The 10 Most Exquisitely Lit Films Of All Time

[James Steven Beverly]

http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/the-10-most-exquisitely-lit-films-of-all-time/

[David Mullen ASC]

It's hard to take that article too seriously. He doesn't give much credit to the cinematographer in each selection on his list, otherwise he might have noticed that the hot top lighting he credits to Tarantino(!) for "Django Unchained" was also happening in "Bringing Out the Dead", which is also on his list -- because both were shot by Robert Richardson (not to mention, I'd pick any number of Richardson-shot movies over "Django", from "Inglourious Basterds" to "JFK"...)

 

There's nothing wrong with his list, per se, they are all nicely-lit movies and many are my favorites as well... but it is a somewhat haphazard selection that is biased towards the past 20 years of cinema. And to call those ten as the best of "all time" for lighting is rather debatable. What about "Barry Lyndon", "Blade Runner", "The Duelists", "Black Narcissus" and "The Red Shoes", Figueroa's work in "The Fugitive", Morris' work in "Moulin Rouge", etc.

 

But as a list of ten movies worth checking out, it's fine. It's the "of all time" notion that I trouble with, it implies something beyond a subjective opinion, something more than a personal favorites list.

[Gregg MacPherson]

 

It's hard to take that article too seriously.

I have trouble with the idea of carpet bombing the forum with these lists, done without comment or explanation. Though to be fair, the one or two that I read were reasonably interesting.

[James Steven Beverly]

Oh just fodor for discussion. I tried to pick subjects that were craft oriented and might enlighten or inspire film makers but take them for what they're worth. I don't intend to make "carpet bombing" a particular habit unless something comes up that is particularly useful to movie makers. Just FYI, B)

[James Steven Beverly]

It's hard to take that article too seriously. He doesn't give much credit to the cinematographer in each selection on his list, otherwise he might have noticed that the hot top lighting he credits to Tarantino(!) for "Django Unchained" was also happening in "Bringing Out the Dead", which is also on his list -- because both were shot by Robert Richardson (not to mention, I'd pick any number of Richardson-shot movies over "Django", from "Inglourious Basterds" to "JFK"...)

 

There's nothing wrong with his list, per se, they are all nicely-lit movies and many are my favorites as well... but it is a somewhat haphazard selection that is biased towards the past 20 years of cinema. And to call those ten as the best of "all time" for lighting is rather debatable. What about "Barry Lyndon", "Blade Runner", "The Duelists", "Black Narcissus" and "The Red Shoes", Figueroa's work in "The Fugitive", Morris' work in "Moulin Rouge", etc.

 

But as a list of ten movies worth checking out, it's fine. It's the "of all time" notion that I trouble with, it implies something beyond a subjective opinion, something more than a personal favorites list.

Honestly, I actually very much agree with you. The point of posting the lists was to strart a diolog on the crafts involved in the film making process. The glaring exclusions you pointed out show the need for such discussion in my opinion. People need to realize cinematography has been around since before 1990 and we can learn from these wonderful examples.

[David Mullen ASC]

This is just a partial list of the movies from the past 40 years that I tend to look at again and again for the lighting of interiors:

Klute (1971)

Cabaret (1972)

The Godfather, Part II (1974)

Barry Lyndon (1975)

1900 (1976)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

The Duelists (1977)

Agatha (1979)

Alien (1979)

Manhattan (1979)

Chariots of Fire (1981)

Pennies From Heaven (1981)

Reds (1981)

Blade Runner (1982)

One From the Heart (1982)

Rumblefish (1983)

The Natural (1984)

Legend (1985)

Angel Heart (1987)

Empire of the Sun (1987)

The Last Emperor (1987)

Tequila Sunrise (1988)

Tucker (1988)

Dick Tracy (1990)

The Godfather, Part III (1990)

Hamlet (Zefferilli) (1990)

Henry & June (1990)

Barton Fink (1991)

Bugsy (1991)

JFK (1991)

Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

Jennifer 8 (1992)

Schindler’s List (1993)

Searching For Bobby Fischer (1993)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

City of Lost Children (1995)

A Little Princess (1995)

Nixon (1995)

Seven (1995)

Dark City (1998)

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Snow Falling On Cedars (1999)

Saving Grace (2000)

In The Mood For Love (2001)

The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

Amelie (2001)

The Road to Perdition (2002)

Girl With The Pearl Earring (2003)

The Prestige (2006)

The Good Shepherd (2006)

Zodiac (2007)

Revolutionary Road (2007)

[James Steven Beverly]

Absolutely terrific. Some of my favorite films are on this list, if not most all of them and that's only because there's a couple I haven't seen yet. Good stuff! :D