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what are everybody�s favorite movie looks?


Adam Paul

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With the advent of DI where you can pick very specific looks, I was wondering what are everybody?s top 10 favorite movie looks, including new and older films? I will start with my list, in no particular order (I know I said top 10, but oh well):

 

Once upon a time in America

Amelie

Munich

Dark City

Moulin Rouge

Underworld

Sky Captain and the world of tomorrow

Superman Returns

House of the flying daggers

Matrix

Minority Report

Collateral

 

 

Although they are mostly 35mm films, I thought I would post it here in the HD forum since most sophisticated looks are accomplished using DI. Along with that goes a question. Do you think those looks could have been done if shot in HD without noticeable degradation (in the case of heavily color corrected 35mm films like Underworld, Minority Report etc)?

 

Thanks for participating.

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Along with that goes a question. Do you think those looks could have been done if shot in HD without noticeable degradation (in the case of heavily color corrected 35mm films like Underworld, Minority Report etc)?

 

If you're asking if you can grade an HD image as heavily, it depends on what sort of HD you are talking about. Something shot in 4:4:4 HD with minimal compression, probably, although you won't have the same dynamic range to play with -- on the other hand, if the look you are going for involves tossing away a lot of that exposure information, it may not matter. Of course, there are other aspects of the film image that are unique to film no matter what the grade.

 

In terms of favorite looks, they are all my favorites if they work for the particular project. I'd love to make the right movie someday look like 1930's 3-strip Technicolor photography, but I also love the look of skip-bleach color negative. Just depends on the project. But I'm interested in recreating old looks that aren't easily replicated due to lost or non-cinema technology, like 3-strip or 2-color Technicolor, or Autochromes, Polaroids, etc.

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I was wondering what are everybody?s top 10 favorite movie looks, including new and older films?

 

The b/w intro in tarkovskys "stalker", especially the shots in the bar and in the sleeping-room, maybe the best black and white I know...I still wonder how they did this...

 

"Tears of the black tiger" tries to simulate old technicolor, it has very candy-like color-tones, ultra-artificial studio-shots etc...this movie is a real jewel, maybe one of the best movies I've seen the last 5 years...

 

hmm, hard to fill that top10...

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82 views and only three replies? C?mon guys, let?s hear some opinions. I'm sure you have your favorite movie looks. :-)

 

Thanks for all the replies so far by the way.

 

In the opposite direction, with little correction I suspect, the use of natural light in "Local Hero".

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  • 1 month later...

I really enjoyed the Bourne movies' cinematography. I felt the camera movement was great for those movies, but may not have been great in other movies.

 

As far as HD is concerned, I liked Sin City very much with the use of specific colors, and I was glad it was mostly black and white.

 

So heres my Top 10, no order:

 

The Matrix

Collateral

Minority Report

War of the Worlds

Heat

Se7en

Bourne Identity

Bourne Supremisy(sp? sorry)

Sin City

Desperado

 

probably others I can't think of...

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If you're asking if you can grade an HD image as heavily, it depends on what sort of HD you are talking about. Something shot in 4:4:4 HD with minimal compression, probably, although you won't have the same dynamic range to play with -- on the other hand, if the look you are going for involves tossing away a lot of that exposure information, it may not matter. Of course, there are other aspects of the film image that are unique to film no matter what the grade.

 

In terms of favorite looks, they are all my favorites if they work for the particular project. I'd love to make the right movie someday look like 1930's 3-strip Technicolor photography, but I also love the look of skip-bleach color negative. Just depends on the project. But I'm interested in recreating old looks that aren't easily replicated due to lost or non-cinema technology, like 3-strip or 2-color Technicolor, or Autochromes, Polaroids, etc.

 

 

David,

 

You mentioned Autochromes, what exactly is that? If a cinema related process, are there any examples I could look at?

 

thanks

Chris

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I dont care so much for Tony Scott stuff... style over substance in many cases. It often feels unmotivated. I guess the thing I really hate about it is that somehow, that "look" of his seems to DEFINE the film look with most of the indie people. For me, there is one film that visually stands out so far there is no close second. That would be Metropolis. Still mesmerizing to watch....

 

 

 

 

ash =o)

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The Vikings

Batman Returns (keaton)

Radio Days

The Grapes of Wrath

25th hour

Unbreakable

The thin Red Line

Gatticca

12 Angry men

Narc

LOTR

 

It would be good to stipulate the look you admire even in films you dont enjoy. If you love a film you will make repeated viewings and will appreciate more of the cinematography. I wonder how many others have listed their fave films as good film looks?

 

and Brotherhood of the Wolf. . .fantastic visuals from start to finish :)

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But I'm interested in recreating old looks that aren't easily replicated due to lost or non-cinema technology, like 3-strip or 2-color Technicolor, or Autochromes, Polaroids, etc.

 

The Polaroid look it's interesting that you mentioned this David.

 

I am writing a feature set in the Bahamas I intend on producing next year. The five main characters experience flashbacks that take place in the 80's. The opening sequence, mostly of establishing shots of the island, and the first sequence of the movie is a flashback that ends with the two main characters posing for a picture, this frame turns into a Polaroid still.

 

I figured that I would design the flashbacks scenes to have that Polaroid picture look thus distinguishing the flashback scenes from present scenes. So far my first step was to find an old Polaroid camera and get some film and ofcourse looking at polaroids. To me they have the quality of Super 8 film. Do you know of any examples I can look at where this look was replicated?

 

Gustavius Smith

NY NY

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Polaroids are strange because they look simultaneously high-con and low-con to me -- probably they are contrasty but have milky blacks and pastel colors that make them seem soft & low-con.

 

But that painting reminds me more of skip-bleach processing a neg.

 

Joyce Tenneson is an art photographer who did a lot of large format Polaroids that have an ethereal look:

http://www.tenneson.com/tr/tr_images_01.html

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