Dr. Zhivago

[Giray Izcan]

I'm revisiting this movie since I just bought a whole bunch of oldies on Blu Rat. I hadn't seen this for years. Watching it on high definition, wow, I mean such a wonderful piece in terms of the story and the cinematography.

[David Mullen ASC]

Yes, it's great.

[John Holland]

It has just be re=released today here a 4K showing in some Cinemas . I remember taking my Mother to the Empire Leicester Sq when it first opened a 70mm presentation shot Panavision 35mm anamorphic but a fantastic blow up done by MGM labs Culver City one of the best ever I had seen until " The Wind and the Lion " a good few years later that looked really stunning !

[Jonathan Flanagan]

Saw it last night for the first time in the cinema at the National Film Theatre in 4K. Cast, direction, screenplay,production design and cinematography all superb a genuine classic in every sense.

[David Mullen ASC]

What I always notice about David Lean films are the strong editorial choices, strong cuts at the end of scenes, well thought-out transitions often built around sound, different scenes with different editing structures, some choppy, some flowing with minimal cuts, etc. One thing he loved was to cut abruptly to a loud train engine as it barrels down the track; he did that transition in several movies.

 

I often show directors scenes from David Lean films to discuss building transitions or an editing scheme to the scene.

[Justin Hayward]

I often show directors scenes from David Lean films to discuss building transitions or an editing scheme to the scene.

I've been watching David Lean films for fun on my projector lately. The fact you have to show directors this kind of stuff for encouragement is an extremely sad testament to my failed career.

[David Mullen ASC]

When I show a clip of something to a director for discussion, it's not necessarily the first time they've seen the movie, they may have seen it years ago. Sometimes it is instructive to watch something again.

[Justin Hayward]

I know, I'm exaggerating.

 

I recently watched "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and was struck by how "theme" driven that movie is. Not that movies shouldn't be theme driven, they certainly should, but most fall short compared to a masterpiece like this. After recently watching "Lawrence of Arabia" I was struck by the opening several minutes of score against black on a movie clocking over three and half hours :)

[Jonathan Flanagan]

What I always notice about David Lean films are the strong editorial choices, strong cuts at the end of scenes, well thought-out transitions often built around sound, different scenes with different editing structures, some choppy, some flowing with minimal cuts, etc. One thing he loved was to cut abruptly to a loud train engine as it barrels down the track; he did that transition in several movies.

 

I often show directors scenes from David Lean films to discuss building transitions or an editing scheme to the scene.

I think for most people the most famous and memorable Lean edit/transition shot is the blowing out of the match and cut to the desert sunrise in 'Lawrence', taking us and him into the crucial desert scenes. However, in Dr Zhivago, there is also a very surprising cut, where Komorovsky (Rod Steiger) is dancing with Lara (Julie Christie) in the restaurant and Sean suddenly does a furious and unexpected whip-pan ( quite jarring on the wide screen) to the couple sitting down to dinner. I'm not sure what the motivation was for it but it stuck in my mind.

I

[David Mullen ASC]

"Zhivago" has some complex sequences, like the single shot looking through windows, panning and tracking Komorovsky as he attends to the suicidal mother of Lara, culminating in following him out onto the alley as he gives a note to a driver. And I seem to recall he shouts out the name of the doctor he wants the driver to find, then the film cuts to the doctor he is referring to. Then a few scenes later is the silent scene of Zhivago watching Lara and Komorovsky through glass as Komorovsky enters a dark room with a lamp to talk to Lara, all intercut with Zhivago watching in the dark.

[Jonathan Flanagan]

Did any of Nic Roeg's photography make it into the final cut or was it all re -shot by Freddie Young? I always understood that Yuri's mothers funeral sequence was Roeg's?

[David Mullen ASC]

I think that sounds about right.

[Justin Hayward]

in Dr Zhivago, there is also a very surprising cut, where Komorovsky (Rod Steiger) is dancing with Lara (Julie Christie) in the restaurant and Sean suddenly does a furious and unexpected whip-pan ( quite jarring on the wide screen) to the couple sitting down to dinner. I'm not sure what the motivation was for it but it stuck in my mind.

I

Totally agree, if the movie came out today I would assume David Lean lifted the shot/cut from Martin Scorsese. Maybe it's the opposite? ;)

[Justin Hayward]

What I always notice about David Lean films are the strong editorial choices, strong cuts at the end of scenes, well thought-out transitions often built around sound, different scenes with different editing structures, some choppy, some flowing with minimal cuts, etc. One thing he loved was to cut abruptly to a loud train engine as it barrels down the track; he did that transition in several movies.

 

Have you ever worked with a director with an editing background like David Lean's? And if so, how did it work for you?

[David Mullen ASC]

I don't think I've shot something directed by a former editor (I could be wrong). There have been a couple of directors who had worked as script supervisors or AD's in the past, and I've had editors come out to set to supervise a reshoot / pick-up shot. I have worked with some directors who were very editing-oriented though.