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Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography Actors: Conrad L. Hall, John Bailey, Vilmos Zsigmond, Charles Lang, Sven Nykvist, Robert Wise, László Kovács Directors: Arnold Glassman, Todd McCarthy, Stuart Samuels Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Academy Ratio Format: Color, Black & White, Closed-captioned Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Running Time: 95 minutes Studio: Image Entertainment Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2000-05-09 Buy from Amazon |
 "Will ramp your appreciation of cinematography to new plane."Will ramp your appreciation of cinematography to new plane. I felt priveledged to see through the eyes of the cinematographers whose interpretive visions become our filmic memories. You will understand at a new level the mix of man, machine and method that give us the larger than life illusions that carry the cinematic message to an eternal place we always carry with us. This is a must for any aspiring cinematographer and/or filmmaker. Cinematographer/Filmmaker  "good video for high school film students"I reviewed this documentary based on a recommendation from the "Family Movie Guide" published by the U.S. Catholic Conference. I was looking for a documentary for a film appreciation seminar for high students. I was pleasantly impressed with the historical footage from the 1920s and 1930s. The viewer is introduced to the major cinematographers this century. Overall, the commentators are inspiring and make the viewer want to go into "movie-making." The best commentary is from the footage about black & white movies before the advent of sound. I hope this "early" footage will give my high school students a better appreciation of non-color movies. However, I have a few qualms: 1) There is little reference to the impact of technology and computer animation on the cinematographer's role. Indeed, there are only two references to science fiction films (Star Wars and Blade Runner). 2) Also, high action thrillers from the 1980's and early 1990's DO NOT receive any attention. The advent of the steady-cam could have been covered more in depth. 3) The ethical issues involving the growing soft-pornography in movies since the 1980's DO NOT receive any attention. Indeed, many cinematographers may be "forced" into including nude and semi-nude footage in a film to apppease producers/writers. 4) (minor qualm) The documentary needs to be updated, even though it ends with 5 minutes of footage and commentary about the wonderfully colorful movie -- "The Last Emperor." "The best documentury I've seen for aspiring filmakers!!"The Morricone theme, from Days of Heaven, still haunts my memory from watching the montage for the first time. "Visions of Light" may have been the pivotal reason I decided to go into cinema. This magnificent documentary covers all spectrums of filmmaking from inspiration to the technical advice and stories from the masters themselves. The "Rosemary's Baby" and "In Cold Blood" stories are my personal favorites. Young cinematographers and directors from a new generation, my generation, may be inspired and humbled by what beauty and power really is. It is a must see! It is in one word...perfection!  "Without the Production Designer..."...the cinema photographer would have nothing to photograph. They copy the Production Designer's color sketches and make it real, but it starts with designs along the lines of great artists like Richard Sylbert, William Cameron Menzies, and David Hall. Without it, these great films wouldn't have stood the test of time. Interesting film, though. "Without the Production Designer..."...the cinema photographer would have nothing to photograph. They copy the Production Designer's color sketches and make it real, but it starts with designs along the lines of great artists like Richard Sylbert, William Cameron Menzies, and David Hall. Without it, these great films wouldn't have stood the test of time. Interesting film, though. |
