Michelangelo Scene in Ladyhawk, How?

[Jeremy Burnes]

There's an interesting scene in Ladyhawk where Rutger Hauer's character has changed back into a human and can almost touch Michelle Pfeiffer character. The composition is with Rutger on the left, Pfeiffer on the right and they can almost touch. Vittorio Storaro goes for a Michelangelo/"Creation of Adam" closeup on his hand. It's backlit by the sun and the exposure is really extreme. The effect is one of powerful and almost posterized sun rays emitting from between his fingers.

 

Very cool. I've done overexposed back light scenes before, but I've never gotten the same effect.

 

Anyone know how Storaro achieved it?

 

Thanks,

 

Jeremy

[David Mullen ASC]

There's an interesting scene in Ladyhawk where Rutger Hauer's character has changed back into a human and can almost touch Michelle Pfeiffer character. The composition is with Rutger on the left, Pfeiffer on the right and they can almost touch. Vittorio Storaro goes for a Michelangelo/"Creation of Adam" closeup on his hand. It's backlit by the sun and the exposure is really extreme. The effect is one of powerful and almost posterized sun rays emitting from between his fingers.

 

Very cool. I've done overexposed back light scenes before, but I've never gotten the same effect.

 

Anyone know how Storaro achieved it?

 

Thanks,

 

Jeremy

 

I think that was treated in post by visual effects people using optical printing techniques.

[Mitch Gross]

Yes, optical effects. I think this is covered in an old issue of Cinefex I have somewhere. I believe there was some slit scan work done in there. Very nice textural effect. Today such a thing in CGI would likely appear clean, perfect & plasticy.