This is an occasional series highlighting historical movie and TV costumes that best represent the decade they were produced in. They may or may not be the most historically accurate, but we think these costumes stand out as icons of when they were made. Comment with your faves, and watch the blog for the next decade we review!
I addressed the years 1990-1992 in my previous post, so go visit it if you panic and don’t happen to see, like, Bram Stoker’s Dracula listed here. Also, since I’ve got two more installments of this list to completely cover the decade, if you don’t see a specific film here, it’s probably because I had to break the massive list into four separate chunks because I didn’t want to write a post featuring 70+ films.
Far and Away (1992)
Like Water for Chocolate (1992)
The Age of Innocence (1993)
The Advocate (1993)
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993-1998)
The Remains of the Day (1993)
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
The Secret Garden (1993)
The Three Musketeers (1993)
Tombstone (1993)
Ed Wood (1994)
Immortal Beloved (1994)
La Reine Margot (1994)
Legends of the Fall (1994)
The Madness of King George (1994)
Scarlett (1994)
Little Women (1994)
Angels & Insects (1995)
Braveheart (1995)
The Buccaneers (1995)
Cutthroat Island (1995)
Persuasion (1995)
Pride and Prejudice (1995)
What’s your favorite iconic historical movie costume of the 1990s? What do you expect to see in parts three and four of this series?
I remember watching The Secret Garden in theaters and later being perplexed by the book. A throwaway scene in the flick (Colin standing for the first time) was a huge climatic moment in the book. Meanwhile, towards the end of the film plenty of people were saying Colin wasn’t sick all along, while in the book he was frequently ill.
On the topic of Francis Hodgson Burnett, I remember not caring much for the movie as I read the book first. Cue a couple of years ago, when I bought a visual novel adaptation, A Little Lily Princess, which I adore and replay often.
Brilliant! I’ve actually seen most of those, and boy! They plumb the depths more than they scale the heights dontcha think? Fun!
The nineties had so many great historical costume films and miniseries.
Keep in mind that Men in Tights deliberately messed with historical accuracy as a cut at Costner’s pretensions to achieving accuracy.
What I find ironic about the 1995 adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice”, which I absolutely adore, is that it’s set in the wrong time period. The novel was set near the end of the 1790s, despite being published in 1813. And yet, many people regard the early 1810s as its proper setting. Ironic.
Austen actually left behind calendars from the correct period that she used to develop her timelines.
There were Empire style gowns during this transition period. But mainly they were popular in France. I can see Darcy’s set dressed in Empire fashion forward style. But the Bennet sisters should still be in structured corset shaped wear.
I’ve always loved Men In Tights, but seeing it again after watching the Errol Flynn Robin Hood made it EVEN FUNNIER.
Holy shit! Why didn’t I think of doing this! Thanks for the idea, now I need to make this happen!!!!!
Watching the Errol Flynn movie is vital to having full appreciation for some of the scenes in ‘Men In Tights’. Cary Elwes is definitely doing his best EF impersonation.
One needs a triple feature: The Adventures of Robin Hood; Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves; and Men In Tights.
So many favourites from the 1990s from Pride and Prejudice, The Buccaneers, The Madness of King George, The Age of Innocence, Queen Margot, Remains of the Day, to Little Women and Angels & Insects.
There’s also Mountains of the Moon the story of Sir Richard Burton’s and Speke’s search for the original of the Nile with Harry Potter’s Aunt Fiona Shaw as Lady Burton, a very young Richard E Grant, Iain Glenn and Patrick Bergin.
I’d almost forgotten about “Mountains of the Moon.” As I recall, it was a gorgeous production, but didn’t quite capture Burton’s personality. Always good to see Fiona Shaw, although the scene of Burton and Isabel Arundell Burton, a devout and respectable Catholic lady, indulging in premarital sex was…unlikely. We really need an epic Masterpiece Theatre-type series about the Burtons.
I agree. Hopefully if they do, they won’t turn her into a 21st century woman. I always though tat Isabel Arundell Burton was more like Mollie in Wives and Daughters. She did travel extensively with Burton after they were married.
I’ve not seen Mountains of the Moon but I remember an early 1970s BBC mini-series entitled The Search for the Nile that was quite well done and delved into Burton’s relationship with his wife and his rivalry with Speke.
For me it is all about Persuasion. Candle light, bad teeth, sweat, dirty clothes, clothes that look like they were made by different people not all from the same pattern, and had been washed and pressed. And Lyme!!! Although they used the new steps not the old ones – I was too scared to even try the old ones as they’re just stubs of rock sticking out of the Cobb, no wonder she fell off it!
I agree. That 1995 Persuasion film is one of the best ’90s costume dramas. The funny thing is that it’s really a “mud & pigs” (to use a Frock Flicks term) production, with Anne riding on a wagon with actual livestock (http://www.cap-that.com/austen/persuasion/1995/images/persuasion-1995_0410.jpg); muddy hems and dirty, stocking-clad feet exposed in front of company (http://www.cap-that.com/austen/persuasion/1995/images/persuasion-1995_1379.jpg); and women going bareheaded in public (http://www.cap-that.com/austen/persuasion/1995/images/persuasion-1995_2854.jpg). However, the difference between it and the notorious “mud & pigs” period films is that it doesn’t simply throw dirt and messy wigs on glamorous Hollywood actors (e.g., Keira Knightley) and call it a day; it uses people who don’t resemble fashion models and makes a serious attempt to replicate the clothing and surroundings of Regency England.
Indeed! I think it was a game changer and heralded in the “mud and pigs” era but as usual, followers can miss the entire point!
I’ve watched many of the films and programmes listed here. Many thanks for the trip down memory lane!!!