"Falling Down" look of heat

[Tim O'Connor]

I just watched "Falling Down" (yes, it's been out for 15 years or so) and it struck

me as one of the rare films that looks like the weather is really hot. Often films

have the heat as a factor in the plot, people going nuts and so forth, but they don't

always look believeably hot.

 

 

There is a consistent warm tone to many of the shots in this film and that certainly

helps. Does anybody know anything about how this film was shot/colored?

 

 

Thanks.

[Brad Grimmett]

I like this movie a lot Tim. I haven't seen it in a while, but I remember that it did indeed 'look' hot. I don't remember if the color temperature looked warm though. I do believe I remember that Michael Douglas was sweating a lot throughout the movie though, which probably played a big part.

[Tim O'Connor]

I like this movie a lot Tim. I haven't seen it in a while, but I remember that it did indeed 'look' hot. I don't remember if the color temperature looked warm though. I do believe I remember that Michael Douglas was sweating a lot throughout the movie though, which probably played a big part.

 

I like it too, although I was surprised that it was different from what I thought it would be based on

seeing the trailer a long time ago. In fact the trailer is on the DVD. It presents Bill D-FENS as an

ordinary guy who's simply trying to get home. I think that must have been done to sell tickets

because instead of a regular guy who snaps one day at society's craziness; he's a guy with a history

of freaking out and looking like he wants to kill people who finally goes on his spree, granted with a little

provocation but not enough for what he does and for his familial homicidal plans, which I think is

very different from what was advertised.

 

 

I do think that they warmed up many scenes, perhaps with both filters and in post, but also maybe they

shot some of the key scenes in bright sunlight when it was in fact really hot. It has that authentic look.

 

There are some great performances, especially from Michael Douglas.

[Mark Norman]

I just watched "Falling Down" (yes, it's been out for 15 years or so) and it struck

me as one of the rare films that looks like the weather is really hot. Often films

have the heat as a factor in the plot, people going nuts and so forth, but they don't

always look believeably hot.

There is a consistent warm tone to many of the shots in this film and that certainly

helps. Does anybody know anything about how this film was shot/colored?

Thanks.

 

That's an excellent observation.

 

The look and color of the film makes the viewer imagine heat and produces a feeling of fatigue, just like Foster is experiencing.

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

Yeah, they did a really great job of showing the heat, mugginess and stagnant air of LA. I haven't seen it in a while (10 years?), I should give it another look from a cinematographer's perspective.