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Elf · The Art of Costume Podcast

0:11
You remember Ming Ming, the elf in charge.
0:15
Do you know who that is? No.
0:18
That's Ralphie from A Christmas Story, no?
0:24
Oh, my gosh. It is Ralphie.
0:27
Have I never seen this movie before?
0:30
Damn. Yeah, that's totally Ralphie.
0:31
Oh, my gosh. Yeah.
0:43
Hello and welcome to the Art of Costume podcast.
0:45
I'm Elizabeth Joy Glass. And I'm Spencer the Elf.
0:48
What's your favorite color? My favorite color is blue, like
0:53
the ocean. And mine is black like my soul.
0:57
Hello. Elizabeth.
0:58
Hello, Spencer. Happy holidays, good to see you.
1:03
Happy holidays, it's getting festive.
1:07
It's very exciting it. Is we should address that I am
1:11
currently laying in bed cozied up.
1:15
I do love your bedroom holiday decor though.
1:19
Yeah, I do have Christmas lights up, so I'm getting into the
1:21
spirit just a little under the weather, so I figured I'll just
1:25
lay down for this one, but I'm still full of podcast joy and
1:28
cheer. Holiday cheer seasonal Fun Ness.
1:35
I made twig stars and attempted to make chocolate peppermint
1:39
bark this weekend. You made what twig stars.
1:43
Yeah, I I went out into my yard and got twigs and made little
1:46
stars and I'm gonna hang them from the lights in my home.
1:50
I've never heard of this before, yeah.
1:52
I got slime in a. Tradition.
1:54
No, it's an Etsy thing. Oh, OK.
1:58
It was like homemade ornaments. Here are some twig stars.
2:02
I was like, OK, I can do that. Well, I did my annual holiday
2:08
tradition of going to Target and being disappointed that I missed
2:12
all the ornaments like I did for the past four or five years.
2:16
You have to get to Target within 48 hours of them putting that
2:19
stuff on the. Shelf.
2:21
Every year I miss it. I always walk up and I'm like
2:25
deep side the aisles empty. I missed the Baby Yoda ornament
2:29
for few years in a row and now I missed the Ahsoka ornament.
2:32
It's just, you know, miss after miss, but it's just kind of
2:37
become my annual thing where I just go and get disappointed by
2:40
the empty shelves. Yeah, that's.
2:42
I mean, it's a tradition. Yeah.
2:46
You have something to try and look forward to do.
2:50
You have a favorite holiday ornament.
2:52
Oh man, one of my favorite things to do when we're like
2:57
decorating our our tree, our family tree, is for some reason
3:02
there's a lot of ornaments with my sister's face on them as
3:07
she's when she's like a child. So me and my brother like to
3:10
take pictures each time we pull one out and send it to her.
3:16
That's fun, yeah. I don't have any ornaments with
3:18
pictures of my face on them. Concerned.
3:20
I live alone, so that'd be a bit much that would.
3:24
Be a bit much. I do have a cheeseburger
3:26
ornament. I have a Jaws ornament this year
3:30
and of course I have all my Nightmare for Christmas
3:32
ornaments, so that's kind of my thing.
3:34
That is your thing. Someone did give me once a game
3:37
of throne ornament that's like the Iron Throne.
3:40
I have that. One, Yeah, I've never hung it on
3:43
a tree because I'm scared for both the tree and the ornament.
3:46
I have mine wedged at the top, usually as the Iron Throne I.
3:50
Got it. Like secure?
3:52
Yeah, but it's like holding on by a thread every time.
3:55
So this year I put up Jack Skellington at the top.
3:58
That's probably a good call. That's funny, I wonder if I got
4:03
you that ornament. No, it was a no.
4:07
A secret? That's all right.
4:11
OK Sir, one of my lovely Co workers got that for me.
4:16
For a secret. Santa.
4:19
Now shout out to them. They did a good thing.
4:21
They did. They did.
4:23
They listened. You know, I really have a lot of
4:25
love and appreciation for someone who actually does Secret
4:28
Santa, right? Because some people just don't
4:30
know how to do it, and it's a bummer every time.
4:34
Yep, you've never been disappointed by a Secret Santa.
4:38
That's true. You and I have done it multiple
4:40
times and Elizabeth is always someone you want to like.
4:44
Pull your name out that. Hat I do it up, we're we're
4:47
about to pull Secret Santas for work, and I'm very excited.
4:52
Yeah, hell yeah. You want Elizabeth to pull your
4:55
name out, 'cause she'll do it right.
4:57
'Cause I'm crazy. Because I'm mentally ill
5:08
Speaking of mentally ill, I'm ready to talk about this week's
5:13
episode. I am this.
5:15
Week we watched Elf. I can't believe that was a good
5:19
segue. We are talking about Elf,
5:24
everyone's favorite or not favorite holiday movie.
5:28
I for 1:00 AM a big Elf fan. I know everyone has their
5:31
favorite holiday movie. Elf is definitely one of mine.
5:35
It's not the favorite, but it's definitely like a part of my
5:38
rotation. Yeah, it's now one of my
5:41
favorites. Like I said, I've never seen it.
5:43
This is, this was my first time seeing it all the way through
5:46
and I loved it. I don't ask me, don't.
5:49
I don't know. I don't know.
5:52
I don't know. She said.
5:54
We're not gonna get into that on this episode.
5:58
I don't have any answers Spencer.
6:01
I can actually vividly remember it, like playing in my house
6:05
during like one of my parents Christmas parties and like, I
6:09
feel like people were sitting down and watching it and I just
6:11
did. I think I was playing with
6:12
Barbies, so I just. Didn't.
6:15
Yeah, they'll do it Well, Elizabeth, this was Elf.
6:18
Lots of people watch this movie. It's very good.
6:23
Yeah. No, I was.
6:24
Good. Surprised.
6:25
What did you like about it? It was just fun and it was just
6:31
light hearted and it was just like it was it was 90 minutes
6:37
and you're like this is this is going well like the whole time
6:42
especially I think because Buddy never really like gives up.
6:46
He's got that like can do attitude.
6:50
So you're always just like you go buddy, you go.
6:54
Will Ferrell gives a master class in acting in this film.
6:57
He is so good in it. I don't.
6:59
I don't think he he gets enough credit, I guess, for 'cause it's
7:03
a holiday movie, but he's really good and it's very funny.
7:06
It is excellent, it is excellent and please give us a summary so
7:11
we can really jump into this. Sure, Buddy was accidentally
7:15
transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to
7:19
adulthood among Santa's elves. Unable to shake the feeling they
7:23
doesn't fit in, the adult Buddy travels to New York in a full
7:29
elf uniform and, let's say, in a full elf costume in search of
7:34
his real father. As it happens, this is Walter
7:37
Hobbs, a cynical businessman. After DNA test proves this,
7:42
Walter reluctantly attempts to start a relationship with a
7:44
childlike buddy with increasingly chaotic results.
7:48
And that is Elf. That is Elf and I I love that
7:54
this starts by Santa accidentally kidnapping a child.
7:59
Yeah. It starts on a dark note,
8:02
honestly. Like, it's like this.
8:05
This orphanage with a nun being like OK, children like go to
8:10
sleep and then it's Santa back at the North Pole discovers a
8:16
human child has like snuck into his bag of gifts and they just
8:21
keep the kid. Yeah, instead of returning him
8:24
or calling the police, they just keep the baby and they give him
8:28
a really, really basic name. They just call him Buddy because
8:33
that's the name of his diaper company.
8:35
So thank God it wasn't Huggies or something.
8:38
Right. I think they, like, mistook it
8:41
for his name. I don't think they were like,
8:43
let's just name him after the diaper.
8:45
Oh, right, yeah. No, they thought his name was
8:47
Buddy because of the diaper, 'cause they're elves.
8:50
Yeah. Anyway, let's go behind the
8:55
costumes we have director Jon Favreau.
9:00
I love that man. And then the incredible costume
9:08
designer Laura Jean Shannon. Wow, I did not know.
9:13
This is a Laura Jean Shannon film.
9:15
Right. I actually met her this year at
9:18
Comic Con, and I had no idea I was talking to the costume
9:21
designer of Elf Hey Laura. That's amazing.
9:25
Well, I mean the confusion. Considering a lot of what she
9:29
does now that's actually, you know, a fair confusion.
9:34
But her notable work includes Requiem for a Dream Blade,
9:41
Trinity Zathura, A Space Adventure.
9:45
Zathura. That was a blast from the past
9:48
just now. A man.
9:51
Iron Man Scott. Pilgrim versus the World.
9:55
The Jungle Book from 2016. Jumanji, Welcome to the Jungle
10:00
and recently she has been in the realm of superheroes as a
10:07
specialty costume designer for the boys, Star Girl, Doom Patrol
10:14
and Titans. Yeah, she's killing it right
10:17
now. She's really in that boy's
10:19
universe right now. Yeah, she is like cranking out
10:23
the superhero costumes currently.
10:25
And they all look really, really cool.
10:26
I need to get into those shows I and Millie haven't watched any
10:30
of like the boys or Gen. V or Gen.
10:33
ZI. Think it's Gen.
10:34
VI. Think it's Gen.
10:35
VI? Really Wanna watch the boys too?
10:39
I've just heard distressing things about it.
10:43
Well, our very good friend Laura Montgomery did the costumes for
10:46
Gen. V also, so I've been wanting to
10:48
get into it. Oh, now I have to watch it.
10:51
Yeah, but anyways, Laura G and Shannon, I I hear so many good
10:55
things about her all the time and she's very sweet in person.
10:57
And yeah, she's one of the best of the best.
11:00
And she did Elf. Can you imagine doing Elf and
11:03
Iron Man on the same resume? Right within the same decade.
11:09
And Zathura like all over the world.
11:11
Man Zathura was the one of the big old space lizards, right?
11:15
I think so. That's another one where like, I
11:18
feel like I watched it, but I'm really not sure.
11:21
It's kind of traumatizing in like a good way.
11:25
I just remember Kirsten Stewart being in it and being like, Oh
11:28
my gosh, Kirsten Stewart, 'cause it was like, twilight times.
11:31
Now I'm confused. Anyways, not sure.
11:36
But yeah, let's get into this. In outer space.
11:38
Yeah, it was Kirsten Stewart in that.
11:41
Yeah. I bet you Daniel's seen this
11:44
movie. Oh my gosh, she was in it.
11:46
Yeah. She was in it with one Josh
11:49
Hutcherson. OK, well, can't be right about
11:53
everything. Let's get into Elf.
12:00
Laura Jean, within the last couple years, was on the Lasting
12:04
Looks podcast. Oh, I love lasting looks.
12:07
It it's a really good one. If you like us, you will love
12:11
them on the show she talked about getting the job for Elf
12:17
Now. Laura Jean had worked for Jon
12:19
Favreau on his directorial debut film Made, and during that time
12:25
they developed a strong working relationship.
12:28
And when Elf came around, John called her to do the costumes,
12:33
telling her he wanted to make a Christmas classic that was
12:38
evocative of the Clay Nation Christmas specials they grew up
12:42
with. Which?
12:45
If you don't see that influence, I don't know.
12:51
I don't. I don't know.
12:52
Like, have you seen enough Christmas movies?
12:55
It's so obvious. Elf is pulled right out of the
12:58
claymation from Rudolph to. I mean they're it's all there.
13:02
There's there's like a million and two of these claymation
13:07
movies from like the 60s, I think, yeah. 60s I'm watching
13:11
now. I'm kind of.
13:13
I'm kind of reminiscing a little bit.
13:15
Actually after ELF I like looked for it a little bit, but I I
13:19
couldn't find one. So I'm like I'll have to search
13:22
more and it really helped them create Elf's classic look.
13:30
Laura Jean said to Feeling Christmassy in an interview that
13:37
the film was inspired by some some iconic imagery from
13:41
Christmas specials from the past, the classics that stick
13:45
with us all. In our effort to create our own
13:48
Christmas classic, it was important to make sure we had
13:51
our own distinct stylistic voice while still evoking the warm
13:57
nostalgic feelings that come from childhood memories of
14:02
stories held dear at Christmas time.
14:05
Oh, I love that. It is very nostalgic.
14:09
It is. And they they really had to
14:13
like, walk the line carefully because they almost got into
14:18
some like copyright. Issue.
14:20
Yeah I heard about that. You know that documentary on
14:24
Netflix like the how movies were made or whatever they they get
14:28
us. Yeah they get into that.
14:30
And I've that's when I actually was texting was like, hey, we're
14:33
doing the elf episode soon, but of course, you already saw it.
14:36
Yes, yes, of course. Of course.
14:38
I watched it for a second time just to be like to do any
14:41
information in here. She's unfortunately, yeah.
14:46
She's unfortunately not in the special she was asked to be, but
14:50
like really, she just at the time, she didn't.
14:53
She was busy and like just didn't really have time to be on
14:55
it. But yeah, so they almost got
15:00
into some hot water, but they worked.
15:05
It all out on the naughty list, so to say.
15:09
Exactly. But it all worked out.
15:11
And right after this break, we're gonna dive right into the
15:16
North Pole. I'm so ready.
15:43
Spencer Are you ready for some holiday cheer?
15:48
I'm always ready for some holiday cheer, especially when
15:51
it comes to Santa costumes. Absolutely.
15:56
And I have to say, ELF has one of the best Santas ever.
16:02
They do. It's played by Ed Asner, right?
16:05
Yes. Such a joyous Santa, he really
16:08
killed this role. He really does.
16:11
And I I love how like like all the other elves, he really just
16:14
becomes like a parental figure to Buddy.
16:17
And it's just kind of like, yes, son.
16:21
He's also like a real kind of like New Yorker in a way, too.
16:24
Like, I love that scene in Central Park.
16:26
He turns around with the tire iron.
16:29
Yeah, so good. Yeah, a great Santa.
16:32
Great Santa and one of the first really distinctive pieces we see
16:36
of Santa's costume is his suspenders and Laura, Jean told
16:44
Feeling Christmassy. I found that ribbon and fell in
16:47
love with it. I knew I wanted to prominently
16:51
feature it because it embodied that old time folksy feeling.
16:56
Wow. I see.
16:57
I've never noticed the ribbon just because I feel like I've
17:00
seen ELF 2000 times in my lifetime and so I've never
17:05
really watched as a costume film.
17:06
But now going back and seeing the ribbons, it is very
17:09
attention to detail. In those ribbons, it's it does
17:12
have like a folksy feel to it. It really does.
17:16
And when you set attention to detail, that's absolutely
17:19
something she was focused on because also to feeling
17:24
Christmassy, she talked about the buttons.
17:28
She said Santa's other costumes actually had custom made buttons
17:33
that we commissioned an artist to sculpt and cast in bronze so
17:38
we could get a rough hewn, handmade quality in a large
17:42
scale that was complemented Santa's proportions and fabrics.
17:48
Well, the same artist made all of the elves buckles.
17:53
We had quite an army of craftspeople in both New York
17:56
and Vancouver, really lending their amazing skills to bringing
18:01
the vision to life. It was very fun and exciting.
18:06
Laura Jean Shannon had her own workshop of elves work right?
18:10
That sounds like I. Thought I was like, Oh my gosh,
18:14
like handcrafted buttons. Like who does that?
18:18
Yeah, and what's funny about TOO is like for this type of film,
18:22
you don't have to do that, you know?
18:25
But of course, Lord Jean Shannon did and that's why it's such a
18:29
classic. It's for that attention to
18:30
detail, because they could have just gone away with so many
18:33
things, I'm sure, if Elf, and they still didn't take it for
18:37
granted. They didn't, and she, like she
18:41
really wanted to make this special and unique, she told
18:47
Feeling Christmassy. I made very strict rules for our
18:51
North Pole elves, and their costumes were an amalgamation of
18:56
many cultures and times. We wanted them to be people of
19:00
the world. So I researched folklore and art
19:03
from many cultures and many time periods that spoke to the
19:08
patterns of design for their embellishments, which I'm like.
19:14
I feel like that research is really what kind of made Elf its
19:20
own style. Like apart from the claymation
19:23
inspiration, which is very obvious, it's like all these
19:27
little embroideries and like details that make it special.
19:32
And the shapes and the colors too.
19:35
Yeah, absolutely. I and I love the array of colors
19:39
and just how they kind of look like ornaments.
19:43
Yeah, I've always wondered what the significance of the colors
19:46
are like why each elf has a certain color, Because it
19:49
doesn't look very specific to it's all it seems kind of random
19:53
actually. So I'm like I if I were an elf,
19:55
I'd hope I'd get the blue one. Me too.
19:58
Me too. Not that I mentioned earlier
20:01
that it was my favorite color or anything.
20:03
But you actually would look good in a Blue Elf costume.
20:07
I could see it. I just would not want the green
20:10
and the yellow. I would not look good in that.
20:12
No, I wouldn't want that either. But you know who pulls it off?
20:16
Bob Newhart, I. Love this man.
20:20
He's a legend. He's a he.
20:24
He was in so many shows I liked. We're talking about Papa Elf,
20:27
right? Papa Elf?
20:28
Yes, he's Papa. Elf.
20:30
Yeah, Papa Elf kills a he's. I mean, I you almost want him to
20:34
be your dad a little bit. If you had an elf that was a
20:36
dad, you'd want. I'm like, can you please, like,
20:40
be my grandpa, like. Can you please ask Santa to
20:44
kidnap me and bring me to live with you for the rest of my
20:47
adult life? Right.
20:49
Right. Like I I'd be fine with that.
20:56
I love it, but I also love that how committed everyone was to
21:00
the tights, because it's not. It's not exactly something easy
21:05
to do, I guess, And Will Ferrell and Papa Elf, they really jump
21:10
right into it. They do.
21:12
They do, but one specific detail that you might not notice right
21:18
away about the elves. There is no Velcro in the North
21:23
Pole, Laura Jean told Feeling Christmassy.
21:26
We had the costumes constructed with period seam lines and hook
21:30
and eye closures. There was no Velcro at the North
21:34
Pole. Well, at least none.
21:36
You could see the belts needed some to stay on straight.
21:40
Dang that. That's so much work too.
21:43
It's it's really impressive. I'm already like a new found
21:48
love for elf, and the costumes already 'cause I just can't
21:51
believe there's this much detail.
21:52
And do you wanna know what else is amazing?
21:57
She had to make all of this twice because they used Force
22:02
perspective in the scenes with Will Ferrell to make him look so
22:07
much larger than everybody else. So she had to have costumes for
22:12
the adult elves and then also their child counterparts.
22:17
No way. Yes.
22:19
I had no idea. You had no idea.
22:23
That's sickening. I know.
22:25
That's crazy. Dang, that's a lot of elf
22:28
costumes. It's a lot of ELF.
22:31
Costumes. I didn't realize they did that.
22:33
They did. A forced perspective.
22:35
Wow. That's how they did pretty much
22:39
all of the scenes in the North Pole where where Buddy is
22:44
clearly not an elf. Man, where are all these elf
22:47
costumes now, I wonder? Either destroyed or locked away
22:52
somewhere. Or at the North Pole, Elizabeth.
22:56
This is true Spencer. Another thing I love about Elf
23:02
is they have so many like very subtle cameos including Spencer.
23:09
Do you remember Ming Ming the like the elf in charge?
23:14
Yeah, the one that kind of has a little bit of an attitude of
23:16
Buddy the whole time. Yeah.
23:17
Do you know who that is? No.
23:20
That's Ralphie from A Christmas Story.
23:25
Oh, what? Oh, my gosh.
23:28
It is Ralphie. Have I never seen this movie
23:32
before? I just don't understand.
23:34
Yeah, that's totally Ralphie. Oh, my gosh, isn't that crazy?
23:38
I guess I'm watching Elf again tonight.
23:41
I guess you are. I guess you are, especially
23:45
after we talk about Will Ferrell's.
23:49
Oh yeah, the moment we've all been waiting for.
23:52
Let's get into it. Let's get into it, 'cause as you
23:56
can imagine, Laura Jean had a little bit of a hard time making
24:03
a elf costume on a grown man seem plausible.
24:09
I can't imagine why. She told Feeling Christmassy.
24:15
It was less a challenge dressing Will Ferrell due to his size and
24:20
more a challenge to make sure nothing seemed off putting or in
24:24
bad taste. After all, I had to dress a
24:27
grown man in tights and a cutaway coat.
24:31
Needless to say, we did have a fair amount of fittings.
24:35
To be sure, we struck the right balance between absurd and
24:39
adorable. That's so funny.
24:42
Can you imagine that task? Because there's such a there's
24:46
such a fine line happening here in this costume.
24:48
It could go wrong at any moment and it's like right on the
24:52
borderline the whole time. The whole time and like he like
24:59
he looks so perfect. In it, though, everything stays
25:02
where it's supposed to. Like the proportions are
25:05
perfect. And Will Ferrell did an
25:09
interview with Wilson Morales for blackfilm.com.
25:14
And Wilson asked how did wearing the elf suit change you?
25:18
And who? Pharaoh replied.
25:22
It's always nice to have something like that, especially
25:26
in the wardrobe area. That immediately kind of helps
25:30
you become the character, the elf outfit immediately.
25:36
I didn't have to try too hard. Once I got in the tights, it was
25:41
kind of a perfect visual. Yeah.
25:45
I always like the tights. The tights are what did it.
25:48
Yeah, it's very like we always talked about how the costume
25:51
helps people like actors find a character.
25:55
And what's more like vulnerable than putting on those very,
25:58
very, very, very tight yellow, right?
26:01
Tights. With the elf costume, I mean
26:03
that will bring you into buddy to elf almost immediately.
26:06
Oh, absolutely, absolutely. What doesn't exactly bring you
26:12
into the holiday spirit though is the costumes at the
26:19
department store. Lara Jean told Feel Feeling,
26:24
Christmassy juxtaposed to the LS at the department store, who
26:29
were a ragtag bunch of thrown together pieces in synthetic
26:34
fabric with obviously showing elastic and hot glue gun element
26:41
for the elves in the North Pole. It was The trick was to have
26:45
them be fun and appealing while still having distinctly
26:48
commercial and less magical vibe to them.
26:52
These are the elves that are gone down the road, less
26:56
traveled it seems. Yes, yes.
26:59
But it's more realistic and authentic like we all, I mean we
27:03
all know what it's like to work in retail during the holidays
27:06
and you have to wear some can't be festive stuff that you don't
27:10
love. And that's what's happening here
27:12
until Buddy comes and kind of, you know, brings some joy and
27:15
positivity, which is really the essential theme to this film.
27:19
But now I get it, seeing everyone just working 9:00 to
27:22
5:00 and these elf costumes. Just hoping that five is right
27:26
around the corner. Right, like I can feel we have
27:32
the wonderful Zooey Deschanel playing Jovi and like her hat.
27:37
Like I can feel her hat. So remember at the scholarship
27:41
store they had us wear the Christmas the Santa hats at?
27:43
Christmas. It looks like it's made of like
27:45
felt, maybe with some puffy paint on it.
27:49
I can just feel how like itchy that hat is.
27:54
No one's having a good time here.
27:55
No one's having a good time except at the end.
27:58
I do. I do like when the manager has
28:00
to play Santa Claus. Oh yeah.
28:03
This is a fight. I do love that one scene where
28:06
they're all together like singing and you get to see so
28:10
many more of like the holiday employees.
28:13
And I'm like, they really do do it up these like for like
28:16
Christmas, like they go all out at the store.
28:20
New York does not mess around with the holidays, that's for
28:23
sure. It does not.
28:24
And I also like how she made Jovi like, stand out, 'cause the
28:29
rest are all in like these, like very green, like elf suits with
28:35
like some gold accents. And she's like the predominant
28:39
colors. Red with like the green accents,
28:42
gold accents like Jovi's got everything going on.
28:46
Yeah, Jovi's a little bit more festive compared to everyone
28:49
else, which is why I think she kind of stands out a little bit
28:52
like a like a beautiful Christmas tree ornament when
28:55
Buddy sees her. Yes.
28:57
Actually, there is that moment where the light kind of like
28:59
shines above her a little bit, right?
29:01
Yeah, 'cause he's like, it's the most beautiful woman I've ever
29:04
seen. Yeah.
29:05
And he says like, that's a beautiful tree.
29:07
And she's like, what? Oh, so.
29:12
Sweet. That was great.
29:14
What was also great was the manager because like he had such
29:19
manager energy, especially with the like little string of like
29:23
the holiday light necklace, which was that I'm like I forgot
29:28
about those. Those were so popular.
29:31
As like you're. Like you would put it on.
29:33
You were like I dressed up for Christmas.
29:36
This manager was so relatable. He's just like work is, you
29:39
know, this is, this is your life.
29:41
You love work. You come here every day and just
29:43
have a good time because this is what you love to do.
29:46
And you just see on his face that he doesn't believe a single
29:49
word that he's saying. You know, he's like, he doesn't
29:53
want to be here, but he needs to pretend like this is everything
29:56
and the man. The Gimple's manager is played
30:01
by Faison Love, but you will notice his name tag, says Wanda.
30:09
Because apparently Wanda Sykes was originally supposed to play
30:13
the manager but had to drop out at the last minute, but they
30:19
just went ahead and just used her name tag anyway.
30:22
That's hilarious. Even though that's not his
30:24
character name, it's the name on the name tag.
30:27
That's so funny, because why does it matter?
30:30
But then also Wanda would have killed that role too.
30:33
That would have She would have funny to watch.
30:37
A lot of the humans, especially his dad, Walter.
30:41
Oh man. Walter Hobbs played the James
30:44
Caan who just passed away. He was so great in this film and
30:49
I just watched A Godfather the other night, which is why I'm
30:52
super excited, 'cause he's so good.
30:55
I loved watching that Netflix documentary.
30:58
We were talking about how everyone was, like, nervous for
31:01
James to be on set because he's like this prolific kind of like
31:06
serious actor. And apparently he was like such
31:09
a joy to be on set. It seems like everyone was like,
31:11
totally wrong in their expectations and he's like the
31:15
perfect person to play Buddy's dad like the most.
31:19
Serious. Not loving person you can think
31:22
of. Yeah, he is like, he's, I mean,
31:24
he's on the naughty list, so he's not exactly warm and fuzzy,
31:29
but I I do love that. Like a lot of his wardrobe, it's
31:32
not like black and like, oh, I'm serious, serious 'cause he's
31:36
also a children's book author or not author.
31:40
Publisher, I guess. He wears a lot of tan, though.
31:45
That's true. Yeah, it's very.
31:48
It's like that New York kind of trench coat look.
31:50
But then also, I hate to say, but it gives like a little bit
31:53
of like a Donald Trump vibe. A little bit.
31:57
That's the like, that's that type of New Yorker.
32:00
I like business. Y type of lots of money.
32:04
Only cares about profits type of look, you know?
32:08
Yeah, so that's what I think of. But yeah, the costumes really
32:11
say a lot about that character. Just like I love seeing oh,
32:17
Michael, who plays the younger son.
32:21
I'm like that that costume is so distinctive to.
32:25
That, yeah. That's that's a type of place.
32:28
The beanie, like I had that beanie for sure the.
32:31
Massive jacket. Like, it's like, I feel like we
32:37
were like, honest. I mean, you probably not as
32:40
much, 'cause you're a California boy.
32:43
But like, over here in the winter, like, especially in the
32:46
2000s, people just had, like, massive, puffy jackets.
32:50
Like, they weren't, like all sleek and streamlined like they
32:53
were today. It was just like such a
32:56
throwback, as was Jovi's wardrobe outside of work.
33:03
It's very cute. It's yeah.
33:05
And I'm like, this is like quintessential 2000s.
33:08
I was like, this is what, like the 2000s, like core people are
33:14
trying to achieve. Yeah, it's it works so much and
33:18
it doesn't. It doesn't feel dated, though.
33:20
That's what's great about these costumes is none of it feels
33:22
dated to me. It feels like it's relevant to
33:25
the time, but also it's it's just timeless, which is really a
33:30
testament to Laura Jean Shannon and her team.
33:34
What what is it? Timeless.
33:36
So which is funny is the costume that Buddy wears on his date
33:39
with Jovi. It feels very much like it's so
33:43
funny because he's, I'm guessing he's wearing Walter's clothes.
33:47
I'm assuming he's like the. Caricature of his father.
33:51
Yeah, he's trying to be. And it's just like something
33:54
bouts off in the most perfect way.
33:56
The hat is hilarious to me every time I'm like, what are you
33:59
doing, dude? My.
34:00
Gosh, the hat is so funny. And you know, like that jacket
34:04
and like the tie and stuff, you're it's probably so nice.
34:07
Yeah. And it's like probably something
34:09
like Emily his wife bought for him that was like, oh, it's so
34:13
like nice and trendy. And you know, he just, like,
34:15
stuck in the back of his wardrobe.
34:17
Right. But then, of course, Buddy
34:18
pulled it out because it's probably like the most fun piece
34:21
of clothing the man has. He doesn't care.
34:23
It's like he doesn't know what designer is and isn't, you know,
34:27
He's just like, oh, this looks fun.
34:29
Emily knows what designer is and isn't, though.
34:31
Emily does for sure. Emily has taste.
34:34
She looks so chic through this whole thing.
34:36
Yeah, it's almost like Walter doesn't deserve Emily.
34:39
At times you're like Emily. 'S Just Emily is one of the most
34:45
understanding people in all of film and television.
34:48
Oh my gosh, yeah. She really puts up with a lot in
34:51
this house. Yes.
34:52
And she is unfazed. Like, she's like, Oh my gosh,
34:56
it's great that you have another son.
34:58
Yeah, as she's sitting there like watching this man make like
35:02
chocolate spaghetti for breakfast every morning and
35:05
she's like, okay, well, I guess this is it.
35:08
I don't know. She's like, he's family.
35:11
We will work through this. It's going to be OK.
35:15
But no, I won't stay home just because you think I should take
35:18
care of him? Yeah.
35:20
By Walter. Team Emily for life.
35:22
Yeah. And of course we got to see one
35:25
Peter Dinklage in this film, which is pretty cool.
35:28
I always forget he's in this. I know I was.
35:31
I knew he was in it. But I was still surprised when,
35:34
like, he showed up because his character is so serious.
35:40
Yeah, I'm like, Tyrion, Is that you?
35:45
But Peter Dinklage is a very serious actor down that I think
35:50
that he plays very serious roles.
35:52
And the Miles Finch character, I totally see what's happening
35:56
with this costume. He's like that very.
35:58
He's an author, a little bit artsy, which is why the color's
36:01
a little bit more fun, but still very business.
36:04
Very, very. Nothing's out of place with this
36:07
character, but his sleeves are a little bit rolled up because
36:09
he's serious and here to get down to business.
36:12
And yeah, there's there's a lot of storytelling happening in
36:15
piles, his costumes and his cute little book of ideas of farm
36:20
animals and what? Children's books.
36:24
Yeah. The way he, like, talks about
36:28
his ideas and he'll make a child feel he's like, wow, you take
36:35
this so seriously. And then after Buddy and Jovi
36:42
save Christmas, we have these excellent, excellent credit
36:49
scenes. After Jovi and Buddy have gotten
36:52
married and they have their baby Susie, and they're visiting the
36:56
North Pole so Papa Elf can see Susie.
37:00
It's. So cute.
37:02
Jovi's costume is, I mean, phenomenal.
37:06
It's on point. Absolutely.
37:09
I also, I love, 'cause like, no, you.
37:12
I don't think we've seen anyone else in the North Pole wearing
37:14
like, the pink color. Yeah, It's, it's, it seems like
37:17
a new color. Yeah, I think it is.
37:19
And I'm like, is this like the visitor color, like the like you
37:23
get like the most like fun color.
37:26
So we know to give you, like, a good time.
37:28
Right. That sounds crazy.
37:31
Yeah. Yeah, she's just.
37:33
I mean, she has so much love and positivity and joy, so she gets
37:38
her own color and Susie and the cute little pink elf hat.
37:42
I mean, I when you have a kid one day, I got to get them like
37:45
a little pink elf hat to be so cute.
37:49
Their first Christmas will have out.
37:51
I will have like an elf photo shoot with my.
37:56
Child. So you have to have your man,
37:57
like sitting on Santa's on Papa Elf's lap though.
38:01
Absolutely. I can convince my dad to do
38:04
that. It'll be fine.
38:07
Oh man, this is so much fun. It's just this movie has so much
38:10
joy in it. It does.
38:14
It really is a modern classic. Like, I feel like, 'cause it's
38:20
been about 20 years since this came out, and it's just weird to
38:25
think of something that came out when we were children as being a
38:27
classic. But it really is.
38:30
And it like, it's just joyful. You can just be happy while
38:33
watching it. There's nothing really serious
38:35
going on. Yeah.
38:36
And what's interesting about it too is I feel like the last
38:41
great, like holiday movies really came out in that time
38:44
period because I don't really feel like much comes out these
38:47
days that really gets to like that classic status.
38:51
You know, like back then we had the Grinch Jingle all the way,
38:55
Elf Christmas with the Kranks. I mean, you could go on and on
38:59
and on, maybe my favorites, but still like so many came out that
39:03
time. And now today it's, you know, I
39:06
don't know. Can I?
39:08
Say something. There's good holiday movies, but
39:11
I won't say classics. Can I say something really
39:14
strange? Yeah.
39:16
I feel like we're currently in a renaissance of Hallmark Ask
39:22
Christmas movie. OK, we just said pause 'cause
39:27
there's. Just so many of them coming out,
39:32
and they're so ridiculous. And like, some of them, I'm just
39:36
like, what? But they're also very, like, you
39:41
put it on and you do your Christmassy stuff and you just,
39:45
like, feel better about your life and your day.
39:49
And that just, like, is what it is.
39:51
I'm like, 'cause like, when I think about like, like, really
39:56
like Christmas movies that came out recently that I really like,
40:02
that I think's trying to be like a good classic Christmas movie.
40:07
All I can think of is that Kristen Stewart one which I do
40:11
like, but then it always makes me a little bit sad.
40:14
Dwarf Dan Levy. Yeah.
40:16
I didn't see that one by one or two.
40:19
The hallmark is definitely having a moment.
40:21
Yeah, yeah. And I feel like the like the
40:24
really good, Like more theatrical, I should say,
40:29
quality Christmas movies that do come out there tends to be like
40:33
a very serious side to them as well, yeah.
40:36
Try to teach us lessons and stuff.
40:40
Well, we're going to take a break.
40:42
But while we take this break, you all need to think of your
40:44
favorite holiday movies. And then e-mail us during this
40:48
break so we could read them perhaps in the future.
40:52
All right, Elizabeth, let's go get some cookies and eggnog and
40:56
stuff. Yes.
41:13
Hi, this is Dan, audio engineer of the podcast here to let you
41:17
know that if you wanted to support the show, you can head
41:20
over to The Art of costume.com/podstore.
41:25
There you can buy some awesome tea, public merch with the
41:28
podcast logo such as a shirt, coffee mug, stickers and of
41:33
course a baby onesie. Thanks for all your support.
41:57
Spencer Are you ready for our favorite game?
42:01
I am. I've been.
42:02
I took the entire break to just kind of sit back and reflect and
42:05
I think I have come up with an answer.
42:07
So Daniel rolled the track. The one costume to rule them
42:14
all. Spencer What's your one costume
42:21
to rule them all? I think my one costume ruled
42:24
them all. It's just gonna have to be the
42:26
Buddy the elf costume because I feel like Laura Jean Shannon had
42:32
a close to impossible task of dancing around dressing this
42:36
grown man to be a very childlike elf while having adult male
42:43
physicalities do it. I just feel like, yeah, they
42:47
were definitely dancing around what could have been a problem
42:50
and they were able to make it one of the most, like iconic
42:53
images of a generation. You know, like everyone, when
42:57
you think of holiday movies, you think of the green elf costume
43:01
like that. And so I think it really worked
43:03
out and I think that deserves A1 costume.
43:06
Rule them all. Shout out.
43:08
I I couldn't agree more though. I chose something completely
43:12
different. I chose Jovi's elf costume.
43:17
Yeah. I mean, that's very you.
43:20
Yeah, it is very. The whole look is very me and I
43:24
just love how it like compliments Buddy and their baby
43:29
and she's just clearly like chilling in the North Pole
43:32
living her best life. Yeah.
43:35
And it's just like, it's the energy it has.
43:37
I really love it and I'm like, this is the Christmas energy we
43:40
all need. It's very pink, It's very sweet
43:43
and just lovely to look at and this entire film has been so
43:48
much fun. I'm so glad we got to talk about
43:50
Elf. Me too.
43:53
And if you want to give us your thoughts on ELF or one costume
43:57
to rule them all, you can leave us a voicemail at 626-515-1826
44:04
or e-mail us at the Arctic costume@gmail.com.
44:09
Spencer. Oh man, Elizabeth, is it time?
44:14
It's time. What are we watching next week?
44:17
All right, so this is a doozy. Sorry I have to sit up for this
44:22
one. You literally just sat up.
44:28
So we are going into our season finale of Season 3 next week,
44:34
which means we have to end with an absolute banger of an
44:38
episode. And I think between Elizabeth
44:42
and I, we have devised just that.
44:45
I think so. So, and if you were a Patreon
44:49
subscriber of us back in the day, you know that we were doing
44:53
a very fun series that we never finished.
44:55
So next week for the 20th anniversary, we are going to be
45:01
watching The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King.
45:05
Yes. I am beyond excited about
45:09
because we actually have a very special guest joining us.
45:14
Daniel, can you give us a little drum roll, please?
45:21
Elizabeth, we are going to be joined by Academy Award winner,
45:24
costume designer of The Lord of the Rings, Nyla Dixon and I just
45:30
I can't even believe. I am so excited.
45:36
Everyone should be so excited, especially because you, like,
45:40
tracked her down. I tracked her to the end of
45:44
Middle Earth to bring her to the podcast, and we've succeeded.
45:49
We're gonna meet with her tomorrow.
45:50
And Elizabeth, I have to admit, I am nervous.
45:53
I am so nervous too. I'm like this woman, like, quite
45:58
frankly, probably changed the trajectory of my life.
46:02
Yeah, go for a life with her costume.
46:04
Design. Without Nyla Dixon, I don't
46:06
think Elizabeth and I would be here like doing this podcast.
46:09
So I probably. Wouldn't know you.
46:12
Oh man, it's dark. No.
46:15
I only went to fit them for their costume program.
46:18
That's true. Yeah.
46:19
I mean, it's it's very true. So we're very excited.
46:24
Elizabeth and I are gonna start working on that, and I hope
46:26
you're all very excited to be having The Legend of Legends on
46:32
our podcast. I wonder if she'll want to play
46:34
one of the costume rule them all.
46:35
I don't know if I could even ask her that.
46:37
I. Yeah, that would have to be up
46:41
to you 'cause I don't think I could do it.
46:43
We'll see how it goes. Thank you all so much for
46:46
listening, and in the meantime, don't forget to follow us on
46:49
Instagram at The Art of Costume Pod on TikTok at the Art of
46:52
Costume. Hit up our merch store for your
46:55
holiday gifts at the Art of costume.com/podstore and don't
47:00
forget to leave us a five star text review on Apple Podcasts or
47:03
Spotify. You could rate US on there as
47:05
well. It really does help.
47:07
Elizabeth, I'll see you in Middle Earth.
47:10
I'll see you in Middle Earth, Spencer.
47:16
The Art of Costume blog cast is hosted and produced by Elizabeth
47:20
Joy Glass and Spencer Williams. Our audio engineering and
47:25
editing is done by Dan White. Follow us on Instagram at The
47:30
Art of Costume Pod or visit The Art of Costume blogcast.com for
47:35
all blog cast updates. If you want to support the show,
47:38
go to theartofcostume.com/POD Store.
47:43
For more costume reviews, deep dives, and interviews, head over
47:48
to The Art of costume.com, A blog dedicated to highlighting
47:52
the best in costume IGN.