I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen.
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron You place that cutoff remarkably late. Otherwise, who do you expect to argue? I won’t
Money is the reason. Movies have become investment vehicles, and investors want safety. Thus aiming for the biggest audiences, and most people want slop. Not just the looks, the storylines, characters, anything, aren’t much better.
Am I too cynical? Think not
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron
I also miss when the actors didn’t narrate the plot for you. -
I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron
No argument here !
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron Gaming went through a similar pallet in the early 2000s. I’m glad that passed.
And I know how you feel. It may be part of why I like animation so much, it hasn’t been hit so hard with browning. It’s so great when a movie has colors that really pop.
Yeah a movie about a guy trapped in the middle of the Sahar or Death Valley is going to be low on color. NY, LA, Minneapolis, other real cities have colors.
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron i recently saw a reasonably amply budgeted film’s fight scene without audio while a conversation was going on in the room.
i hadn’t been reminded of that ‘every frame a painting’ episode like that in a while. what a mess! no shot was there to communicate something about the altercation, angles jumping all over the place, none of them doing anything to make movement and position apparent… we can talk about changes in fashion all day, but that was just not good craft.
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron if you haven’t seen ‘The Eight Mountains’ by Groeningen you should. Came out in 2022, and gave me a lot of hope about what films can create these days. Another standout is ‘Happy as Lazzaro’ by Rohrwacher in 2018, unusual in plot and beautiful cinematography.
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron The obsession with HDR — super dark scenes to mimic realism in light levels is also annoying. It’s more difficult to enjoy what you’re watching if you’re struggling to see what’s even on the screen. I get that in real life, something might be happening in pitch black conditions but I think for cinema it’s still better to just give the suggestion of darkness rather than the complete actuality of it.
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@Gargron The obsession with HDR — super dark scenes to mimic realism in light levels is also annoying. It’s more difficult to enjoy what you’re watching if you’re struggling to see what’s even on the screen. I get that in real life, something might be happening in pitch black conditions but I think for cinema it’s still better to just give the suggestion of darkness rather than the complete actuality of it.
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
I can’t argue with you about this because you’re 100% right.
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron I don't know what you mean.
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@Gargron The obsession with HDR — super dark scenes to mimic realism in light levels is also annoying. It’s more difficult to enjoy what you’re watching if you’re struggling to see what’s even on the screen. I get that in real life, something might be happening in pitch black conditions but I think for cinema it’s still better to just give the suggestion of darkness rather than the complete actuality of it.
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron everything getting soft lighting so they can make decisions in post rather than committing on set is a scourge on cinematography
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron the combo of filming/mastering/editing/projecting on digital, digital color grading, and home streaming has really tanked the color spectrum we see in most films.
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@Gargron the combo of filming/mastering/editing/projecting on digital, digital color grading, and home streaming has really tanked the color spectrum we see in most films.
@Gargron this video covers a lot of the issue https://youtu.be/yN0H_WfWOp4?si=GKnFGC77OxhGkRob
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@Gargron
No argument here !@Gargron
Check out the GrandMaster! Scorsese had something to do with it and Samuel MF Jackson too ?
I saw the screening at the Blue Whale in LA. It’s amazing no special effects what so ever except for the “train” sequence.
The director came out afterwards and cinematographer and spoke of how they used the last of the the film stock Fuji had at that time and had to switch but some how made it work.
I was blown away. I also went to other screening that same season. Interstellar which it was and others.
But the vitally of the film in that movie stood out for me.
I just recently got it on Blue Ray. I still can’t believe they didn’t use special effect ( computer generated) for the most part.Your power of observation is golden
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron I watched All About Eve (1950) yesterday and I would take that style of movie-making over whatever it is we have now any day.
There’s great contemporary stuff as well, though not in the mainstream.
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@Gargron this video covers a lot of the issue https://youtu.be/yN0H_WfWOp4?si=GKnFGC77OxhGkRob
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron i mean, ok, but my kingdom for proper sound mixing. im so tired of music/sfx being so loud and dialogue being so quiet. even w subtitles (enshittified by ai), it sucks.
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@Gargron I watched All About Eve (1950) yesterday and I would take that style of movie-making over whatever it is we have now any day.
There’s great contemporary stuff as well, though not in the mainstream.
@thomasfuchs @Gargron been on a major side-quest of 1930s movies for the fashion and that’s exactly what you notice, the lighting, the staging. the time of when the environment were the silent, yet most important character in the story.
watching the show Endeavour made me realize that’s why UK productions suck me in. theater isn't for the elites, it’s still very much part of the culture. you get The World As Theater in their tv, along with all the philosophical musings that come with it
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I know 100% that people will argue with me over this, but I miss when movies were professionally lit, when actors were intentionally blocked, and when more than teal, orange and beige were allowed to be on the screen. The medium has something to do with it--film made a lot of these things fundamentally necessary--but I think it's more complex than just that. The last few years' movies are just not pleasant to look at, with very few exceptions, and the change occurred sometime around 2015.
@Gargron La La Land was the last great movie. There, I said it.
