Pick ONE movie for blocking excellence

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Just finishing up Altman & Keillor's A Prarie Home Companion.

Great blocking and camera movement like all his stuff.

Lots of short scenes at the top but ten or twelve minutes in before he ever went to a medium.

Don't think he ever went to closeup.
 
The term blocking is prior to shooting a scene, you block, then shoot.

Maybe Mis-en-scene is a better choice?

1. The physical setting and décor,
2. The staging of the action,
3. The manner in which these elements are framed.
4. The manner in which they are photographed

I'm not too into a film like Children of Men being celebrated for blocking for the simple reason that it was shot entirely docu-style. I do love the film and the shots they pulled off, but following my characters around as if I was an ENG isn't the most original or complicated shots that come to mind.

Yes, it is impressive the elaborate action that took place during most of these scenes, but now imagine capturing these shots with a hundred different set-ups.

I think that is where it can get complicated. Once you start disecting a shot down, then is where you find genius. Hitchcock was a master at this. Spielberg and Scorsese have it down.

A film like De Palma's The Untouchables Train sequence is mastery; and he made it up the day of the shoot. (Inspired with no secret to Battleship Potemkin .

http://www.briandepalma.net/utch/utchsq/intro.htm?title=Staircase Sequence

HERE IS THE 9 MINUTE SCENE if you have time


Dressed to Kill's elevator sequence comes to mind for blocking and cutting in a small space. I woner how many directors would have shot this scene with so many different set-ups ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvP7jQK02W8

I can go on and on with De Palma examples;

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/staff_top_10/top-ten-brian-de-palma-sequences.htm


Hitch's Psycho

When Norman (er, Mother) runs out of the bedroom and stabs homeboy on the staircase; that overhead shot is brilliant and the POV's used as Sam Loomis walks slowly up the stairs is incredible tension.


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Going back to Children of Men

I applaud Cuaron and Lubeski for taking the hand held shot and expanding on it; with the one cut. Films like Bourne Ultimatum just abuse the technique of 'Get as much coverage as possible from as many diffent angles ....'. Those action sequences are just disorientating for the most part.

I think Cameron once complained about today's technique, saying directors didn't understand how to shoot action sequences; abuse of the 180 Line Rule is the most rampant hack
 
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The term "blocking" brings me back to ol' stage acting so I immediately think of Citizen Kane and Arsenic and Old Lace, but I'd say that The Killing is top notch. Also Sergio Leone is brilliant in his use of on-screen space.
 
Fellini was master

Fellini was master

The answer to this question is Fellini's "8 1/2". (though I did like how McLeish's suggestion of The Killing-- Kubrick is still my favorite)

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