This is a doc. on the Sundance channel that I was able to catch over the past week that will be showing into next week and well worth checking out.
Chris Doyle is the Australian Born DP of choice, now living in Honk Kong, of such filmmakers as Wong Kar Wai Stanley Kwan, Harmony Korine, and Gus Van Sant. The film is a little too self consciously arty for my taste (too much slo mo in a documentary should land you in film jail) but Doyle is a treasure. He is like that cool uncle you always are happy is coming over filled with warmth, crazy ideas, and an open mind and eye.
The film shows some valuable alternate scenes from In the Mood for Love while Doyle explains his philosophy in shooting them. In terms of an almost metaphysical explanation of aesthetics it is an invaluable primer on watching films and shooting them. When he talks about shooting through a window, he talks about the physical dimension it adds to a scene as well as the generosity (how the people living their "gave" them the space and, therefore, their spirit is a little part of the film). The film also has thoughtful interviews with Olivier Assayas and Kar-Wai (including a nice look at his working methods and methodologies)
The film also has a nice sense of Hong Kong and watching Doyle interact with an environment that is obviously so special to him is quite inspiring.
In the Mood for Doyle from Brandon Linden on Vimeo.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
In the Mood for Doyle
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3 comments:
did you ever get any of doyle's photo essay books from his wkw films? they're quite insightful and full of great shots of course. he also did a rather revealing dvd commentary on this thai film the last life in the universe (with tadanobu asano). i never saw the film he directed away with words - but i heard it was underwhelming. i tend to think other directors aside from wkw don't really know how to bring out his best - but his work in paranoid park was pretty striking.
Nice post.
i finally watched this on sundance yesterday. i agree with you - too much arty slo-mo for a doc. but it was worth it to hear doyle talk at length & hear wkw talk too. i think it's cool that doyle still lives in the apt where chungking express was shot. i'd like to see that invisible waves film they showed clips and posters from - i had seen the other film he had done with that thai director - last life in the universe & loved the way it looked at least.
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