Babylon is the film with nine lives, having survived two rescheduled nationwide releases, the historic weather phenomenon Winter Storm Elliot, and the most recent COVID-19 surge. The epic period drama comes from La La Land’s Damien Chazelle and features an ensemble lineup that includes Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Tobey Maguire, Olivia Wilde, Jean Smart, Li Jun Li, Jovan Adepo, and newcomer Diego Calva. Despite a polarizing critical reception, Babylon has earned high praise for its cinematography, costume and production design, score, and cast performances — specifically Calva as Manny Torres.
Barely two months removed from its world premiere, the film’s recognition already extends into the awards circuit. Babylon has already received several accolades and nominations, including a Golden Globe win for Best Score and three pending Academy Award nods for Best Original Score, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design. Anyone who missed the opportunity to watch Chazelle’s must-see spectacle in theaters now has another shot to witness the extravagant and debaucherous Hollywood tale firsthand. Starting January 31, Babylon will be available to audiences for digital purchase and on Premium Video-On-Demand exclusively through Paramount Home Entertainment.
Below, the 45-second exclusive clip from The Costumes of Babylon offers a glimpse into what viewers can expect from the supplemental content. The quick video provides insight from Babylon’s costume designer Mary Zophres, alongside commentary from cast members Pitt, Robbie, Calva, and Smart. “[Zophres] had all of my costumes handmade. Some of the pieces are antiques. She had a milliner make all my hats; People underestimate how important that is,” Smart stated, praising Zophres’ thoughtfulness in her approach to styling her character Elinor St. John. The brief clip also displayed the costumes up close as they are discussed, so that elements like texture, quality, intricate beading, and stitchwork could be highlighted and admired.
Babylon follows an ambitious cast of characters derived from a fusion of popular stars from Hollywood’s nascent beginnings. Set in the 1920s, each promising member wrestles to stay ahead in the frenetic Hollywood scene, all while maintaining their relevance during the film industry’s greatest transition period from silent pictures to sound films. Audiences are transported into a world with excessive displays of hedonistic revelry that ultimately make or break each zealous dreamer. This antique world of glamor and elegance is carefully constructed from an astute understanding of Hollywood’s Golden Age aesthetic. Production, design, costume design, and musical scoring are used to manufacture and meld the world’s characteristics seamlessly.
Luckily for audiences, Babylon’s digital release includes extra perks for its viewers that provide answers to how the cinematic trifecta came together to bring the tour-de-force to life. Anyone who purchases Babylon on Digital gains access to over 40 minutes of behind-the-scenes interviews, deleted and extended scenes, and additional bonus content. The never-before-scene footage and clips will act as a bridge to help deepen the film’s meaning and understanding for viewers. One of the compiled clips titled A Panoramic Canvas Called Babylon details the 15-year development of this epic, sharing the inspiration and motivation behind the original story from cast and crew members. Scoring Babylon offers a peek into composer Justin Hurwitz’s musical process as a means to understand the artistry behind composing the compelling score that further elevates the film. And lastly, The Costumes of Babylon explores how costume design was fundamental to character development and highlights the challenges that went into creating over 7,000 costumes for the film.
Babylon will receive an additional release on 4K Ultra HD™M Blu-ray™, DVD, and in a Limited-Edition 4K Ultra HD SteelBook on March 21, 2023.
