This is one of my all time favourite shots in cinema history, if not my #1 favourite shot ever. Tarkovsky is pure genius. Amazingly, one of my favourite cinematographers, Bruno Delbonnel (Amelie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Inside Llewyn Davis), happens to agree with me. This is him talking about the famous long scene in Tarkovskys Nostalghia: Im a big fan of Tarkovsky obviously - who wouldnt be - and this very long shot from Nostalgia came to mind. Its ten minutes long. The main character (Oleg Yankovsky) has to light a candle in an empty swimming pool, walk the whole length of the pool and put it down on the wall at the end without it blowing out. When he finally puts down the lit candle, he dies. Its a fantastic scene, right at the end of the movie. I dont know how to explain it, its cinema in heaven. You have everything: a long tracking shot going back and forwards, because the candle blew out a couple of times and you have to start again. Its just a very simple shot, and Tarkovsky worked with a zoom lens, so you can see the actors full size, then you zoom in on him while tracking from left to right. Its all about using time and hypnotising the audience. This shot is probably one of the most hypnotic Ive ever seen. Its really... well, you cannot do this kind of thing in anything [other] than a movie. Its pure cinema. And he doesnt cut and there is no reverse, its just one single shot and it expresses everything. I hate coverage. Tim (Burton) doesnt do any coverage, and the same with the Coen brothers. I think its so brilliant, they go for everything. Its the body language of the actors. I think moviemaking has become very theatrical, in some ways. I dont understand whats going on! All the legendary directors were so bold. You go from Orson Welles and Ingmar Bergman, even [D. W.] Griffith... the directors who made history were not doing coverage. Now its all about seeing the actors talking. We need the actors, ultimately theyre telling the story, leading the whole show, but there are a lot of movies which are only about this: an actor talks, you go for a close-up, and then when the second one talks, you go for his close-up, and then if they talk together you go to a full two-shot. Its just boring. With Nostalgia, there is no music before the end of the shot. So you have around six or seven minutes when you only have the wind and the guy walking in this very strange swimming pool outside. And when he puts the candle on the wall, thats when the music starts, classical music, beautiful music. Cinema has a very strong heart when its done this way. If I could do one shot like that in my life, Id be happy. - Bruno Delbonnel
Posted on: Tue, 27 May 2014 05:44:37 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015