In an era of “visual noise,” the discipline found in Golden Age cinema is a breath of fresh air. High Noon (1952) remains a towering achievement in this regard. It’s a masterclass in psychological realism disguised as a Western, leveraging every frame… Read More »High Noon (1952) – Cinematography Analysis
There’s a specific kind of magic in the rattle of a projector or even just the opening frame of a restored 35mm print that pulls me back to Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars (1964). This film isn’t just a Western; it’s… Read More »A Fistful of Dollars (1964) – Cinematography Analysis
Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight (2015) is at the top of that list. It isn’t just another Tarantino Western; it’s a stubborn piece of cinema. It refuses to follow modern digital trends, opting instead for a defiant, old-school aesthetic that honestly… Read More »The Hateful Eight (2015) – Cinematography Analysis
Few Westerns get under my skin quite like John Ford’s 1962 masterpiece, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. I find myself returning to it constantly, not just for the powerhouse lineup of Stewart, Wayne, Miles, and Marvin, but for its deceptively… Read More »The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) – Cinematography Analysis
Whenever I revisit Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) ,I’m struck by how it defies the “aging” process. Released in 1969, it sits right on the cusp of the New Hollywood era a film that respects the Western genre while… Read More »Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) – Cinematography Analysis
Wim Wenders’ 1984 classic, Paris, Texas reckons with the inescapable truth that, as Confucius said, “Wherever you go, there you are.” For Travis Henderson, this isn’t philosophy; it’s a reality etched into the celluloid. The cinematography actively drives the storytelling, guiding… Read More »Paris, Texas (1984) – Cinematography Analysis
John Huston’s The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) classic isn’t just a great story about greed; it’s a masterclass in visual storytelling. Every frame, every hard shadow, and every composition works to twist the knife of paranoia. It’s one… Read More »The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) – Cinematography Analysis