Costume pictures have been singled out as a form that appeals particularly to women through the use of dress. Yet they are also some of the most complicated films in terms of their use of fashion to play with time, evoke memory, produce spectacular displays, create new dress codes all while playing with women’s own history. Even as they take liberties with the past, these films represent one of the more complicated manifestations of the use of fashion in film. Concentrating on at least one film of your choice, explore how it establishes the significance of dress and prioritizes the female spectator.
