Top 10 WTF Movie Costumes

“Dune” (1984)
“Dune” is ... a weird movie. You’ve got giant worms, suits that recycle pee into drinking water, a hovering, boil-faced madman ... And then there’s - Sting? What’s he doing here? And what’s he wearing? To be fair, he doesn’t wear that art deco jockstrap for long. But check out that manic look in his eye. These are not the markings of a stable man. Still, you’ve got to allow for context. It’s not like he’s stepping out of a sci-fi sauna, dripping with sweat for his crazy uncle to tell him how beautiful he is and send him to kill someone. Oh, wait, is that exactly what’s happening? Okay, then. This is creepy in every possible way.

“Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983)
Based on the amount of cosplay alone, this costume has earned itself a permanent spot in the skimpy costume hall of fame. But let’s think about its place in the movie for a second: the sole female hero of the original Star Wars trilogy chained by her throat to the throne of a giant lecherous slug. In a bronze bikini. Sure, nobody’s arguing Carrie Fisher can’t pull it off. And she absolutely does strangle the life out of Jabba for putting her in it. Still, we’ve got to acknowledge this was a questionable position (and outfit) in which to put a political leader and hero of the rebellion.

“Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (1982)
Khan Noonien Singh is a rogue super soldier out to take revenge on James Kirk for having exiled him and his men. If there’s one part of that we’re sure of, it’s the super soldier part. Just look at those pecs! You can’t not look at those pecs. Um…Khan? Why IS your shirt showing so much of your pecs? Listen, we totally get it, you’re in great shape for an older guy. And trust us, everyone is very impressed. But buddy, you walking around with your whole chest out is making this rebellion an uncomfortable workplace environment. Would you mind covering up? Khan…? Khan? (broll: Khan screaming)

“Sucker Punch” (2011)
Okay, honestly this movie is so jam-packed with questionable costumes we don’t know where to begin. Fishnets in the trenches? Garter belts in battle? Then there’s Babydoll’s Japanese schoolgirl outfit with knee-highs and heels. Great for battling giant samurai, apparently. Sucker Punch is less a movie than it is a flipbook made up of pinups from old issues of Heavy Metal magazine. Of course, it does TRY to use all that lingerie to build a meta-narrative about the objectification and exploitation of women. Whether it achieved that goal is another thing entirely...

“Catwoman” (2004)
As Batman’s femme fatale foil, Catwoman’s been using sex appeal as a weapon since her earliest appearances. For this reason, calling any of her costumes too revealing feels like accusing a cat of napping too much; it comes with the territory. That being said, whether she’s wearing skin-tight latex or a tasteful gown, she always looks like she dressed that way on purpose. Her look in the standalone Catwoman movie, however? Not so much! She looks less like a master thief in command of her sexuality than she does like a motorcycle lion tamer who lost her shirt in the same crash that shredded up her leather pants. Still, at least they shot it tastefully. Right? No? Yeesh.

"The Fifth Element” (1997)
Apparently when scientists in the Fifth Element clone someone back to life, the only thing they keep on hand to dress the newly revived life form is [broll: “thermal bandages”]. Now here’s a question: why? They clearly have incredible futuristic technology - spaceships, energy weapons, etc. They essentially just 3D printed a living person from scratch. So what, is the medical gown a lost art? In a movie that goes to such lengths to show off Leeloo’s born-yesterday innocence, dressing her in a bodysuit made of toilet paper is… well, it’s a questionable decision, isn’t it?

“Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior” (1981)
What would you wear to the end of the world? Would you dress for protection? Practicality? Something light with a lot of coverage to keep the sun off? Or maybe you’d take a cue from the Mad Max franchise and go for the outright insane fashion choices of its villains? Why not try Lord Humungus’ look - just your average olympic class weight-lifter in a Jason Voorhees hockey mask and leather hot pants. Humungus seems willing to trade any amount of sunburn, exposure, and presumably intense chafing for over-the-top intimidation. And you know what? It’s working. Let’s see how you feel looking down the barrel of a leather-harnessed giant in a nitrous-powered deathmobile. Pretty bad, probably.

“Batman and Robin” (1997)
Batman’s costume sits up there with Indiana Jones and Darth Vader on the list of iconic movie outfits. How could you possibly mess that up? Turns out it’s all about attention to detail; in this case, too much detail. Well, two tiny bits to be specific. Riiiiight there on the rubber chest piece. Yep. The 1997 “Batman and Robin” is infamous for dressing the Dark Knight in a costume with anatomically correct bat-nipples. It’s subtle, so you might not even notice… unless they made a specific point of hitting you with an extreme-close up - aaaaand there it is. Nothing like that shot to make you think just a little too hard about your hero’s rubber body glove.

“Labyrinth” (1986)
Take a moment and imagine you’re making a fairy tale movie about a teenage girl whose brother gets kidnapped by goblins. She faces monsters, navigates an impossible labyrinth and makes cute puppet allies to face the goblin king, all helped along by the technical wizardry of the Jim Henson company. What would you expect that goblin king to look like? Huge? Grotesque? Inhuman? Or maybe it’s just David Bowie in really tight pants? Yep! It’s that one! What is it with rock stars showing up dressed EXTRA in ‘80s movies? It’s a kids’ movie, David! Are you sure that’s the outfit you want to wear as you menace a teenage girl?

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Gozer the Gozerian, “Ghostbusters” (1984)
A Babylonian God in a Body Sock Covered in Soap Bubbles

Padme Amidala, “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” (2002)
A Weird Outfit for a Galactic Senator - Conveniently Transformed into a Crop Top

Alice, “Resident Evil: Retribution” (2012)
We Could Probably Include Everything Milla Jovovich Wears in the “Resident Evil” Franchise

Loana, “One Million Years BC” (1966)
The Invention of the Stone Age Bikini

“Zardoz” (1974)
There’s bad taste...and then there’s this little number. Could there be a bigger downgrade than the one Sean Connery took? He went from the suave, tuxedo-clad 007 to this weirdo in hot rod red fetish gear. While there’s nothing wrong with having body hair, the combination of Connery’s woolly chest with that shoulder braid, thigh-high boots and what can only be described as tactical lingerie is challenging no matter how you approach it. And that’s before you even consider that 1970s porn star moustache. Here’s a tip for all you costume designers out there. If you can’t wear an outfit in public without getting arrested for indecent exposure, don’t put the hero of your film in it!