VERTIGO part 2 (1958, Hitchcock)
As promised, we're back for one more shot from one of my favorite Hitchcock films, Vertigo. This shot really knocked my socks off when I saw it in the theater last year at the Egyptian in Hollywood. (I really should go back there and find those socks.) It's another really assured moment. This one, for some reason, reminds
DELIVERANCE (1972, Boorman)
No dueling banjos in today's shot, but it's no less creepy. Here's an example of a oner that builds incredible, terrifying tension in no small part because it's unbroken. Now, I don't think it's entirely successful, I'll explain in a bit, but when it does work, it's awesome. Whenever I watch this and think of the terrible
2001 (1968, Kubrick)
Doing research has been one of the most enjoyable parts of keeping this notebook; you never know what nugget you'll stumble upon. I really got a kick when I happened upon the material for today's post which is technically 2 shots. Well, I guess it's 4 shots, because not only am I serving up Kubrick's stunning editorial
TO DIE FOR (1995, Van Sant)
I'm a little obsessed with this movie at the moment. One part Citizen Kane, one part Goodfellas with a healthy dose of super-smart zany -- Gus Van Sant delivers a film as profound and as brilliantly crafted as anything the auteur makers of the first 2 films I mentioned ever managed. There are innumerable moments to blog about from this