The National Times - Red carpet shenanigans join showstopping looks at Venice

The Venice Film Festival, which ends Saturday, has been dripping with Hollywood celebrities this year, from Angelina Jolie to George Clooney, and the walk down the red carpet is one of the event's most anticipated moments.

Clooney and co-star Brad Pitt turned that catwalk into their personal playground Sunday night at the world premiere for "Wolfs", criss-crossing the red carpet, goofing around, hamming it up, and visibly having a ball.

For over a half hour -- an eternity in red carpet time -- the duo posed for the paparazzi and took selfies or signed photographs for fans, Clooney in a classic tuxedo and Pitt in a more modern version with a black T-shirt and flared trousers.

At one point, Clooney and Pitt nestled themselves in between the phalanx of photographers with Clooney overheard telling Pitt: "You should sit with one side and I'll sit with the others."

Not to be outdone, Lady Gaga went for maximum black vintage drama Wednesday for the premiere of her new film "Joker: Folie a Deux", wearing a showstopping black mask that recalled two pointy Batman ears draped with a swathe of Venetian lace.

A black velvet Christian Dior gown with a plunging neckline that erupted in a sumptuous taffeta skirt completed the look.

- Red on red -

But it wasn't all sombre black-tie this year, with many stars opting for jolts of colour.

For his turn on the red carpet, Spanish director Pedro Almodovar wore an Easter pink double-breasted suit adorned with a white feather at the collar.

While generally risky to match the red carpet, young star Jenny Ortega's backless vermillion red gauzy Dior gown left so much flesh exposed as to reduce any chance of blending into the surroundings, with its barely-there heart-shaped poof of fabric at the bodice.

Buttercup yellow was the colour choice of Amal Clooney, wife of George, while Nicole Kidman stepped out for the premiere of her film "Babygirl" in a corseted black and pinky-beige Schiaparelli gown with fringe that shimmied as she moved.

As befits a star playing the 20th century's grandest opera star, Maria Callas, in "Maria", Jolie went for old-fashioned glamour, in a warm beige draped Tamara Ralph gown she paired with a faux-fur stole.

But with the awards to be handed out Saturday night at the culmination of the 10-day festival, perhaps it was Julianne Moore who set the right tone.

On the red carpet for Almodovar's film "The Room Next Door" in which she co-stars with Tilda Swinton, Moore wore a blindingly bright Bottega Veneta gold dress covered with sequins, a look that suggested what every star covets -- an Oscar.

T.Ward--TNT