Best Cinematography In Film

Great Cinematography!

Here let's discuss simply, the greatest cinematography we've experienced through the art of film. It can be the cinematography that fed your eyes a magnificient feast with it's lighting, point of view, various lenses used in particular shots, etc. in a film or in a documentary. Go back as far as your childhood or just to today and discuss a film or documentary that you believe to hold some great cinematography and explain how and why you think it had the effect it did on you. Have fun! 

Re:Great Cinematography!

I got into photography when I was in the junior high. I joined a couple of groups, took assigned artistic shots, learned about lighting, color, shutter speed etc.. I really loved still photography as an art and throughout high-school, I was on the newspaper and yearbook staff as a photographer. I think this is the reason that cinematography has always been the one aspect of motion pictures that has held the most weight for me.

Well, I could talk about a lot of different shots and films. (Here's my list of good stuff) But, for my money, the discussion of my favorite example of great cinematography starts and ends with Apocalypse Now. This was probably the first film I ever fell in love with on an artistic level and it's unique in the fact that throughout the years, I have maintained a love for this movie. I can't really think of any movies that I first saw when I was in high-school and I still feel the same way about.

The cinematographer in that film was Vittorio Storaro, who's had his share of great shots with Bernardo Bertolucci's The Conformist and  The Last Emperor. But the one shot of his that has been the most influential in my life had to be when Capt. Willard (Sheen) pops his head out of the water towards the "end" of Apocalypse Now. The combo of dim light and the brilliant moon reflecting off of the water created a perfect and completely unforgettable moment that captured beautifully by the camera.

Re:Great Cinematography!

I love cinematographer Sven Nykvist (who shot a lot of Bergman's films, Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice, some Woody Allen films etc.). His work is stunning so check him out if you have time.