Category: Best Cinematography

Posted on 2022-08-16 | No Comments |

Portrait of Jennie (1948)

Impoverished painter Joseph Cotten struggles to find heartfelt inspiration for his work until meeting young Jennifer Jones in Central Park. He’s fascinated by the mysterious girl who seems to come from another era and ages years in the short periods between their meetings. I hadn’t gone into this with too much expectation, but was delighted by the simple, time-bending love story. The romantic hints early in the relationship are somewhat off-putting but they at least remain chaste until the age difference is no longer pronounced. There’s a beauty in the artistic inspiration that the mysteries of Jennie provide for Cotten the artist.

Oscar Win: Best Effects, Special Effects

Oscar Nomination: Best Cinematography, Black-and-White

Posted on 2022-08-12 | No Comments |

Camelot (1967)

Preparing for battle with his old friend Sir Lancelot (portrayed by Franco Nero), Richard Harris’s King Arthur reflects on the circumstances that led him to the destruction of his Camelotian ideal. I generally care less about the Arthurian legend, but it’s somehow a little more palatable in musical form. The costumes and sets are gorgeously bright and creative. I particularly fell for the early winter scene where Harris first meets Vanessa Redgrave’s Guinevere. Redgrave is beautiful and strong willed, believably carrying on romances with both of the men who aren’t bad in their roles either. I love that many years after becoming romantically involved on this set, Redgrave and Nero later married, adding an extra dash of romanticism to a continued story.

Oscar Wins: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration; Best Costume Design; Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment

Oscar Nomination: Best Cinematography; Best Sound

Posted on 2022-08-12 | No Comments |

Mr. Turner (2014)

The last twenty-five years in the life of eccentric artist J.M.W. Turner is brought to life here through a dedicated performance by Timothy Spall as Turner. The film is incomprehensively gorgeous to look at with expansive landscapes that look like they are Turner’s paintings brought to life. The performances across the board are similarly engaging; I particularly enjoyed Lesley Manville’s regrettably small role as scientist Mary Somerville. Unfortunately the narrative is insanely repetitive with an extra hour of footage that could easily be edited out without sacrificing any of the details of Turner’s later life.

Oscar Nominations: Best Achievement in Cinematography; Best Achievement in Costume Design; Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score; Best Achievement in Production Design

Posted on 2022-07-29 | No Comments |

Hope and Glory (1987)

One British family’s experiences during World War II are told through the eyes of 10 year old Sebastian Rice-Edwards. I’m generally more interested in what average people experience during wartime over the actual battles and this film delivers in that regard. Though the various members encounter almost every obstacle possible, the story still maintains a natural bent as to what an ordinary family might have witnessed while under siege. With some fantastic acting and visuals, the story maintains a sense of humor and wonder at the novelty of the experiences without dismissing the dangers and terror that existed.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture; Best Director; Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen; Best Cinematography; Best Art Direction-Set Decoration

Posted on 2022-07-07 | No Comments |

Doctor Dolittle (1967)

Based on three of the Hugh Lofting books, Rex Harrison is the titular doctor whose great love for animals brought him to learn how to speak various animal languages from his parrot friend. For reasons, this leads him on an expedition to find the Great Pink Sea Snail. I do love a film that respects animals as unique individuals and personalities, even when they are as fictitious as the well-crafted Pushmi-Pullyu, and Geoffrey Holder is delightful as the leader of a village of well-read island natives, but this film is way too damn long. Cut out most of the beginning and one or two of the extraneous episodes and it wouldn’t be much of a loss. The songs are mostly unmemorable with Harrison sing songing his way through the majority, even when accompanied by the film’s delightful visuals.

Posted on 2022-07-05 | No Comments |

Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)

A teenaged Anne Boleyn catches the eye of King Henry VII and he’s willing to sacrifice almost anything for the chance to produce an heir with her. She’s willing to forego love to rise in power and esteem, but unfortunately for her what comes around goes around, especially when you’re subjected to the whims of a capricious leader. Lavish costumes and settings provide ample period style, while Geneviève Bujold’s Anne convincingly portrays a young woman caught in the crosshairs of power and rarely unable to stare it down. Richard Burton’s Henry is filled with his own self importance and lechery, overwhelming any accomplishments in other realms.

Oscar Win: Best Costume Design

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture; Best Actor in a Leading Role; Best Actress in a Leading Role; Best Actor in a Supporting Role; Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium; Best Cinematography; Best Art Direction-Set Decoration; Best Sound; Best Music, Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical)

Posted on 2022-07-05 | No Comments |

King Solomon’s Mines (1950)

Deborah Kerr hires British safari guide Stewart Granger to lead her through the African interior to find her husband who went missing while searching for the titular diamond mines. I could do without the condescension towards Kerr as a female and forcing her into a love story, even as she proves to hold her own, but Granger is a decent guide through the gorgeous vistas. They reminded me fondly of the time I spent in Tanzania. While not given top billing, the locals appreciatively are given respect by the main characters and a chance to be featured without being horribly exoticized.

Oscar Wins: Best Cinematography, Color; Best Film Editing

Oscar Nomination: Best Picture

Posted on 2022-07-02 | No Comments |

Waterloo Bridge (1940)

On the eve of World War II, British officer Robert Taylor revisits Waterloo Bridge, the place where he had fallen in love with Vivien Leigh during World War I. A remake of the 1931 film of the same title, it is sad how much of the strength of the previous film was watered down here to fit within the restraints of the Hays Code. The earlier film had a succinct, poignant narrative while this one meanders to show that Leigh’s character was a ‘good’ girl who was just brought down by unfortunate circumstances beyond her control. Of course since she does ‘bad’ things, bad things have to happen to her.

Oscar Nominations: Best Cinematography, Black-and-White; Best Music, Original Score

Posted on 2022-07-02 | No Comments |

A Song to Remember (1945)

The life of Frédéric Chopin is fictionalized in this account that features Cornel Wilde in the role of the well known composer. The film was less dry than I had anticipated touching on Chopin’s patriotic revolutionism in his early years while under the tutelage of Paul Muni’s Józef Antoni Franciszek Elsner to his later success and relationship with Merle Oberon’s George Sand. Whether accurate to the real woman, it is interesting to see Oberon play such a strong-willed, powerful villainous character. The film uses rich colors in set and costumes to convey the time period and complement the music.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor in a Leading Role; Best Writing, Original Story; Best Cinematography, Color; Best Sound, Recording; Best Film Editing; Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture

Posted on 2022-06-29 | No Comments |

The Picture of Dorian Grey (1945)

Encouraged by the random musings of George Sanders, beautiful Hurd Hatfield wishes that his newly painted portrait could take on the aspects of aging while he remains attractive and youthful. His wish comes true and he is, at least for a time, allowed to engage in his every whim while not exhibiting any of the physical deterioration caused by such. Similar to the messaging of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Hatfield lets his ‘evil’ side out while still being able to initially pass as a ‘good person’ and he does so convincingly. My favorite part of the film is the few uses of color to show off the painting in both its original and later forms.

Oscar Win: Best Cinematography, Black-and-White

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress in a Supporting Role; Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White