Special Effects

Comment by SydTheSkeptic on August 26, 2010 at 12:00am

Ning's upgrade for this site has been shaky, to say the least. I've been pretty upset at their handling of it and apparently they're so swamped (due to fuck-ups across the board), they won't be able to address site glitches until AFTER they've handled the priority tickets which, of course, have to do with billing. :o\

Comment by Chig on August 26, 2010 at 1:08am

The best special effects do predate CGI... Take 2001 for example. They really pulled off some amazing effects just by setting up clever camera tricks.

We have that kind of Genius here (see BlancheNoE) Her mind works in wonderful ways without resorting to CGI.

Comment by BlancheNoE on August 26, 2010 at 7:58am

@ Geoff- yeah, I can see it now : Mr. Hitchcock : " Okay effects man, just take a tad more of that tint out,.."
Effects Guy : " uh,...Mr. Hitchcock ?,..it's now at the original black and white you shot in, sir."
Mr. Hitchcock : " Ah, good,...okay then, take a break ! I spent the rest of the budget on Cuban cigars and 100 year old brandies,..have at it kids."

Comment by Arkian Michael on August 26, 2010 at 8:17am

Thank You Geoff, I very much Like to see more of what I Love! I almost cringe when I say the word "old school" but when your Love for the art finds you in a "super low" or no budget
project, these FX come in handing during principal cinematography if done correctly as you can imagine. I Love Old School. Thank you again for the personal dialog walk through as well.

Comment by Geoff on August 26, 2010 at 12:47pm

Chig, I read somewhere that the most realistic way to create waterfall on film is just to pour out a box of rock salt. (I think you're supposed to film it in slow motion, but I'm not sure). I wonder if people are too embarrassed to resort to cheaper and simpler effects. Computers and big dollars create mystique.

Blanch, (sorry, I almost added the 'e' before I caught myself) I think some of the pleasure of watching Hitchcock comes from (subconsciously) feeling his pleasure in manipulating the elements of the film. I guess I'll give Mr. H. a big CGI effects budget if it means I'll vicariously experience his creamy satisfaction as he lights up one of those Cubans.

Good point, Arkian. It definitely would have been much cheaper and quicker to make "The Wages of Fear" using CGI. You might lose something from not contending with actual mass and gravity, but if the performances were good you might still end up with a classic.

Some effects, like Kane widening his eyes to catch and reflect a distant light, require no extra money at all, only brilliance.

Comment by NatureJunkie on August 27, 2010 at 2:59am

When I first saw the length of this video, I thought, "aw, not tonight, too close to bedtime." But then when I listened long enough to see where you were going, I couldn't stop watching. I love this kind of commentary.

With Citizen Kane, I would not be at all surprised to read that Welles choreographed that scene so that raising his head "just so" would reflect a light in his eye. He was that kind of perfectionist.

Hitchcock would have been fully aware that he was building suspense by exploiting the anxiety everyone feels when being trapped by our clothing, however briefly. Metaphorically, both the sweater and the overcoat in this context say "straitjacket," and it makes me squirm.

I've never seen Wages of Fear, but I'll be looking for it now. (I chuckled at the subtitles you inserted.)

Comment by Geoff on August 27, 2010 at 10:11am

NJ, this is one of the best comments I've ever gotten. I feel like my understanding of the Hitchcock scene is clearer now. You caught my meaning, which was still a bit vague, and sharpened it.

When you get to Wages of Fear, check how the scene I featured is echoed much later in the movie--down to some details like putting brush under the tires for traction. I can't think of another scene that is on the one hand so specific and so "spectacular", and on the other hand has such symbolic heft when related to a later bit of business.

Comment by BlancheNoE on September 4, 2010 at 4:39pm

I finally got to the second half and boy am I glad I did.
"If you haven't seen it there's something wrong with you and I don't care what happens to you."
AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahahah, *sucks air* HEEHEEHEHEHO Ohhhh.
Great scene from Rages of Fear, and thanks for putting the subtitles in as I only speak un peu France. My husband says this one is one of his favorites from his youth but when I told him he should leave a comment he said he didn't want to expose his age. He also says this was called
" Lohn der Angst " in German. I am a horrible wife for not keeping his secrets.
-enjoyed

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