Tim Burton Films – Fancy Dress Theme

Posted on November 3, 2011 by admin

After discussing Beetlejuice costumes yesterday we started thinking just how many Tim Burton films we can offer costumes for – Halloween may be gone, but there are always plenty of Movies parties out there (a Hollywood theme may be a little debatable as, these days, Burton makes most of his films here in England, where he now lives). Anyway, we digress.

Last week we were noting such characters as the Corpse Bride and Edward Scissorhands in connection with Halloween, and of course Jack Skellington and Sally the Rag Doll arguably have links with both Halloween and Christmas. In addition to this, not Halloween–based as such, but still macabre, we have Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber, and his accomplice and pie-maker, Mrs Lovett. Burton has also made his mark on some favourite storybook characters – Willie Wonka and Alice in Wonderland, and even reinvented superheroes, with the second re-launch of Batman, Jack Nicholson’s Joker and the PVC-clad Catwoman in the 1990’s. Other films such as Big Fish and Sleepy Hollow are less costume-rich (there is a Headless Horseman outfit, but it’s a decorative harness for dogs!)

His current projects include a film based on a sort of Addams-family-style soap opera of the 1960s – Dark Shadows – and a remake of one of his early film projects – Frankenweenie (the Frankenstein story with a canine twist. You can find the original on the Nightmare Before Christmas DVD). Not sure what costumes there will be, but if they exist, we will have them!

Beetlejuice Costumes

Posted on November 2, 2011 by admin

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Despite the name, the Day of the Dead costume theme continues today in some countries (mere mortal hours mean nothing on the Other Side), and looking for a different angle on this theme, we got to thinking about Beetlejuice, Tim Burton’s breakthrough film. Although many people will be familiar with the film, we will not spoil things, but just say that Beetlejuice is a self-styled bio-exorcist hired by a couple of ghosts to help rid their house of humans. By the nature of the film, there are scenes set in ‘the After-Life’ and hence apart from a few standard dead people (like members of an American football team) we meet a road accident victim (tyre tracks down his suit), Miss Argentina, the beauty-queen receptionist who killed herself and a really smokin’ ex-smoker. Throw in a few devil girls at Dante’s Inferno night-club, a Baron-Samedi-style witch-doctor and a corpse bride and groom (an idea Burton would develop in a later film) and you have some good ingredients for life after Halloween!

Take a look at our range of Beetlejuice costumes & accessories

Batman Fancy Dress Costumes

Posted on September 8, 2010 by admin

Why not have a Batman or superheroes themed fancy dress party. On September 9th 1951 the actor Michael Keaton was born. Although ‘bubbling-under’ as an A-list celebrity for some time, Keaton has played some classic roles echoed in some of our most popular costumes. For a start, he was Tim Burton’s choice for Batman when the franchise re-launched in 1989. That was a result of his success in the title role of Burton’s breakout film ‘Beetlejuice’ the previous year. Our Beetlejuice costume is a popular costume choice throughout the year, we also stock Beetljuice wigs, masks and make up kits.(Quick trivia point – the ‘bigwigs’ didn’t like the film’s title. Because the film involved ghosts, Burton threatened to use an alternative title ‘Scared Sheetless’ and the exec’s decided to go with the original choice after all).

Since those early days, Keaton has turned up in a number of ‘off-the-wall’ roles, playing clones of himself in ‘Multiplicity’ and a husband reincarnated as a snowman in ‘Jack Frost’. More recently he was the voice of Barbie’s love-interest, Ken, in Toy Story 3. Given that Keaton played the Batman role twice,(he must love wearing that Batman costume) pitching it between the camp cartoon style of Adam West’s 1960s caped crusader and the edgier style of Christian Bale’s Dark Knight Batman costume, we thought we would suggest a Batman theme covering all interpretations and with some superb villains (and villainess’) available to choose from.

Having a Batman themed costume party also give you a good choice of couples costumes as we now stock Batman and Robin costumes for ladies. If you want to give your guests a bit more choice, why not also have a superheroes theme? Props n Frocks has a huge range of superhero costumes for all the family.