Hedwig and the Angry Inch in 4K

Based on the smash Broadway production, itself inspired by the memoirs of burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee, this earthy, dazzling musical features Natalie Wood as Louise Hovick, a timid, aspiring actress shoved into the spotlight and transformed into “Gypsy” by her brash stage mother, Rose (Rosalind Russell). Orry-Kelly designed elegant gowns for Wood’s shy character as she enters the world of burlesque under the stage name Gypsy Rose Lee. Long silhouettes and removable accessories emphasize her coy, ladylike presence. Like Lee’s performances in real life, striptease in the film involved relatively modest costumes, capitalizing on the power of suggestion. See one of Orry-Kelly’s creations in Stories of Cinema: Identity before seeing the film on the big screen.

Nearly retired tap dancer Bill “Corky” Williamson (stage and screen legend Bill “Bojangles” Robinson) recounts the welcome he and his 15th New York Regiment band received when they returned from Europe after World War I in this star-studded studio musical. Brimming with more than 20 songs, Stormy Weather features performances from Cab Calloway; the Nicholas Brothers (Fayard and Harold), who dazzle with a mind-boggling staircase dance routine; Fats Waller; and Lena Horne, who plays the young Corky’s girlfriend in a star-making performance. Visit Stories of Cinema: Identity to see a gorgeous silk, lamé, sequin, and glass bead costume worn by Horne during one of her nightclub performances in the film.

Adapted for the screen from the Broadway hit, which was inspired by Gregory Maguire’s beloved twist on L. Frank Baum’s classic characters, Wicked bewitched audiences and was nominated for 10 Oscars at the 97th Academy Awards. Costume designer Paul Tazewell updated looks from The Wizard of Oz (1939)—the Wicked Witch’s black cape and hat and Glinda’s pink gown—for his winning designs, both on view in the museum’s Stories of Cinema: Identity gallery. Dark clothing with details inspired by plant roots and fungi reflects Elphaba’s seriousness and connection to nature. Pink garments decorated with frills and spirals underscore Galinda’s bubbly personality and status as the popular sweetheart of Shiz Academy.