Costume, Cinema and Film: How do Costumes inform Character

lecture by Tim Chappel, Costume Designer for 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (1994)

Tim presented the intricate connection that lies between the creation of a character and their costuming. He talked of how the costume becomes a device that can fill in information about the character seperate from the script and plot, as well as a tool of divertion to prevent the audience from uncovering holes within the plot. His description of the development of the costumes for Priscilla was particulary interesting as his inspiration was diverse, and multi dimensional, the subversion of the denigrating representation of homosexuality forming a groundbreaking basis for promoting homosexuality in a new light.

Portraying a range of masculine identities, it subverts and conforms to idealised representations of the Australian male, seen in the characterisation of Tick, who is in the process of accepting his sexuality. His tranformation, and subsequent creation of a new image of masculinity, is detailed through his costuming, which borrows homoerotic symbols as well as symbols relating to the accepted 'brute' of Australian culture who wears  Chesty Bonds singlets, Rm williams boots and displays little emotion.

Displaying the characters through a male gaze, we are positioned through the flamboyant, colourful costumes to recognise the honesty of their characters, and their masculinity, which contrasts to the artificial characterisation of the typical Australian 'bloke', who in their desire to be part of the mass, has formed an ideal mode of masculinity that belittles men who are sensitive, seen in the character Bob. The suggestion that 'maleness' is part of the Australian identity is explored by Rose Lucas in the reading 'Dragging it Out; Tales of Masculinity in Australian Cinema, From Crocodile Dundee to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (1998). Ideal Masculinity is linked to aggression, complying to the pack mentality, and displaying little emotion, Lucas suggesting that this obsession with presenting ideal males as displaying heroic superiority, has led to the creation of a masculine form that not only limits male expression but sends negative messages regarding sexual freedom. It is clear from Priscilla that the typical men are afraid of their overt display of  homosexuality, as it reawakens suppressed homo -erotic desires that males have been conditioned to find disgusting, and unacceptable forms of masculinity.

As Tick struggles to uphold his desire to present himself with integrity, the costuming shifts, with Tick wearing many outfits which reflect 'acceptable' images of masculinity: the worker, in shorts and a singlet and the businessman in a suit. These ideals are presented comically as they are infact artificial representaions of masculinity, with Tick's outragous, artificial 'costumes' actually holding greater integrity as they portray him in a honest sense, not conforming to the limiting representation of men promoted by the media.