In 2004, American filmmaker Steven Spielberg returned to Tom Hanks and comedy, two years after the highly stylized “Catch Me If You Can”. Halfway between Franz Kafka and Frank Capra, the almost Robinson-like hero of “Terminal” alternates between rustic style and Hugo Boss costume. Other than that, anything to report? This is without counting on a strange little detail which could well make us think.
(Cover photo credit: “The Terminal” by Steven Spielberg, 2004 - IMAGO/Everett Collection)
THE PITCH: A MAN, AN AIRPORT AND A MYSTERIOUS BOX OF PEANUTS
Viktor Navorski is a tourist from Krakozie. It is an imaginary country, which entered into civil war during its flight to the United States. Blocked upon his arrival at JFK airport in New York, he is now stuck for administrative reasons. He can therefore neither return home nor enter American soil. What to do while waiting for the situation to resolve?
Viktor Navorski doesn't speak English well, doesn't know anyone and doesn't have an American penny in his pocket. But he is resourceful and has a heart, which could well change the opinion of the strange commercial "village" in which he is held. In his luggage, a box of peanuts visibly hides the secret of his visit to the USA...
We no longer present the American filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Made between “Catch Me If You Can” with Leonardo Di Caprio and “War of the Worlds” with Tom Cruise, “The Terminal” is sometimes presented as a minor film in light of the director's work. It is partially inspired by a true story, which itself gave rise to another film a few years before: “Tombés du ciel” by Philippe Lioret, with Jean Rochefort.
“The Terminal” is a “feel good” type film. But it is also a more committed comedy than it seems, which questions, among other things, immigration procedures and a certain dehumanization of society. In the cast: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stanley Tucci and even Zoë Saldana, the future officer Uhura from “Star Trek” by JJ Abrams.
WHAT YOU NEED TO SEE IN STYLE…
We underlined it from the teaser: Tom Hanks displays here a resolutely rustic and not entirely contemporary style . We can sense in him an attraction to woolly materials and wide pants . His early dark costume may possibly recall the scale and kind of texture of James Stewart's in Frank Capra's 1946 "It's a Wonderful Life":
Different era certainly, but the intention is similar: to make a sociable and optimistic film. The difference is that between the 1940s and the early 2000s, consumerism almost became an activity in its own right. Does this mean that style was lost with the mass production of clothing?
Nothing is completely settled. Or obvious. What we do know, however, is that Tom Hanks' character has unique clothing obsessions , such as patterned shirts of all kinds. He also particularly likes shades of brown:
Generally speaking, you will discover a certain number of pieces with quite a vintage connotation in this suitcase - sleeveless or patterned sweaters, wool jackets from another era, shirts from century-old shirtmakers like Forsyth Of Canada, etc.
Around him: the crowds of transport and shopping centers, quite a few work uniforms, dreary business suits and brands like Starbucks, Burger King or Hugo Boss.
The costumes are by Christine Wada and Mary Zophres. In photo above, the latter is known for her work on the films of brothers Joel and Ethan Coen or on “La La Land” by Damien Chazelle, with Ryan Gosling. For fans, she is also behind the costumes for “Ghost World” by Terry Zwigoff, with Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson.
© IMAGO/Everett Collection
Tom Hanks in “The Terminal”, 2004.
Behind the apparent sartorial banality of Steven Spielberg's film nevertheless hides a real curiosity and it is on Tom Hanks' wrist that you will find it . Three reasons to (re)see “Le Terminal” for clothing?
1. THE CHARM OF VINTAGE WATCHES
The most observant will note the presence of advertisements for the Hamilton watch brand and a Swatch store in the film's shopping center. But the geekery doesn't stop there: thanks to the "freeze frame" function, some have gone so far as to identify Tom Hanks' character's watch as a vintage Omega , possibly the Seamaster Memomatic model produced at the end of the 60s .
How can a man who seems to buy his supplies from thrift stores and the wardrobes of his elders own such a luxurious watch? If we don't know the answer, we can nevertheless point out that wearing a vintage watch in a style that is itself quite vintage is, after all, coherent . But does owning a beautiful watch necessarily ensure powerful style for its wearer?
Nothing is less certain, and the character of Tom Hanks proves it, particularly when he tries out the Hugo Boss style. For other illustrations, look for example at our politicians .
This is one of the tragedies of our time: the price of these watches is inaccessible to ordinary people and their symbolic use is almost systematically dedicated to power. Would we forget that their primary function is to tell the time?! Possible. But above all, all this distracts attention from what constitutes the real strength of luxury watches: the meticulous watchmaking work and its know-how .
This phenomenon has, among other things, been accentuated with what has been called the bling bling style: a profusion of wealth displayed in clothing for a style that is often missed, or even completely absent. Luxury watches unfortunately play a major role in this.
The fact remains that vintage watches from prestigious houses have an obvious charm , which can prove to be a major asset in a well-put together outfit. To go further on vintage watches, a specialized article here:
2. AN AMAZING WAY TO CHOOSE YOUR SUIT
“The Terminal” has its little romantic sides. The character of Tom Hanks, for example, meets a woman played by Catherine Zeta-Jones. Flight attendant, complicated situation. Romance develops and there is even a candlelight dinner.
For the occasion, Tom Hanks decides to invest in a suit. He has a technique that is astonishing to say the least, which you can discover in this excerpt:
You will see that he does not bother with questions about shirt, tie and shoe combinations. It takes the complete range, from the Hugo Boss brand in addition. The costume is said to be on sale: around $150.
If you follow us regularly, you already know what we think about it. If not: let's summarize that Hugo Boss is very expensive for what it is and that you will certainly find better cuts and materials elsewhere.
In the meantime, the technique used by Tom Hanks to choose his costume is certainly amusing but quite hazardous. If you're looking to get a suit, you'll find our advice here . Finally, if you don't know how to choose your size, we explain everything to you in this video:
3. PATTERN, ALWAYS PATTERN
You might find that Viktor Navorski has some sort of style. And in a way, you won't be entirely wrong. Clothing is, as is often the case, at the service of the story - and here, it is less the style than the situation that takes precedence.
But Steven Spielberg's film is interesting in that it places his character in a closed environment for an indefinite period, with only what is in his old leather suitcase as his changing room. How would you cope in such a situation?
Tom Hanks' character has his little tricks. He is very clever, and quite good with his hands. Enough to decorate your waiting hall into an improvised home sweet home.
For the rest, most of his luggage seems to be made up of shirts with various and varied patterns - small checks, large checks, polka dot pattern or even... Paisley . This is what allows her to diversify her outfits despite the situation.
You will actually discover a fairly impressive collection of shirts for a single suitcase. Be careful though, while some are worth a look, they are not all in the best taste. If Paisley ever intrigues you, our advice here:
… TO CREATE INSPIRING OUTFITS
It’s not certain that you’ll actually find inspiration in the “Terminal” outfits. The film, on the other hand, gives food for thought on clothing , and it is often just as interesting.
If you like Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and are looking for a more assertive style, you can continue with “Catch Me If You Can”, with Leonardo Di Caprio, Amy Adams or Christopher Walken.
We have already mentioned this film in Bobine, during a selection of shirts at the cinema: beautiful sixties-style suits, white pants and other knitted tops like the Scott Fraser Collection . You should find something there to satisfy your appetite for style and inspiring outfits.
For further :
