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Loveless - Photographed by Mikhail Krichman & Directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev


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Loveless

 

Zhenya and Boris are going through a vicious divorce marked by resentment, frustration and recriminations.

 

Already embarking on new lives, each with a new partner, they are impatient to start again, to turn the page – even if it means threatening to abandon their 12-year-old son Alexey. Until, after witnessing one of their fights, Alyosha disappears…

 

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Trailer

 

I can't say anything about this movie other than it is, probably, on the top 3 of the movies I have seen in 2017.

Now that the bluray is out it is even easier to watch it.

 

What Mikhail and Andrey created together this time is absolutely timeless.

 

It just gets you and makes you think about all the relationships that you have had and how they finished, how a simple sentence can destroy all your happiness and somebody else's life.

 

It also is, so far, Mikhail's best movie, and Leviathan was really really mega top!

 

The twilight scenes in the bedrooms are absolutely mesmerising and overall it is so wonderfully shot that he should have gotten the Oscar, not only because of the way it is photographed but also because of how Mikhail's photography makes you focus on what is happening to the characters, especially the husband.

 

 

Have a lovely day.

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What I found most impressive about Mikhail's work on Leviathan was the incredible sense of the environment he managed to create. Shooting a deep stops most of the time, and never blowing out detail in the windows. It felt like you could always see clear out to the horizon, regardless of where a scene took place.

He managed this both for daytime and night time with some perfectly executed dusk for night work. And incredibly well balanced day interiors. I feel like it really helped strip any sense of artifice from the film. It put you in the world and kept you there (because you could always see all of it).

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Well, when I worked with him I asked him how he managed to achieve the look of the house in Leviathan because the house interior is absolutely impressive holding both, the interior and the exterior.

 

He told me: It is all natural light, we built the house in the location and orientation that we wanted it to be and I had a lot of white frames on the ceilings, outside, etc.

 

He is just such a magnificent artist whose work is even better when he works with Andrey, and a beautiful person as well!

 

I'd really love to see him shoot a movie for Mungiu, their interests match quite perfectly!

 

Watch Loveless whenever you can and let's start a cinematography discussion! ;)

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Miguel, I don't know whether to laugh or cry hearing that.

My primary goal with my own cinematography over the past three years, has been to try and achieve that same, incredibly natural balance between exteriors and interiors that Mikhail showcased in Leviathan.

 

It's literally been my number one focus. The skill I've spent the most time trying to develop.

And although I've tried and tried again, and even come close at times, I've still never been able to light my interiors to quite that same level of perfection.

 

To hear that it was natural light all along... well, it's an eye-opener to say the least!

I'll chase down Loveless as soon as I can, and we can have a good old yarn about it. :D

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Be warned: This is one of the most depressing movies ever made. It's a very dark view of how we live our lives.

 

That said, the movie was so effectively done, that I don't remember much of the photography. But, if I do remember correctly, it's almost always dark and grey outside the windows. And there was very good production design.

 

And lastly, it's tempting upon seeing this film that it's a commentary on Russian life in particular. I don't think this is a fair assessment. The story could have taken place in any modern big city. And these parents are the most depraved of any I've ever seen in a film.

 

Enjoy?

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That said, the movie was so effectively done, that I don't remember much of the photography. But, if I do remember correctly, it's almost always dark and grey outside the windows.

 

Maybe they filmed it over here in Seattle. Wait, no, you said "almost" always.

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That said, the movie was so effectively done, that I don't remember much of the photography. But, if I do remember correctly, it's almost always dark and grey outside the windows. And there was very good production design.

 

And lastly, it's tempting upon seeing this film that it's a commentary on Russian life in particular. I don't think this is a fair assessment. The story could have taken place in any modern big city. And these parents are the most depraved of any I've ever seen in a film.

 

Enjoy?

 

That's what I like about this kind of cinema, Andrey, Cristian, Ceylan etc.

Their stories could happen anywhere in the world, they are not particularly tied into a place.

 

Leviathan, even though it happens in Russia, it could have happened anywhere, change a couple of things in the script and off you go!

Same goes for the stories that Mungiu creates, they happen in Romania but 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days could have happened in Spain at that time of the century!

 

To be honest, the very first shot of Loveless is super interesting.. because it is not the type of light that a normal dop would have asked for.. but then you come back to it when you finish the movie and it makes perfect sense!

 

Anyways! I hope everybody watches it now haha!

 

 

Be warned: This is one of the most depressing movies ever made. It's a very dark view of how we live our lives.

 

 

 

You should watch some Irish movies :D :D

 

Have a good day all.

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