Check Out the Fashion Parade Onboard 'Murder on the Orient Express'

Parade, 23 February 2018
By Paulette Cohn

It’s time to get onboard 'Murder on the Orient Express' for its 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD release this coming Tuesday.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh and based on the best-selling novel by Agatha Christie, the murder mystery takes place aboard the lavish Orient Express as it chugs its way across Europe. As a result of the close quarters onboard, everyone is a suspect and celebrated detective Hercule Poirot (Branagh) is called upon to solve the mystery before the train stops or the killer strikes again.

Parade.com has an exclusive clip with a look at the period pieces created by costume designer Alexandra Byrne, who talks about the process of developing the wardrobe for the 1930s-set drama.

“I was intrigued that the costumes were almost like a detective novel in that very few of the characters are dressed as themselves,” says the Oscar-winning designer for Elizabeth: The Golden Age. “So I said to Ken, we need to do a who do you think you are file on each character so we understand the background of the character to know how they would have made the decision to dress for somebody else and what resources they would have had to put the outfit together.”

Branagh, who has worked with Byrne for the past 30 years in both theater and film had no question in his mind who he would hire when he signed on as director for the project. It was always going to be Byrne.

“Her hallmark is attention to detail and research, research, research,” he says. “It is months before you hear from Alex because she isn’t going to speak to you unless she can fill the room with costume possibilities. Often it is a process of suggesting what doesn’t work to settle on what does.”

'Murder on the Orient Express' also stars Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench and Leslie Odom, Jr., many of whom were taken in by the delightful designs.

“Obviously, I am true to period,” Byrne says. “It is the ’30s. I wouldn’t say I am being archived to 1934. I am taking a slightly broader sweep than that because it is a whimsical story. We are not making a documentary. I tried to make decisions that have a modern twist or have a modern feel to them. A lot of the actors in the fittings say, “Wow. I’d love to wear this today.”

'Murder on the Orient Express' will be availble 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD on Tuesday, Feb. 27.


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