What is Great Cinematography?

[@micahstailey9531]

My great-grandfather, Alfred Junge, was the production designer on Black Narcissus (as well as A Matter of Life and Death) and won an Oscar for his work. Thank you for recognizing this beautiful film.

[@CIVILISATIONVIDEO]

One of the best-looking films ever made. Those matte painting backdrops are masterpieces in themselves.

[@VHrules69]

Auto-correct may have done you a disservice big dawg (Junge not Judge)

[@ThomasFlight]

Incredibly beautiful film. well deserved oscar win!

[@FauxRomano]

A Matter of Life and Death is such a lovely, great film. Heck yeah

[@fatwoul]

Do you still have the Oscar? What does it taste like?

[@OldBluesChapterandVerse]

“It’s hard to be cynical when you’re looking at something beautiful.” So freaking true, my friend. Thank you for reminding me of that.

[@jussiesmollet4137]

It’s only hard for people who can’t remain objective.

[@critiqueofthegothgf]

@@jussiesmollet4137 always hilarious when you people try to ascribe any sort of objectivity to the inherently subjective medium that is film

[@sanjaysami4315]

Very honoured to be mentioned in this video !

[@ThomasFlight]

Keep up the great work!

[@mrink8822]

Good cinematography is seamless, when you're watching a movie, you don't notice how good it is. But on a rewatch, or in a video like this that highlights it, I just realized how beautiful and well-shot these scenes are

[@katiec-g3793]

I looove noticing cinematography that wants to be noticed (and does a good job at the same time) BC I'm greedy Ike that

[@ThomasFlight]

We love cinematography that sneaks up on us. ;)

[@힐만94]

sometimes it's just our television, laptop or mobile phone that can't capture the beauty, because it is supposed to be watched on wide screen/cinema... i remember watching gravity at movie theater and then later on dvd.. it's still beautiful but it has less vibes of awesomeness...

[@royfr8136]

Exactly. If it is intrusive - then it isn't doing its job, which is to simply communicate the story.

[@LordConstrobuz]

@@royfr8136 this is a really stupid take.

[@SolamenteVees]

I’m a wildlife photographer, have won a few awards… but the depth of artistry in filmmaking is worlds ahead of what I do. I love your channel & content.

[@cl8804]

nt, jewbani

[@LikeStoriesofOld]

I loved this! Was expecting some beautiful shots (which you obviously delivered on), but I found the writing to be equally astounding; the section on beauty especially was just amazing in how it articulated that ineffable quality of cinema that is so vital to its essence yet so hard to put into words... but somehow you made it seem easy!

[@DamjanB52]

"Beautiful shots, writing equally astounding" - yes, but too dense: clips and commentary going by too fast, wrestling attention away from each other ..

[@Malcolm___7]

My all-time favorite bit of cinematography is Deakins' shot of the descent into the arroyo in Sicario. Just a shockingly cool and beautiful moment.

[@nrinka]

and the border scene too! just lovely

[@ulicesvilla6995]

Oh my goodness. Such an intense moment.

[@TheSecretMapofAsia]

The dinner table scene at the end is one of my favourite shots. Love the descent scene too.

[@rahulpiratla]

the script for this video was so eloquent and beautifully written - that, paired with the wonderful choice of music and the fantastic visuals from your selection of movies honestly made me quite emotional while also giving me a surge of inspiration to one day create images like this. thanks for creating such a wonderful video essay!

[@ThomasFlight]

kzbin.info/aero/PLXJ3434wIyxMUpaNoSxoY3F7dsEV_VMsg

[@juliak1615]

I felt the same way!

[@marquesmartinez730]

The shot in The Graduate when his girlfriend realizes the truth of who Ben is seeing…that rack focus may be my favorite single shot in all of cinema

[@ThomasFlight]

Such a genius little move, perfect for the moment.

[@rics1883]

I love when Cinematography reflects the inner architecture of the character. Movie 'Tar' is a great example. Excellent cinematography.

[@jennifersmall4027]

Oppenheimer would be another. The physics in his mind were projected in light abstractions on the screen.

[@BatSignalJammer]

Bro I'm not lying when I say that this was one of the most inspiring videos I've watched on cinematography. It makes me wanna go out and take some damn good pictures/videos

[@jacobpaint]

For some reason Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse came to mind as a film of which I was impacted by the cinematography. As much as I personally enjoyed it, it’s not an easy film to recommend to people. The lighting and composition were amazing and there were many powerful if fleeting shots that were so thoughtfully composed that it might be the sort of film that could make you feel quite differently each time you watch it, depending on when you happen to blink.

[@MortimerJones99]

The brief shot where there is a beacon of light coming out of Willem Defoe's eyes is amazing. It's a direct tribute to the painting Hypnosis by Sascha Schneider.

[@yrwestillhere]

The Red Balloon (1956) hit all he right notes for me, simplicity of story, colour, composition, movement. I still can't get over it.

[@astronom4658]

Agreed. Unforgettable movie.

[@Thegoldenlab606]

Amen and amen! The beginning of my love for film - all the substitute teachers would just take the roll call, wheel in the projector, kill the lights and know that we didn’t need anything else for the rest of the hour. Was afraid to watch it again as an adult, fearing it wouldn’t hold up but it’s even better than I remembered and the moral of the story just as relevant to our current time.

[@Scarface_Sam]

Great video. Some of my favorites are: - The Double Life of Veronique - Playtime - Le Samourai - Roma - Past Lives

[@ThomasFlight]

Past Lives might have been the best looking movie from last year. So understated but gorgeous. Also agree on Tati! Some of his work could have easily made it into this video for me.

[@astronom4658]

Agreed. Double life of Veronica, is one of the best movies ever filmed, in my opinion too.

[@joelasser9438]

I saw Roma 4 times, including once on 70mm because of the cinematographyj. I think what I love about it is that most of the story is told through the setting and not primary actions. It's like everything is contingent on the moment it's in, and not that something is pushing it forward (even though it does move forward)

[@TheaMaddieL]

I recently watched Portrait of a Lady on Fire and thought the cinematography was excellent. The shots are so well chosen.

[@elevenseven-yq4vu]

It has some of the most beautiful and at the same time best motivated lighting, framing and overall cinematography. The effect is realistic and expressionistic at once, pure class.

[@fenixdown22]

Agree! Definitely inspired by Persona

[@kkattrap]

Claire Mathon is who I was going to mention in the comments. I liked the playful shots in there that broke up an otherwise somber story in some places.

[@toothfully8176]

It conveyed so much intimacy. Felt like I was an intruder on their private love story, somehow spying on them

[@KayButtonJay]

It instantly became one of my favorite movies when I saw it. Definitely Top 10

[@jonathankim3483]

Decision to Leave has some of the best, most creative cinematography I've ever seen. Would've loved to see some of those shots in the Movement portion of the video. As always, great content breaking down what makes cinema what it is.

[@dipperdandy]

Park Chan-wook is such an interesting director to me. Many of his films, for the first half I am struggling to follow the story and the characters and trying to keep track of what is happening. And usually I SHOULD be frustrated by this, but I am so involved in the WAY things are happening and how they are shot. Then in the third act everything starts coming together and all my struggles and confusions are cleared and there's a pay off that brings almost like a spiritual joy. I really can't describe it. Decision to Leave reminded me a lot of Sympathy For Mr Vengeance in that regard. I spent so much time trying to keep track of who was who and where they were and when it was. But by the end it all made perfect sense and was beautiful (and so heartbreaking).

[@jemkeen]

23:13 as a current architecture student, this is all I needed to hear to confirm my willingness to try and pursue a career in film

[@ThomasFlight]

You should listen to Rick Rubin's interview with Bjarke Ingles on Tetragrammaton. I wrote that section of the essay before I heard the podcast, otherwise I would have referenced him, but he also talks about parallels between architecture and film in a very interesting way!

[@Chiater]

I'm an architect whose kind of obsessed with cinematography and editing, though I've never done either. I have some architect friends who did tv or film for a while. Very cool but kind of frantic schedules and not predictable. Though totally a valid option for career!

[@jemkeen]

@@ThomasFlight Thank you so much for this. I will definitely give it a listen as I am hoping to write my final year dissertation on these topics.

[@Extracredittttt]

​@@Chiater You should watch Columbus! Great film that has love for architecture

[@Homer-OJ-Simpson]

Road to Perdition is my favorite cinematography ever. Some of the scenes are just perfectly shot and creative that I can’t imagine doing better. Haven’t seen the movie in a while but my favorite scenes (don’t read if u haven’t seen the film): 1. The kid watching the warehouse shooting 2. hanks character arriving home to find his wife and a son dead - camera stays on the other kid the whole times 3. The AMAZING in the rain shooting of the boss 4. The finale - Hanks being shot. There were more but those 4 scenes really stick out as amazing.

[@NewsGuyFred]

100% agree. It’s just loaded with memorable scenes from a cinematography standpoint. The shooting at the diner also stands out for me

[@swampert564]

@@Homer-OJ-Simpson It has a very well deserved Oscar. Also it's perhaps the best comicbook movie ever made. Great film.

[@Homer-OJ-Simpson]

@@swampert564 funny story, I was describing to friends how great the cinematography was in Road Perdition and we began talking about our favorite cinematography of older films. I brought up Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid…then I looked it up to see who was the cinematographer and it was the same from Road to Perdition! Then I noticed he did lots of other great work in popular movies!

[@swampert564]

@@Homer-OJ-Simpson Cool Hand Luke too. I wonder if Paul Newman had some pull in his career or if it was simply coincidence.

[@Homer-OJ-Simpson]

@@swampert564 omg, can’t be a coincidence that Newman was in all 3! The cinematographer is Conrad Hall…also did American Beauty! Some of the best work ever.

[@swampert564]

In The Mood For Love might be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Loved the homage to it in Everything Everywhere All At Once.

[@missk8tie]

Yes! I saw it once in college and it made such an impression that I recognized the intended homage in EEAAO once they were in the alley. Beautiful.

[@swampert564]

@@missk8tie He's got such a recognizable style. There are directors that are flashier but there is just something otherworldly about Wong Kar Wai's work. When my wife and I saw EEAAO in theaters, I remember her asking me later what that sequence was referencing. It had such a unique vibe that she knew it must be a homage to something well known. We watched In The Mood For Love (and also Chungking Express) over the next couple of nights. Beautiful stuff.

[@xavvi]

Agreed. I watched In The Mood For Love and felt something strange stir in me, like I all of a sudden understood art better or something. It's so strikingly beautiful.

[@katehunter538]

A Hidden Life is one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen, in a visual sense, as is the French Dispatch. In a more emotional sense Wings of Desire, The Tree of Life, and American Beauty were exceptionally beautiful. Each of these landed for me at very different points in my life, so they were probably communicating something I was ready to hear and see at those points. I also really appreciate the grubby beauty in Down by Law, which is probably the movie I've rewatched more than any other.

[@withalskraai]

You included bladerunner 2049 but left out the incredible cinematography of original Bladerunner -- the best cinematography I have ever seen.

[@jesusrox0903]

This is honestly the most succinct and I think clear explanation of what cinematography actually is, specifically good. Seems like people usually just equate a beautiful image to great cinematography, rather than understanding the point of the shot.

[@jaredt.murphy8257]

The Red Violin (1998) and Croupier (1998) are two of my favorite films. The former uses rich scoring to make the viewer feel entranced by the strange and potent aspect of passion, of love, and the journey it takes, the place it holds in our lives. The latter has only one track in the soundtrack, and it's haunting sound and moody lighting is somehow both clean-cut and grimy all in one. Thank you for sharing your passion with us, Thomas

[@SiincereARC]

Children of Men, The Fall, Stranger than Fiction not on 4K is almost criminal. Dope Cinematography. If I had the money, I'd also pay for all of Spike Lee's 90s films be fully transferred to 4K (there's only about 2 or 3 of them that were released in UHD).

[@IVUSER]

The Fall is absolutely stunning, but it comes in sacrifice of a weakly-told story (IMO) and characters that you forget 5 min after the credits roll (again, IMO)

[@J.E.W.]

​@@IVUSERand also is mostly a series of homages to shots from other movies

[@KenTWOu]

The Fall was rerelased in 4K on Mubi.

[@SiincereARC]

@@KenTWOu physical release

[@TheMixCurator]

Wong Kar-wai's lighting and feel to many of his films are incredible. Believe a number of scenes from Chungking Express were shot without permits, and with members of the public walking into shots. Well worth going through all of his filmography (esp if you get the scan versions of the film prints - the colour palette is so good - reminds me of old Kodak film) Another film that I thought was beautifully shot was Alfonso Cuarón's Roma (2018). There's a scene on the rooftops were all the maids are cleaning bed sheets, and its stuck with me for years.

[@xavvi]

Roma is utterly gorgeous. They found a way to add so much depth and character to black and white

[@1800astra]

Three Colours Trilogy, but especially Red; cinematography by the late Piotr Sobociński. Very, very beautiful.

[@astronom4658]

For me "Blue" is the masterpiece. In fact all movies in the trilogy.

[@Thegoldenlab606]

Three unspeakably beautiful films.

[@hernyw6932]

tree of life is one of my favourite films all time and the cinematography is so important and beautiful to me. i personally drew the interpretation of the camera serving as a sort of guardian angel, gliding without restraint and intertwining with the family's emotions and personal space. the same comfort that can be drawn from of course God's reply in the book of Job, highlighting His power and presence and promising to always be with them. love this video

[@TheBeird]

I saw Solaris and Stalker for the first time this year and was really taken aback by them. Something about the way they were shot made me think the two films were grounded yet heightened at the same time

[@stevemcmahon6803]

Tarkovsky was the master. I wish this video mentioned him more

[@Hatter5150]

Stalker remains the most beautiful film I’ve ever seen. I have never seen literal garbage the water look so poetic and stunning.

[@cloutdracula807]

What I like about Thomas flight is if he doesn't have anything true or insightful to post he just doesn't post it all. Quality thoughts in every video, no stupid regurgitated ideas like other movie analysis channels.

[@alexbrindle8208]

I love the final shot of The Searchers - an image that captures the essence of not just a film, but an entire genre!

[@abdrhmn7093]

Never skip a Thomas Fight video

[@aniskhamari5184]

imagine attending a class of his

[@ymkla]

never ever

[@roel.vinckens]

Flight.

[@Rory626]

Fight 🤜

[@KABOBkabob]

​@@aniskhamari5184would be solid film 101

[@Chris43791FTW]

22:54 "seing these uncomfortable emotions presented in a beautiful way might shed new light on how we perceive these things within our own life" beautifully said

[@cowabunga-san3417]

Just wanna give a quick shoutout to The Qatsi trilogy in general and especially Koyaanasqatsi with cinematography by Ron Fricke. I think of all your bullet points there's tremendous beauty to be had for each in this film. This was the movie I saw in theaters that flloored me like you were in Lawrence of Arabia. I think it's criminally underrated, and is a visual masterpiece.

[@johns123]

One hugely underrated director is Masahiro Shinoda. His black-and-white films Pale Flower, Assassination, and Double Suicide are drop-dead gorgeous. I cannot recommend them enough

[@herremilkanter]

"Intuitive visual poetry" is such a great formulation for what cinematography feels like

[@carlosfandango2419]

Like you, I always come back to Terrence Malik when I want to become emotionally involved with a film. The Thin Red Line, Tree of Life or Knight of Cups are all examples of great cinematography but also beautiful soundtracks, glimpses of nature and very personal moments. The very reason I watch movies.

[@user-eg8yc8ew2b]

Knight of cups has my second favourite film soundtrack of all time, the first being The girl with the dragon tattoo 2011

[@jmalmsten]

I love the images and the noises of Malicks films... I just can't stand the dialogs and narration.

[@nikakiseleva9863]

I loved cinematography in Ripley (2024, Netflix series with Andrew Scott). It’s so rich in textures, every shot is carefully composed, the depth, the layers, play of light and shadow, it’s just captivating and hypnotizing with all the labyrinths of stairs - and all of that in black and white (which is unusual choice in 2024). I think it’s one of those films you can watch on mute and still be fascinated. Robert Elswit truly is a magician. I also loved Ripley for the lack of words. So much of the story is told through the cinematography, acting, pauses, eye contact. We follow the main character but we don’t hear a single thought from him while it’s so tempting in those full of tension pauses when you don’t know how he will reply, are they gonna know, will he show anything on his face, how he gonna get out of this one and so on. Uneasy ominous music score by Jeff Russo so seamlessly integrated that you don’t even notice also helps you to feel inside the story, like you’re pulled into it. Wonderful series, watched it holding my breath.

[@lmergenti]

Agree. In terms of composition, light, line, texture, and imagery as narrative, I place Ripley up there with Barry Lyndon. Literally, every scene, no matter how fleeting, is a miracle

[@hj-ct2qi]

screamed when i saw the thumbnail. that's my favorite film of all time and i wish more people would see it!!!!

[@joshuam18]

This is the best written video essay on Cinematography I have ever seen. Made me cry.

[@Michael_Underhill]

One film that requires a mention in this conversation is Vertigo, my personal favorite Hitchcock. So many stunning images in rich Technicolor that give the film an overall dreamlike atmosphere.

[@charissachubb5758]

I love Hitchcock's films for cinematography! Especially Psycho, Rear Window and Vertigo. The latter is almost one entire dream sequence, beautiful and beguiling. Characters and symbols interchanging. My niche interest is the jewellery used in Hitchcock's films, and what they represent. Grace Kelly's charm bracelet (RW) and that pendant in Vertigo - his prettiest McGuffin.

[@MistaZULE]

Jarin Blaschke is one of my favourite conematographers for his work with Robert Eggers' three films. There are moments in the VVitch where the trees seem evil, and the forest appears sinister with beautiful natural light and this monotone oppressive grey you can feel almost enveloping the characters. Or in the Lighthouse where Pattison's character is almost swallowed by the light at the climax and his features almsot disappear in the blinding white. Or in the Northman where entire scenes are filmed indoors (with historically accurate construction methods) with no windows and only the light of the fire illuminating the scene. I always return to Eggers' films amazed at the beauty of each individual frame.

[@reatodiguada]

When it comes to frame composition, nothing compares to Playtime by Jacques Tati, imo: a film that makes you laugh just by the means of cinematography is really something worth watching

[@maisiefrench4424]

My list of favourites is too long to choose just one, but a recent favourite of mine has to be the 2011 Hanna. Ticks all the boxes in terms of unusual composition, great lighting, utilising movement, and beautiful scenery. Highly recommend.

[@romanhoppe3868]

I love that you touched on composition, it’s severely under-looked, but it’s so important. It’s the reason why 12 angry men has my favorite cinematography of all time.

[@cinavik]

I will never get over The Abyss, The Fountain, or the first Bladerunner. 2049 as well as mentioned. Dune (Villanueve editions), Master & Commander, Pans Labyrinth, The Shape of Water. The Godfather. The Green Knight. All forever burned in for me in part because of the great cinematography

[@TheSaltydog07]

@@cinavik Watching Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" is like walking through an art gallery.

[@elevenseven-yq4vu]

​@@TheSaltydog07For art gallery shots, I recommend "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and "Portrait of a Lady on Fire".

[@ArturoGarcia-lj6ip]

Thank you Thomas for this beautiful video. I will never forget, back in 1993, when I first watched "The Cook, the Thief, her Wife and her Lover", by Peter Greenaway and whose cinematographer was the great, great, Sacha Vierny. I watched this film at the "Cinematógrafo de El Chopo" in México, a cinema club which belongs to UNAM and where I spent many evenings watching some of the greatest films of my life. What a stunning spectacle of color and light was this movie! Greenaway designed every ambient of the film in various predominant colors (blue at the parking lot, green for the kitchen, white for the bathrooms and red (the most savage) for the restaurant's dinning room. Every time one of the main movie characters went to the bathroom, the red light from the dinning room mixed with the white light, bringing an amazing pink light which illuminated the character just for the instant while the door was still open. The costumes were designed by L'enfant terrible Jean Paul Gaultier, accompanied by a great soundtrack by composer Michael Nyman . All this mixed with the always controversial proposal from Greenaway ("Cinema is dead, long live to Cinema!"), where he purposefully designed the stages to look almost fake, but beatifully crafted, make this one of my favorites film of all time.

[@StoneColdBeard]

“The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford” (2007) feels like you’ve jumped into a 19th or 20th Century western landscape painting, and live in that world for a few hours. It’s stunning.

[@Malsperanza]

Great, concise overview. My personal favorite is Vittorio Storaro, especially his work with Bertolucci. If I had to pick favorite moments, two from "The Conformist": when the professor explains the myth of Plato's Cave, closing and opening Venetian blinds, a rare moment when the cinematography becomes an overt character in the story; and another scene when two characters make love on a moving train at sunset. "Visions of Light" is one of my favorite documentaries on any subject, and expands on the role of the cinematographer.

[@davidpalmer5966]

Thank you for this post which I really enjoyed. Since you asked, a scene that comes to mind is the climax of 'The Battle of Britain' which uses real aeroplanes and an airborne camera to create a swirling aerial ballet, that is not only a realistic depiction of an air battle, but combined with the extraordinary music overlaid by the pilots' radio communications to create something that is not only beautiful but also captures the horror and tragedy of what is happening.

[@linusfotograf]

You just described why I love cinema.

[@SHALAt22]

I am not a film student or involved in any way in making of films, but as a film lover, your videos are so beautifully educational and instructive, that I have watched almost all of them. Thank you for your insights. Your voice is also very soothing. btw, thanks for introducing me to MUBI.

[@williamcurwen7428]

A beautiful thought provoking essay … thank you. I am a stills photographer, all my life I have turned to cinema over and over again to take me to places I have never been to before, and yet are believably, palpably real. This is often a visceral experience that burns itself into my brain, only to emerge into my work often many years later. Mirror does this for me.

[@matalata]

All the mentioned films are fantastic. One to add is Road to Perdition, a superbly shot film.

[@ayamutakino]

One of the greatest films ever made. Not only Conrad Hall’s beautiful swan song, but a Rosetta Stone of Mendes’s filmmaking style.

[@Rebehxa]

The first movie that popped into my head when I thought of beautiful shots is Past Lives. Some of this is related to the mise én scene, because the way the shots were blocked and composed lent itself to create such intimate moments. It was also shot in a way where you were seeing things through windows or doors, and it just felt like you were observing something unfold right in front of you. One of my favorite shots is one where you see the MC from a birds eye view, she's walking across the street and we never see her face, but we can see how giddy and excited she is. The camera is placed in such a way that it feels like we are watching a stranger having the best day from our own window. Another one is when the MC and her childhood friend is on a tram or a sub (don't remember), and they're both holding onto a pole. It's zoomed in on their hands that are barely not touching, and that simple shot makes you feel aaaaaaaaallllll the tension. So many more great scenes too, like the ending scene with the observing camera panning. Absolutely lovely

[@CaCtuSnyan]

The composition in Memories of Murder is crazy good, definitely one of my favorites

[@frankbooth5490]

I always love the camera of Benoît Debie. The way his camera moves and the bright colors! The same with Christopher Doyle.

[@TR6-2.0]

“Güeros” by Alonso Ruizpalacios, cinematography by Damián García. Also, thank you for sharing - grateful for your content, perspectives, and knowledge 🙏🏽.

[@vudumotion]

Rewatching movies and rereading books is incredibly rewarding. I highly recommend it!

[@TheSaltydog07]

Agree. You can't step into the same river twice.

[@vudumotion]

@@TheSaltydog07 This is the perfect example. Thank you!

[@TheSaltydog07]

@@vudumotion Thank you. I first heard that phrase when studying literature, but it applies to films also. Is there a film that you loved twenty years ago but now you don't?

[@vudumotion]

@@TheSaltydog07 The movies I enjoyed twenty years ago continue to grow on me. How about you?

[@TheSaltydog07]

@vudumotion Depends on the film. I never tire of Michael Powell/Emeric Pressburger films, like "Black Narcissus" and "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp."

[@stevenmackay8053]

Among my favorite work by a cinematographer is James Wong Howe's shots for "Seconds" and "Sweet Smell of Success."

[@ptose]

true, altough my favorite part for Seconds is the part of the titles made by Saul Bass

[@organismx]

Hello Thomas. First thank you because as a student of the medium and as someone that works in the field , I can really appreciate the time you took and the work you put in to do this video. Lots of great stuff here. I agree 100 with everything shared here. That being said , beyond the great lighting , blocking, camera movements, compositions , lenses choices , which are all things keep paying attention to when watching a movie, there is one thing that I can't quiet put my finger on , but that I am obsessed with trying to understand. It's even hard for me to explain , but I know it is there , but I cannot really break it down. There is a "dance" between wide shots , tight shots , moving shots, the switching of angles, that creates different feelings. Some people do it right and some don't event know that they don' know how to do it, and like you said , some might not even know that they are doing it , like you said again , it's like a sort of poetry that is integral part of film making, but there is an art to this arrangement of shots and perspectives and angles that create a sequence. Everyone does it differently, thank God the is not a pattern or play book that everyone follows, it would become pretty boring really quick. But I think that there is so much to be said it and the psychological effect on the viewer. That is exactly where I am right now in my journey, it's really what I want to be better at in my craft. Hope I did not bore you. Great Journey you and everyone .

[@elevenseven-yq4vu]

There has to be a certain flow, pacing and harmony in the editing, or at least a conscious form to it, which enhances or mirrors the narrative and mood of a story, guides the eye and gives us timely pauses to process and reflect on what we see and hear, much like in a piece of music, a sense of composition and unity that creates a distinct atmosphere and a unique world, a sense of time and space and the narrative process, all of which underline the main motives and themes and the overall topic, and also make the development of the entire movie feel seamless while it progresses.

[@organismx]

@ Agreed, the editor does have that power, there is no denying it, like the saying says “there the movie you write, then there is the movie you shoot , then there is the movie that you edit”, and at each stages of the process the movie slightly morphs into something different. But I still believe that a good director does most of that during the planning phase, because she or he should be able to see the sequences during the story board phase. Maybe I am wrong but that’s what I believe. Some people call it movie Grammar

[@TheHeadClanker]

I watched Paris, Texas the other day for the first time knowing nothing about it besides Wenders directing it and it's definitely one of the most beautifully shot movies ever made. The thing that I keep thinking about is the fantastic use of color that I don't really know if any other film I've seen has utilized as well. Wes Anderson movies come to mind but it was like a mix of his use of color with Deakins' incorporation of natural light sources. Cinematography is by far my favorite aspect of movies and is what made me really fall in love with film as an art form. Thank you Thomas for continuing to make videos like this and I hope everything is slowly getting better in your area after the storms/floods.

[@Extracredittttt]

Paris, Texas is incredible The way a non-American so perfectly captures both the majesty and desolation of the American southwest is mind blowing to me. It is not only beautiful to look at, but rich with that thematic tension of freedom and beauty mixed with abandonment and emptiness

[@TheHeadClanker]

@@Extracredittttt It's impressive that Wenders know how to present the essence of that area of the country. As someone who lived there for years I'm not sure someone could do it better.

[@Extracredittttt]

@@TheHeadClanker have you seen A Perfect Life? I really want to check it out to see what wenders' sensibilities look like in the modern era

[@TheHeadClanker]

@@Extracredittttt If you mean Perfect Days then yes. I watched it earlier this year and it's easily one of my favorite films ever made. I felt like it was commenting on everything I find frustrating about the modern world and the peace that I hope to find in my own life.

[@Extracredittttt]

@@TheHeadClanker that is what I meant! Damn I will have to watch it ASAP

[@dtmccrea6367]

I just recently watched a movie for the first time that is the running for best cinematography I've ever seen. Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Like you said about Barry Lyndon in this video, every shot in that film feels like a painting. Which is so fitting not only to the surface level story of the film but also the deeper themes of love and longing

[@Extracredittttt]

I feel like that painting feeling is accentuated by the fact that nothing is ever out of focus in Portrait of a Lady on Fire. There is never a hunt of blur anywhere - everything is crystal clear As if everything in frame was painted or something like that

[@cinemaghost3149]

The entirety of NWRs Too Old To Die Young. Hands down, one of the most beautiful shows ever created

[@tennesseedreamermusic]

All those beautiful shots spliced together got me in my feels. Cinematography is so powerful! Thanks for helping me to appreciate it more and to understand why I love certain movies so much

[@helixvfx8569]

Greg Fraiser is my favorite cinematographer right now! His work on Dune, The Creator, The Batman, Rogue one, etc. are just always breathtaking and make me watch those movies in such different ways! I feel more involved than I do in other movies purely because of Greg's cinematography! He's awesome!

[@ayamutakino]

I can’t wait to see Project Hail Mary and how he collaborates with Lord & Miller!

[@mf_from_hell]

I recommend watching Aki Kaurismäki's Kuolleet lehdet. He's well-known for his minimalist style and in this film he makes almost every shot look like the characters are in an Edward Hopper painting.

[@thespacesbetweenstudio3346]

Anyone who has tried to light a scene can appreciate the sheer mastery of some of these pros. Stunning examples

[@spridgejuice]

for me it's 2001 A Space Odyssey for simple beauty/meaning elision (at every stage), Stalker for a release into the sense of life as a movement in time, The Wizard of Oz for the realisation of the sublime as artifice, Persona for (as he mentions) the sense of bodily recognition/disputation of self, and Alice (or maybe Earwig) for empowerment of the dream (which encompasses all cinema so not a fair competition)

[@anabelle_harman06]

This is one of my favorite channels. Thanks for putting so much effort into these video essays and articulating your thoughts so well. The show the bear has got to be one of my favorite examples of great cinematography, and specifically how the culmination of different shots can portray what the character is feeling/going through.

[@riloegaming]

I think the first time a film really helped me connect with the beauty of the everyday or normal was Jia Zhangke's "The World". The film is so unbelievably naturalistic it's often hard to believe it's not documentary, and yet every second of it is incredibly rich in beautiful, subtle and nuanced detail. I believe this reflects the characters and setting of the film as well, along with all of Jia's work.

[@Advent3546]

I've been watching a lot of older noir movies this month and those have such a striking marriage between composition and movement. Blocking a long take shot through multiple camera set-ups is no easy feat even if they last less than a minute. I usually see that kind of staging nowadays in Steven Spielberg movies and his work with Janusz Kaminski looks like a magic trick every time.

[@TheSaltydog07]

@@Advent3546 L o v e noir ❤️❤️💋

[@Needleandfur]

I was going to mention Spielberg and his use of noir staging. When Indiana Jones first walks into Marion's bar that shot if just his face cast with the shadow of the cut out door - pure 1940's noir. Schindler's List has similar vibes with those light tight shots of both Neeson and Fiennes looking almost like 1940's matinees idols - although given the subject matter it's not an idea you can easily square away!

[@juanmanuelbaccino]

Hi, when i start university i saw Touch of Evil by Orson Welles and Citizen Kane of course. I was amazed. Then i begin to learn with Tarkovski, Polanski, Godard, Truffaut, well Hitchcock. The man of the camera, October, The mother, La Huelga, El acorazado potemkin, the best of russian cinematography and of course Kubrick. I never learn photography...and always thought that to be a good director, or trying to be the best. You must know all the aspect of taking a great picture. Well now that i have 45 years old I learned that we havent to dispair...the esencial work in cinematopgraphy is the idea of an ideal team job.

[@bobmarley6306]

What a brilliant video, the way you explain things technically is great but what's even better is the way you explain how the technicalities make us feel, you have a way with words which is poetic and profound.

[@jasoncorbett8948]

So glad you mentioned Black Narcissus. My grandfather was a cinema projectionist and this was one of his favourite films. And my favourite.

[@lucy-janewalsh9047]

I know nothing about this topic but the things you brought up in your intro made me think of children of men! It’s so good that even a cinema noob like me felt the impact of its cinematography

[@elevenseven-yq4vu]

Check out "Bound" by the Wachowski siblings next. It is pretty much on the nose but still with some beautiful shots. Oh, and if you are into Westerns, "Heaven's Gate", "Cold Mountain" and "There Will Be Blood" have great moments as well. "Heaven's Gate" especially sticks out for me: Brilliant long shots following an arrival in a frontier town, a graduate celebration dance scene contrasted with a circling wagons fight scene, an amazing rollerskating scene in between, great shots showing the power imbalance on the plains, a final shot showing the depressing gildedness of empty luxury. It really creates the right atmosphere for each and every scene visually. Another one would be Scorsese's "Bringing Out The Dead", a movie that just isn't talked about often enough. Its nightly shots of New York City are on par with those of "Taxi Driver".

[@DanEdelen]

Wonderful. It’s always good to see some of my heroes behind the lens getting the recognition they deserve. My greatest regret as an old man looking back on life is not going to film school to become a cinematographer. Went into computers instead. Except it’s evocative images like those covered in this essay that really charge my soul, not bits and bytes. Oh well. Kids, learn from my mistake. If you love movies, go into movies.

[@al201103]

I saved this video until I had time to just sit and watch it in its entirety. I enjoyed every second of it. Many films I know well, a few I had forgotten about and need to revisit, and one or two which I have yet to see and are now on my list! Wonderful video, thank you :)

[@daviddarvasi9480]

Gorgeous video. Thank you. Of the famous Taxi Driver shot Scorsese said it was the first shot he came up with and that the phone call for the character was so painful that 'we' don't want to experience the depth of his pain hence the tracking away of the camera.

[@JamesGiffin-w6e]

Moonlight is the most memorably beautiful movie I have ever seen. The use of blue and pink lighting, both realistic and vibrant bring me so much emotion. It also reminds me of Blade Runner 2049, but hits me much more deeply.

[@murphy0]

I’ve had the same epiphany lately in that I’ve felt great reverence for the beauty that has been around me my whole life without me realizing it. I began studying film and cinematography last year and since then I catch myself at times interrupted by the beauty of something in front of me. Driving home at night and seeing the beautiful sodium vapor lamps illuminating a building in just the right way, the sunlight bouncing off of a wall in front of my car and giving color to my dashboard, or a tree line stacking almost deliberately into the sky in the distance; it’s all mundane and yet it pulls me in in a way that it never did before. Learning to appreciate cinematography is to learn to appreciate the beauty in the world around you.

[@artspeaking]

I would mention James Wong Howe's wonderful Black and White work. The boxing scenes in "Body And Soul" remain unmatched in this genre. Jack Cardiff was a bona fide genius. "The Magic Box" and "Black Narcissus" evidence his lushly haunting palette that was his signature style. I was very impressed by the visual aesthetic of Tarsem Singh's "The Fall". The use of technicolor in 1938's "The Adventures of Robin Hood" remains high on my list. The black and white camera work that was the signature style of 1930s and 1940s Warner Bros. films is beautiful. Sol Polito and Tony Gaudio's photography paired with the set designs of Anton Grot produced a wonderful symphony of light and shadow. "Captain Blood" and "The Sea Hawk are also among my favorites. Loved "Barry Lyndon".

[@SaintJoi]

Northfork. So few people have seen it, but it's gorgeous. Sort of a meditation on dying and being present for death. It's almost completely desaturated and the delicate tones are stunning.

[@kailichtverschlinger1612]

I forgot how beautiful The Revenant is. You've done a great job with this video as always, superb taste, eloquent analysis, and beautifully illustrative editing. Keep it up!!

[@OstrichRidingCowboy]

Shoutout to Haynes/Lachman's "Carol" for letting 16mm look like that.

[@elevenseven-yq4vu]

I found stunning cinematography in: Nosferatu (1922), Metropolis (1927), All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), Modern Times (1936), Citizen Kane (1941), 12 Angry Men (1957), Yojimbo (1961), Vanishing Point (1971), Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972), World on a Wire (1973), Apocalypse Now! (1979), Alien (1979), Heaven's Gate (1980), 1984 (1984), Brazil (1985), Naked Lunch (1991), Gattaca (1997), Dark City (1998), eXistenZ (1999), Paprika (2006), The Science of Sleep (2006), Mary & Max (2009), Moon (2009), The Tree of Life (2011), Chronicle (2012), Victoria (2015), Loving Vincent (2017), mother! (2017), Mandy (2018), Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), The Lighthouse (2019), Parasite (2019), The Zone of Interest (2023).

[@TonyBullard]

Thomas, you are SO good at this. Thank you for sharing your art with us.

[@BillyGorst]

One of my favourite movies when it comes to cinematography is the Man from Snowy River. Not because the cinematography itself is particularly revolutionary, but because it captures the landscape and culture of the Australian high country, a region that has been very formative to me. To me it shows how much of cinematography is subjective; the strings a particular shot will tug on in the viewer's heart is incredibly individual, drawing on a whole array of unique life experiences and ideas about the world. The Tree of Life is another film whose cinematography was incredibly moving, because it encapsulated the archetypal beauty of parts of life we often take for granted and consider mundane. It genuinely gave me a sense of gratitude for my upbringing and the world that I live in.

[@ramiloukecom]

Amazing video, Thomas, you're clearly an artist at heart.

[@global_nomad.]

nice to hear your reference to architecture - for 20 years i've been using film to teach students how to craft spaces in real life, and in teaching spatial practice in the last few years coming around to film making capturing space. Designing space is about the life that happens within after the designers and builders have left, and that is what film captures so beautifully.

[@DaveTheTurd]

"The Fall," by Tarsem Singh (2006, shot by Colin Watkinson); the Netflix series "Ripley" (2024, shot by Robert Elswit); the first season of Jessica Jones (shot by Manuel Billeter), the first season of Better Call Saul (Arthur Albert).

[@satyb]

Nicholas Roeg's Walkabout and just about every Peter Greenaway film

[@lexthanexpected]

portrait of a lady on fire 😍 almost don’t need the subtitles to enjoy that film

[@AliceHope78]

This video is just superb. One of the best, for me, in this channel. Thank you so much. ❤ Personally, the first movie that made me AWARE of the power of cinematography was Children of Men. In the mood for love always leaves me speechless because of its beauty. Maborosi gripped me. Sometimes it's not a whole movie, sometimes it's just a couple of visually perfect scenes, but it's the incomparable gift that cinema can give us, and I am so grateful for it.

[@Lou.B]

"Aguirre, the Wrath of God", by Werner Herzog and Thomas Mauch (cinematography) is one of my favorites. The Amazon backdrop, which envelopes the characters, events, and visuals from the first through the last frame is overwhelming and irresistible.

[@StevieTheWanderer]

Masterful storytelling. Had to pause, grab my morning coffee, and then settle right back in to watch until the end. Every film mentioned is now on my must-watch list-thank you!

[@antoniobronx4955]

Agree that composition is an underrated aspect of great cinematography. Listening to the commentary in the Criterion Collection edition’s of Kurosawa films opened my eyes to how a master uses composition to tell a story and manipulate the viewer’s emotions

[@notaquitter92]

Thank you for this! I always appreciate your insightful takes on cinema as an art form. I never miss a video! As far as what film inspired me the most with its cinematography, I'd have to go with Denis Villeneuve's Arrival. Its somewhat muted colors, combined with its evocative lighting and subtle movements, give the whole film a dreamy, contemplative vibe. I still reflect on its themes today partly because of its memorable look.

[@dh3279]

Wow! You definitely know your subject matter, sir! Quite impressive! And for me, it would be hard to name a film with better cinematography than Days of Heaven. Nearly every single frame is beautifully shot. My own favorites would include Hero (2002), Delicatessen, The Handmaiden, Touch of Evil, The Wizard of Oz, Life Is Beautiful, The Handmaiden, Metropolis, Curse of The Golden Flower, The Revenant, Braveheart, Pan’s Labyrinth, Badlands, Ran, The City of Lost Children, Blood Simple, and Crouching Tiger . . .

[@ciaio]

The scene from Taxi Driver when Travis walks in this dreamlike state of infatuation, thinking of Betsy "They can not touch... her" is one of those moments in cinema that made me fall in love with film back when I was like 13. That moment never really left me. The combination of shooting against the sun in slowmo and the music hits so hard. What a great way to show how someone feels when they're in love.

[@VinniePergola]

Just want to say thank you for including so much from Children of Men in this. It is a criminally under-seen film. The amount of people I talk to that have never seen it or don't even know it exists always baffles me.