1994, Danny Boyle
Pure shot of narrative
largely telephoto, bit of a mixture
script as a nice tone, period stylings
if all the lines don't quite work
very conventional, so when the story sags, gets a little tedious
doesn't really use lighting very effectively; opportunities, at most a few light/shade contrasts
creation of space too flat, if not flat itself
strong continuity does jump the narrative in a lean manner, but not a huge amount of space
simple, good fun at times, British version of the Cpen brothers tone
also, use of MacGuffin of money. 'Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia' ish
pretty good
Friday, 31 December 2010
Don't Look Now
1973 Nicolas Roeg
Clearly very influential, on Lynch etc
use of camera to flick against the actors
always movement either by camera or in frame
constant reframings, taking little bits of the person, from close by. Claustrophobic
use of variety of soundtracks, confusions
Enhanced by use of dark palates, frequent low key on face, backlighting
mixture of out of focus with telephoto, and a bit of wide angled distortion
narrative crosscutting led to associational montage, well restrained
use of red to draw eye, erotic tension, frequently in frame
whole first half brings up a great atmosphere
story sags slightly, suggesting it is a stylistic exercise early on
acting is very good, sexual politics of male P.O.V.
still, a very impressive film
Clearly very influential, on Lynch etc
use of camera to flick against the actors
always movement either by camera or in frame
constant reframings, taking little bits of the person, from close by. Claustrophobic
use of variety of soundtracks, confusions
Enhanced by use of dark palates, frequent low key on face, backlighting
mixture of out of focus with telephoto, and a bit of wide angled distortion
narrative crosscutting led to associational montage, well restrained
use of red to draw eye, erotic tension, frequently in frame
whole first half brings up a great atmosphere
story sags slightly, suggesting it is a stylistic exercise early on
acting is very good, sexual politics of male P.O.V.
still, a very impressive film
Shadows Of Forgotten Ancestors
Stunning, genuinely new-seeming Sergei Parajanov, 1966
looks stunning, use of hot, saturated colours on barren landscape
different skin tones from usual
low contrast, low key lighting? Use of deep focus, but no real sensation of depth
wide angled lenses
shot often handheld, from underneath
absolutely no continuity, no one-eighty rule
no scene to scene matching graphically, almost none narratively
great advance is use of space
not composed symmetrically, disorientates, genuinely exciting
makes one have to postulate off screen space
use of discordant sound, comes from all angles. Music disorientates
constant movement, characters (non continuity) intrude from outside frame)
constant references to what is not in the frame
creates sense of camera not creating space, but in space
use of non-symmetrical, lack of continuity, manages to do this
feels as though genuinely part of the world
maybe only cinema can do this; makes this film at the heights of the cinema
use of fragmented space/ assymetry in a less cool manner than Antonioni, but not dissimilar
watched by Fellini, likely, but use of wide angles more dreamy, more movement
the deep space without space, constant intrusions, make this a true dream
the associational story builds up with spectacular images
a sensational film, pushing at what we believed cinema can be
looks stunning, use of hot, saturated colours on barren landscape
different skin tones from usual
low contrast, low key lighting? Use of deep focus, but no real sensation of depth
wide angled lenses
shot often handheld, from underneath
absolutely no continuity, no one-eighty rule
no scene to scene matching graphically, almost none narratively
great advance is use of space
not composed symmetrically, disorientates, genuinely exciting
makes one have to postulate off screen space
use of discordant sound, comes from all angles. Music disorientates
constant movement, characters (non continuity) intrude from outside frame)
constant references to what is not in the frame
creates sense of camera not creating space, but in space
use of non-symmetrical, lack of continuity, manages to do this
feels as though genuinely part of the world
maybe only cinema can do this; makes this film at the heights of the cinema
use of fragmented space/ assymetry in a less cool manner than Antonioni, but not dissimilar
watched by Fellini, likely, but use of wide angles more dreamy, more movement
the deep space without space, constant intrusions, make this a true dream
the associational story builds up with spectacular images
a sensational film, pushing at what we believed cinema can be
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Les Enfants Du Paradis
Marcel Carne, hugely popular 1945 epic
Fast-paced plot, Dickensian level of twists and detail, doesn't sag
characters are manoevred nicely, the plots runs well, each scene has something of interest
the acting is fine, the themes of dream and reality are shown to us
left to meditate on the idea that Baptiste may be better off with love only being on stage
technically, the sets are interesting, rich detail, and poetic with some nearly expressionist shapes in a few scenes
mix of styles, no really one unifying feature
probably most often uses wide angled lens, depth of focus gives sense of largeness to some interiors
largely people interacting in rooms, with three point lighting and continuity
entertaining enough, worth seeing, but no great step anywhere. Slightly inconsequential, for all it epic qualities
Fast-paced plot, Dickensian level of twists and detail, doesn't sag
characters are manoevred nicely, the plots runs well, each scene has something of interest
the acting is fine, the themes of dream and reality are shown to us
left to meditate on the idea that Baptiste may be better off with love only being on stage
technically, the sets are interesting, rich detail, and poetic with some nearly expressionist shapes in a few scenes
mix of styles, no really one unifying feature
probably most often uses wide angled lens, depth of focus gives sense of largeness to some interiors
largely people interacting in rooms, with three point lighting and continuity
entertaining enough, worth seeing, but no great step anywhere. Slightly inconsequential, for all it epic qualities
La Peau Douce (Soft Skin)
1964, Francois Truffaut
Pretty conventional stuff
remarkably small ASL, quick, rythmic editing to convey excitement
good use of backs of head, to make it very Hitchocky (also some sillouhettes)
Clearly Hitchcock influenced all around, with the fast edits and music to indicate suspense (clear uses of audience omniscience suspense, with cross-cutting)
Of course, there is more of a casualness in some of the characterisation
low contrast and pretty high key lighting give it a commercial sheen
which does stop it being able to quite have, again, that sense of horror in Hitchcock
Similarity with 'Jules Et Jim' in the unknowability of the women, the slightly pathetic men
reasonably entertaining, but no great work
Pretty conventional stuff
remarkably small ASL, quick, rythmic editing to convey excitement
good use of backs of head, to make it very Hitchocky (also some sillouhettes)
Clearly Hitchcock influenced all around, with the fast edits and music to indicate suspense (clear uses of audience omniscience suspense, with cross-cutting)
Of course, there is more of a casualness in some of the characterisation
low contrast and pretty high key lighting give it a commercial sheen
which does stop it being able to quite have, again, that sense of horror in Hitchcock
Similarity with 'Jules Et Jim' in the unknowability of the women, the slightly pathetic men
reasonably entertaining, but no great work
Tirez Sur Le Pianiste (Shoot The Pianist)
1960 Francois Truffaut, straight after 'Les Quatre Cents Coups'
story darts about a bit, very Nouvelle Vague
long takes, often with unobtrusive pans
use of mid-shots, also almost Bresson-esque focus on body parts (hands etc) when relevent
As in 'Les Quatre Cents Coups', much street shooting in this style
gives space of city with walking along streets, and back of heads in cars
Noir-ish elements of sudden violence, guns, as well as low key lighting
But tone always remains quite fresh. not mounting horror
Means the film doesn't really reach a high pitch anywhere
not that it isn't good fun, a fine character study
Truffaut's study of outsiders/ civilized trying to fit into the uncivilized
a good fine, not great
story darts about a bit, very Nouvelle Vague
long takes, often with unobtrusive pans
use of mid-shots, also almost Bresson-esque focus on body parts (hands etc) when relevent
As in 'Les Quatre Cents Coups', much street shooting in this style
gives space of city with walking along streets, and back of heads in cars
Noir-ish elements of sudden violence, guns, as well as low key lighting
But tone always remains quite fresh. not mounting horror
Means the film doesn't really reach a high pitch anywhere
not that it isn't good fun, a fine character study
Truffaut's study of outsiders/ civilized trying to fit into the uncivilized
a good fine, not great
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
There Will Be Blood
2007 Paul Thomas Anderson, regarded as one of the finest films off the past decade
yes, it's very impressive, but let's not get too carried away
The use of images to tell the story is fine
in parts the cinematography is excellent; long pans
Anderson has great, simple, creation of space around Plainview
washed out backdrops and low key interiors
repeat use of colour schemes; red, for example are well done
as are certain sillouhetted compostions
it is a taut story, excellent in that plot brings out character
problem is that a few scenes seem to come a little from knowehere; random violence
as though the editing was down from too much; unmotivated, but not random (presumption of justification)
the film would be more interesting if viewed from liking/ identifying with Plainview more
Day-Lewis is of course excellent, sidelit with his red face, is given long takes at times
space and edit fragments as it goes on, showing shattering worldview
but the moment is never really reached, we really have a road that lacks an understanding (Anderson presumes we have reached an end, that Plainview is shown as nuts; but this never really happens)
nothing wrong with open endings, but inconsequential, especially in a film about character, is a problem
music is intrusive and loses tension, loses realism, really not impressive
a fine film, which doesn't quite reach the huge expectations it set itself
Of course unfair to compare with 'Kane', but similar arc, this film is excellent but not in that class
rather compare with 'The Murder Of Jesse James'...an interesting comparison, both led by plot,
yes, it's very impressive, but let's not get too carried away
The use of images to tell the story is fine
in parts the cinematography is excellent; long pans
Anderson has great, simple, creation of space around Plainview
washed out backdrops and low key interiors
repeat use of colour schemes; red, for example are well done
as are certain sillouhetted compostions
it is a taut story, excellent in that plot brings out character
problem is that a few scenes seem to come a little from knowehere; random violence
as though the editing was down from too much; unmotivated, but not random (presumption of justification)
the film would be more interesting if viewed from liking/ identifying with Plainview more
Day-Lewis is of course excellent, sidelit with his red face, is given long takes at times
space and edit fragments as it goes on, showing shattering worldview
but the moment is never really reached, we really have a road that lacks an understanding (Anderson presumes we have reached an end, that Plainview is shown as nuts; but this never really happens)
nothing wrong with open endings, but inconsequential, especially in a film about character, is a problem
music is intrusive and loses tension, loses realism, really not impressive
a fine film, which doesn't quite reach the huge expectations it set itself
Of course unfair to compare with 'Kane', but similar arc, this film is excellent but not in that class
rather compare with 'The Murder Of Jesse James'...an interesting comparison, both led by plot,
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