When one thinks of fashion and film, there are usually two images that come to mind. One is of an elegant woman in a ball gown, the other is of a woman in a black outfit with a dog collar around her neck.
While it’s true that these are often the standard representations of a stylish person in front of the camera, they aren’t necessarily accurate. For every standard ball gown, there’s a different outfit that perfectly suits the movie’s vibe. And for every woman with a dog collar around her neck, there’s a whole different story.
Take Robert Pattinson. He’s best known for his role as the dashing, yet sometimes villainous, vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight films. The ruggedly handsome actor recently chatted with ET about his latest movie, Remember Me. While the actor may have killed it in the film’s trailer, the interview revealed a different side to Pattinson. One that’s more vulnerable and human.
Why Edward Cullen?
Pattinson plays the title role of Robert King, a photographer who travels to Paris to photograph the singer CeCe Winzer. During that time, he befriends CeCe’s daughter Alice, played by Mia Wasikowska. The two embark on a nostalgic road trip to retrace the singer’s life. But that’s not the only reason why the French actor was chosen for the part. Pattinson described the character as a “classic Renaissance man and a total romantic.”
“I think he’s really witty. He’s got a dry sense of humor, but he also has a very deep soul,” Pattinson said. “You just have to sort of figure out what he needs at any given moment. It really is an amazing performance from beginning to end.”
The Evolution Of An Actor
As the Twilight films drew to a close, we saw a different side to Pattinson. Sure, he was still able to play the bad guy, but his portrayal of a brooding, passionate vampire changed the way fans and audiences saw the handsome actor. According to Pattinson, it was a gradual change that began once he knew what to look for.
“When I finally did find the right note to hit, it was actually quite an effort. I had to sort of work at it for a while, and then I finally stumbled upon it,” explained Pattinson. “And that’s when everything changed. It was like, ‘This is it. This is the part.'”
A Life In Photography
In addition to his role as Robert King, Pattinson has also appeared in films like Cosmopolis and The Lost City. However, his true passion is photography. He has a whole studio set up in his home that he uses to take pictures of models and actresses. It was there that we first saw CeCe Winzer as he snapped her photo.
Pattinson admitted that it’s a dream of his to one day work with legendary French photographer Man Ray on a project. Or perhaps even go above and beyond and work with Ray’s twin brother, Edward S. Curtis. The legendary photographer is best known for his photos of Native Americans.
An Eye For Fashion
Fashion is another one of Pattinson’s strong suits. The Twilight saga helped establish the 42 year old actor as a style icon. As he navigates the ups and downs of fatherhood in the upcoming film Nightingale, we’ll see a more personal side to Pattinson. And let’s face it; he’s already started to transition from a style icon to a style savant. But even before Twilight, fashion was something that drew Pattinson to the screen. According to The New York Times, he was named one of the top male fashion stars to look out for in the future.
A New World
Pattinson has also made a name for himself as a talented and versatile artist. He is a self-taught painter who first learned to paint while living in Tasmania. The actor’s paintings are on display in galleries and museums around the world. But he isn’t done yet. He also designs his own clothes, including a line of trousers named after Andy Warhol’s famous fifteen minutes of fame.
The Vibe Of ‘Remember Me’
So far, the trailer for Remember Me has caused quite a stir. It doesn’t hurt that the movie is based on one of the most celebrated and beloved novels of all time. Written by Nicole Stock, the novel was first published in 1995 and quickly became a New York Times Bestseller. In addition to winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1997, the book was also made into a critically acclaimed film in 2013.
When it comes to the movie version of Remember Me, there are a number of themes and questions that inevitably come up. One of the most important things to consider is how the story will evolve in the face of the pandemic. In the original novel, Stock wrote about how the AIDS crisis had just begun to take its toll on the world, particularly on the gay community. However, today, it’s important to remember that HIV/AIDS was a term used mostly to describe the final stage of AIDS in the 1980s. These days, as the saying goes, you can’t tell who has it and who doesn’t. It’s just…commonplace.
So will Stock’s story lose its shine due to the pandemic? Will society’s view of HIV/AIDS change how we see the characters in the story? And will Robert Pattinson finally land that dream job as a fashion photographer despite being named one of the top male fashion stars to look out for in the future? We may never know.
These are just some of the questions that arise when thinking about Remember Me. Fortunately, we have YouTube to help us answer them. While the video doesn’t have the best quality, it gives us a good idea of what the movie is supposed to look like. If you’ve read the book, then you already know what to expect. But for those who haven’t, the trailer does a good job of summing up the story in a nutshell.
Matching The Trailer
Now that we know what to look for, let’s see if we can match the trailer for Remember Me. First, notice how the music is a bit slower and less intense than the trailer. That’s very important because it gives the song more emphasis and allows the listener to properly engage with the lyricism. Also, the colors in the trailer are much brighter and more vibrant than what we’re actually given in the movie.
The Cast Of ‘Remember Me’
Although they’re in a car for the greater part of the movie, the two lead characters of Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska are most definitely meant to be onscreen the entire time. The two of them are often described as a “movie star power couple.” And that’s definitely an understatement. These days, it seems like there’s always some sort of romantic pairing, whether it’s between friends or family, that comes with a built-in audience. While it’s true that Wasikowska and Pattinson have worked together before, the connection between them seems a bit more organic and believable here. Wasikowska even told the story of how she and Pattinson met in a way that still comes off as somewhat romantic.
An Outstanding Cinematography
While we’re on the topic of the movie’s cinematography, let’s not forget about how this looks. Not many people would argue that the cinematography for Remember Me is one of the best in recent memory. And it truly is. We have lighting and composition that is on the same level as movies made in the ‘70s and ‘80s but with the added bonus of modern cinematography. But it’s not just the ‘70s and ‘80s influence that makes this look so good. It’s also the use of color and light that, when used together in the right way, can make or break a film. Especially in the case of Remember Me. While it mostly relies on the novel’s already stunning cover photo and the detail in Stock’s prose, it’s the lighting and color scheme that truly bring it all to life.
Whether it’s the yellow lighting on the train station or the blue tint on Alice’s dress, it’s easy to see how these small details contribute to the overall feel of the movie. It really is a credit to both Stock and director David E. Kelley that they were able to pull off such a beautiful look despite the inherent challenges of making a movie during the pandemic.