Comments on: Scenes from a Holdup

By: Phillip

Phillip — Mon, 26 May 2008 02:50:18 +0000

I would say screen caps are almost better than YouTube for this type of thing. I don’t particularly like watching scenes like this one in YouTube quality … especially after seeing this in the theater on one of the biggest screens I can remember.

I would say that this scene and the opening of No Country are the two most visually memorable scenes of last year’s movies for me. The bowling scene in TWBB is a fantastic scene, but those two take the cake as far as memorable visuals go. Deakins is a god.

Thanks for a great post.

By: Rick

Rick — Sun, 25 May 2008 22:57:57 +0000

Thanks, Daniel … it was the most beautiful film of 2007, maybe of the last several as well. I’ve thought about buying it, but guess I’ll wait ’til blu-ray. Damn you, Blu-ray

Evan, I looked for a you-tube post that had it, but couldn’t find it, so I did the next best thing, got a bunch of screen-caps.

By: Evan Derrick

Evan Derrick — Sun, 25 May 2008 21:47:51 +0000

Beautiful post on a beautiful film, Rick. I love posts breaking down the visual aesthetics of a particular scene.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 25 May 2008 21:00:31 +0000

Wow, beautiful dissection, Rick. This was my #2 of last year behind No Country, in no small part because of the cinematography. I would love to check this out again on Blu-Ray. One day…

By: Rick

Rick — Sun, 25 May 2008 19:38:04 +0000

Joe: I’d have thought, as I said, it would have gotten cinematography, at least. I thought Elswit’s work on Blood was fine, workmanlike cinematography, but it didn’t stand up to Deakins’ work on either Assassination or No Country.

Joseph B: it’s a good film all right, although I thought structurally it was a little flabby.

Matthew: I think this tops the last 20 minutes, if only by a hair.

By: Matthew Lucas

Matthew Lucas — Sun, 25 May 2008 06:59:29 +0000

Agreed. The train robbery sequence is one of the most, if not THE most beautiful piece of film I saw last year.

Although the film’s last 20 minutes or so may top it.

By: Joseph B.

Joseph B. — Sun, 25 May 2008 04:45:01 +0000

This is the single best film I saw last year, which is saying a lot based on the outstanding crop of films in ‘07. I’m hoping this catches on with the mass public on video. Seeing it in the theater was such an amazing experience, lush visuals and all.

By: campanella.joseph

campanella.joseph — Sun, 25 May 2008 04:42:54 +0000

I loved this movie as well.

It’s ridiculous that this movie didn’t get as much acclaim, if not more than THERE WILL BE BLOOD. It’s is brilliantly shot and acted with extreme care by the two leads.

I saw CHOPPER, the first film by Dominik a few years back and couldn’t wait for this one to come out. What a great new talent.

There was a little while where I thought Brad Pitt stopped being an actor and starting being a celebrity, but with this movie and the soon to come CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, I’m back to loving him again.