylon Raider that has been stalking the fleet.
Beer stein prop from the 2004-2009 Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica tankard prop
Finally be sure to check out Katee Sackhoff's 'Starbuck' Viper pilot flight-suit that was previously on display at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Props from Dinner for Schmucks on display...

In Dinner for Schmucks, the remake of the 1998 French film The Dinner Game (Le Diner de Cons), Paul Rudd plays a rising executive who must bring the dumbest guest to his boss's 'Dinner for Idiots' in order get his promotion and the perks that go with it.

He finds Steve Carrell's nerdy 'Barry' and these mouse figurine props seem to be from his character's private collection, what he calls his 'mouse-terpieces'.

Actual model props featured in Dinner for Schmucks
Original Dinner for Schmucks movie props
Dinner for Schmucks movie prop display
These original props from the movie were photographed on July 21, 2010 at ArcLight Hollywood cinema.

These faux taxidermied mice creations are the work of Stephen, Charles and Edward Chido, the Bronx-born brothers and F/X artists also responsible for the puppets used in Team America: World Police.

Dinner for Schmucks movie billboard
Dinner for Schmucks movie billboard

Dinner for Schmucks prop exhibit
at ArcLight Hollywood cinema
Dinner for Schmucks movie propsDinner for Schmucks film model props
Dinner for Schmucks mouse models
If you like these models be sure to check out the other movie models featured on Hollywood Movie Costumes and Props.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Movie costumes from The Kids Are All Right...

In the Indie comedy drama The Kids Are All Right, the teenage children of a lesbian couple, played by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore, decide to get in contact with their sperm donor father, played by Mark Ruffalo.
Here are some of the original costumes featured in the sweet, funny and moving movie at the ArcLight Hollywood, including outfits worn by Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and Yaya DaCosta on display in the cinema foyer on July 12, 2010 and later moved upstairs for cinema goers to enjoy.
ArcLight Hollywood movie costume exhibit
for The Kids Are All Right
The Kids Are All Right costume display
The Kids Are All Right movie outfitsThe Kids Are All Right Julianne Moore costume
Mark Ruffalo The Kids Are All Right costume
The Kids Are All Right film costumes
Mary Claire Hannan was responsible for Costume Design on the movie.
The Kids Are All Right movie poster
The Kids Are All Right poster
The grey outfit of the left was worn by Annette Bening as 'Nic' and the clothes on the right by Julianne Moore as 'Jules', who play the same-sex partners and mothers of the children in the movie.
Costumes worn by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore
in The Kids Are All Right
The Kids Are All Right film costumes
The Kids Are All Right Nic and Jules costumes
The outfits were from a scene where they were sat watching TV towards the start of the movie.
Outfits worn by Yaya DaCosta and Mark Ruffalo
in The Kids Are All Right
The Kids Are All Right movie costumesThe Kids Are All Right Mark Ruffalo costume
The Kids Are All Right Tanya and Paul costumes
The outfit on the right was worn by Mark Ruffalo as 'Paul', the kids biological father by artificial insemination, when he his working in his co-op vegetable garden at the beginning of the movie. The costume of the left was worn by Yaya DaCosta as 'Tanya', his restaurant employee and occasional lover.
Another set of costumes form the movie could be seen on display at ArcLight Sherman Oaks and this exhibit featured costumes worn by Josh Hutcherson as the fifteen year old son, 'Laser', and by Mia Wasikowska as eighteen year old 'Joni'.
Costumes worn by Josh Hutcherson and Mia Wasikowska in
The Kids Are All Right at ArcLight Sherman Oaks cinema
The Kids Are All Right costumesThe Kids Are All Right movie costumes
The Kids Are All Right Laser and Joni costumes
You may also like to check out the dress worn by Mia Wasikowska in Alice in Wonderland.
If you like this movie you may also like the costumes from Harvey Milk's biopic movie MILK.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The Sorcerer's Apprentice movie costumes on display...

In Disney's 2010 fantasy adventure The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Nicolas Cage plays 'Balthazar Blake', a master sorcerer who recruits a reluctant protege, Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), to help him combat the forces of evil in modern day Manhattan.
Original movie costumes from The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Original The Sorcerer's Apprentice movie costumesDave and Balthazar Sorcerer's Apprentice costumes
This fantastic selection of lead cast costumes from the movie was on display in the foyer of ArcLight Sherman Oaks cinema on July 19, 2010.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice movie billboard
Disney The Sorcerer's Apprentice bilboard
The original costume display featured outfits worn by Jay Baruchel as college student 'Dave' and Nicolas Cage's sorcerer 'Balthazar'.
Costumes worn by Jay Baruchel and Nicolas Cage
in The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Nicholas Cage Sorcerer's Apprentice Balthazar costume
The Sorcerer's Apprentice Dave and Balthazar costumes
Michael Kaplan was responsible for Costume Design on the movie and past credits have included costumes for JJ Abrams 2009 reinvention of Star Trek.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice movie poster
The Sorcerer's Apprentice movie poster
In the film Balthazar's magical arch-nemesis, 'Maxim Horvath', is played by Alfred Molina. The movie costume exhibit featured one of his outfits from the movie, including his cane.
Maxim Horvath's costume worn by Alfred Molina
in The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Alfred Molina Sorcerer's Apprentice Horvath costumeThe Sorcerer's Apprentice Horvath cane film propThe Sorcerer's Apprentice Horvath costume
The Sorcerer's Apprentice movie poster
The Sorcerer's Apprentice poster
If you like this film you may also like to check out more original costumes and props from other Disney movies like Alice in Wonderland.