The New ‘Old’ Hollywood that is ‘Babylon’
‘Babylon’ is an exhilarating journey one has to brace themselves for

Mary Zophres is an American costume designer. In a career spanning over three decades, she is recognised for her prolific work across independent films and blockbusters. She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design four times. Zophres is best known for her collaborations with directors such as the Coen brothers, Steven Spielberg, and Damien Chazelle. Zophres was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Her father was born in Ioannina, Greece. She graduated from Vassar College with degrees in art history and studio art. After graduation, Zophres moved to New York City and began her career in fashion, which included stints for Norma Kamali and Esprit, among others. She first went into film production, being the extras wardrobe supervisor on Oliver Stone's 1989 film Born on the Fourth of July. She worked under costume designer Judy L. Ruskin, who first tasked her to sort through and organise massive piles of thrifted buy-by-the-pound clothing into categories: '50s, '60s, and '70s, and then asked her to return another day. Zophres subsequently worked as an associate costume designer for Ruskin on three more films, including the 1991 film City Slickers. Zophres moved to Los Angeles and began a professional relationship with designer Richard Hornung. She worked for him on several films, including the Coen brothers's 1994 film The Hudsucker Proxy. During the preproduction of Coen's 1996 film, Fargo Hornung felt ill and couldn't finish the project. He recommended Zophres instead. She continued a creative partnership with the Coen brothers on all of their subsequent films. Description above from the Wikipedia article Mary Zophres, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
‘Babylon’ is an exhilarating journey one has to brace themselves for
Joel Coen has gone solo to create perhaps the greatest version of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' since Shakespeare himself.
The tragedy of Macbeth got Oscar nominations for Best Actor, Production design & cinematography. The Tragedy of Macbeth - Oscar film offers an etheric and atmospheric take on the reins cast on one of Shakespeare's most iconic poems.
It’s easy to dismiss Joel and Ethan Coen for writing from the world they build from outside the box of overarching Hollywood stereotypes, but their inability to compromise their collective vision is precisely what makes the simplistic nature of their world-building and characters so brilliant. It’s also what led Fargo to collect seven Oscar nominations and two wins for Best Original Screenplay and Best Actress for Frances McDormand’s brilliant portrayal of the sincere, motherly detective whose wholesome demeanor seizes the day over the selfishness, corruption and evil of the men who don’t comprehend that there’s more to life than a little money.
A successful author’s life is upended when she finds herself on a plantation straight out of the antebellum south.