Do you pay attention to a movie's cinematography while watching?

[Deberg_1990]

Seriously. I do. And it makes a world of difference.

However, my wife contends it's only applicable to hard core movie critics.

So, I was wondering if others do.

[Molitoth]

Yes.

[Friendo]

oh hell yes

if you haven't seen it, check out Cimino's "Thunderbolt & Lightfoot"

Heaven's Gate gets the ink, but for my money T & L overall (cast, dialogue, and cinematography) gets my vote. Great flick :thumb:

[Deberg_1990]

oh hell yes

if you haven't seen it, check out Cimino's "Thunderbolt & Lightfoot"

Heaven's Gate gets the ink, but for my money T & L overall (cast, dialogue, and cinematography) gets my vote. Great flick :thumb:

That showed up on HDNet flicks a few weeks back. Very good flick. I enjoyed it.

[DJJasonp]

Yes....watched No Country for Old Men last night on blu-ray.

Amazing shots.....

[Silock]

Only if it's terrible. If it's good, I don't notice.

[KcMizzou]

Only if it's terrible. If it's good, I don't notice.That, or if it's really excellent... for me.

It's not something I consciously look for...

Gotta be really good, or really bad, for me to notice.

[007]

ummmm, YES

[Reaper16]

Yes, constantly. Though not as much as some of my other serious-about-movies friends. They'll talk up some average-ish movies based on the cinematograpy alone.

[Jenson71]

What makes good cinematography?

What makes bad?

[Hootie]

What makes good cinematography?

What makes bad?

Agreed. Please elaborate, with examples...I'm very interested in what you mean.

[irishjayhawk]

Yes, I do.

Nice thread, by the way.

[Deberg_1990]

What makes good cinematography?

What makes bad?

I think alot of it is personal taste.

[TinyEvel]

Yep.I saw Quantum of Solace last night and was thinking about it most of the time.

I think video game ads need to be more like movie scenes. They're both entertainment.

[Friendo]

Agreed. Please elaborate, with examples...I'm very interested in what you mean.


for me, it's often a matter of the scene shot underscoring the story. in the film I referenced above, there's a scene where Eastwood & Bridges catch a ride on a riverboat, after being chased, & eluding George Kennedy and (lol) Geoffrey Lewis. It's relatively early in the movie and the two characters are just getting to know one another. during the ensuing conversation, it becomes apparent that both are living on the fringe of society, each in his own way. as the conversation wanes, the camera pans back from the close-up to reveal the stunning scenery of the river canyon walls (in the Montana landscape), and reveals the name of the boat "American Dream", complete with an American flag flapping in the breeze. the pacing of this scene imo is critical too--it never feels hurried or forced.

for me, that is the art of the cinematographer.

[Hootie]

thank you

[phisherman]

though cinematography is just one piece of a film's "mise en scene", framing, lighting and camera movement are key.

i'll give you two GREAT examples of moving camera work:
1. boogie nights - opening scene, one continuous shot, no edits, we're introduced to all major players in the movie before there is even one cut.
2. touch of evil - this opening scene, also with no edits, is a perfect example of the cinematography of the great Orson Welles. a three and a half minute tracking shot that goes up, down and all around.

[BigMeatballDave]

I certainly do.

[irishjayhawk]

Children of Men and Pan's Laybrinth.

[drknockers]

so much so that i cant enjoy the movie...:banghead:

[DJJasonp]

though cinematography is just one piece of a film's "mise en scene", framing, lighting and camera movement are key.

i'll give you two GREAT examples of moving camera work:
1. boogie nights - opening scene, one continuous shot, no edits, we're introduced to all major players in the movie before there is even one cut.
2. touch of evil - this opening scene, also with no edits, is a perfect example of the cinematography of the great Orson Welles. a three and a half minute tracking shot that goes up, down and all around.


1. a great shot....and an homage to Scorsese's "nightclub scene" in Goodfellas???


My favorite shot/scene of all time (where cinematography is concerned): The train station scene in the Untouchables (which is a homage to The Battleship Potemkin - a Russian film from the 20's).

[phisherman]

ah yes, eisenstein.

some directors just have the knack with a camera.

[Jilly]

I'm not sure if it classifies as cinematography, but I get motion sickness during the bourne movies