Movie costumes, a shuttle, and music

Sorry for the long gap between posts. A back injury and lingering cold kept me and the mrs. home for much of the past two months. We're only just now getting out and about.

One of our more recent dates was to see the opening of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising "Art of Motion Picture Costume Design." This is FIDM 22nd time hosting this exhibition and I believe it's their best.

There are some 100-odd costumes from more than 20 movies included in the exhibition, ranging from "The Invisible Woman," about the woman who was mistress to Charles Dickens, to "The Great Gatsby" to sci-fi adventures, including "Star Trek: Into Darkness" and "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire."

At the reception I had the good fortune to interview Michael Wilkinson, an Oscar nominee for his work on "American Hustle." Michael said he spent eight months researching the 70s for ideas for the clothing, including looking at arty photographs of the time and perusing mail order catalogs. He nailed the look.

Several of the "American Hustle" costumes are included in the exhibit, some that Michael built from scratch and some that among his finds in storage units and rental shops. One of his finds as a vintage Bob Mackie dress worn by Amy Adams. The dress, Wilkinson said, made Adams "feel like a million dollars."

Costumes from American Hustle.

Next to the motion picture exhibition is a smaller, but no less stunning exhibition of 19th Century Wedding dresses from the Helen Larson Collection. There are 10 gowns on display, one from each decade of that century, and accompanying accessories that are of the period.

The dresses are part of a mind-blowing 1,400 piece collection that Larson assembled over 50 years, beginning in 1946. FIDM is trying to raise $2.5 million to buy the collection from Larson's estate. Are hopes are with FIDM in acquiring the collection. It would be nothing short of tragic to see it sold off piecemeal.

Dresses  from the Helen Larson Collection.

FIDM's exhibitions are free. The movie costume exhibition runs through April 26. FIDM's galleries are located at 919 S. Grand Avenue (corner of 9th and Grand). The galleries are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.

QUICK HITS

SPACE SHUTTLE

If you haven't gone to see the space shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center, you need to put a visit on your must-do list. The orbiter is beautiful and inspiring. And how often do you get to walk up to a real manned spacecraft?

Endeavour, up close.

You need to get timed tickets in advance to see it, but they are only a couple of bucks apiece. You will have a line (a line that traverses much of the center), but it moves very quickly. Space-related artifacts on display include Endeavour's tires from its last landing, a real mission control center (from the Rocketdyne folks who monitored the first minutes of launch), and, of course, the ever-popular space potty.

The science center makes for a great day outing. Parking runs about $10. We like taking the Metro Expo Line, which saves us the parking fee and the often horrible traffic around Exposition Park.

MUSE/IQUE

The second half of MUSE/IQUE's "Uncorked Series" will start on Monday, Feb. 24 with the presentation of Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring." MUSE/IQUE's is partnering up with A Noise Within, a very fine repertory company, for this show.

Here's a description of the show from MUSE/IQUE: "Aaron Copland’s 1945 Pulitzer Prize winning composition Appalachian Spring sounds like America - gutsy, beautiful, complex, and always emerging to new ambitions. MUSE/IQUE musicians with a wild collection of instruments team with dancers to revive the visceral WWII energy of the music while our collaborators at A Noise Within provide dramatic surprises in their stunning performance space that literally brings the action right to the audience."

The show will be A Noise Within's theater at 3352 E Foothill Blvd in Pasadena. The theater is right off the 210 Freeway and there's plenty of free parking.

This definitely isn't a cheap date with tickets at $50 each (sometimes you can find discounts on Goldstar), but we got our money's worth at two of the previous Uncorked shows we went to. I also put forth a recommendation because of the work these folks do in bringing music to foster kids.