So, here it is, our first weekend homework!
I want to hear your favourite movies that pushed the envelope in terms of technology and why you love them so.
I'm going to avoid an obvious one and go for Blade II. I love this film so much, I genuinely can't remember how many times I've seen it, there was a spell when I would watch it instead of listening to music in my room at uni.
Who could argue when you look at 'dat cast tho';
Cat from Red Dwarf,
Ron Pearlman (Police Academy Mission to Moscow anyone?),
Wesley Snipes (great sequel to the fugitive, oh and that one with Swayze where they play dress up),
Half of Bros (awesome as nomack),
A country and Western singer/songwriter,
And a side character from a much beloved series about the living dead!
On paper it sounds like a bit of a mess but good old Guillermo pulled it off.
He managed to bring some slightly artsy smartsy stuff to a ridiculous action film using filters to reflect the day and night cycle of the vampirski, opting to give night a warm yellow hue and daytime a cool blue hue, simple, yet superb!
Superb, yes, ground breaking, no (and he seems to have used it in every film since, eek).
One thing I did love was the use of the blend of model work, animatronics, and CGI. Anyone remember the scene where Lighthammer takes on a reaper? All animatronics and make up. Awesome.
Again, superb and I think has pushed some to use models and animatronics again as opposed to just CGI (Sam Raimi you stay in that corner with the
Wachowski brothers), but not so ground breaking.
So, what can it be? You must literally be on the edge of your seat by now. He implemented something he called L Camera technology. Seen a film since where the camera passes through a keyhole (Hugo maybe I forget) or you think how did they get the camera to do that? There's every chance they used this idea. I think Orson Wells didn't actually use it in the opener for Citizen Kane however, but I could be wrong.
The first time you see L Camera technology implemented is in the scene where Wesley dives out of a building on the 7th floor (or whichever) lands and stands upright all in one shot. Now, don't get me wrong Wesley is a boss but I don't think they threw him out of the window for this scene, but you'd believe he did. There is some ropey CGI in the film, but I like to think it's deliberate, I love Guollermo!
So, there's mine, what's yours?
I am not very good on technology / effects in film and all the technical terms. So sorry if this post doesn't relate.. .
ReplyDeleteSo here are few I thought were amazing;
Jason and the agonauts- I was bewitched as a child with the battle between Jason and the skeletons. Which I do believe were puppets and stop motion was used.
Terminator 2 judgement day - the T1000 is just amazing morphing into objects and people totally terrified me as a child
But the winner for me is wizard of Oz. There is so many effects in this movie and all are still fantastic. The scene where the witch fly's through the sky and writes surrender Dorthey is amazing how they did that with just a 6ft square tank a needle, water, oil and a man writing it. It was all shot from underneath the tank. The tornado scene, the good witchs entrance the horse of a diffrent colour and The set alone which was in matte painting and shot in matte. This film is just brilliant!
I'd like to know if people prefer the old effects or the new CGI effects?
Personally I prefer the classics although I do love great action films with CGI, I do feel that CGI peaked at independence day and then became a bit silly.
I accept that district 9, avitar and tron legacy was awesome though!
Ok....
ReplyDeleteSo I'm gonna mix some obvious with some not so obvious here
I think jurassic Park has to be mentioned, made over 20 years ago, it still stands up as a perfect mix of animotronics s and cgi, the cgi is amazing for the time and it just makes me sad to see lazy cgi in big budget films when you know what is possible.... King Kong!! I also think the new star wars nailed this mixture... But it's not innovative, just another good example! guillmero is also perfect at this mix as Matthew said, I particularly enjoy hellboy 2 as an example of how to get it right!
I think that's my answer to kates question as well, I love physical practical effects, but when done right there is a place for amazing cg. I think for me the important thing is to use locations and sets. I hate green screen dominated films!
My second choice is one I make with trepidation.... Especially having just said that..so...... Blue giant smurf like main characters.... unobtainium (seriously?).... ridiculous storyline.... Almost Completely rendered on a computer with no sets,i wanted to hate it, I did hate the trailers, but I went to see it and had one of the best experiences I have ever had in the cinema.
Wow... As many faults as it has, avatar is a beautiful film that showed the possibilities that 3d digital filmmaking can achieve. I'm not too fussed for the sequels and I'm not to bothered about sitting and watching it at home. But if we're talking technological breakthroughs, I don't think it can be ignored as what James cameron invented was like nothing anybody had seen before, and he deserves credit for this!
So my third and final choice is a technological breakthrough for a very different reason.
I'm going with the Blair witch project!. I'm choosing this for 2 reasons. 1 is it kind of invented a genre of its own, and it opened the possibilitiy for anybody to make a film that could be a worldwide success. Ok we have a very mixed bag of found footage films some of which do include cg. But this one nails it and relies on suspense, I really love this film!
Reason 2,is the real reason I think it was a pivotal movie in terms of technology. Long before social media ruled the world, the makers of this tiny film harnessed the rising power of the Internet to market this film in such a clever way. People believed it was real and it drew in the crowds through an amazing online advertising campaign that was both clever and innovative! I know it's a weird choice but I think in its own way it was a pretty important film!
Actually really love all your choices and has really started to make me want to watch Blair witch again. When this came out I was at school and me and my friends watched it over and over again!
DeleteOk....
ReplyDeleteSo I'm gonna mix some obvious with some not so obvious here
I think jurassic Park has to be mentioned, made over 20 years ago, it still stands up as a perfect mix of animotronics s and cgi, the cgi is amazing for the time and it just makes me sad to see lazy cgi in big budget films when you know what is possible.... King Kong!! I also think the new star wars nailed this mixture... But it's not innovative, just another good example! guillmero is also perfect at this mix as Matthew said, I particularly enjoy hellboy 2 as an example of how to get it right!
I think that's my answer to kates question as well, I love physical practical effects, but when done right there is a place for amazing cg. I think for me the important thing is to use locations and sets. I hate green screen dominated films!
My second choice is one I make with trepidation.... Especially having just said that..so...... Blue giant smurf like main characters.... unobtainium (seriously?).... ridiculous storyline.... Almost Completely rendered on a computer with no sets,i wanted to hate it, I did hate the trailers, but I went to see it and had one of the best experiences I have ever had in the cinema.
Wow... As many faults as it has, avatar is a beautiful film that showed the possibilities that 3d digital filmmaking can achieve. I'm not too fussed for the sequels and I'm not to bothered about sitting and watching it at home. But if we're talking technological breakthroughs, I don't think it can be ignored as what James cameron invented was like nothing anybody had seen before, and he deserves credit for this!
So my third and final choice is a technological breakthrough for a very different reason.
I'm going with the Blair witch project!. I'm choosing this for 2 reasons. 1 is it kind of invented a genre of its own, and it opened the possibilitiy for anybody to make a film that could be a worldwide success. Ok we have a very mixed bag of found footage films some of which do include cg. But this one nails it and relies on suspense, I really love this film!
Reason 2,is the real reason I think it was a pivotal movie in terms of technology. Long before social media ruled the world, the makers of this tiny film harnessed the rising power of the Internet to market this film in such a clever way. People believed it was real and it drew in the crowds through an amazing online advertising campaign that was both clever and innovative! I know it's a weird choice but I think in its own way it was a pretty important film!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAwesome posts! Thanks guys.
ReplyDeleteBlair witch, what a thought in this context. Love it.
As for katy's question, it's a bit of an obvious one from me and can kind of be summed up with the same film;the hobbit.
Cg orcs, whut? Bit unnecessary, stuck out compared to the Lord of the rings. But the Cg rendered scenes in that film are stunning and probably unachievable to make in real. My answer is I like Cg that makes you go 'was that Cg or not?'
Awesome posts! Thanks guys.
ReplyDeleteBlair witch, what a thought in this context. Love it.
As for katy's question, it's a bit of an obvious one from me and can kind of be summed up with the same film;the hobbit.
Cg orcs, whut? Bit unnecessary, stuck out compared to the Lord of the rings. But the Cg rendered scenes in that film are stunning and probably unachievable to make in real. My answer is I like Cg that makes you go 'was that Cg or not?'
Ok....
ReplyDeleteSo I'm gonna mix some obvious with some not so obvious here
I think jurassic Park has to be mentioned, made over 20 years ago, it still stands up as a perfect mix of animotronics s and cgi, the cgi is amazing for the time and it just makes me sad to see lazy cgi in big budget films when you know what is possible.... King Kong!! I also think the new star wars nailed this mixture... But it's not innovative, just another good example! guillmero is also perfect at this mix as Matthew said, I particularly enjoy hellboy 2 as an example of how to get it right!
I think that's my answer to kates question as well, I love physical practical effects, but when done right there is a place for amazing cg. I think for me the important thing is to use locations and sets. I hate green screen dominated films!
My second choice is one I make with trepidation.... Especially having just said that..so...... Blue giant smurf like main characters.... unobtainium (seriously?).... ridiculous storyline.... Almost Completely rendered on a computer with no sets,i wanted to hate it, I did hate the trailers, but I went to see it and had one of the best experiences I have ever had in the cinema.
Wow... As many faults as it has, avatar is a beautiful film that showed the possibilities that 3d digital filmmaking can achieve. I'm not too fussed for the sequels and I'm not to bothered about sitting and watching it at home. But if we're talking technological breakthroughs, I don't think it can be ignored as what James cameron invented was like nothing anybody had seen before, and he deserves credit for this!
So my third and final choice is a technological breakthrough for a very different reason.
I'm going with the Blair witch project!. I'm choosing this for 2 reasons. 1 is it kind of invented a genre of its own, and it opened the possibilitiy for anybody to make a film that could be a worldwide success. Ok we have a very mixed bag of found footage films some of which do include cg. But this one nails it and relies on suspense, I really love this film!
Reason 2,is the real reason I think it was a pivotal movie in terms of technology. Long before social media ruled the world, the makers of this tiny film harnessed the rising power of the Internet to market this film in such a clever way. People believed it was real and it drew in the crowds through an amazing online advertising campaign that was both clever and innovative! I know it's a weird choice but I think in its own way it was a pretty important film!
Between you you have all mentioned all the ones I would have brought up, all 3 of Carl's would have been my choices, especially Jurassic Park (nothing has affected me the way that did at the cinema) and Blair Witch (such an incredible film and creating a whole new genre. Those along with anything by Ray Harryhausen, as Katy mentioned, he was a genius.
ReplyDeleteI might add the first Matrix film as a perfect example of how CG can enhance live action, the SFX in that film hold up today and everyone under the sun has tried to emulate them. The sequels are a prime example of how sloppy CG is one of the worst things that can happen to my eyes.
Also a quick mention about fully green screen films, I genuinely love Sin City and what they did with that film. It would not have been possible to do that any other way and it really felt like I was watching a live action comic. Same goes for 300 which again has been emulated so much it has now become a cliché.
To answer Katy's question, old school animations, animatronics, puppets, prosthetics, make up etc are always the best way to go if possible, everything feels more real. But as Matt and Carl and even myself have mentioned CG has it's place, somethings can only be done with CG. I think the best thing is a combo though like in the Matrix where CG is used to enhance traditional analogue forms of SFX, not to replace them entirely.
love this post Adam.I also agree that there is a place for good CGI. :-)
DeleteOh and the Fleischer Bros. Can't remember the name of the short movie they first used it in but their pioneering of rotoscoping made everything possible. From simply adding cartoons to live action (the best example being 'Who framed Roger Rabbit' ) to the modern day world of CG which was all made possible by them. Another good example of this is 'A Scanner Darkly'. Not to mention their awesome cartoon characters but I expect that will be another post.
ReplyDeleteAwesome choices Barnes! What's that other one from the scanner darkly guy that's all about dreams?
ReplyDeleteWaking Life
DeleteAwesome choices Barnes! What's that other one from the scanner darkly guy that's all about dreams?
ReplyDeleteTo go in a bit of a different direction me and Carl went to see a Michel Gondry film many moons ago called the science of sleep. I remembered loving it, lots of stop go animation and unicorns! Yes we're that hetero! It was used in a similar way to life aquatic. Definitely worth a watch, pretty weird though.
ReplyDeleteRemember those days Carl? So many awesome films, like Kinsey