Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

What dreams may come? Defiantly! If anyone has a chance to see that movies beauty, please do. But a couple others that im surprised no one has mentioned are, for one, Michael Mann's 'the Insider'. That movie has some of the most beautiful camera work ive seen yet (most recent movies). Some others i hold close are David Finchers 'The Game'; loved the feel in that movie. Also Joe Carnihan's 'Narc'- perfect recreation of a gritty/dirty city life. American History X- very nice. Equilibrium- good camerawork, especially for the budget they had. And how could anyone forget, Legends of the Fall :D..... But all in all id have to say my FAVOURITE in cinematography would be the Insider.

Take care guys!
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

Cinematography... hmmm

City of god
Baraka
Koyaanisqatsi
Requiem For A Dream
La Femme Nikita
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

I don't have many of those movies at all and I'm trying to get better at everything video related so I went and took a good look at Road to Perdition. After watching this, and remembering what I saw in Baraka, that good cinematography involves little camera movement; And more so just beautiful shots of the content. I don't really know how to put this into words, but it's like in most of the shots, the camera wasn't moving. Can anyone add to on this? Explain to me what I'm seeing? Thanks
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

Although I can't subscribe to the 'good cinematography involves little camera movement' theory I do understand what you are saying to a degree.

I think whether the camera is moving or locked-down good cinemtography is a combination of many things happening at once; framing and composition, exposure (under or over depending on the choices), what we are seeing within the frame, score and ambient sounds and the context in which we are experiencing the shot(s) and how the shots are cut together.

I think a camera that isn't moving too much (Coppolla's (Willis) Godfather I and II for example) the shots are like pictures/paintings. Willis intentionally underexposed the shots and with Coppollas choice of frame each shot is almost a masterpiece in itself. Classical looking.
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

I gotta pull Citizen Kane out for this question. It's influence is just too strong. Other than that I'd say Apocalypse Now, 28 Days Later, Godfather, Fight Club, and City of God. Those are the ones I can remember now.
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

Thanks for the input John Hudson, I'll look into this further. That helped I guess clear things up for me and it gave me more of a direction, concerning what I am looking for.
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

I haven't actually seen the movie but Winged Migration is supposed to be amazing. The trailer I saw was stunning!
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

I personally liked the Last Samurai. It's hard to look back on it and think cinematography though seeing that I'm just now beginning to see it.
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

[quote author=Bermudaforce link=board=news;num=1103614109;start=15#23 date=12/21/04 at 22:22:58]Check out Citizen Kane. Not bad for black n white. [/quote]

Major Understatement.

Gone With The Wind.

I also agree with The Godfather.  Amazing look to that film. Subtle, muted, and very effective. Great cinematography doesn't have to be "beautiful" It needs to forward the story. I think the Godfather is great example of that.

A River Runs Through It is great cinematography in the "beautiful" sense.
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

I don't know how to pick just one. It's too much!

The visions of Light DVD is a must for everyone here because it covers many great movies and really explores cinematography.

Here's a blurb from the ASC web site:

Visions of Light DVD

Experience the dazzling story of cinematography seen through the lenses of the world's greatest filmmakers and captured in classic scenes from over 125 immortal movie. Discover Gordon Willis's secrets of lighting Brando in The Godfather and Gregg Toland's contributions to Citizen Kane. Hear William Fraker on filming Rosemary's Baby, Vittorio Storaro on his use of color and light in Apocolypse Now and much, much more. From black and white to Technicolor, silent to talkie, glittering Hollywood musical to film noir and art film to blockbuster, this critically acclaimed masterpiece presents movies in a new and unforgettable light.
An incredible 92-minute film exploring the history and craft of cinematography, this documentary educates and inspires with historical facts and personal interviews. Visions features more than 100 excerpts from films including: ET: The Extra-Terrestrial, Raging Bull, Birth of a Nation, Citizen Kane, In Cold Blood, Lawrence of Arabia and The Godfather.

A bounty of ASC members number among those interviewed: Allen Daviau, Owen Roizman, Conrad Hall, Victor J. Kemper, Vilmos Zsigmond, Gordon Willis, Stephen H. Burum, Michael Chapman, Caleb Deschanel, Lisa Rinzler, William A. Fraker, John Bailey, Néstor Almendros, Charles Rosher Jr., Harry L. Wolf, Charles Lang, Sven Nyqvist, Robert Wise, Laszlo Kovacs, James Wong Howe, Greg Toland, Haskell Wexler, Vittorio Storaro, John A. Alonzo, Bill Butler, Michael Ballhaus, Frederick Elmes, Sandi Sissell and more.

This critically-acclaimed film is available on DVD and VHS, and was lit by the ASC's own Nancy Schreiber.
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

Yes, it is quite good, although I had hoped for more practical info.
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

Road to Perdition and American Beauty came to my mind straight then Apocalypse Now and Godfather... and ...
One indian cinematographers work I would suggest you guys to watch if u get a chance is Santosh Sivan (films: Terrorist, Ashoka)
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

1. Bound - The Wachowskis / Bill Pope

1. The Lover - Jean-Jacques Annaud / Robert Fraisse

and 1. The Shawshank Redemption - Frank Darabont / Roger Deakins
(actually most of Deakins work for me)
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

I love Baraka, it was the first DVD I bought. But it is more capturing images, then cinematography to me. That involves lighting, shot selection, working with an art department, wardrobe. All of these things is crutial to that art.
Searching for Bobby Fisher is one of my favorites
Another trend lately that I am not sure how I feel about is colour grading. I was blown away by Amilie, but after watching the DVD features and seeing the raw images, and how it was graded I believe that the timer/grader was much more valuable than the DOP. The exact same thing goes for the LOTR. I think the finished product looks great. But once again the raw images that are shown on the extras look washed out and rather flat. Although they were probably pulled from the edit suite and the images are not at their finest.
I am sounding old (and I am not) but I am worried that the art of cinematography is going to be lost due to grading. It is relied on too much. Much the same way that the Yoda puppet looks so much better that the damn digital one ( sorry it just drives me crazy).
Now the technology looks great. It has made some films be put in any top ten list. But the credit has to go to where it is deserved. To a fellow, or gal in a nice cozy room infront of a computer, not by some on set who has to make a decision about filtration, or ratios while a crew of a hundred wait on their every move.
Alright that was my rant to start off the year. Like I said, I thing colour grading looks great, but it is not necessarily great cinematography.
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

ONE movie for cinematography excellence : "A one and a two" (YiYi) - Edward Yang

A masterpiece awarded with the "prix de la mise en scene" at cannes - 2000

A really amazing lesson of cinematography, imo.

trailer : http://www.diaphana.fr/yiyi/movies/clip3.html
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

Oh there are so many... It's hard to think about. Is great cinematography just making really pretty pictures, or does it tell a story and have strong emotional backing? I think it's a combination.

If it's just pretty pictures I think Amelie would win.

I haven't seen it in a while but a movie that combines both aspects very well is "Requiem for a Dream." There's some powerful memorable shots in that.

Also if you are looking at black and white films, "Seven Samurai" has some amazing black and white cinematography. That strikes a balance between telling the story and creating memorable powerful images.

Garden State, Lost in Translation, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind deserve an honorable mention for more modern cinematography.

-cody
 
Re: Pick ONE movie for cinematography excellence

I'll have to agree with "The Last Samurai" although "House of Flying Daggers" just does the former in..

I can't agree on Shyamalan's "Unbreakable". There were some shots that were so underexposed, that it was like walking in the dark...Please don't tell me that is a "look." It is called "I forgot my light meter".
 
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