Visions of Light

Paul Bruening · January 23, 2008

Just watched Visions of Light. Unfortunately, it was on VHS. All the same, what a delight to see and hear so many great cinematographers speak in first person. Wow.

Jonathan Bowerbank · January 23, 2008

Seen it many times, and it's always great to watch.

I still need to see "Cinematographer Style", but it's hard to get one on the cheap!

John Brawley · January 23, 2008

Just watched Visions of Light. Unfortunately, it was on VHS. All the same, what a delight to see and hear so many great cinematographers speak in first person. Wow.

I first saw it in a cinema over 10 years ago. I think I pretty much decided there and then that's what I wanted to do.

I have it on DVD (from amazon) and it could definintly do with a re-transfer. It was an NHK co-production, so I'm sure it must exist on HD / HiVision somewhere. Would be a lovely blu-ray title.

Cinematogrpaher style is pretty OK, but it's much more...umm..techy. And there's isn't a single clip from any films. it's wall to wall talking heads.

jb

John Allen · January 29, 2008

I love "Visions of Light". It's a pitty that they don't make more things like that.

David Rosenblum · February 9, 2008

As a student...Visions of Light = great.

Cinematographer Style = not so much. It was great to hear all of the living (and recently departed) legends discuss their work, careers, techniques, etc. but there were no clips. It was very disappointing. In a visual medium, it would have been cool to actually see some things they were talking about.

Francesco Bonomo · February 9, 2008

It was an NHK co-production, so I'm sure it must exist on HD / HiVision somewhere. Would be a lovely blu-ray title.

Right after watching it two years ago at the Maine Workshops, someone (it could have been Michael Goi, ASC, or someone else in the class) said that the original tapes are pretty much gone, so the possibilities for a new transfer are non-existent. I heard there was a lot of material that was not included in the final cut that is now lost forever.

Cinematogrpaher style is pretty OK, but it's much more...umm..techy. And there's isn't a single clip from any films. it's wall to wall talking heads.

I absolutely love Cinematographer Style, though I can understand why a lot of people like VoL better. Not including clips from any movie was a very ballsy choice, but I like it quite a lot, given the nature of the documentary.

Can't wait for "Cinematographer Style II"... ;)

Steve Goodloe · February 12, 2008

I wish they would make the full interviews from CS available, I would love to see them.

Michael Lehnert · February 12, 2008

Right after watching it two years ago at the Maine Workshops, someone (it could have been Michael Goi, ASC, or someone else in the class) said that the original tapes are pretty much gone, so the possibilities for a new transfer are non-existent. I heard there was a lot of material that was not included in the final cut that is now lost forever.

REALLY?? Oh my word, that amounts to a crime against the arts! What an indescribable shame! I had no idea! :blink: :(

It is an excellent documentary, which I first saw on the 28 December 1995, on the 100th birthday of cinema. It was the opening docu for an entire (most excellent) series of docs on German public tv about cinematography. Visions of Light and those others offered me the first methodical guidance through cinematography, it also was the first time that I saw DoP not only appear in persona, but also speak about their work. Note: that was way before something like "making ofs" became so common as they are today...