By Laura Medina
This scribes swears that Warner Brothers Studio is becoming a premiere museum, each and everyday.
The museum tour grows by adding Wonder Woman to their DC Universe exhibit in their Steven J. Ross Theater, https://www.wbstudiotour.com/dc-universe-exhibit
The supporting character actors, Lucy Davis who plays Etta, Steve Treavors' British secretary and Chief, played by real Native American actor, Eugene Brave Rock, and the stunt doubles: Samantha Jo (Euboea) Caitlin Dechelle (Stunt Double to Gal Gadot), and Michaela Facchinello (Stunt Double to Robin Wright).
Characters, not caricature...
What the stunt doubles say is that the Tiara/Handband is no longer a damsel-in-distress symbol but a strength and practical symbol of a handband for a warrior. As Gal Gadot's stunt double, it was an honor to wear it then see it proudly displayed as a permanent museum piece with strong cultural significance.
Through-out the whole movie and this exhibit, Warner Brothers try to show and maintain respect towards Wonder Woman and the characters who support her.
Not only did Director, Patty Jenkins respected Wonder Woman's Grecian/Spartan/Roman Warrior culture through the use of heavy duty alligator hide for protective thickness and flexibility (The Wonder Woman Effect, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/01/fashion/wonder-woman-leather-armor-whitaker-malem.html), but she showed respect towards Chief, by designing his gun with his Native American Black Foot engraving of the Four Seasons on his rifle.
It's the attentions to details that can make or break anything.
Amanda Weaver, Wonder Woman's costume designer, said first and foremost, Wonder Woman and the Amazons are warriors, first and foremost, then athletes second. The looks and the attractiveness or sex appeal come dead last. She was very aware the tv Wonder Woman played by Lynda Carter was sexualized because that costume was based on vintage sexy lingerie.
Not this revamped Wonder Woman. Nope. Amanda paid respect by returning to history, studying whatever is left of real Roman and Grecian soldier armor.
Most were constructed from leather and hides of the toughest and meanest reptilians, such as crocodiles. The Amazons' boots weren't sexy thigh boots but armor for the legs.
Warner Brothers even hired avant-garde fashion designers to build leather corsets for the Amazon's armor and Diana's everyday clothes, since they're warriors who happened to be females, The Wonder Woman Effect, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/01/fashion/wonder-woman-leather-armor-whitaker-malem.html
Their shields and swords were Spartan and Doric in design, not frilly decorative. For the Amazons, it's all about utilitarian, functional, "take no prisioners" mentality.
The costume, props, and production set teams all worked together to transfer Diana, from the vibrant, idyllic but sheltered life on the Amazonian island, to the nitty-gritty, harsh, drabness of the real world.
It's reflected in the drab, dreary, heavy, and restricted clothes signaling one's freedom and privilege, and where one comes from.
Very anti-Amazonian.
Sir Patrick on the left. Etta on the right.
Chief is in the middle.
If you want to show your sons and daughters, what real "girl empowerment" is, use this last remaining days and weeks of Summer, to take them on the Warner Brothers' DC Universe exhibit at the Steven J. Ross Theater. It's part of Warner Brothers' Studio Tour and there's sale on entrance tickets, https://www.wbstudiotour.com/dc-universe-exhibit
Harry Potter is also included in the tour, as well as "Friends" Central Perk set for us grown-ups.
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