Future Films

The future is now that to which care clings – not the authentic futural being of the past, but the future that the present cultivates as its own, because the past as the authentic future can never become present.

-Martin Heidegger, The Concept of Time

Vogue Germany, February 2010, inspired by Metropolis, 1926 below

Films about the future use costumes to communicate themes and values. Uniformity tends to dominate these films communicating democratic society and unified power. Future film costume has also infoluenced technology and fashion. Below, the auto lacing Nike's seen in Back to the Future 2, 1985 by Deborah Scott, were patented by Nike for future creation

There are 2 general types of future films

•Utopia: the ideal, control, order

•Dystopia: the grotesque, perversity, anarchy

There are numerous themes of future films

• Space Travel

• Aliens

• Future on Earth

• Biotech

• Computerized World

Planet of the Apes, 1968 designed by Morton Haack, shows a uniformed space travel crew that in time shed uniforms and live with apes in uniforms.

In the alien theme, The Man Who Fell to Earth from 1976, designed by May Routh, shows Bowie, the alien, wearing suits, sunglasses, Fedoras and sporting wear to fit in with complacent life on Earth.

Fahrenheit 451 from 1966 designed by Tony Walton shows a future society on Earth. The modern black uniform is the dominant male look contrasted by the period clothing for women which causes the film to appear dated. Red and black are used as dominant set direction and costume colors.

In the biotech theme, Gattaca from 1997 by Coleen Atwood, emphasizes classic dark suits for males and limited diversity in female clothing, mostly full coverage suits and dresses.

The Matrix, 1999 by Kym Barrett is an example of a computer themed film. 23 different versions of the same cape were used in filming. The film strategically reverses associations by uses black as a force of good.