Films Originated As a Book

Films That Originated As a Book

Film from a book

Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz

Some of our most popular films of all time started their lives as a book – always handy if you are looking for inspiration for a book character costume as well! Although some of the plot may have been adapted to suit the screen, the basic story is normally followed, although characters may be added or forgotten completely.

A lot of these films will also show up in some of our other film categories, on the left, where they may be more information on them.

Costume Ideas…

So here are just some costume ideas of films that started life as a book, as you can see there is a huge variation and possible costume choices

  • Harry Potter, we stock a great range of Harry Potter costumes, although a lot more for children
  • The Wizard of Oz we stock a great range of The Wizard of Oz costumes
  • The Lord Of The Rings
  • Gone With The Wind
  • The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

    Famous books to films

    The Godfather, dress up as a Gangster

  • Oliver Twist
  • Bridget Jones
  • Captain Corellis Mandolin
  • The Smurfs & The Magic Flute
  • Red Riding Hood
  • Alice Adventures In Wonderland
  • Green Lantern new costumes available soon
  • Dances With Wolves American Civil War uniforms & Indian Costumes
  • The Man With The Golden Gun – just 1 of the many James Bond 007 books
  • Jaws
  • The Twilight Saga – vampires & werewolves
  • Dracula
  • Frankensteins Monster
  • Sense & Sensibility
  • The Three Musketeers
  • The Godfather – gangster costumes
  • Breakfast at Tiffanys
  • Band of Brothers
  • Pinocchio
  • Alias Madame Doubtfire – Became Mrs Doubtfire- a great opportunity for the men to dress up in drag!
  • Mary Poppins
  • Charlie& The Chocolate Factory

    Books made into Movies

    Frankenstein's Monster - always a great costume idea

  • Animal Farm
  • The BFG
  • Black Beauty
  • The Cat In The Hat
  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
  • Dumbo
  • Fantastic Mr Fox
  • The Hundred & One Dalmations
  • The Indian In the Cupboard
  • James & The Giant Peach
  • Jumani – full of weird costume ideas!
  • The Jungle Book
  • The Lion, the Witch & The Wardrobe
  • Matilda
  • The Night At The Museum
  • Shrek
  • Peter PanPirate Costumes
  • The Sheep Pig – Babe
  • Treasure Island – pirate costumes
  • The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle – Doctor Dolittle
  • The Wind In The Willows
  • Winnie The Pooh
  • The Witches

Bond Costume Ideas

Bond Costume Ideas

007 Costume Ideas

A Bond costume idea that you may not have thought about

Bond remains one of the most popular sub sections from the main genre of film fancy dress. Most people think it is quite a limiting costume theme, but once you start to look at all the various films, where they were based, the main, and bit part characters, you start to get a huge range of potential 007 costume ideas.

We also hire out some fabulous props to help you to theme your Bond Themed costume party. For more details contact us.

  • Acrobat in Octopussy. Wear a leotard, top hat and tails. Other circus acts in this film include Clowns
  • Ascot Attendee – A View To a Kill – Morning suit / posh summer dress (& hat)
  • Baron Samedi in Live & Let Die we find many people take our Grave Groom costume for this character
  • Blofeld’s Cat – You Only Live Twice & Diamonds Are Forever – Wear a white fur catsuit, white cat mask, or make up, tail
  • Carnival Go-er in Moonraker wear Salsa costumes, bikinis
  • Chinese/Asian Coolie Tomorrow Never Dies Simple Chinese style costumes. A more colourful Chinese coolie outfit with dragon design is worn in Tomorrow Never Dies
  • Chinese Cheongsam- Dr No (Airport Photographer) Hostess on Goldfinger’s Jet -
    007 Fancy Dress Ideas

    A different version of the standard Bond tuxedo!

    An elegant fitted far eastern outfit which is the costume of choice for many oriental female characters in Bond films

  • Circus Character – Octopussy – wear clown costume or an acrobat outfit
  • Crocodile – Live & Let Die – Crocodile costume – why not just hold our inflatable crocodile prop?
  • Egyptian Belly Dancer features in the Man With The Golden Gun & The Spy Who Loved Me wear a standard Belly dancer costume
  • Ernst Blofeld features in You Only Live Twice, On Her Majestys Secret Service, Diamonds Are Forever wear a grey Nehru suit, bald head and eye scar. Similar to a Dr. Evil Costume
  • Goldfinger – Goldfinger – for those of you who do not want to do too much just put some gold face paint on 1 finger!
  • Goldfinger Girl – Goldfinger – Gold Catsuit, gold hairspray, gold face paint.
  • Fencer – Die Another Day – Fencing outfit
  • Frogman in Goldfinger and Thunderball wear a Divers costume
  • Geisha You Only Live Twice standard Geisha costume, wig and makeup
  • Gypsy Dancer features in From Russia With Love gypsy blouse, headdress, sash & skirt.
  • Jenny Flex A View To a Kill wears a riding jacket, jodhpurs, riding boots and carries a whip
  • Las Vegas Showgirl – Diamonds Are Forever – Sequin bikini. Elaborate headdress. Glamorous make-up. Optional cape
  • Little Old Lady – Goldfinger – Standard old lady outfit plus a machine gun – our Tommy gun should be okay to use and our granny wig will help to complete the look
  • Sheik The Spy Who Loved Me wear a standard Sheik Costume
  • Astronaut You Only Live Twice & Moonraker
  • Martial Arts Man Moonraker wear a black Ninja Costume
  • Martial Arts Girl -The Man With The Golden Gun – White karate suit & belt
  • Miss Moneypenny – all films – wear a 2 piece business suit or a 60′s style dress made out of fake coins.
  • Moonraker Girl – Moonraker – White split front mini-dress
  • Nurse – Thunderball, Never Say Never Again, Tomorrow Never Dies – Nurse costume
  • Oddjob – Goldfinger – Black 2 piece suit, bowler hat
  • Octopussy Operative – Octopussy – Red catsuit, Indian yashmak style headdress. Weapon
  • Pussy Galore’s Flying Circus Member – Goldfinger – Black catsuit
  • Q – all films -Usually casual jacket or white lab coat with gadget accessories. Has adopted other guises as well
  • Ringmistress (Magda) – Octopussy – Black top hat, glitter tailcoat. Leotards, fishnet tights.
  • Wai Lin Tomorrow Never Dies Black catsuit or Combat Fatigues
  • Shark – Thunderball & Live & Let Die – Shark costume
  • Solitaire – High Priestess – Live & Let Die – Sorceress / Priestess long robe. Gold eye make-up
  • Soul Brother Live & let Die wear a black Pimp suit and afro wig
  • Witch Doctor – Live & Let Die – Headdress, animal fur / skulls, grass skirt, option to hold a fake snake

Hollywood Costume Ideas

Hollywood Greats Fancy Dress Theme

Hollywood Great costume Ideas

Harrison Ford – Indiana Jones Costume

This fancy dress theme could also be called:

  • A Night At The Oscars
  • Film or Movie Stars
  • Stars Of The Silver Screen
  • Use as part of an American themed party

This costume theme will no doubt bring a touch of glamour and glitz to your fancy dress party. The ladies will enjoy dressing up to the nines and the men have the option of dressing in costume (based on a film stars famous film roles) or a dinner jacket, as if attending a red carpet event.

Obviously, we do not need to give you any guidance when it comes to evening gowns and dinner jackets, but we can offer some costume suggestions that would be suitable for this great fancy dress theme

  • Tom Cruise Wear an aviator costume - Top Gun
  • Vivien Leigh Wear a Scarlett OHara costume - Gone With The Wind
  • Marilyn Monroe Choose between the white halter neck dress or the pink Happy Birthday costume
  • Audrey Hepburn Wear a black evening dress Breakfast at Tiffanys
  • Elizabeth Taylor Cleopatra Costume
  • Richard Burton Roman Man Costume Mark Antony
  • Clark Gable Rhett Butler Gone With The Wind
  • Keanu Reeves Neo from The Matrix
  • Sean Connery (and other Bond Actors) James Bond Costume
  • Angelina Jolie Lara Croft
  • James Dean an easy costume, just wear blue jeans, white tee shirt.

    Judy Garland Costume Ideas

    Judy Garland as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz

  • Judy Garland Dorothy Wizard of Oz
  • Marlon Brando The Godfather
  • Harrison Ford Indiana Jones
  • Keira Knightley Pirates Of The Caribbean
  • Uma Thurman Kill Bill
  • Richard Gere An Officer & a Gentleman costume
  • Christopher Reeve Superman
  • Johnny Depp so much choice, Captain Jack Sparrow to name just one!
  • Gywneth Paltroe Shakespeare in Love
  • Heath Ledger The Joker
  • Catherine Zeta Jones Chicago
  • Roger Moore The Saint
  • Leonardo DiCaprio Titanic
  • Sylvestar Stallone Rambo
  • Whoopi Goldberg Sister Act
  • Brad Pitt Grim Reaper Meet Joe Black
  • Greta Garbo wear a glamourous 1930s gown
  • John Wayne wear a cowboy costume
  • Halle Berry Cat Woman or The Flintstones
  • Julia Roberts Pretty Woman
  • Nicole Kidman Moulin rouge take a look here for loads of Moulin Rouge costume ideas
  • Reese Witherspoon French Maid from Bridget Jones