Cinematography of the 60's films

Pierce2Daniel

I recently was able to look at a couple of the blu-ray DVD's out and was blown away at how fantastic the picture quality of the DVD's are, Bond has never looked better. Those early movies just get a new leash of life, and the cinematography in particular shines. In particular, TB and OHMSS are literally breathtaking stuff, very stylicised films which are well worth seeking out on blu-ray.

battleshipgreygt

Pierce2Daniel wrote:

I recently was able to look at a couple of the blu-ray DVD's out and was blown away at how fantastic the picture quality of the DVD's are, Bond has never looked better. Those early movies just get a new leash of life, and the cinematography in particular shines. In particular, TB and OHMSS are literally breathtaking stuff, very stylicised films which are well worth seeking out on blu-ray.

I agree. I particularly loved the cinematography in OHMSS and YOLT. Absolutely beautiful films.

Baltimore_007

I recently got hold of a copy of You Only Live Twice, which was missing from my collection of all things, and will watch again some time soon, but I remember some of the location filming in Japan was quite breathtaking, even though it was an overall poor release,- it takes more than some fine scenery to make a good movie, Bond or otherwise, there are plenty of other necessary ingredients

OHMSS was indeed something to behold, especially around Piz Gloria, and always deserves a mention. You can't leave out Dr No, some of the location filming around Jamaica was very good and Ursula Andress just makes it all the more better..

Goldfinger worked in this respect in Switzerland and the mountains, but Connery spent a lot of time sitting around looking bored it has to be said. I mention always I haven't seen Thunderball for such a long time, but of course some of the location filming that year was quite outstanding. From Russia With Love is a great movie, but the locations seem drab and unexciting for the most part, but the sheer brilliance and power of Connery more than componsates for it

Pierce2Daniel

The improvement made in OHMSS is evident here:
http://www.007magazine.co.uk/bond50_review.htm
By far the best looking Bond

Pierce2Daniel

I was interested if anyone knew how much Ted Moore shot on TMWTGG before he quit.

What scenes did he do?

MrBond

Pierce2Daniel wrote:

I was interested if anyone knew how much Ted Moore shot on TMWTGG before he quit.

What scenes did he do?

If i'm not mistaken i think he shot nearly all of the location stuff but that his work didn't include Scaramangas Fun House.

Ted Moore did such a tremendous work with the early 60's films. His use of lighting and colours is just splendid. I think he is a bit underrated, but without him the early films wouldn't look so glamourous as they actually did.

Pierce2Daniel

MrBond wrote:

Pierce2Daniel wrote:

I was interested if anyone knew how much Ted Moore shot on TMWTGG before he quit.

What scenes did he do?

If i'm not mistaken i think he shot nearly all of the location stuff but that his work didn't include Scaramangas Fun House.

Ted Moore did such a tremendous work with the early 60's films. His use of lighting and colours is just splendid. I think he is a bit underrated, but without him the early films wouldn't look so glamourous as they actually did.

Moore's contribution to those early films is huge.

Freddie Young's work in YOLT really lifted the thing to another level though. Michael Reed's work is also very good, all the shots in OHMSS are very well put together and the film looks like none of the other '60's films. It has a very classy feel to it.

I would have loved if Oswald Morris shot a whole Bond film, he did after all work with Kubrick and on 'The Spy Who Came In From The Cold'. The John Glen films didn't really look that great, they all had a rather cheap video look to them. Phil Mehux's work was also really good. Robert Elswitt and Adrian Biddle's work was also nice. Tattersall's camerawork was also a bit pedestrian. I like Roberta Schafer's shots but the editing of that film never lingers long enough to enjoy them properly. And we all know that Deakins elevated SF to another level.

MrBond

Some Alan Hume's and Alec Mills cinematography during the 80's were a bit to run-of the mill for my taste. It lacked the depth and colour and of course the lack of innovative camera angles.

David Tattersall made quite a great job on DAD, his work is among the best things with DAD.
And Schaeffer, i would love to see him back. With or without Forster!

Dragonpol

Well they did always say that both YOLT and OHMSS had the most beautiful cinematography, and it's certainly true. MR is another great one, though that may be controversial.

MrBond

The greatest difference between DAF and OHMSS (except the tone) is the cinematography. Where OHMSS were grandiose in it's use of colours and visuals, DAF felt tacky and incredibly cheap in it's way it was shot.

Pierce2Daniel

OHMSS is a greatly photographed film. It's surprising that Michael Reed was not that distinguished when he took on the job because he really excelled with the film. Here are some great shots from the film to show this point:

http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0027.htm
http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0030.htm
http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0059.htm
http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0269.htm
http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0731.htm
http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-1029.htm
http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-1262.htm

He even found ways to shoot M'd office to make it look new and interesting (despite it being the same set):

http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-0313.htm
http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-1030.htm

MrBond

Surely you can't forget these two beauties:

http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-1011.htm
http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-1072.htm

I would go so far to say that the latter is one of the finest shots in a movie EVER.
The cinematography, music and editing elevates that scene to new heights!

Pierce2Daniel

MrBond wrote:

Surely you can't forget these two beauties:

http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-1011.htm
http://screenmusings.org/OnHerMajestysSecretService/pages/On-Her-Majestys-Secret-Service-1072.htm

I would go so far to say that the latter is one of the finest shots in a movie EVER.
The cinematography, music and editing elevates that scene to new heights!

Great shots.

Here are some great shots of Freddie Young's from YOLT (he was really aided by some great sets from Ken Adam):

http://bplusmovieblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/you-only-live-twice-1.png
http://bplusmovieblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/you-only-live-twice-143.png
http://bplusmovieblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/you-only-live-twice-33.png
http://bplusmovieblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/you-only-live-twice-34.png
http://bplusmovieblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/you-only-live-twice-51.png
http://bplusmovieblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/you-only-live-twice-78.png