Death in Venice / Morte a Venezia

[Ignacio Aguilar]

I saw it today on DVD.

 

Together with Visconti's own "The Damned / La caduta degli dei" this must be of the films with more zoom shots ever. Visconti was a focus puller's nightmare.

 

Since the film didn't show the typical anamorphic artifacts like out of focus ovals (the out of focus points of light were spherical or even squares) I would say that the lens was a rear mounted anamorphic zoom.

 

Any thoughts about this film? Anyone knows the exact lens Visconti used?

 

My guess is that it was a Cooke 50-500mm T/5.6, because of the softness, poor resolution at the end and the light levels required. Some shots were done with primes and even on DVD they look much sharper and show better contrast!

 

Edited April 21, 2005 by Ignacio Aguilar

[Bill Totolo]

The only thing I noted from this film about the look was its softness, looked like a net over the lens. I also remember the LONG pans that roamed back AND forth over scenes. Interesting, sad little film.

[Leo Anthony Vale]

I saw it today on DVD.

 

Together with Visconti's own "The Damned / La caduta degli dei" this must be of the films with more zoom shots ever. Visconti was a focus puller's nightmare.

 

Since the film didn't show the typical anamorphic artifacts like out of focus ovals (the out of focus points of light were spherical or even squares) I would say that the lens was a rear mounted anamorphic zoom.

 

Any thoughts about this film? Anyone knows the exact lens Visconti used?

 

My guess is that it was a Cooke 50-500mm T/5.6, because of the softness, poor resolution at the end and the light levels required. Some shots were done with primes and even on DVD they look much sharper and show better contrast!

 

 

---Since it was released in early 1971 & probably shot i 1970, that's too early for the cooke, even the 20-100 Varotal.

It would have to be the classic Angenieux 25-250/50-500A.

 

---LV

[Ignacio Aguilar]

---Since it was released in early 1971 & probably shot i 1970, that's too early for the cooke, even the 20-100 Varotal.

It would have to be the classic Angenieux 25-250/50-500A.

 

---LV

 

Leo,

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Ironically, I've just seen Andrei Tarkovsky's Solaris (1972), and I'm surprised because some shots appear to use a Russian anamorphic zoom lens either specifically designed for the anamorphic format or converted by adding a front element, since they show elliptical circles of confusion, as opposed to rear-converted zooms. Nowadays Panavision rents a 40-80mm T/2.8 & front element anamorphic zoom, but I didn't know about this kind of lens back then.

[Max Jacoby]

Russian cameras and lenses are not my area of expertise, but isn't there an anamorphic front element one can add to the Lomos?

[Leo Anthony Vale]

Ironically, I've just seen Andrei Tarkovsky's Solaris (1972), and I'm surprised because some shots appear to use a Russian anamorphic zoom lens either specifically designed for the anamorphic format or converted by adding a front element, since they show elliptical circles of confusion, as opposed to rear-converted zooms. Nowadays Panavision rents a 40-80mm T/2.8 & front element anamorphic zoom, but I didn't know about this kind of lens back then.

 

---That would be the Foton-A/Voskhod. 37-140mm T4.5.

Looking through Russian film books and magazines, I often came across pruduction photos of this lens mounted on Konvas. Even hand held while mountain climbing. It was so ubiquitous, I came to think of it as the symbol of 60s Sovscope.

 

In the west and Japan, since the 25-250mm Ang. came out in the early 60s, the Ang. 35-140mm zoom with a front anamorphic was usually used. TotalScope also had an anamorphic PanCinor.

 

---LV