The Wolverine Cinematography/Visual Influences Thread

[speno94]

Hi everyone, just thought to start a new thread just about the cinematography of the film and the visual influences used because I think this was a BEAUTIFUL looking movie!

Are there any specific shots that caught your eye such as the way the Shingen fight was shot, the Blade Runner-esqe shots in the rain at night etc

Also do you think the 10 films James Mangold tweeted as visual influences where noticeable in the film?

 

[psylockolussus]

I liked the establishing shots.

But they are a couple of shots that I didn't like. The close-up shot of Wolverine's claws when he scratched the train and the

Spoiler

entrance of Professor X at the airport.

And the shakey camera when Wolverine and the assassins were running in the funeral scene

 

[J_Howlett]

My favorite shots are when Mariko was running in the rain and Logan stopped her

 

[psylockolussus]

To me, there was something unique about those early scenes in the movie and the characters were speaking in different language. It felt so different from the other X-Men movies.

 

[speno94]

I loved those shots too! I love how Mangold, for the most part struck a perfect balance between modern urban Japan and the more traditional, feudal visual looks.

Even though it was distracting at times, I quite liked the shaky cam because Mangold said he wanted it to look like the Bourne films or The French Connection with the chase scenes

 

[speno94]

But the scene/shots I loved the most was by far was the Shingen fight. Just the music, the intensity, the physicality, all practical effects, no CGI, the cinematography with all the blue colour tones which looked Kill Bill-ish. This scene was ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!

 

[speno94]

Speaking of cinematography and the look of the film... That's another reason why the third act was the weakest, because the cinematography was back to that typical, Hollywood, X-Men look with the shiny, metal science labs which didn't match the richness of the the first two acts.

Visual look wise, I would have preferred another one-on-one epic final battle in a zen garden or something like the ending of samurai films rather than it being in a shiny science lab.

 

[psylockolussus]

Speaking of cinematography and the look of the film... That's another reason why the third act was the weakest, because the cinematography was back to that typical, Hollywood, X-Men look with the shiny, metal science labs which didn't match the richness of the the first two acts.

Visual look wise, I would have preferred another one-on-one epic final battle in a zen garden or something like the ending of samurai films rather than it being in a shiny science lab.

Well it did look like a generic lab and I wonder why it looked like that.

The exterior design of the temple looks so good!

 

[Harley2004]

The opening shots in Nagasaki and then with Logan in Canada, especially walking down the street.

And the shakey camera when Wolverine and the assassins were running in the funeral scene

I agree about the shakey cam, and the funeral. That is so annoying when directors do that, to make it more real, and you can not even see what is going on.

 

[Poni_Boy]

Off the top of my head: Logan's movements against the rain was a direct homage to Kurosawa movies. The chase scene had elements inspired by The French Connection. The wide tracking shots from the ninja/snow fight were influenced by Azumi.

Aside from that the bombing of Nagasaki was the most visceral atomic bomb explosion scene I've seen in a movie ever. Trumps my previous favorite Terminator 2.

 

[speno94]

For me, looking back at all the Marvel films (not DC films) from Blade all the way to this film, I think this is probably the most visually rich out of all the Marvel films cinematography wise.

The only other Marvel films I could think of was the 2003 Hulk film (even though I didn't like the film, it still had an arty look to it), X-Men: First Class with the retro, 60's look and Captain America having a quite nice period piece 40's look.

But I think The wolverine is the most consistent and the most visually ambitious.

 

[slumcat]

But the scene/shots I loved the most was by far was the Shingen fight. Just the music, the intensity, the physicality, all practical effects, no CGI, the cinematography with all the blue colour tones which looked Kill Bill-ish. This scene was ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!

Absolutely. Those beautiful deep blue backgrounds, the play of thunder and moonlight, the fight to the death - it was a most amazing sequence and truly beautifully staged.

 

[speno94]

Your absolutely right! I was watching this scene and thinking to myself "This is exactly the stuff I want to see from a Wolverine film".

 

[Gianakin_]

When Logan stands in the rain outside the Mission to Mars room. Nagasaki. Rebuilt Nagasaki.

 

[BlackFox]

But the scene/shots I loved the most was by far was the Shingen fight. Just the music, the intensity, the physicality, all practical effects, no CGI, the cinematography with all the blue colour tones which looked Kill Bill-ish. This scene was ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!

Totally agree with this, brutal and yet beautiful.

Also the part when the ninjas turn up to attack Shingen all the blue lit walls looked very Kill Bill also, but this is easily Marvels most visually appealing film, there are so many great shots I can think of, shall post some pics of good ones later but off the top of my head:

-Logans obscured face when he stabs the guy through the door, just
-Hints of the Bourne Ultimatum shaky cam when he is being chased through the to the train station and on the train in the toilet
-Hard Rain visual night style
-The funeral scene and setting
-The shots of Logan down the well

 

[BlackFox]

Another great one

 

[M-2]

But the scene/shots I loved the most was by far was the Shingen fight. Just the music, the intensity, the physicality, all practical effects, no CGI, the cinematography with all the blue colour tones which looked Kill Bill-ish. This scene was ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!

That was my favorite scene too!!! Sanada and Jackman totally just went at each other!! Probably my favorite one on one fight scene in a comic film, fast paced intensity!!

 

[speno94]

That was my favorite scene too!!! Sanada and Jackman totally just went at each other!! Probably my favorite one on one fight scene in a comic film, fast paced intensity!!

Yeah, I think this is also one of my favourite one on one fights in a comic book film. Obviously it's not an epic 10 minute battle with CGI or something like that, but it was short and sweet. It's weird that the Shingen fight was only about 2-3 minutes, but it made more impact than some one on one battles that last 10 minutes and I think that's partly down to the cinematography and the intensity of the moment.

 

[psylockolussus]

I liked the whole setting of the funeral scene.

And I just loved that shot when Viper came out of her car.

 

[Superhero 101]

I liked the cinematography in the film favorites were Nagasaki opening and when Logan comes back and there is a really nice upclose shot of him also the funeral scene looked gorgeous and so did Shingen's house

 

[speno94]

Remember those 10 films James Mangold tweeted that inspired The Wolverine?

Well, I found really interesting article called 'Under the Influence: Finding Ozu, Josey Wales and James Mangold's Other Inspirations in 'The Wolverine' which is about what parts of those films are noticeable in The Wolverine.

James Mangold knows his *****. And he wants you to look at it. He wants you look at his *****. He’s got references in every color!

Earlier this year, the “Walk the Line” and “Knight and Day” director took to Twitter to help educate his followers, many of whom were watching his feed in anticipation of comic book revelations. Could Mangold (“3:10 to Yuma&#8221, a man of many genres who lacked “geek cred,” do justice to the X-Men’s most famous character? His way of giving people hope was the opposite of what anyone would have expected. There was no pandering to the source material. Instead, Mangold brought his film knowledge to the table, spelling out ten films — some widely classics, some deeper cuts — that informed or inspired “The Wolverine.”

It’s a ballsy move, one that promised a different kind of superhero movie. Many directors cite influences that disappear after going through the filtration process of big, studio filmmaking. Surprisingly, this isn’t the case for “The Wolverine,” that actually manages to wear its influences on its sleeve. Below, we go through Mangold’s list to see how the masters of the past seeped into the cinematic language of one of the summer’s best movies.

http://www.film.com/movies/james-mangold-wolverine-influences

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

I like that this movie isn't visually repetitive. It's always changing things up!

 

[psylockolussus]

Concept arts from Wayne John Haag

street http://i.imgur.com/PMutsvq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/jARtbsN.jpg
airport http://i.imgur.com/KTNEysC.jpg

 

[speno94]

Are there any shots that didn't live up to their potential and did you think it needed to look a little more 'arty'. For me personally, even though I loved the cinematography, especially the Shingen fight, I felt like some shots needed a bit more of a WOW factor.

For example, I thought the first time when Logan arrives in Japan in the car and sees the Neon city lights with the Yashida advertisements needed more of a WOW factor like when we saw the neon lights in Blade Runner for the first time.