One might think that costumes in the movies might be continually altered or completely redone after being scrapped after they’ve been used, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes a costume might sit around for a while before it’s used again, or sometimes it might be picked up for something that people might figure that audiences will never notice. In any case, there are a few costumes out there, and there are likely more, that have been used for one project or another. Some people notice this, others don’t really bother with it if the costume is being used in a very different way for a very different character than it was before, but there are plenty of fans that tend to notice the similarity and will point it out. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not that big of a deal, but it does make a person wonder why it might happen, though one reason might be that people need something quickly and might just run through one wardrobe after another seeking anything that will work.
Here are a few costumes that have been used more than once in show business.
3. The Starship Trooper armor was used in Firefly and in a Power Rangers movie.
The dark armor from Starship Troopers is pretty easy to spot so it’s kind of hard to think why anyone would bother to use it for another movie or a TV show since there was bound to be someone that would remember seeing it from somewhere and would likely call it out to those that were interested in realizing what had been done. Those using the armor again could have at least painted it a different color or altered it just enough to be less recognizable since from pictures it looks as though it was simply taken from the set and used again in a very similar manner. I’ve written about lazy writing in the past, but it would appear that laziness can affect those in the costuming department as well since recycling things is understandable given that one outfit or suit or anything that can be used again is wise to pick up in order to cut costs. But the simple act of trying to make certain that it looks a little different would be a great idea for anyone that’s using something that has been seen in another project, especially if it was distinctive enough to be recognized.
2. There was a hat from The Musketeer used in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
This is something that a lot of people probably didn’t notice since The Musketeer is one of those movies that might still be remembered by some folks but isn’t widely known to that many. There have been so many movies about the Three Musketeers throughout the history of cinema that a lot of people only give passing notice to their clothing and the styles they wear. But if one takes a look at Will’s hat in the Pirates movie they’ll see that it has the same design as the lead actor’s from The Musketeer, which is to say it’s probably the same thing, and if not then it’s possibly a replica that was kept from the movie. This kind of wardrobe copying is harder to grasp since it doesn’t stand out quite as much and might be easier to hide, especially since the style of dress wasn’t too different between the movies.
1. Bossk’s outfit from The Empire Strikes Back was seen in a Doctor Who episode first.
This is pretty easy to miss since Bossk was on screen for a very short time and while people were bound to notice his suit, it was nearly two decades earlier that it had been used in a Doctor Who episode in the 60s. Trying to make the leap from the show to the movie is something that hardcore fans might be able to do, but a lot of us would simply shake our heads and think that it’s not that big of a deal. It is interesting however to see how much the suits in the movies get used. The ability to lower costs and possibly use something multiple times before it needs to be destroyed is advantageous since it can save a lot of trouble in coming up with a new design. But after a while, it does feel as though it might give people the excuse to be lazy and just rummage through whatever is in the wardrobe in order to see what they can come up with. Creating new designs is often far more appreciated, but redesigning an old suit can be intriguing as well.
In Hollywood, there are a great number of tricks that can be performed to make something look new, but when it’s just a simple passing of the costume from one project to another it’s a bit lazy.
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