Carbon Costume christopher nolan
J. Robert Oppenheimer from Oppenheimer
J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by Cillian Murphy) is the titular protagonist at the heart of Christopher Nolan’s film Oppenheimer. The primary physicist responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer’s life included no shortage of drama including an affair with Jean Tatlock during his marriage to Kitty, and many inquiries into his political affiliations and ideologies. The Manhattan Project of which Oppenheimer was a part took place in the 1940s, so your costume should evoke a vintage silhouette as much as possible. Oppenheimer wears several different suits throughout the movie, often favoring grey and brown shades. He also owns a rather unique belt buckle that is silver with turquoise. To recreate his look from the film, choose a brown or tan suit, with a matching tie, shoes, and flat-brimmed hat. Add a belt with a fancy buckle, a pipe, and a wedding ring. Lastly, you can recreate his round identification badge by writing “K-6” on a plain white button.
Mr. Saito from Inception
Mr Saito (played by Ken Watanabe) is the head of Proclus Global in the film Inception. A rich and powerful man, Saito is originally targeted by Cobb and Arthur. However, once Saito realizes he is in a dream, he seeks to recruit them for a job of his own. In the opening dream sequence, Saito wears a tuxedo that combines traditional Japanese garments with more Western silhouettes. A similar look can be achieved by using the top portion of a nagajuban or a hanjuban undergarment. Either way, it is best to choose one with pleats or grey details to best exemplify Saito’s costuming.
Leonard Shelby from Memento
Leonard Shelby (played by Guy Pearce) is the main character in Christopher Nolan’s 2000 film Memento. Leonard suffers from anterograde amnesia, meaning he is incapable of making new memories. As he searches for the man who killed his wife, Leonard must rely on Polaroid photos and the tattoos he has in order to remember the facts of the case. In the film, Leonard uses a Polaroid SLR 680 camera. Unfortunately, this particular model is difficult to find and extremely expensive when you do. But any Polaroid camera would certainly help elevate the costume and provide a fun way to record your evening.
Eames from Inception
Eames (played by Tom Hardy) is a member of Cobb‘s team in the film Inception. As the forger, Eames can project the likeness of any other person and mimic their mannerisms well enough to fool loved ones in the dream realm. In the real world, Eames is suave and teases Arthur often, though he otherwise keeps mostly to himself. Eames wears boldly patterned shirts with relaxed fit suit separates, and he uses a red poker chip as his totem.
Robert Michael Fischer from Inception
Robert Michael Fischer (played by Cillian Murphy) is a wealthy businessman and son of Maurice Fischer, making him the heir to the latter’s multi-billion dollar business empire. Fischer is targeted by Cobb, Arthur, Eames, and Ariadne after being hired by Saito. Fischer is rich and wears smartly tailored suits to match.
Arthur from Inception
In the film Inception, Arthur (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is the trusted partner of Cobb who researches and plans each heist. Arthur is an adept fighter, which is shown during one of the film’s most iconic scenes in a rotating hotel hallway unbound to the laws of gravity. Arthur also has a friendly rivalry with Eames, who teases him constantly, and he uses a red loaded die as his totem. While Arthur’s clothing changes depending on the needs of his team and the job, he favors crisp three-piece suits throughout much of the film and wears his hair slicked back.
Sarah Borden
The Prestige is a film about the rivalry between real-life magicians, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden. Sarah Borden (Rebecca Hall) is the wife of Alfred Borden, a magician in 19th century England.
Julia McCullough
In The Prestige, Julia McCullough (Piper Perabo) is the wife of famed magician, Robert Angier. She is the former assistant to Milton the Magician, whose shills were Angier and future rival, Alfred Borden. When a water tank trick goes wrong and Julia drowns, Angier blames Borden, which begins the feud between the two magicians.
Nikola Tesla
Based on the real-life inventor, Nikola Tesla (David Bowie) is commissioned by the magician, Robert Angier, to build a teleportation device. It is Angier’s hope that this illusion will help him defeat his rival, Alfred Borden.
Olivia Wenscombe
In the Prestige, Olivia Wenscombe (Scarlet Johansson) is the assistant and the lover of magician, Robert Angier. She is sent to spy on his rival, Alfred Borden, but only serves to fuel the feud by playing both magicians against each other. Set in 19th century London, Olivia’s costumes include bustiers and corsets with embellishments, stockings, and other accessories commonly found on burlesque dancers.
