Pretty movies on video

jimdgoulding · « **on:** 29 Sep 2008, 05:04 pm »

Already said elsewhere, Michael Mann's Collateral DVD is a pretty thing to watch. I just saw Robert Altman's Kansas City on cable on my new HD set and do surely add that to my list and recommend it. Absolutely gorgeous color and atmosphere. I'm interested in movies that you think are beautiful to look at and why.

nathanm · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Sep 2008, 05:43 pm »

"The Collector" (1965) I think this is the "Technicolor" process. I rented this recently and was surprised at how dramatically different it looked from modern films. Nice.

Well, just about any Tim Burton film. You either get the dreary goth look or insanely cartoonish color. I like it, no middle of the road!

"What Dreams May Come" with Robin Williams. I haven't seen it in ages, but I remember it being a really artsy looking wankfest. Like liquefying Thomas Kindaid paintings and injecting the serum into your eyeball.

audioferret · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Sep 2008, 06:15 pm »

"Hero" (For Excellent use of Color in creating Storytelling Moods)
"Fifth Element" (For Excellent use of Color in creating a different world)
"Lawrence of Arabia" (For use of the environment in creating social space)
"The Abyss" (The alien race and city developed here was probably the most original I've seen)
"The Matrix" (What the hell, why not?)

And For Honorable Mention...
"Wild Things"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120890/

JP78 · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Oct 2008, 07:31 pm »

the royal tenenbaums or the life aquatic...i'm a wes anderson fan.

lord_glum · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Oct 2008, 06:08 pm »

House of flying daggers
Titus (anthony hopkins)

Phil Taylor · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Oct 2008, 07:27 pm »

I like "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" - not sure if it's because it was the first movie I watched on my new projector years ago but the colors and detail made it truly enjoyable - a great transfer to DVD. Also it has a great cast and Salma Hayek also adds to the beauty in it.

mfsoa · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Oct 2008, 08:50 pm »

The Girl w/ the Pearl Earring

lcrim · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Oct 2008, 09:15 pm »

"Blade Runner" while it fully creates another reality feels a bit over the top at times, still a visual treat.
"Hero" is always a surprise, great movie, great visuals.
"Michael Clayton" A dark, brooding movie that looks dark and brooding yet a thing of beauty.

ajzepp · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Oct 2008, 02:05 am »

"Open Range" comes to mind.

WGH · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Oct 2008, 02:56 am »

A beautifully done black & white film noir:
Double Indemnity (1944) starring Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson.

S Clark · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Oct 2008, 04:33 am »

Quote from: ajzepp on 19 Oct 2008, 02:05 am

"Open Range" comes to mind.

I second that.... and a very well integrated sound track! Thunder and gunshots that make you jump out of your chair.

WGH · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Oct 2008, 05:07 am »

"Fantasia" full saturated colors when most films in 1940 were still black and white; with a classical score, it still looks experimental today.
"The Searchers" Shot in the VistaVision widescreen process, you just have to see it on a big screen. Great colors and script too.
"Trois couleurs: Bleu" the first film in a three part trilogy directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski, the titles indicate the main colors in the films.
"Trois couleurs: Blanc" the second
"Trois couleurs: Rouge" and the third

Christof · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Oct 2008, 05:35 am »

Godfrey Reggio did a wonderful piece of art.
called the Quatsi trilogy with soundtrack by Philip Glass.

ajzepp · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Oct 2008, 09:38 am »

Quote from: S Clark on 19 Oct 2008, 04:33 am

Quote from: ajzepp on 19 Oct 2008, 02:05 am
"Open Range" comes to mind.

I second that.... and a very well integrated sound track! Thunder and gunshots that make you jump out of your chair.

Yep, that ten minute gunfight toward the end was not only a great scene, but one heckuva surround demo!

PhilNYC · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Oct 2008, 01:56 pm »

Apocalypse Now Redux

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #15 on:** 28 Oct 2008, 09:55 pm »

Good deal. Ya had to think Lawrence of Arabia would be a looker and I sure wouldn't have thought of Titus. I stuck a couple more in Latest Movie You Have Picked Up (Cinema circle) plus a trivia question.

topround · « **Reply #16 on:** 29 Oct 2008, 12:51 am »

"
The Fall"
Amazing, especially if you like architecture

Every shot was composed as art,
color and temperature of color was taken into account

I am still amazed they made this movie

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #17 on:** 4 Nov 2008, 01:35 pm »

Yeah, Top. That is a visual stunner. The Golden Compass is another. How about Batman Begins? Along with TGC, it got a rave in Home Theater magazine.

drphoto · « **Reply #18 on:** 20 Nov 2008, 10:15 pm »

Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven" has to be one of the most visually beautiful movies ever made. I saw it way back in the early 80's in our college theater and was blown away. I'm not sure I've seen anything to rival it for pure photography. No tricky color processing or effect, just a great eye at work with wonderful light and landscapes.

Good stuff from his more well known "Thin Red Line" too. If you've seen it, there a scene where the soldiers are trying to 'take' a hill covered w/ long grass that looks amazing blowing around in the breeze. Apparantly when he scouted the location a year before shooting, the was no grass. He had it planted, seeing the whole shot in his mind long before it existed. Now that's genius in my opinion.

I thought "Three Kings" had a cool look. Apparantly they shot positive film (instead of the traditional neg) and monkeyed w/ the processing to get that bleached out, contrasty, limited color palette look. A lot of advertising photography stole that idea for awhile.

Although it's weird as hell, there some cool looking stuff in Mathew Barney's "Cremaster Cycle".

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 Nov 2008, 05:12 am »

Good call. I can imagine.