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From Russia With Love
Thunderball
You Only Live Twice
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
The Spy Who Loved Me
Moonraker
GoldenEye
Quantum of Solace (not the shaky action scenes. Everything else is lovely)
Skyfall Duh Roger Deakins duh
Okay, I am today looking up the names and posting the cinematographers for my list of favorite cinematography in Bond films:
Skyfall- Roger Deakins
TSWLM - Claude Renoir
YOLT - Freddie Young (who also did the masterful Lawrence of Arabia)
FYEO - Alan Hume (who also did OP and AVTAK)
MR - Jean Tournier
OHMSS - Michael Reed
TND - Robert Elswit
CR - Phil Meheux (also did GE)
Some tidbits, as I am now reading up on these guys a bit:
Claude Renoir - yes, it's that family tree: He was the grandson of Pierre-Auguste Renoir (master painter) and the nephew of the director, Jean Renoir.
Alan Hume - Interesting bit, not about FYEO (which I love and do appreciate the entire look of that film) but for TSWLM: Alan personally filmed (as part of the second unit) the entire PTS segment of TSWLM, using a handheld camera and got it (after long weeks of preparation and waiting for the weather to clear) in one take.
Michael Reed - The filming in Switzerland ran 56 days over schedule, but remains some of the most outstanding scenes in the series. The Piz Gloria was still under construction, but that location was so interesting the producers allowed funds to add electricity and an aerial lift to make filming there possible.
Robert Elswit - Cinematographer also on Syriana, There Will Be Blood (for which he won an Oscar) and Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol (as well as the upcoming 5th MI)
* * * * * * *
So come along, give us your thoughts about cinematography in Bond films. :-B
I still want to look at least appealing cinematography in Bond films, also. :-q
As well as who we would like for the cinematographer for Bond 24. :x
Cheers! :-bd
I enjoy OHMSS but it is not my top film for cinematography; though I know it is many members' favorite in that category.
MR my least favorite film, but one has to give it props for such wonderful cinematography.
SF has some beautiful and artsy work. Especially the scenes in China.
I believe I have heard people mention that Diamonds Are Forever looks cheap, tv-ish, even tacky. But hey, that is Las Vegas, isn't it? ;)
And on to the elephant in the room: Quantum of Shaky-Cam.
I do find the cinematogaphy in QOS to be annoying because of two things:
1) Given the stunning and interesting locations where they filmed, I feel a lot of that is wasted. We do not see enough of these lovely places. It is all too fast. Except for near the end; the desert in Bolivia is portrayed well enough. But it is a desert ... I wanted to have more appreciation for the other lovely areas in this film, too.
2) Yes, the shaky-cam. It is annoying and stupid. Forster wanted the film to be fast, "like a bullet" I have read, and I guess he was going for realism. But I really, really hate so many of the shots, they way this film was handled. [-(
The only exception I can think of is the Opera scene, which is one of the highlights of this film.
Anyone else care to mention cinematography that you did not care for in Bond films?
Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away...
Not counting the CGI of course.
Maybe I'm just an old world Cinemascope purist.....
:))
I'll reveal right now what I perceive as the very best piece of cinematography the Bonds have recently seen: the CR PTS. The use of different shades of grey and different graininess to reflect the two different kills and the stark contrast between them in terms of brutality is but one element that amazes me time and again. Then there's the overall camera work and editing, which I find splendid to say the least. I cannot imagine a better way to introduce Craig to us.
Here's my top 5:
YOLT
OHMSS
TND
QOS
SF
Honorable mentions to the fab four (DN, FRWL, GF, TB), TLD, and CR.
There are many brief instances of great cinematography throughout the series (that overhead shot of Bond and Octopussy in bed with the sparkling chandelier in view springs to mind), but those I listed above seem to me to be the most consistently artistically-filmed overall. Quantum of Solace in particular may actually be the most stunning example of Blu-Ray I have ever seen. The detail in that film is amazing.
Also, while I wouldn't cite the film as a whole as a particularly good example of fine cinematography, I do love many of the shots of Zorin's chateau in A View to a Kill, particularly that beautiful panning shot of Bond and Tibbett's car arriving.
I think only a few folks rate QOS highly for cinematography; so I find your comments interesting, @Some_Kind_Of_Hero. With the quick cuts and shaky cam, I do rank it low for cinematic enjoyment. The opera scene was gorgeous, but that is the most splendid moment of the entire film for me in regards to the cinematography. I know some folks really enjoy QOS a good deal more than me. I find some merit in it, especially the very fine ending which totally lifts the film. But the cinematography is definitely not my cup of tea. (And @Beatles, the shaky-cam was the responsibility of the cinematographer, whether guided by Forster specifically to do that or not, I am unsure.)
I was thinking about individual shots that are gorgeous, so yes we can name some of our favorite scenes, too, not just looking at the whole of a film.
Yes, @DarthDimi, I agree that Casino Royale's PTS is wonderful. It was so suitable for the entire theme and feel of this film, being Bond's first 00 status kill.
I'll write more later, and list some of my favorite scenes, but I just wanted to touch base with everyone now.
Cheers!
I think cinematography matters in a Bond film. And I believe that is in large part because of the history of this series. There are been interesting and carefully filmed cinematography in Bond films throughout the years, even early on. I love the look and feel of From Russia With Love. Thunderball was so exotic and exciting, especially when it first came out. There are certain things we have come to expect from a Bond film - and a variety of lovely, exotic, or fascinating locations is one of them. The best Bond films have cinematography that suits the story - meaning that the lighting, ambiance, and length of shots contribute to the feel of that particular story. Far more than just a pretty picture indeed.
Bond films have given us a look at different parts of the world, and indeed different worlds that people live in (the ultra wealthy, different cultures, fantastic scientific environments, etc.). If all of this were filmed just flat, with no particular care or passion, then I doubt that we would have enjoyed our Bond films so much. I do not mean to suggest that Bond films are mere travelogues within the story. Good cinematography is far more than that. Good cinematography lifts the story, enhances the entire viewing experience, and sort of soaks the story into our subconscious. Like music, it can have a subtle or subconscious impact on the viewer, as well as a strong conscious one.
When I was a kid growing up, our neighborhood movie theaters (there were two) had huge screens, with a slight stage and heavy curtains. There was a large concession stand where I would sometimes buy buttered popcorn and a large Seven Up (later, a Cherry Coke). They also sold a delicious orange drink in a plastic orange, shaped like the fruit with a straw. I snuck in my own chocolate. I used to go to movies with friends but also by myself, as well as some films with my parents of course. The afternoon show was always my favorite time to see a film (it still is).
So it was a big deal back then to go see a movie, and movies stayed for weeks and weeks. When my friends and I talked about movies, it was like talking about a concert. Something you had to see, and something that would be around for a while but then not not seen again. This was before many current films transitioned to television. If you missed seeing a movie, you lucked out for a looooong time. Yeah, hard to imagine now what that was like. We now live in a time where we have instant access to darn near everything, in record time, and multiples viewings. I really don't take that for granted, thanks to the era I grew up in.
I had no array of previews for an upcoming film. There were no dvds, internet, or videos available at all. Just a brief trailer for the film on TV maybe, some article in a magazine, and maybe people would discuss the upcoming movies on chat shows (Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin were part of my life then, more than Johnny Carson). Word of mouth was all important. Granted, I lived in a smaller city (same one where Angela Bassett grew up, by the way; she went to my high school but is younger than me). I grew up loving and soaking up as much as possible three key things: books, movies (as we say in America, more often than "films"), and British music (mainly The Beatles). Some films I remember seeing as a kid and young teenager: The Parent Trap, Cleopatra (which stayed for months on end), Father Goose, A Hard Day's Night (yeah, it changed my life), Oliver!, The Great Escape, the Dirty Dozen, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Pink Panther, The Jungle Book, Dr. Zhivago, True Grit, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, M*A*S*H, The Sting, and ... Diamonds Are Forever (my first bond film in a theater). Not trying to be in strict chronological order; these are just what I remembered at this moment.
I fell in love with Bond in DAF, as well as in the novels. Since that turning point, I have eagerly looked forward to each new Bond film. It is a fine thread woven throughout my life, ever since that day when I saw DAF (with my parents - ha!). I love the look, feel, and fun of Bond films. I want my Bond film to be a great adventure, thrilling and exciting, with memorable music, lovely women, some great action, and some really gorgeous cinematography.
I want a Bond film to be a thoroughly enjoyable ride, whether more serious like Casino Royale or a grand sparkling adventure like The Spy Who Loved Me. I don't want them to pinch pennies when it comes to the look of Bond films. I want the best cinematography possible, because I really want to be in that world - to be shown something a little different or for it to be more richly portrayed than I normally would have in a different film. Bond films have many fine ingredients, but I do believe that cinematography also plays an important role in producing a truly great Bond film.
I'd love to hear more from you about your views on cinematography in Bond films and any particular favorite scenes. I'll list a few more of my favorite scenes later today. But soon I am off for work. So do carry on, fellow and sister agents!
Cheers! B-)
DN- Honey coming out of the water. Warm rich colours.
FRWL- Rosa coming on to Tatiana. Daniela was the only brightness in an otherwise grey scene.
GF- Bond on the table. Stark blacks and greys with a single red beam hitting gold.
TB- Bond and Domino on the beach. Such lush blues & flesh tones.
YOLT- Aki poisoned. The glistening drops threading down to Sean's and then Akiko's lips was masterful.
OHMSS- The car chase. Snow & headlights & flare filters! (This mental image was created by a video disk in the Eighties; OHMSS was the only Golden Age Bond I didn't get to see in the theatre as a teen)
DAF- Bambi & Thumper. All the glass and steel with the colourful girls & pink tie...
Visually, I love how QOS uses unusual angles to show things from slanted perspectives or somewhat off-center or partially obscured. Some viewers may find these shots sloppy, but it's definitely a deliberate decision the filmmakers made and one I find rather aesthetically intriguing, especially when used in a Bond film where camera angles/scene-framing tend to be on the more conservative side (looking at the series as a whole). I also like how some of the shots in QOS focus briefly on more obscure aspects of certain scenes to build atmosphere and setting (like the little dog on the roof in Haiti, the turntable at Greene's party, the lizard in the desert, the bowl of golden orbs in the eco-hotel).
For a specific breakdown of a scene, even though the editing comes a bit too rapid-fire for my taste, I really like many of the shots that make up the opening car chase, and I think that had these shots been a bit more carefully selected and allowed to linger onscreen a half second or so longer apiece, this scene might be viewed as one of the better car chases of the series.
Here are some of the great shots that make up the PTS of QOS:
1. Push in across lake
2. Close-up of Bond's eyes
3. Low angle of cars
4. Cars sideswipe
5. Bond takes aim
6. Car over edge
I don't have images of them, but I also really like the shots of Bond's car driving down that dark tunnel afterward, as if he's pulling into his own version of the Batcave. :)
There are some really nice landscape shots in QOS as well: Bond's boat trip to Mathis and deserting Greene.
@chrisisall, I agree with you 100%. Just about every Bond film has at least one or two golden shots that really pop. If I have time before we move on to another topic, I'll try to post some of my favorite shots from various films throughout the series.
Dr. No - Connery in the casino; it just felt so palpably real
TSWLM - the PTS, Bond skiing down that slope and the jump - lovely long, lingering shot; also the pyramids at night
FYEO - Bond chasing Locque, then kicking his car off the cliff; also Bond and Melina's shopping excursion in the Greek market
TLD - the entire PTS with Dalton on the cliff, the chase, and him landing on the yacht; also the sniper scene where we first see Kara and the cargo plane fight
OHMSS - the helicopters arriving and the ensuing fight; also the car chase on ice
FRWL - the train fight between Bond and Grant; Rosa's attempt to woo Tania, as @chrisisall mentioned
QOS- the entire opera sequence; also the very end after Bond has "dealt with" Yusef for hours yet not killed him, talking with in the snow and ending with her necklace lying there (those are the only 2 real saving graces of the film for me; they are beautifully filmed)
GE - Natalya barely escaping when the building is destroyed around her; also the entire PTS
DAD - Bond's capture, torture, all scenes through the walk across the bridge for the prisoner exchange; also the sword fight in Blades
DAF - Vegas, the car chase just showcased Vegas in all its tacky neon glory plus the exceptional stunt
CR - the amazing, rather startling and so appropriate PTS; also the stairwell fight
SF - Bond running through the streets of London trying to reach M before Silva, intercut with Judi quoting Tennyson; the fight in silhouette with Patrice; the intro of Severine standing there with the wind blowing her hair;the entire intro to Shanghai as I've mentioned earlier; Bond arriving at the casino by boat at night; Silva's introduction, that long shot tracking shot starting with him so far away and walking towards the camera while talking all the while; M and Bond chatting in her apartment when he first came back (I thought it was especially well lit); the sublime drive to Scotland; and either the entire PTS (because I love the fight on top of the train, too) or at least the first moments as we see Bond in shadow, then his eyes, then Bond finds Ronson, leaves him, exits into the bustling bazaar, then Eve arrives to take him away.
For stunning cinematography, Skyfall does have the most, for me. But that's all for now. I'll try to add a few more favorite shots, memorable cinematography later. :)
In OHMSS, Lazenby's introduction is teased, but then we take a few brief moments where the film pauses and allows us to get a sense of geography, to see the characters in a close-up, to understand the situation. Only after that set-up does the aggressively cut action ensue. AVTAK is just action against a white, featureless canvas and QOS is almost just random action.
I have seen QOS in the double digits by now. And it really took me several viewings to collect the required bits of information that constitute its PTS. But that shouldn’t be the case. It’s okay to discover new things with multiple viewings but it’s not okay, at least not in a Bond film, to require multiple viewings to actually understand what I’m seeing. This isn’t an action film told by David Lynch, you know. Yet the QOS PTS is so full of its own spasmodic impulses, I’m left shaken and stirred, and confused.
So again, I will admit that QOS looks really good, in fact some moments in the film look exceptionally good, but the good stuff, for me at least, doesn’t come until we’ve left Italy. Cinematography comprises a whole range of things. But nothing matters as long as we can’t differentiate between characters, or get a grip on the situation. Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t tell whether I’m seeing Bond or Mitchell. I can’t explain why we get inserts from that horse race thing. I can’t pretend to like a car chase with nothing but blurs and meaningless shapes in some kind of superkinetic motion. When it’s too loud, it’s too loud and it’s by no means fun.
:P
Sigh ...
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I'm going to go look up Mendes' films and see who has worked with besides Deakins. Hmmm. In the meantime, here are some cinematographers to consider for Bond 24. (in no particular order):
1) Phil Méheux (yes, CR and GE) - I hardly think he is past it and I'd be more than willing for him to have another Bond film in his resume
2) Janusz Kaminski (Lincoln, Saving Private Ryan)
3 John Toll (Iron Man 3, The Last Samurai, Seraphim Falls)
4) Robert Richardson (Django Unchained, Shutter Island, Inglourious Basterds)
3) Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity, Children of Men)
4) Wally Pfister (Nolan's Batman trilogy, Inception). Personally, I really like his work.
5) Hoyte van Hontema (Interstellar; Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
6) Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood - for which he won the Oscar - Syriana, Michael Clayton, MI Ghost Protocol)
7) Claudio Miranda (Oblvion, TRON Legacy, Life of Pi)
8) Dante Spinotti (The Quick and the Dead, LA Confidential, Narnia: Prince Caspian)
Please give us your thoughts on which director you feel (not meaning just from my list; your own choice) would be great for Bond 24.
Cheers!
I'd love to know of other DOPs/Cinematographers that you consider to be a good choice for Bond 24.
Off to work now; carry chaps and chapettes ladies! :)>-
I think he did a Bond film before as well.... ;)