The Dark Knight Rises The TDKR General Discussion Thread - - - - - - - - Part 140

[Caboose]

Yeah, the dutch angles got to be a little much but you could tell they knew what they wanted with the composition. Branagh knows. Whedon doesn't.

I mean, that shot of Thor when he says "You people are so petty...and tiny", that's got to be one of the worse shots even seen a major motion picture in the modern age. It's just an awful shot and there's plenty of those within the film and the lighting, in certain spots, was terrible.

Again, not flaming the narrative of the film. It's a damn fun film to watch with some good moments but for the love of God Marvel, this is the swan song film of the MCU and you couldn't shoot it better than that?

In a weird way, it's a testament to Whedon's abilities as a writer that the film works as well as it does, for the most part, when it's shot so poorly.

Uhhhh, there's reason for that shot. It's to show he too is affected by Loki's staff. Just like everyone else in the room was. Or did you miss the camera going topsy turvy when it zoomed in on the staff.

Anyway, way too many armchair cinematographers in this thread.

 

[Tequilla]

Exactly !. Way too many...(lol). Wally Pfister on the other hand...

Its bizarre (and funny) how some people react to certain type of criticism.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

while the man may have a point on TDKR being a better shot film his comments just reek of "mines better than yours" nursery school mentality.

 

[J.Howlett]

Uhhhh, there's reason for that shot. It's to show he too is affected by Loki's staff. Just like everyone else in the room was. Or did you miss the camera going topsy turvy when it zoomed in on the staff.

Anyway, way too many armchair cinematographers in this thread.

Oh, I know the point of the shot and what they were going for in the scene. Still doesn't change the fact that it's a terrible shot. There are others shots to convey your point, better than that one.

 

[Caboose]

Oh, I know the point of the shot and what they were going for in the scene. Still doesn't change the fact that it's a terrible shot. There are others shots to convey your point, better than that one.

It did its job, that hardly makes it terrible. Anyway, Tdkr's cinematography wasn't stellar either. BB and TDK were superior.

 

[J.Howlett]

It did its job, that hardly makes it terrible. Anyway, Tdkr's cinematography wasn't stellar either. BB and TDK were superior.

No, they weren't. The trilogy is pretty much equal on cinematography. There's an evolution from Begins to Rises, but all great in their own unique way.

 

[CConn]

I definitely think Nolan's cinematography improved dramatically with TDK on.

 

[Caboose]

No, they weren't. The trilogy is pretty much equal on cinematography. There's an evolution from Begins to Rises, but all great in their own unique way.

My opinion is better than yours.

 

[Tequilla]

I definitely think Nolan's cinematography improved dramatically with TDK on.

Career-wise or Batman related ?

Because i thought before Rises , Memento and Prestige were the two best photographed movies by Nolan/Wally. Rises blew them out of the water , something i didn't expect.

 

[Juicy J]

My opinion is better than yours.

Isn't it funny how most people on internet forums know how to make a better movie than most film makers?

 

[Tequilla]

Nolan and Deakins would be amazing. I hope we can see that some day.
But Lubezki sounds pretty interesting too, and I believe his style in Children of Men would adjust pretty well with Nolan. Nice choice there.

Although a huge fan of Deakins , sometimes i think he gets too exposed (especially on the internet , where people pick things up from someone else and then they get it out of proportion.) I'm actually much fonder of his early work , it had a naturalistic feeling that looks to be lost to tighter frames , filled with warm colors , high contrasts and perfectly tuned setups. Sometimes i miss the less refined shot . I feel that are very very few directors who can balance and approach a movie full of perfectly defined shots without alienating the audience (Kubrick and Kurosawa comes to mind). With time i've grown to like aspects of a more mundane photography , a little bit loosen in discipline.

 

[Tequilla]

Isn't it funny how most people on internet forums know how to make a better movie than most film makers?

There is a Chris Nolan in all of us t:

 

[Ultimatehero]

Unsure if it was cinematography or lighting that made the film look beautiful- it almost looked like a comic book in the way everything bounced off the screen. Whatever THAT was? I'd love to be able to have that person on a film team for certain classic films that demand that look. Whedon credits the lighting guy in the commentary... so maybe I'm just getting my wires crossed, but it just popped like colored drawings on a page do.

Plus, unsure, but critics were more in favor for AVENGERS. As a fan, I loved both equally. But, critics and audiences liked AVENGERS more- kinda uncertain why he'd make a comment like that then. Just kinda boggling...

 

[The_Raganork]

Unsure if it was cinematography or lighting that made the film look beautiful- it almost looked like a comic book in the way everything bounced off the screen. Whatever THAT was? I'd love to be able to have that person on a film team for certain classic films that demand that look. Whedon credits the lighting guy in the commentary... so maybe I'm just getting my wires crossed, but it just popped like colored drawings on a page do.

Plus, unsure, but critics were more in favor for AVENGERS. As a fan, I loved both equally. But, critics and audiences liked AVENGERS more- kinda uncertain why he'd make a comment like that then. Just kinda boggling...

Maybe because Pfister's opinions are regulated by other people's opinions?

 

[BatLobster]

He made the comment because it's his opinion, not the opinion of audiences and critics. He was speaking as a cinematographer about the film's cinematography. Just like other directors have commented on Nolan's Batman trilogy both positively and negatively. It was harsh, but at least he was honest.

 

[Micromind]

I liked Avengers, it was a good entertaining movie and I don't agree with Wally Pfister's comments, but I feel that Critics were rather generous to Avengers, they gave it a higher rating than it deserved.

I mean it has got a top critic rating of 84 % and overall rating of 92 %, which is needlessly very high.

 

[shauner111]

I dont understand why people defend Avengers like it's the greatest thing on earth. It's a goofy action movie that was created so people can have fun with some laughs and popcorn. It just is what it is. It's basically Transformers for superheroes.

Doesn't mean you can't enjoy it. But getting all offended (im seeing it on other sites now lol) cuz Wally Pfister puts down their use of the camera? Grow up.

One shot that always annoys me to no end is when they all have their backs to one another and the camera just rotates around them. "Let's get every character in one frame, one by one, it'll be perfect for the trailer!"......that's the whole vibe i got.

But it is what it is.

 

[Alexei Belyakov]

I'm with Pfister. I hated McGarvey's cinematography & the fact that they shot the film in flat (1:85).

I loved Avengers for its character-driven storytelling. Not at all for its visuals or set pieces.

Pfister is a champion DP & he hates digital. That's why I respect the hell outta that guy.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Opinion is fine, I just don't find it a good move to publicly say from someone on a film with lesser reviews to criticize a film with higher reviews. I can see a higher review movie saying that about a lesser, you've got critics behind you. But for most it's gonna come off as more petty than it probably is. Unless, he was cornered with the question and they just published that... knowing reporters, very possible.

For the record, also didn't agree with Whedon calling TDK out and what is Hugo is doing right now. Just, professionalism...

 

[J.Howlett]

Opinion is fine, I just don't find it a good move to publicly say from someone on a film with lesser reviews to criticize a film with higher reviews. I can see a higher review movie saying that about a lesser, you've got critics behind you.

For the record, also didn't agree with Whedon calling TDK out and what is Hugo is doing right now. Just, professionalism...

When did he call out Knight?

 

[J.Howlett]

I'm with Pfister. I hated McGarvey's cinematography & the fact that they shot the film in flat (1:85).

I loved Avengers for its character-driven storytelling. Not at all for its visuals or set pieces.

Pfister is a champion DP & he hates digital. That's why I respect the hell outta that guy.

All of this.

 

[Uroboric Forms]

I didn't think Thor looked particularly cheap. The only issue I have is the gaudy design of Asgard and the costumes especially.

And I think Wally has a point. I wouldn't be as harsh as he was, but he's only talking about the cinematography, which is understandable since he's going to have high standards for it.

 

[BatLobster]

When did he call out Knight?

Guess it depends on your definition of calling out, but he said he preferred Begins to TDK because it stayed more focused on Batman.

Edit: Here's the quote-

“The Dark Knight,” for me, has the same problem that every other “Batman” movie has. It’s not about Batman. I think Heath Ledger is just phenomenal and the character of the Joker is beautifully written. He has a particular philosophy that he carries throughout the movie. He has one of the best bad guy schemes. Bad guy schemes are actually very hard to come up with. I love his movie, but I always feel like Batman gets short shrift. In “Batman Begins,” the pathological, unbalanced, needy, scary person in the movie is Batman. That’s what every “Batman” movie should be.

 

[J.Howlett]

Guess it depends on your definition of calling out, but he said he preferred Begins to TDK because it stayed more focused on Batman.

Which means he didn't understand Knight, which is totally about Batman but from a different perspective.

 

[BatLobster]

Pretty much. Though he seems to have a very specific idea about what a Batman movie should be like lots of fans do, so I don't hold it against him.