It’s not always about the plot; sometimes it’s about the sheer audacity of the visual craft. In 1977, this “little” comedy famously beat out Star Wars for Best Picture. That tells you everything. It wasn’t just a win for Woody Allen; it… Read More »Annie Hall (1977) – Cinematography Analysis
I don’t just watch The Fugitive (1993) I study it. It’s one of those rare 90s thrillers that manages to be a massive blockbuster pulling in over $300 million and seven Oscar nods while maintaining a gritty, artisan soul. Tommy Lee… Read More »The Fugitive (1993) – Cinematography Analysis
Directed by Doug Liman and shot by the late Oliver Wood The Bourne Identity (2002), it wasn’t just another spy flick. It was a visual manifesto. It dared to be ugly where other films wanted to be pretty, offering a… Read More »The Bourne Identity (2002) – Cinematography Analysis
Ghostbusters (1984) shouldn’t work as well as it does. On paper, it’s a high-concept collision of Saturday Night Live humor and interdimensional horror. I look at this film and see something much deeper than a 1984 comedy hit. I see a… Read More »Ghostbusters (1984) – Cinematography Analysis & Stills
Elite Squad (2007) is the one that constantly resurfaces when I’m talking shop with other DPs and editors. It just hits different. It’s raw, it’s ugly, and it’s visually uncompromising a total reminder that cinematography can do so much more than… Read More »Elite Squad (2007) – Cinematography Analysis
Some movies speak a visual language that survives long after the dialogue fades, and honestly, few do it with the raw, gut-punch power of Franklin J. Schaffner’s Papillon (1973). It’s a film that has lived in the back of my mind… Read More »Papillon (1973) – Cinematography Analysis
1968’s Planet of the Apes is a total masterclass in this. It’s a stark, heavy piece of science fiction that is every bit as compelling in its visuals as it is in its narrative. Most people remember the iconic twist, but for… Read More »Planet of the Apes (1968) – Cinematography Analysis