Right after the end of World War I, The United States of America saw itself in a new era of economic prosperity, rapid social and cultural change. Jazz, flappers, and Old Hollywood were the things to live in the Roaring Twenties, but we cannot forget about the architectural part of that time that brought to life the so-called Art Deco.
Art Deco is an architectural movement that started in 1920 and personifies luxury, wealth, and the rise of industry. Its rise began at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, in 1925 in Paris, France and was named after the event. The style brings ornate, geometric detailing including chevrons, pyramids, stylized sunbursts or zigzags. Bright, opulent colors are also synonymous with the Art Deco period.
More recently or not, it has become very common to see that the movement also took place in jewelry, design, furniture and movies too. If you found yourself interested in the movement and are also a cinephile, this article was made for you. Here are five movies that contain the style so you can get inspiration and maybe become a “You’re so Art Deco” just like Lana Del Rey said.
The Great Gatsby (2013)
The Great Gatsby is set in the summer of 1922, during the Jazz Age, a period of great social change in the United States. The story takes place in the fictional towns of West Egg and East Egg on Long Island, New York, which symbolizes new money versus old money, leading the movie to have the movement in it.
At the heart of the story is Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), a mysterious and wealthy man who throws lavish parties in his grand mansion, hoping to reunite with his lost love, Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan). Daisy, who is married to Tom Buchanan, lives across the bay in East Egg. The narrator, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), is a young man who moves to West Egg to work in finance and becomes involved with Gatsby and the Buchanans. As Nick observes the lives of those around him, he uncovers the dark side of the glamour and materialism that defines the world Gatsby aspires to.
Batman (1989)
Directed by the infamous Tim Burton and interpreted by Michael Keaton, Batman brings us the story of the famous DC superhero, who after witnessing the murder of his parents, becomes the masked vigilante. Set in Gotham City, the visuals of the movie are very related to the Art Deco style, since it serves as the perfect backdrop for the gothic and noir-inspired world of the comics city.
In addition, the movie’s antagonist, The Joker (Jack Nicholson), is well aligned with the exaggerated, bold lines and vibrant color schemes typical of art movement. But at the heart of the story is the dynamic between Batman and Vicki Vale, a reporter who becomes romantically involved with Bruce Wayne, and the ongoing battle between order and chaos within Gotham City with a touch of Art Deco given Burton’s creative mind.
Midnight in Paris (2011)
Traveling to Paris with his wife and parents-in-law, Owen Wilson as Gil Pender, gives us a romantic comedy that explores nostalgia and the search for personal realization by traveling to Paris in the 1920’s, just where Art Deco was born. After receiving the wrong expectations from his wife Inez (Rachel McAdams), who’s interested in shopping and artificial tourism, Gil sees himself being transported to years back in the past.
He encounters iconic figures from the era, such as Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald– the author of The Great Gatsby-, Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and other artists and writers who were part of the so-called “Lost Generation”. Enchanted by this bohemian and charming time, Gil begins to question his own life and his place in the modern world. Even though it is not about Art Deco itself, it’s possible to see some subtle and charming usage of the aesthetic during the movie, since most of the plot happens in the rise of the movement.
Babylon (2022)
Exploring the change of the Silent Film times to a new era in the movies, Babylon gives us the golden times of Hollywood among scandals, parties and big transformations that marked the beginning of a new era in the entertainment industry. The movie carries big names such as Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt and Tobey Maguire and obviously gives us the Art Deco style in its primitive.
A visually stunning film, with grandiose cinematography and a vibrant soundtrack, that captures the energy and glamour of a transitional era in Hollywood. It is a celebration of the era’s excesses, but also a reflection on the price of success and the fleeting nature of fame.
Argylle (2024)
Argylle is an action movie based on the homonymous book written by Elly Conway, who, surprisingly, is the main character in this plot. The movie tells us the story of the Argylle books combined with the ongoing life of the writer, who with her cat, starts to realize her own life with a great plot twist at the end.
The movie’s visuals are also particular, since it uses luxurious settings inspired by the Art Deco period, particularly in the design of interiors and architecture. The characters’ wardrobes also incorporate influences, with tailored suits, elegant dresses and accessories that use bold colors, metallic finishes and geometric patterns—key features of the style. Another point is the fonts for the opening credits and title sequences are another subtle nod to the style.
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The article above was edited by Duda Kabzas.
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