Top 10 Films With The Best Cinematography

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:18pm

Truly great cinematography ENHANCES the story and isn't just something pretty to look at.

1) 2001: A Space Odyssey

2) A Clockwork Orange

3) Eyes Wide Shut

4) Barton Fink

5) Casablanca

6) Kill Bill Vol. 1/Vol. 2

7) Amelie

The Royal Tenenbaums

9) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

10) Brazil

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Sin City, City of Lost Children, Se7en, Batman, The Who's Tommy, and The Seventh Seal.

Updated On: 7/5/05 at 07:18 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:23pm

I agree with a lot of your choices (esp. A Clockwork Orange, Casablanca and Amelie). From the recent films, I think M. Night Shymalan's cinematography is great as well (I think he doubles as his own cinematographer, doesn't he?). And the cinematographers on Tim Burton flicks tend to be great (i.e. Sleepy Hollow).

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:24pm

Citizen Kane
Touch of Evil
The Magnificent Ambersons

Edit: I should have listed the cinematographers names, Gregg Toland, Russell Metty, Stanley Cortex-respectively. Of course, Orson Welles had a great deal to do with the look of these films.

Sinful Omission: Wild Strawberries-Gunnar Fischer-director,Ingmar Bergman.

Funny how all my choices are B/W films.



Updated On: 7/5/05 at 07:24 PM

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:29pm

Days of Heaven (197...Nestor Almendros, cinematographer. Magnificent.

Updated On: 7/5/05 at 07:29 PM

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:29pm

Shouldn't "The Graduate" at least be an honorable mention?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:30pm

Ben Hur ( for the chariot race alone)
10 Commandments
Lawrence of Arabia
Dr Zhivago

Should have been nominated

El Cid

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:43pm

I want to thank Cruel for starting this thread. It could lead to a great discussion of shadow and light.

Example: The first bordello scene in Touch of Evil and the loving way Marlene is photographed. She shimmers.

[Glebb]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:44pm

The Elephant Man

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:45pm

You're welcome, yo.

Don't forget mise-en-scene. Mise-en-scene ****ing ROCKS!

[suddenlyseymour]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:48pm

LA Confidential
Eyes Wide Shut
Schindler's List

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:54pm

I should add Ed Wood. Stefan Czapsky (I had to look that one up.) Tim Burton,director. I've alway wondered how much a director has control over photography. I suppose it depends on the director.

The scenes in Lugosi's house are beautifully lit and shot.

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 8:01pm

Ack! How could I forget Requiem for a Dream

[broadway86]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 8:28pm

in no part. order

Gone with the Wind
Casablanca
The Sweet Hereafter
Amelie
From Hell
Sunset Blvd.
Kill Bill
Girl with a Pearl Earring
The Shining
A.I.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Rear Window
Far From Heaven
Snow Falling on Cedars
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Elephant

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 8:39pm

Far From Heaven--Good choice. Lana Turner could have walked into a scene and it would have been appropriate.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 9:00pm

Moulin Rouge!!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 2:25pm

Surely The Lord of the Rings trilogy should be in there. Every frame from those movies are worthy of being put up on a wall as a painting.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 2:41pm

Maybe... but not the acting or script.

[mandy2loveRB]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 2:51pm

The best Cinematography, right? So it does not have to be a great movie/film or I don't have to like it.

Then...

Lord of the Rings
Bagdad Cafe
The Lawrence of Arabia
Stranger than Paradice
Saving Private Ryan
The Third Man
Ascenseur pour l'échafaud

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 2:54pm

Maybe... but not the acting or script.

You mean the award-winning ensemble acting from such luminaries as Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Ian Holm, Viggo Mortensen, Christopher Lee....the list goes on.

And the script for the LORD OF THE RINGS movies is a master class in book-to-movie adaptation.

But I forgot, you didn't have the attention span for a complex storyline.

Now back to Cinematography...

[Parks]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 2:55pm

I loved Chicago. POTO was pretty impressive.

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 3:00pm

City of Lost Children
Stealing Beauty
Se7en

[cturtle]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 6:55pm

CABARET

and let's not forget the silent era, with such cinematic masterpieces as SUNRISE.

and i just saw THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC ... magnificent close-up photography of actors with no make-up in 1928 - unprecedented

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 10:59pm

In no particular order, except for number 1

The Greatest Story Ever Told

North By Northwest
The Sound of Music
Gone With The Wind
Femme Fatale
Notorious
The Wizard of Oz
The Village
The Crowd
Black Narcissus

[Glebb]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 11:03pm

Mary Poppins

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 7/6/05 at 11:05pm

I'd definetely include Cabaret. It won the Academy Award I believe.