Truly Victorian

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Authentic Costume Patterns

http://www.trulyvictorian.net/

 

Truly Victorian is an incredible resource for any Steampunk costumer. A reliable web catalog of Victorian pattern pieces is hard to come by, let alone one that can match their selection and pricing. They have pieces ranging from pre-Civil War through to the turn of the century – and not just dresses! While dresses may be the most fun, a good catalog needs to have something to offer to all costumers. Truly Victorian has hats, shirts, undergarments, men’s wear, and a few coats. These patterns, though, do not look like conventional sewing patterns. From their “about us” section “Our patterns are full scale and hand drafted to fit the modern body, using historical principles and techniques. They are not redrawn copies of original patterns, nor are they modern ideas of what a historical garment looked like. All the seam lines and styles are historically accurate to each period. These pattern are for historical clothing (not costumes) and are perfect for reenactments and special events were authenticity is desired” so give yourself time to adjust measurements/layouts and other minor oddities.

Corset Story

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Online Superstore for Costume Pieces

http://www.corset-story.com/

 

Corset Story is a UK based corset and costume piece retailer.

Specializing in full-steel boned waist-cinching corsets, Corset Story is a high quality place to start (and finish) your costume piece shopping. They offer a wide range of pieces and are my go to for Waist Training and Full Steel Corsets – these pieces offer the tightest binding and fullest shaping. They come in solid colors to wear in a traditional style (that is, under your clothes) or highly decorated to display openly. For this corset type be sure to follow the sites sizing recommendations to make sure you can be as comfortable as possible. I also suggest only purchasing pieces that include a “modesty panel” which is a piece of the corset fabric that lays against your back under the lacing. This is important for two reasons. First, it adds a lot of comfort to the piece since the laces can’t rub againt skin. Second, if you are fully laced your skin on your back may crease, which is not only uncomfortable but unattractive, a modesty panel covers this and gives you a single, solid print/fabric pieces to show off your tight-lacing.

Corset Story also sells burlesque-style pieces, skirts, fascinators (hair accessories), and “fashion” corsets. Fashion corsets are usually made with acrylic boning, which is flexible and offers no waist reduction but still gives a corseted look.

Wild, Wild West

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Creator: Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, Staring Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, and Salma Hayek

Media Type: Feature Film, 106 minutes

Audience: Family

 

Summary:

When the American Civil War came to an end, the nation was teeming with gunslingers, saloons, and angry defeated confederate soldiers. One soldier, Arliss Loveless, refuses to accept the new order of the US and begins building a heavily weaponized machines. His machines, based partially on the design for his own steam-powered wheelchair, are the support for his plan to force US president Ulysses S Grant to divide the states once again. Set to stop him are an unwilling pair: gunslinger Capt James West and US Marshal Gordon. The two are facing an uphill battle again ex-Confederate troops as Capt West struggles to maintain authority as a black officer in the prejudiced South and the steam-hydrolic technologies may just be more than the pair can handle. Assisted by Rita, the daughter of one of Loveless’ engineers, will the US be able to maintain its rebuilt unity? Or will the Transcontinental Railroad be a failed attempt at cohesion, leading to all out war?

 

Bottom Line: A little corny but a lot of fun WWW offers an American spin on steampunk. Filled to the brim with weapons, flying machines, and the iconic Spider this film offers a chance to sit back with the family and laugh while appreciating the American corset style for a change.

 

Read More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Wild_West

Find It: http://www.worldcat.org/title/wild-wild-west/oclc/527853299

Castle in the Sky

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Creator: Hayao Miyazaki, Director

Media Type: Animated Film, 124 minutes

Audience: Family

Summary:

Prepare for an adventure mystery that leaves you in awe. Miyazaki films are known for their incredible animation and gripping stories, and this is no different.

Aboard the immense flying warship Goliath the mysterious Muska is holding young Sheeta hostage. Sheeta is the last living inheritor of a long family secret to the flying city of Laputa; part El Dorado myth part steampunk sky-city. When the Goliath is attacked by air pirates Sheeta escapes by jumping from the airship. She takes refuge with Pazu, an orphan living alone in a harsh mining town. With Muska and the pirates hot on their heels, the two must race to reach Laputa and understand her secrets before her technologies can be used for war.

Bottom Line: Absolutely beautiful film with all the fantastical steampunk elements (airships, robots/automatons, in-charge female air pirates captains) you want from a movie, but with a new animated flair.

 

Watch It:http://www.worldcat.org/title/laputa-castle-in-the-sky/oclc/822886354

Find More: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092067/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Boston Metaphysical Society

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Creator: Madeleine Holly-Rosing (Writer) and Emily Hu (Artist)

Media Type: Web comic

Find It: http://bostonmetaphysicalsociety.com/

Audience: Teens, 13+

Summary:

In turn of the century Boston things are not as they seem. Ghosts, spirits, apparitions – these are the day to day interactions for the Boston Metaphysical society. Run by an ex-detective, a Catholic teen who inherited her father’s psychic abilities, and an African-American scientist this unlikely group may be all that stands between Boston and the mysterious forces seeping into our world.

Also at play in the supernatural series is B.E.T.H. – a secret society of scientists and Victorian celebrities who know the true extent of Boston’s problems; assuming they can overcome their personal agendas to do anything about it. Alexander Graham Bell, Edison, Tesla, and Houdini may not seem like the most likely (or functional) collection of men to face the spirit world – but they are the most recognizable. In addition to the web comic the BMS and B.E.T.H. worlds continue and expand in a growing series of novellas, available in print and EBook format.

 

Bottom Line: I was hoping for a lot more from the character-list for this comic series. I was also hoping for more per page to make the sometimes slow-loading from page to page feel more worth it. While the universe has a lot to offer, I feel it is better suited to younger readers who may be less critical.

Read More:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16139294-boston-metaphysical-society

 

League of S.T.E.A.M.

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Creator: Nick Bauman and Robin Blackburn

Media Type: Web Series

Find It: http://leagueofsteam.com/

Audience: Family Friendly (without being dull). Think “Wild Wild West meets Scooby-Doo”

Summary:

Welcome to the adventures of the League of S.T.E.A.M. (Supernatural and Troublesome Ectoplasmic Apparition Management). Founded in 1884, the League is a professional collection of the most experienced and dedicated supernatural management team. Trained in exorcisms, ghost hunting, Kraken removal, and more the League is well equipped with the latest in Victorian technologies and ready for whatever comes next.

This multi-platform group offers three things: a professional-quality web series, live interactive performances at conventions and events, and a podcast. The performances and videos are pure steampunk based on hand-crafted pseudo-scientific technologies with Victorian flair. Their videos mix fully developed Victorian characters with the supernatural, comedy, adventure, and some delightful storytelling. Their quality and popularity are proven with their successful Season 3 Kickstarter funding project, which raised over $30,000 with the help of 567 individual backers.

 

Bottom Line: A highly successful web series and live-performance group, the League offers a pure Steampunk experience from costumes to gadgets to guest stars to zombies.

 

Watch a Trailer:

The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box

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Creator: Directed By: Jonathan Newman, staring Michael Sheen and Aneurin Barnard

Media Type: Feature Film, 100 minutes

Audience: Children

 

Summary:

It’s 1885, and Mariah Mundi is watching is young brother Felix run amuck in the British Museum while his father gives a lecture. When a severely wounded man suddenly appears demanding to see his father, Mariah knows something isn’t quite right. Mariah and Felix soon find themselves on the run when their parents go missing and the wounded man, Capt. Will Charity, may be their only hope of finding them. The search takes them to the Prince Regent Hotel off the coast of Scotland, where mystical spas heal the sick, for a price. A family-safe adventure based around a reimagining of the King Midas myth, this beautifully costumed film offers a lot for the eye but little for the imagination. A mix of mysticism, G-rated action, and terrible plot holes The Adventurer is best suited for young audiences with a flair for fashion. Additionally, the forced cliffhanger credit scene will likely only serve to frustrate older audiences.

 

Bottom Line: The only steam-powered device in the film is an over-sized elevator, despite elevators being in existence since the 1840s; grossly insufficient to carry the Steampunk label Netflix gives it.

Find More:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1376213/

The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello

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Creator: Anthony Lucas (2005 Academy Award Nominee)

Media Type: Animated Short, watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vORsKyopHyM

Audience: Teen, Adult

 

Summary:

This short film is pure steam punk. In a fully mechanized world with visible gear-shift elevators, flying machines, steam spewing carts, and Gothic shadow animation. This Australian short film was nominated for the 2005 Academy Award for Short Films – and for good reason. Not only is the shadow/back lit animation flawless, an almost whispering narration paired with creative, heavily stylized yet wholly functional engineering makes the film beautiful to experience. At only 27 minutes, the film is not a major time commitment, but the characters, adventure, and unexpected plot turns will leave you talking about it for days.

 

Bottom Line: Beautiful, creative, and should have won the Oscar.

Find It: http://www.jaspermorello.com/gazette/

 

Murdoch Mysteries

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Creator: Books by Maureen Jennings, TV Series produced for the CBC staring Yannik Bisson

Tags: Adult, Teen, TV

Media Type: Television Series, Hour long episodes

Audience: 13+

Summary:

A regular season murder mystery set in late Victorian Toronto, Murdoch is CSI with period costume. Not one to take the easy answer, Detective William Murdoch uses the latest in forensic science (ie finger marks, rudimentary ballistics and blood spatter analysis) to solve the most difficult crimes in the city. To aid him are his fellow members of the Toronto Constabulary (including the hot tempered York-man Inspector Thomas Brackenreid and the clever, though unusual Constable George Crabtree) and the medical examiner Dr Julia Ogden. Murdoch blends realistic period forensics with steampunk flair through his inventions – some of which are accidental. Murdoch theorizes the future of television, the microwave, digital pictures, and creates basic models of many of his inventions. For added fun, historic guest stars like Nicola Tesla, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and H.G. Wells often make an appearance.

Bottom Line:

A witty weekly mystery with lovable characters, fantastic costuming that’s historically accurate, and just enough drama to keep you coming back week after week without wearing you out. Overall, a great idea that’s well executed AND is in its 6th season so there are plenty of episodes to marathon watch.

Find It:

In Canada: Episodes online via the CBC, http://www.cbc.ca/murdochmysteries/

In the States: Seasons 1-3 on Netflix, 1-5 on DVD or via Amazon Prime.

The Leaue of Extraordinary Gentlemen

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Creator: Directed by Stephen Norrington , Staring Sean Connery

Tags: Adult, Teen, movies

Media Type: Feature Film, 110 minutes

Audience: Rated PG-13

Summary:

The Who’s Who of Victorian monsters come out to play in this big screen adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel. Mina Harker turned vampire, the Invisible Man, Dr Jekyl, and the immortal Dorian Gray come together with Allen Quartermain, Captain Nemo, and Tom Sawyer to try and stop the mysterious “Fantom” who is trying to start an international arms race. However, there is a traitor in their midst. The Fantom doesn’t want to create normal bombs and tanks, he wants to create superhuman weapons and copy Nemo’s advanced technologies. The team must race against time, and each other, to stop the Fantom from succeeding.

LXG is far from a cinematic marvel, with weak acting and lacking storyline, but it does look amazing. It’s a chance to see characters interact who never would, see true steam punk style technology and costumes, and consider how many Victorian monsters lived after “The End” (if you ignore the fact many die in their original books).

 

Bottom Line: Eye candy, nothing more.

Find It: https://www.worldcat.org/title/league-of-extraordinary-gentlemen/oclc/53041880&referer=brief_results