Some movies are terrible except for great character designs, which is more than just the costume as it also includes make-up and hair. Here's a small listicle.
#1 - Jillian Holtzmann, Ghostbusters (2016)
Ghostbusters (2016) is a bad film. It may have a 6.8/10 rating on IMDB and a 49% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting that 1/2 the population will enjoy this film. They will not. The movie was mostly filmed without a script, so the plot is a pale imitation of the original movies with jokes that go on too long. The real failure is the editing and directing, I don't blame any of the actors trying to work with what they were given.
Out of all that mess of improv, Kate McKinnon's character design for Jillian Holtzmann is a real stand-out, complimenting her charisma and comedy style.
"I was like, what hair would a person who doesn’t care about an exploding nuclear reactor have? Probably Tilda Swinton’s hair.” x
The costume designer for Ghostbusters (2016) was Jeffrey Kurland. He is a well-established designer, having worked on Mission Impossible Fallout, Ocean's Eleven, Inception, My Best Friend's Wedding, and Bullets Over Broadway, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award (IMDB). Mr. Kurland really captured the wackiness of the character with his styling choices.
#2 - Lou, Ocean's Eight (2018)
While Ocean's Eight isn't painful to sit-through like Ghostbusters (2016), it is a bland movie. It has a 6.3/10 rating on IMDB and a 45% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and as a knock-off it's fine but as a feministic manifesto it falls short as the main character's motivation is a man, instead of personal improvement. In other words, to have the ending amount to "I'm sad you broke up with me," it fell flat.
As dull as the script, the costumes dazzle. The stand-out is Cate Blanchette's character design for Lou, who steals every scene with her poise and grace.
The costume designer for Ocean's Eight was Sarah Edwards. She is a well-established designer, having worked on Uptown Girls, Salt, and Severance (IMDB). Ms. Edwards sourced clothing from many different sources, from vintage stores, thrift stores, and private commissions from famous designers. She makes characters "look rich without even trying." x
#3 - Barbarella, Barbarella (1968)
More people know the iconic character design than the movie, so not much more needs to be said! If your certain you want to see the movie, prep yourself for '60s camp.
The combination of the fashion, hair, makeup, and Jane Fonda's earnest performance makes her character iconic, even if the rest of the movie feels like a joke.
"There are eight costume changes in the film but the most striking thing is that all the outfits are made using experimental materials such as plastic and metal" x
Jacques Fonteray was a well-established designer, having worked on Moonraker and Bluebeard (IMDB). He brought in Paco Rabanne, who is better known as a fashion designer in Spain. He only worked on a handful of films, with Barbarella as the lone successful film in the USA (IMDB). His fashion house still operates, selling his iconic sequin dress with Elle Fanning as one of their signature models.
Are there any other movies you think are horrible but have a great character or costume design?
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