Anna Karenina

Based upon Leo Tolstoy's 1877 novel of the same name, this 2012 version of the Russian classic adds a new spin upon typical movie filming.  Directed by Joe Wright, staring Keira Knightly and Jude Law.  Costumes designed by Jacqueline Durran.

Anna Karenina (Knightly) is wife of Russian statesman Alexi Karenin (Law).  On a trip to visit her sister, Anna meets cavalry officer Alexei Vronsky.  At her sisters coming of age ball, the two of them dance together and BAM.  Instant sparks.  This starts an affair between the two of them which causes Anna's marriage to crumble apart.

I'm a symbolism nut.  There is no other way to describe it.  The symbolism behind the costumes in this movie give an interesting type of depth to the movie. Within the trailer alone, the one right up there ^^^, the symbolism behind the changing of Anna's costumes give her herself an interesting characterization.  For example, all of her dresses within the trailer are dark -  red, black, blue, yet with small aspects of white.  However, when it is evident that she is feeling vulnerable, she is in white.  Her veil that is present throughout some scenes symbolizes (heheh alliteration) that she feels the need to hide herself and hide who she is and what she feels. All of the whites, in contrast to the darker colors, are pure whites.  Not creams, or beige, or off whites, or ivory, but pure white.  This increases the contrast between Anna and Kitty, Anna and Vronsky, and also the contrast between when Anna is feeling vulnerable and when she is not.  Wright's vision for the movie was to have it take place within a giant theater, making the entire movie an allegory for everyone is pretty much living in a production of who society wants them to be.  There are only a handful of scenes which do not take place in the theater with the rest of the film, some of those scenes including contact between Anna and Vronsky.

In the above video, Jacqueline Durran explains the thought process behind the costumes within the movie.  Joe Wright decided that he wanted to break the already broken rules of a period film and mix 1950s couture with 1870s classic Russian style.  Not all accurate to the exact timing of the film, these costumes do indeed add another depth.  Through the colors and fabrics and silhouettes.  Jude Law came up with the idea that by having his tunic very basic and crisp and pristine, this would give the viewer more of the realization that he is in fact a very successful statesman.  And this point is brought across via his simple costuming.

Jacqueline Durran won the Academy Award for her work on Anna Karenina, something I feel is so incredibly deserved on her part.  These costumes within this movie are my favorite costumes out of any movie.  Ever.  No joke.  The creative combination of eras, styles, and the use of colors and fabrics gives a whole new and interesting depth to the movie and to the characters.

SPECIFIC PICTURE TIME YAYYYYY

This is the part i was talking about.  The part where they're dancing for the first time and the juxtaposition between the pure white and the pure black.









VEIL!!!! And not only a veil.  A black veil.  The pure and overwhelming symbolism in that one shot is just gahhhhhhh









This is one of the examples of Durran's use of the 1950's bodice with the 1870's skirts.

A small example of Karenin's basic costume.  The only embellishment upon his costume is the medal which he wears only in the beginning and the red sash which he wears throughout the whole movie.  Besides that, his whole costume is a simple blue tunic.

Anna's foil throughout the movie is her friend Kitty.  First off, Kitty marries for love.  She marries for love and stays faithful to Lennin (played by Bill Weasly), unlike Anna and her relationships.  This is also portrayed through her costumes.  All of her costumes are white and happy and innocent and reflect every aspect of her character.





IMDb for Anna Karenina
Or, for you sophisticated people, the Wikipeda