(Ming Pao) Sunday, June 1, 05:05AM
[Ming Pao News] Or: Why is it so difficult? Just looking at the crew list, the director of photography Robert Richardson ("Casino", "Entertainment Tycoon") has 16 camera operators, who are arranged in all directions of the stage. face,
covering all possible angles and ranges to be photographed. There were two concerts. With such a large amount of footage in hand, can you not cut a movie?
The key is the word: precision. It's because there are so many raw materials to choose from, how to remove the rubbish and save the essence and condense them into a 122-minute film requires more than technology. The accuracy of "Electric Rolling Stone" lies in that every cut, every picture, in addition to serving every note, it also captures every important movement, every moving charm, and every graceful gesture of every performer on the stage , Every shining eye, and these are all initiated and drawn by the music of "Rolling Stone"; the entire stage, screen, all colors and sounds are completely wrapped in the bouncing music pulse. To give two simple examples: when Buddy Guy guest-sings Champagne and Reefer, Scorsese is not emphasizing the music most of the time, but the terrifying concentration that Buddy Guy has been keeping a sharp eye on his opponent. Another example is when Keith Richards sings solo, with the camera clinging to him floating and submerged in music almost all the time. In fact, the more the concert entered the climax, the farther away Scorsese's camera lens was from the music (instruments), and mainly focused on the expressions and forms of the performers. The rhythm of the editing did not accelerate with the strong music, on the contrary, the more Slower and slower; the more excited on and off the stage, the more attached the camera will be. On the other hand, due to the intimacy and closeness of the shot (and in comparison with the interview clips of the past), we can see more clearly whether it is Kagaku or Richards' old age - the former's wrinkled face, The latter's arm with loose muscles and exposed veins.
Another keyword is step back. I mean: between Scorsese and Rolling Stone, concerts and movies, which comes first and which is more important? Scorsese chose to step back - after the concert began, he was no longer in front of the camera and did not appear until after the curtain. I think that's a kind of humility in the face of great art. Everything works as it should, tepid. Said: subtlety. Don't think it's an easy thing, especially in this age where publicity is the means and sensation is the goal. This explains the reason why many local and Western critics criticize the film as "unremarkable". Either way. The name of the film is called Shine a Light, and the original meaning is a kind of enlightenment and epiphany. To understand or not to understand, that's the question. Others, not to mention.
(Part 2, End)
Shu Qi
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