We've researched the ladies that play Elizabeth the first from 1912- 1998. I have chosen a few of my favourites to talk about their makeup and how it changed as the films become more modern. I chose these particular women because they really differ from each other.. Do the traditional Elizabethan looks apply to each actress, or are there different takes on them?
Sarah Bernhardt was the first lady to play Elizabeth in a silent film in 1912. I also put some information about her on my hair blog, and compared the different hairstyles all the ladies who played Elizabeth wore. In these pictures, Bernhardt doesn't seem to be wearing much makeup. The black and makes it hard to detect particular aspects however she would have had a pale face for the role. It looks as if her lips are darker than her natural colour too, however her eyebrows and hair aren't typical of the era. The Queen would have plucked her eyebrows or blanked them out, and had her hair back to create a high hairline - whereas in this film Bernhardt's hair is covering her face.
Florence Eldridge played Elizabeth the first in 1936. Her look is more traditional to the era, sporting a face and thinner brows that Bernhardt. Her hairline is more traditional to the era too, and shows more of her oval face than the previous actress who played Elizabeth. Again, because of the back and white, it's hard to tell the actual makeup features of Eldridge. Her lips don't look particular dark but she was most likely wearing a red colour as the Elizabethan's would have.
Flora Robson played Elizabeth in 1937, and she sported similar attributes to Florence Eldridge. The two films were filmed closely together, so the same fashion ideas went into them. Robson has very thinned out brows, similar to the era, and a high forehead with hair surround it in tight curls. The accessories used are appropriate of the time, and her face looks a flawless finish, which would have been pale.
Bette Davis portrays my favourite look of all the Queens in 1939. Although the film was black and white, the pictures of the makeup and hair for the film are so powerful. I love the red of the hair, the accessories, but most importantly I think the features of her face and the makeup put across the feeling of a queen. Her eyebrows are very high, and very finely plucked. Her face is porcelain white, and her lips a red to match her bright hair colour. Love this look.
Last but definitely not least of my favourites is Cate Blanchett, who played Elizabeth the first in 1998. Being the most modern of the Queens, I feel like her makeup artists and hair stylists had the most knowledge of Elizabethan makeup and they used it/applied it beautifully. I love the adventurous hair styles, some not as traditional as others, and think that Blanchett was the most dynamic of the actresses who played Elizabeth. In every scene her makeup and hair is difference, as apposed to the other ladies who had the same sort of look throughout the previous films. I am particuarly interested in the contrast between her makeup at the start of the film and her makeup at the end of the film. She starts with long, flowing hair, a sweet face and no cosmetics. This would have been how she was portrayed in the era too. As the film progresses, her look becomes harsher, as she is introduced to white based face makeup, dark lips, and harsher hair styles.
 |
| A progression: Innocent to Royal |
Bibliography (images):
http://media.cleveland.com/musicdance_impact/photo/bernhardtjpg-2069d7323b2d5398_large.jpg
http://cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users16/nefertara/default/sarah-bernhardt-queen-elizabeth--large-msg-137427672651.jpg?post_id=106856642
http://www.themakeupgallery.info/period/c16/uk/elizabeth/scotlandfe.htm
http://www.themakeupgallery.info/period/c16/uk/elizabeth/seahawk.htm
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Glenda+Jackson+queen+elizabeth+1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjd5s6MnLvJAhWEwBQKHWA-DaQQ_AUIBygB&biw=1366&bih=623#imgrc=Wc0v1aUjnA9ONM%3A
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/7f/1c/00/7f1c0094ff6769f4bd5975f4ec964474.jpg
http://www.dorriolds.com/wp-content/uploads/ElizabethSMALL.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/86/ee/4d/86ee4df80ee43e68dd035814c7262c34.jpg
http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/13400000/Elizabeth-cate-blanchett-13443704-1024-576.jpg
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cate+blanchett+virgin+queen&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=677&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjAx6D_59PJAhVGhhoKHXlmASMQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=cate+blanchett+elizabeth&imgrc=S78Ie_znrN4S_M%3A
https://thehistoricalnovel.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/elizabeth-cate-blanchett-13447128-1024-576.jpg
http://focusfeaturesmedia.com/uploads/image/mediafile/1299716927-59935291addab7f7b27c45e9c36051df/x400.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment