tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post296387158824020686..comments2024-03-28T06:14:54.076-04:00Comments on And So It Begins...: Top 10 Darius Khondji FilmsAlex Withrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-12794933701261182962019-08-12T09:01:11.749-04:002019-08-12T09:01:11.749-04:00I always assumed that as well. Maybe I heard Finch...I always assumed that as well. Maybe I heard Fincher elaborate more about this in the commentary for that movie, but Fincher definitely takes the blame for Khondji's departure. It probably didn't help that the movie had a false start before finally beginning production.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-69838474131729026462019-08-12T08:59:16.946-04:002019-08-12T08:59:16.946-04:00I actually like My Blueberry Nights a bit more tha...I actually like My Blueberry Nights a bit more than my comment suggested. I do think the cinematography is the best part about the film, but I loved seeing WKW's interpretation of a very specific America. Love the David Strathairn/Rachel Weisz relationship in that.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-68266143823453517652019-08-12T08:56:27.879-04:002019-08-12T08:56:27.879-04:00Completely agree! That is one damn unique looking ...Completely agree! That is one damn unique looking movie.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-15138557330991197522019-08-11T23:32:59.651-04:002019-08-11T23:32:59.651-04:00Oh, and I glossed over the fact that Khondji was f...Oh, and I glossed over the fact that Khondji was fired off of Panic Room. He was the credited cinematographer alongside Conrad Hall and I never bothered to interrogate the reasons why there were two of them. I assume he had a heavy influence on the look of the film in pre-production and it LOOKS like a Khondji film.W.J.http://inwidescreen.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-45367994082090789512019-08-11T23:28:12.202-04:002019-08-11T23:28:12.202-04:00I really dig Khondji's work. He's had a fa...I really dig Khondji's work. He's had a fairly varied career but he brings a Rembrandt-like command of light that puts him in the same league as Chivo and Deakins. Unfortunately, few of his films have been commercially successful or slam-dunk critical hits. If there's any justice, The Immigrant will only grow in notoriety with time. Ditto My Blueberry Nights, which I sense I hold in higher esteem than you. The story is daft but, viewed as a WKW's paean to a bygone America that only really ever existed in pop culture, it's kinda breathtaking and even poignant. I'd also make a case for the more "commercial" entries in Khondji's filmography (few of which were actually hits): In Dreams, The Beach, Panic Room and The Interpreter.W.J.http://inwidescreen.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-20087397365125242342019-08-11T01:10:00.736-04:002019-08-11T01:10:00.736-04:00I just watched Delicatessen for the first time. I ...I just watched Delicatessen for the first time. I love how he managed to make the film look dreadful and charming at the same time.Sean Mullinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12168731461094847132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-74836519218136355432019-07-26T15:56:53.543-04:002019-07-26T15:56:53.543-04:00I hear you on Amour. Whew, that's a tough one ...I hear you on Amour. Whew, that's a tough one to make it through. That movie just looks and feels so unbearably cold to me. There's a detachment to it that I really appreciate.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-22441669773743078792019-07-26T15:56:06.327-04:002019-07-26T15:56:06.327-04:00Seriously, how good does Se7en look? The cinematog...Seriously, how good does Se7en look? The cinematography really is perfect in helping to sell the tone of that movie. And I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on My Blueberry Nights.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-70711168032554761662019-07-26T15:54:59.688-04:002019-07-26T15:54:59.688-04:00I have to assume that Khondji rejected the heavy C...I have to assume that Khondji rejected the heavy CG type of cinematography Fincher wanted to do in Panic Room, so Fincher ultimately replaced him. I agree, the look of Panic Room is a bit much, but I can see how it influenced his films down the line, which I dig.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-86587534450202273642019-07-26T15:53:27.451-04:002019-07-26T15:53:27.451-04:00Stealing Beauty was really close to making the cut...Stealing Beauty was really close to making the cut here. I love the work Khondji and Bertolucci did together. And I completely agree about your thoughts on My Blueberry Nights. Interesting experiment that he did a film in English, but it's far from his best work.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-24687690509748862852019-07-24T23:36:22.566-04:002019-07-24T23:36:22.566-04:00I've seen 4 of the 10 - Midnight in Paris, Amo...I've seen 4 of the 10 - Midnight in Paris, Amour, Se7en, and The Immigrant. I might have to revisit Amour, though not sure I want to put myself through that again. It's an excellent movie, but I don't remember much about its look. The other 3 are definitely spectacular looking, especially Se7en. The camera helps build an oppressive atmosphere much to the film's benefit.Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-53662102037686157092019-07-24T12:36:16.415-04:002019-07-24T12:36:16.415-04:00I didn't recognize his name right away, but I ...I didn't recognize his name right away, but I have seen some of his work. Se7en is my favorite here, the cinematography in that was perfect for the tone. Midnight in Paris is the only Woody Allen film I've ever liked, he probably breathed some life into that for me.<br /><br />I've always meant to see My Blueberry Nights and never got around to it. I need to re-add that to my list. Brittani Burnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975067259283007280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-584111416971891262019-07-24T07:04:01.309-04:002019-07-24T07:04:01.309-04:00A shame about Panic Room. That movie has such a di...A shame about Panic Room. That movie has such a distracting, gimmicky cinematography which completely takes me out of the movie every time I watch it. In Se7en cinematography adds so much to the film, complimenting it in a great way, especially the way John Doe is hidden for big part of the movie - in shadows on the stairs and in that reflection in the puddle, it's just so well done. s.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13987831438787776712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-14714230398995982002019-07-24T00:27:09.049-04:002019-07-24T00:27:09.049-04:00I have yet to see Too Old to Die Young (which I...I have yet to see <i>Too Old to Die Young</i> (which I'll likely watch later in the year) while <i>Anima</i> is something I might actually watch immediately as me and mother just got Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services thanks to my sister.<br /><br />Everything else you mentioned I have seen as Khondji is underrated as it's a shame that he's only nominated for <i>Evita</i> which is an alright film. <br /><br />There's other films that he shot that I want to mention such as <i>Stealing Beauty</i> which I think is one of Bernardo Bertolucci's underrated films as my parents liked it because of its setting. <br /><br />I think he did an excellent job in <i>My Blueberry Nights</i> which is still my least favorite WKW film as I just felt it was so derivative of his entire body of work as I don't think it stands out very much. thevoid99https://www.blogger.com/profile/03055459287396592446noreply@blogger.com