I suppose it’s a more select body of voters than “People Who Read TMZ,” but this list of the 50 best photographed films of the decade spanning 1998 – 2008 according to the readers of American Cinematographer feels a little dubious to me.
Either way, the #1 choice of Amélie (2001) as photographed by Bruno Delbonnel is sure to raise a few eyebrows, particularly since all the cool kids hate the movie now. The thing is, like it or not, it was beautiful to look at. Is that the best criterion for choosing photography? No, but if you look deep inside your soul, you’ll admit that that’s usually how these awards go.
Here’s the other thing. It’s easy to nitpick and say this or that movie should’ve been on the list or in the top 10, and I encourage you to do just that in the comments section if you wish, but in order to put something in, you also have to take something out. Looking down the whole list, these are all great contributions worthy of notice and I’d be hesitant to cross any of them off in favor of something else.
Having said that, I wouldn’t have minded seeing the name Peter Andrews (aka Steven Soderbergh) up there somewhere in the Top 50. I can’t say what I’d remove in his favor though.
1. Amélie: Bruno Delbonnel, ASC, AFC (2001)
2. Children of Men: Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC (2006)
3. Saving Private Ryan: Janusz Kaminski (1998)
4. There Will Be Blood: Robert Elswit, ASC (2007)
5. No Country for Old Men: Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC (2007)
6. Fight Club: Jeff Cronenweth, ASC (1999)
7. The Dark Knight: Wally Pfister, ASC (2008)
8. Road to Perdition: Conrad L. Hall, ASC (2002)
9. Cidade de Deus (City of God): César Charlone, ABC (2002)
10. American Beauty: Conrad L. Hall, ASC (1999)
Movieline had this first as far as I can see so in fairness to them, you’ll have to click their way to see the rest of the top 50.
Filed under: Awards, Top 10 Lists
Ok, I’ll go in first by saying I still love Amelie. Having said that, I’ll take American Beauty, and give its spot to Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and take No Country and either choose In the Mood for Love or Pan’s Labyrinth LOL
That’s cheating? xD picking one to add a tie? haha
Haven’t seen Amelie for several years, but I have to admit it charmed the hell out of me.
That’s totally cheating but they’re great picks. Note that both did make the master list over at Movieline: Love at 11 and Butterfly at 18. Not too shabby.
Ha, it only took three comments in the Movieline post for someone to complain about the inclusion of any film with CGI. I don’t think most people have any clue how common place CGI is today or how often it’s used subtly to get an otherwise impossible shot or perfect an imperfect shot. Too funny.
Honestly, this list isn’t all that bad. It would have been less enflamatory if it were in alphabetical order, but its a good list of choices. At least all the right people are getting noticed here, if not for their best or most influential work. I’d certainly commend Deakins for No Country but I might pick Man Who Wasn’t There for it’s beauty or Oh Brother for the massive effect the digital color-grading pioneered on that production has had on film and television in the last decade.
I don’t disagree that Diving Bell and Saving Private Ryan are both pretty to look at, but there’s no way I could nominate either film over Kaminiski’s work on A.I. or (at the very least) Minority Report.
There’s not enough Christopher Doyle on here. No Elephant? No Paranoid Park?
I’d like to have seen “Thin Red Line”, “Eyes Wide Shut”, “Jesse James”, and “Gangs of New York” in the top 10 for American choices.
I honestly have no idea why films like “Babel”, “Slumdog”, “Benjamin Button”, “Gladiator” and “Atonement” are on this list. All very well-shot, professionally made films, but hardly anything extraordinary or inventive. I suppose “Dark Knight” gets consideration for its use of IMAX, but I can’t agree with a top 10 placement. Or even top 50, really.
I’d say the most puzzling aspect of the list is what films were chosen as a representation of the digital era and digital cinematography. They include a couple of CGI “virtual” films, but no “Inland Empire” for its use of consumer-grade cameras? Where is “Miami Vice”, (the breakthrough digital film of the decade), “Che” or “Tetro”? But really, “Miami Vice” being dismissed is a shame. Regardless of what you think of the film, that was the first digital film that really displayed the difference in depth-of-field, resolution and composition between celluloid and digital.
And to repeat what others have said, no “Mulholland Drive?”. I’d also add “Bright Star” and “Control” to that list.
Foreign entries like “Spring, Summer, Fall, WInter and Spring” and “Bab’Aziz (which makes 90% of that list look silly) would have been nice.
Anyway, it is what it is. That’s how these things go. I like the inclusion of “Road to Perdition” though.
I would swap Jesse James for Road to Perdition and place Children of Men on top, but on the whole they have a solid top ten. All of those choices are fantastic, both visually and technically.
The only glaring omission in the top 50 is Harris Savides’ work in Gus Van Sant’s Elephant. Also, the foreign selection seems a bit conventional and stingy (nothing from South Korea? Seriously?).
But, yeah, there’s not too much to fault with this list. Whenever a list like this is compiled by the consensus of a group or editorial board, some truly flavorful, unique or exceptional offerings will be left out.
I think the list is what it is because it was picked by the votes of 17,000 readers rather than a select group of editors. I suspect more recent films ranked higher simply because people have seen them more recently. I also suspect this is why barely seen films like Tetro, Che, or Bright Star didn’t make it and films with lesser box office excitement like Miami Vice also didn’t appear, even though all of those are good choices.
I have no idea how Mulholland Drive was overlooked though.
true, and for a readers list this isn’t half as bad as it could have been.
With all due respect to Amy (who’s absolutely awesome), I can’t fathom how AMELIE made the top of any list at any time for any particular reason.
There are people in my life that I adore that feel that it’s wonderful. But I was never able to comprehend its popularity.
Of this list, I find THE FALL, THE PRESTIGE, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON , THE THIN RED LINE, GLADIATOR, AMERICAN BEAUTY, ROAD TO PERDITION and THERE WILL BE BLOOD to be noteworthy.
It’s a sacrilege that THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES and ATONEMENT didn’t crack the Top 10.
They were my absolute favourites.
Lubezki was honored here for CHILDREN OF MEN, but his work for Malick on THE NEW WORLD may be even more arresting. Still, in both instances we have magnificent work.
The best for me are:
Edward Lachman (Far From Heaven)
Roger Deakins (Jesse James)
Harris Savides (Elephant)
Emanuele Lubezki (The New World & Children of Men)
Seamus McGarvey (Atonement)
Dominique Gentil (Moolaade)
Matthew Libatique (The Fountain)
Giorgos Arvanitis (The Last Mistress)
Greig Fraser (Bright Star)
Janusz Kaminski (A.I. Artificial Intelligence)
I chose to exclude animation in this consideration.
As with most lists, I tend to feel this one is inherently bogus in its own ways, but the damn things are addictive and they always inspire interesting conversations.
Plus it asks you to take a moment and reflect on cinematography and that’s not a bad thing.
AMELIE Fail. Howz that for curt?
I said good DAY, sir!
“I said good DAY, sir!”
“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971)
Exactly! And as such it’s a favorite Christian Divinism and seemed an extra appropriate rejoinder to his dismissive tone!
All meant with love of course.
Talk to the hand, Curt.
Ditto your long reaction Ari, particularly the shout-outs for MIAMI VICE and INLAND EMPIRE, as well as the dismissals for all those over-shot, feel bad crap movies.
Christian, ditto your very short reaction to Amelie.
Off the top of my head, a list of faves…
(1) Anthony Dod Mantle (MVP of the Decade)
(2) Andrzej Sekula (American Psycho)
(3) “Peter Andrews” (Che)
(4) Dion Beebe (Collateral)
(5) Julien Hirsch & Christophe Pollock (In Praise of Love)
(6) Robert Yeoman (Rushmore)
(7) Alwin H. Kuchler (Sunshine)
(8) Phil Meheux (Casino Royale)
(9) Robert Elswitt (There Will Be Blood)
(10) David Tattersall (Star Wars prequels & Speed Racer)
Good call on Mantle, Bob. Antichrist should be in there for the cinematography.
Whatever you think of Antichrist, you have to admit the cinematography was interesting.