RL Cinema Series XI

Cinematography

Presented by movie aficionado Alex Motter

Screening 1: All About Eve

For the kickoff of Series XI, and in celebration of Alex's birthday, we partook in watching one of his all-time favorite films All About Eve. Critically considered one of the greatest screenplays of all time and with one of cinema's greatest ensemble casts captured in sumptuous black and white photography by Director of Photography (DP) Milton Krasner, All About Eve stands the test of time almost 75 years later as one of Hollywood's pinnacles. No other film could have served as a better launching point for a series praising the craftsmanship elements that makes movies so superb.

Alex Recommends:

  • From Bette’s filmography: Now, Voyager. As a transgressive, meta film about the relationship of the aging starlet to her media, Now, Voyager serves as the perfect companion piece in Bette’s oeuvre. One of the boldest statements on mental health in an Old Hollywood film, Now, Voyager showcases a woman who through proper treatment blossoms into a successful, charming woman deserving of love and respect. (Also not a Bette film, but if you haven’t seen her competitor from this Oscar race, Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard gives the performance of a lifetime and is worth your time as well!) [Now Voyager on HBO Max, Sunset Boulevard on Pluto TV and Paramount+]

  • DP Milton Krasner's filmography: An Affair to Remember. While many of Krasner’s films will be recognizable to Oscar fanatics/cinephiles, many of his titles lack the pedigree of All About Eve as a part of the cultural conversation. The notable exception is the Carey Grant Deborah Kerr CinemaScope masterpiece An Affair to Remember. The mournful, tortured longing between the film’s romantic leads is dripping in chemistry, and Krasner delivers his career-best work in color with luscious cityscapes and dazzling jewel tones. [Library or VOD]

Screening 2: The Age of Innocence

We watched Martin Scorsese's period drama The Age of Innocence starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder with photography by Michael Ballhaus. The discussion centered on Scorsese's run of films in the 90s, the challenges of text-to-screen adaptations, Michael Ballhaus' collaborations with Martin Scorsese and Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and the innovative filmmaking techniques those partnerships birthed.

Alex Recommends:

  • DP Micahel Ballhaus filmography: The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant was a narrow, narrow second place for this entry in the film series, and if there wasn’t another stage to film adaptation we would have watched this film. Rather than viewing a single location, constricted script as a limitation, Ballhaus plays with framing, innovating panning, and immaculate shot composition to elevate a stagey adaptation to one of his most technically significant films. Additionally, the brilliant star of the film German actress Margit Carstensen just passed away at 83 years old [HBO Max, I refuse to call it Max]

  • If you haven’t seen Goodfellas, it is cited as one of the greatest films of all time for a reason. Run don’t walk; it is Scorsese’s masterpiece and just as good as everyone has praised it to be. The single take Copa sequence is probably one of the most inspired, innovative, impactful sequences in film history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vqQwho3HeE [HBO Max]

Screening 3: No Country for Old Men

We watched the Coen brothers' first adaptation No Country for Old Men. With a special local connection to South Texas, we spoke of the prolific works of Roger Deakins, how his visual language adapts to each director he partners with, and the challenges of making a film without score or dialogue to primarily rely on. 

Alex Recommends:

  • From the Cohen brother’s filmography: Inside Llewyn Davis is the perfect pick for a Coen brothers’ film, especially seeking out a film I’ve neither recommended previously nor has Roger Deakins as the Director of Photography. The breakthrough role of Oscar Isaac, accompanied by a fantastic-as-always performance by Carey Mulligan, is a meditative portrait of a musician caught between a desire for success and an average, quotidian existence. It’s emotionally devastating, lightheartedly hilarious, and worthy of your time. [Library or VOD]

  • From Roger Deakins’ filmography: 1917 . The 2020 Oscars were notable for the surprise upset of Parasite, but Sam Mendes’ 1917 is similarly worthy of your time. Eschewing the stereotypes of the traditional Oscar war film, this elevation comes largely due to Deakins’ inspired photography. The use of a simulated one take, an homage to our next film Rope, and a stellar burning cathedral as a bold backdrop, this film serves as a visual masterpiece and a deserving 2nd Oscar win for the modern master.  [Showtime] This fascinating breakdown of why the cinematography in the hotel action sequence is so good: https://nofilmschool.com/3-ways-no-country-old-men-builds-tension.

Screening 4: Rope

We watched Alfred Hitchcock’s first film in color and the first feature-length film to simulate a one-take, Rope. The discussion centered on the various techniques utilized to achieve this one-take effect, the real-life murders which inspired the film’s events, and the fraught journey to create such an overtly queer film during the Hays Code.

Alex Recommends:

A lot of Hitchcock is not currently available for streaming, including the recommended films for this month. Many of Hitchcock’s films are available to rent, at the library, and some are streaming for free on YouTube or other sites. If you need help finding a free version of one of his films, don’t hesitate to reach out!

  • Rear Window is one of the 78 films I consider to be a perfect film. The greatest Grace Kelly performance, an innovative premise, intricate set design, each element works in tandem to produce a gripping suspenseful film. I’ve seen this over 12 times and it is my go-to sick day film!

  • Shadow of a Doubt was spotlighted in the film pre-lecture due to its aesthetic and narrative significance. It tells the happy tale of a long-lost uncle reuniting with his family, and the doubts that begin to surface regarding the uncle (played masterfully by Joseph Cotten)’s identity.

  • Strangers on a Train, like other masterpieces The Talented Mr. Ripley and Carol, was based on a Patricia Highsmith novel. The premise is two strangers, randomly placed in the same train car, agreeing to carry out each other’s murders to avoid getting caught . If you enjoyed Farley Granger’s performance in Rope, he is even more alluring in his second film with Hitchcock.

Screening 5: Beau Travail

We watched Claire Denis' magnum opus and the #7 selection on BFI's Sight and Sound poll, the iconic lyric poem Beau Travail. We discussed the legacy and history of the French foreign legion, the source text Billy Budd and its positioning within artistic tradition, and the visual elements birthed out of a three-decade collaboration with Director of Photography Agnes Godard.

Alex Recommends:

  • From Claire Denis’ filmography: White Material is an exceptional performance by my favorite actress and our greatest living performer, Isabelle Huppert. Shot in Cameroon, the film continues Denis’ complex analysis of colonial impacts through depicting a coffee plantation owner who refuses to leave despite growing unrest. Provocative, intricate, thought-provoking, this a great next place to go if you enjoyed Beau Travail [Tubi]

  • Unconventional narratives of loneliness: The Station Agent and Beau Travail are two films that on paper may seem to have nothing in common. When comparing their underlying themes of existential malaise, otherness in a strange environment, and the human desire for connection, Station Agent seeks to address these same concerns through a more comedic and less arthouse format. A career best performance for its three leads (Patricia Clarkson, Peter Dinklage, Bobby Canavale) and with a brief yet charismatic role for Michelle Williams, this film serves as a perfect complement. [PlutoTV]

  • To preview for next series: The Red Shoes directed by legendary duo Powell & Pressburger, this film has one of the most lush uses of Technicolor in film history. Related to Beau Travail, the film utilizes dance as a means to express the emotional states of the characters and underscore dramatic tension amidst its characters. If you don’t have a chance to watch the full film, the 15-minute ballet sequence is one of the most stunning single pieces of choreography in film history https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktv3-1JTspc [Max, Prime, Roku Channel]