Editor’s note: This is part of a 32-part series dissecting the 85th Academy Awards, brought to you by the Large Association of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up to the Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, each covering a different category of the Oscars. To read the other posts regarding this event, please click here. Thank you, and enjoy!
By Iba of I Luv Cinema
It’s Hair AND Makeup Time, Darlin’
What I find interesting about this Academy Award category are that the three nominees honored offer a mixture of styles, ranging from the exemplary showcases of traditional, based-in-reality makeup and hair work to the other-worldly creation creations of alien beings.
This year, each of the films selected have equal merit for their achievement in the category.
Hitchcock
(Nominees: Howard Berger, Peter Montagna, Martin Samuel)
As a film this was a bit of a let down (URL: http://iluvcinema.com/2012/11/hitchcock-2012/), but if thee is one thing to be said, the makeup, in particular the transformation of Antony Hopkins into the Master of Suspense makes this film worth the nod.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
(Nominees: Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater, Tami Lane)
There is nothing really to be said about this except that the hair and makeup is VITAL to transporting its audience to Middle Earth. As was previously exhibited in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this is accomplished seamlessly.
Les Misérables
(Nominees: Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell)
One thing that is often taken for granted is how hard it is create a world that at its grimiest is one where people look particularly downtrodden and poverty-stricken. Is not as simple as smearing black, greasy paint on someone’s face, messing up the hair a bit and calling it a day – attention to detail is essential to convincing the audience that they are in revolutionary France. And yes there are equally as many classically refined, polished examples in the film showcasing excellence in hair and makeup. But in my simple mind, when I think about 19th century France, I think of grime and dirt, so that is what I focused on (sorry).
ILC’s Take: Could these films be any more dissimilar? Probably not. I find it a bit difficult to identify one that stands out among the best; all of these films are worthy. But if I had to go with my gut and if I were to simply look at the history of winners in this category, I would wager that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey brings home the gold later this month.