Movies Every New Operator Should See
The Untouchables, The Insider, Ida, Throne Of Blood, Lawrence of Arabia
Conclave - How to frame and let scenes play…every frame is a painting
The Godfathers 1 and 2 - Framing Framing Framing
Children of Men - Movement, telling a story in single takes
The Insider - I mean, come on
Birdy - Spectacular
Shame - Minimalist, expertly framed
All the steadicam work in the West Wing. Nothing else.
1: Children of Men
2: Nothing else really matters, but I'll think about it.
As operators, we should be exposed to a wide variety of films, shot by the masters, as well as newcomers breaking the rules of yesteryear. I also believe that cinematography should fit the project, so that the technique used on the last film won’t necessarily be appropriate for the next. As an operator, when I watch a film, I find myself paying attention to the frame and what it’s doing, but the best cinematography/operating will be completely engrossing, and I won’t realize I haven’t thought about it until the credits roll.
Road to Perdition - This Sam Mendes film was shot by Conrad Hall and operated by Scott Sakamoto and is a visual masterpiece. The camera work and lighting serve the story perfectly without drawing attention to itself.
Se7en - I could have picked several other David Fincher films (Fight Club is a close second), but this one conjures up several things through its visual storytelling - it’s a graphic film, and you can almost smell several of the scenes because the visuals truly bring you into the dark and stylized onscreen world. The use of lighting, shadow, and camerawork create an ominous tone throughout the film - cinematographer Darius Khondji and operator Conrad W Hall do amazing work that suits the film perfectly.
Children of Men – People talk about the jaw-dropping oner in the vehicle, but this film is so much more than that. Alfonso Cuaron’s futuristic dystopian thriller is a must for anyone wishing to understand how much the camera can influence the way a film feels. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubeski and operator George Richmond’s amazing handheld work take this film to places few go.
Grand Budapest Hotel – Any of Wes Anderson’s films could be contenders, but this is my favorite. Cinematographer Bob Yeoman’s wonderfully precise and symmetrical frames aren’t conventional, but are a marvel of storytelling, where the camera is an active participant.
No Country for Old Men – I don’t think there is a Coen brothers’ film I don’t like, and all of them look amazing. As with all his films, Roger Deakins’s cinematography is a marvel to behold – nothing showy – just the perfect amount of everything needed to visually tell the story, and this film is no exception.
City of God
Anything by Wes Anderson (operating is all about framing)
Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Yojimbo, anything by Akira Kurosawa
Silence of the Lambs
Sicario
The Boston Strangler (incredible frames)
Road To Perdition
Hold Your Breath
Hunger
Saving Private Ryan
Yojimbo
His Girl Friday
Raising Arizona
A Complete Unknown
Victoria
The Shining
Amelie
Tree of Life
Boogie Nights
Baraka
Private Ryan, Alien, Blade Runner, Children of Men, Road Warrior, Brazil, Baron Munchausen, Jaws Exorcist, Rosemary’s Baby, Lawrence of Arabia
Saturday Fiction, Once Upon a Time In The West, The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Behind The Candelabra, Road To Perdition, Munich
Sling Blade: How not doing anything is powerful.
Twelve Angry Men: Crane shots that aren’t stable at all but it doesn’t matter… they are great shots.
Lawrence of Arabia: Because it’s David Lean and he is a bad ass.
Jaws: How to block actors in Oner’s!!!!!
Raising Arizona: Storytelling in the camera.
Off the top of my head...
Lawrence of Arabia
Sunrise
Last year at Marienbad
Scorcerer
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Black Hawk Down
The Third Man
The Last Emperer
All the Presidents Men
Raging Bull
Cabaret
Gladiator
Bridge on the River Kwai
Die Hard
Cool Hand Luke
Oppenheimer
Interstellar
Raise the Red Lantern
Apocalypse Now
Schindler’s List
Saving Private Ryan
Hero
House of Flying Dragons
Bladerunner
The Batman
