| Cinematography is the art of making images on film that bring to life the artistic vision of the director. Whether these images be in black & white or in color, widescreen or Academy Ratio, great cinematography begins with a dedicated director of photography whose in-depth knowledge of lighting together with filters, film, and cameras provide us with the indelible images that we remember from a film. In this part of the course we will explore the cinematography of four artists whose craftsmanship have made the following movies some of the best in world cinema. |
Casablanca (1942) - Directed by Michael Curtiz (102 minutes) Casablanca is a great romance, a stirring World War II adventure, a suspenseful action movie, and in the end, a terrific buddy movie. Starring Humphrey Bogart as an American expatriate living in Morocco, who meets an old lover, played by Ingrid Bergman, that he had known in Paris before the Nazi occupation. It’s listed again and again on the top ten lists of critics and fans alike. Its snappy lines are repeated by movie buffs the world over. The cinematographer, Arthur Edeson, ASC (Frankenstein, The Maltese Falcon) photographed the film in amazing Black & White. Answer the following questions about the film Casablanca. The questions can be found on this PDF file. In order to answer these questions, you must visit my website: Vincent's CASABLANCA HomePage. Print the above pdf file, and answer all the questions contained therein. This assignment is due in Cinema class on March 20. |
| Watch and study Casablanca (1942). There will be a quiz on this film on March 20 |
Black Narcissus (1947) - Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (100 minutes) One of the color masterworks from the director team known as The Archers. After opening a convent in the Himalayas, five British nuns encounter conflict and tension, both with the natives and also within their own group, as they attempt to adapt to their remote, exotic surroundings. The film was photographed in beautiful Technicolor by the great Jack Cardiff, despite the exotic locales, totally in a studio in London, England. The film stars Deborah Kerr, Flora Robson, David Farrar, Kathleen Byron and Jean Simmons. |
| Watch and study Black Narcissus (1947). There will be a quiz on this film on March 26. |
King of Kings (1961) - Directed by Nicholas Ray (168 minutes) A remake of the 1927 silent film classic by Cecil B. De Mille, this time directed by Nicholas Ray, the director of Rebel Without a Cause. The film was shot in Technicolor, and in the 70mm widescreen process by director of photography Franz Planer, ASC, and was narrated by Orson Welles. It is a powerful re-telling of the life of Jesus Christ from his birth in Bethlehem to his crucifixion in Nazareth, all told in a grand cinematic scale. One of the best Biblical epics, it stars Jeffrey Hunter (the actor who was slated to start as Captain Kirk in Star Trek) as the Christ. |
| Watch and study King of Kings (1961). There will be a quiz on this film on March 28. |
The Godfather (1972) - Directed by Francis Ford Coppola (175 minutes) An epic film about the Golden Age of the New York Mafia, it is considered one of the great films ever made in Hollywood. A metaphor showing the dark side of the American Dream, the film was photographed by Gordon Willis, ASC with a memorable dark palette of chiaroscuro colors influenced by the great Italian painter Caravaggio. An amazing cast, featuring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and James Caan. |
| Watch and study The Godfather (1972). There will be a quiz on this film on April 3. |