The Apartment (1960), and the Beauty of Anamorphic Black and White
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- čas přidán 9. 04. 2017
- Britt Michael Gordon examines The Apartment from 1960 directed by Billy Wilder and starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray, and the long-lost art of anamorphic black-and-white filmmaking as well as a brief history of the cinematic widescreen.
Special thanks to Corey Atad for his thought provoking blog:
"Anamorphic Black-and-White and the Death of Film."
justatad.wordpress.com/2011/1...
and...
John Hess and everyone over at Filmmaker IQ for exploration of Aspect Ratio and its history:
"The Changing Shape of Cinema: The History of Aspect Ratio"
• The Changing Shape of ...
Learn more about Cinemascope here:
• The CinemaScope Story - Zábava
Nothing will ever break my heart more than the mirror scene.
Kills me, too.
Lemmon goes through about 30 emotions in 10 seconds. It’s a scene that always hits me in the gut.
This movie is one of my favorite films of all time.
Billy Wilder’s masterpiece. One of those oscar winners for best picture that really earned it.
I can watch The Apt. every single day. Masterpiece.
Billy wilder did it again and again! Perfection all around.
Thanks for this. The Apartment has long been one of my favorite films, but as a technical ignoramus I've mostly been interested in the brilliant writing, directing, and performances. I had a vague idea the movie looked pretty good too, but had never really delved into that aspect. Wonderful choice of scenes to highlight as examples. The scene where Fran staggers out of the bedroom while Baxter is on the phone with Sheldrake is so emotionally fraught that it's easy not to notice the stunning visual execution.
Thank you, Brian! Billy Wilder films always seamlessly incorporate technical skill to tell stories.
anamorphic black and white is such a cinematic format, the italian films from the 60's used it so well.
It would be great to see more modern movies shot like that, Nebraska looked beautiful.
Wow, a fantastic overview. I wish I could be educated like this every day.
I like this movie. specially the soundtrack is amazing.
There are so many YT cinema commentaries that *pretend* to have real food for thought, and real insight... so it's nice to run across one that actually does. Great video. Cheers.
The most ravishing use of anamorphic black and white was in Jack Clayton's The Innocents with the genius of Freddie Francis Cinematography. Last I saw, this frightening and elegant gem is still available for free on CZcams.
That sounds awesome! Gotta check that out.
great little doc. I absolutely love the look of this film. I personally wouldn't mind if more contemporary films were done in mono
One of the best films from one of the greatest writers of all time.
Big fan of your Apartment video.
@@FrameofMind Thanks!
Never knew that I was such a Billy Wilder fan; 'The Seven Year Itch' and 'Double Indemnity' are also on my Top Ten 'desert island' lists...
Just found this. Underrated editing and voiceover. Good job going into a perspective that probably was the reason why many people liked this movie but they didn't know why.
Was just able to see this movie at a theatre and on the big screen for the first time for a revival screening here in Seattle. It's been a favorite of mine for a long time and I do agree that the cinematography of it has always been underrated when it comes to its numerous accolades that are talked about. I always loved the shot of him at his desk in the sea of other office workers in the bullpen (most recently in an episode of Star Wars: Andor, there is a shot of a character getting put in menial job for the Empire and it is eerily similar, but in Star Wars fashion)... and the mirror shot of him looking into it such a great moment. The shot of him sleeping on the park bench is another great one. Great breakdown here.
I can severely relate to this guy everytime i watch this movie 🎬
Wonderful and brilliantly editet analysis of one of my personal all-time favourite films. Very insightful and new, content-wise (at least, for me)! I also loved your mentioning of "Jailhouse Rock" (I think it is Elvis's second best film after "King Creole", "Loving You" being third).
Amazing video, the first time I watched this film I was in awe over the b/w anamorphic combo; I wasn’t aware anamorphics had been used as far back as the early 60’s. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful job on this. It's my favorite film and I'm always open to new ways to look at it. I've seen it on the big screen a couple of times. Then only on TV for years, pan & scan, then the same on VHS. Kind of forgot about the widescreen aspect. I've always loved the look of it, the b&w and the Panavision adds so much. As you say, it's a "perfect" movie. Thanks for posting this! ;)
Beautiful. This presentation enables me to appreciate this fine aspect of the director’s and cinematographer’s art.
Terrific video. Thank you.
Very illuminating! Just watched The Apartment recently, ( for the umpteenth time, ) and it's as great as the first time.
Excellent video on an absolute masterpiece.
im actually stunned with what i saw. It makes me want to create my animated show in black and white XD
Thanks buddy!! Fun to learn!!
Wow. What a great job you do with these videos.
Thank you!
Wonderfully done. Subscribed! :)
Saw the movie thanks to Pogo and his song "J'adore Juin", though that the movie was in french for the title of song. lol
Anyways, found out the name of the movie, I saw it and man... It's one of my favorite movies ever!
I been rocking my profile pic with Ms. Kubelik because she has an smug expression
BEST SCREENPLAY- EVERY WORD VITAL!
LEARNED SOMETHING NEW TODAY...THANKS
who would downvote this? This was great
Thank you!
Just 470 subscribers... What a shame...
Awesome video! Love this film
Fascinating vid. Very enjoyable.
Thanks, homie!
The happiest ending to a film that I've ever seen
All things taken into account probably the best movie ever made.
One of my favourite movies.
I thought, great, another CZcamsr covering my favourite film from my favoirite director, I gonna subscribe.
I was already subscribed...
That's what I'm talking about! :)
@@FrameofMindthree years later, on a Billy Wilder binge, watching again...
Found this video in the related videos for my own Apartment video essay. Great stuff! Subscribed so I can check out your backlog.
perfection.
Enjoyed your approach. And slow chill voice. Very good job!
Such a comment is high praise coming from a channel called Thoughts for Happy Minds! :)
@@FrameofMind :)) Is a pity you stopped. Did you start another channel?
No... just.... life.... we really want to do another. Hoping that'll happen this year!
@@FrameofMind :) Life :) Good answer :)
Appreciate it. Why do you stop making videos?
I loved Shirley MacLaine in this; she's wearing the same cute short haircut that she rocked in Hitchcock's 'The Trouble with Harry', in which she was 'introduced'.
Is Hitchcock responsible for her look in those 2 films?
That's a great question! Anyone have the answer?
is andrei rublev anamorphic? love the look of that along with marketa lazarova. also onibaba
Yo, excellent eye!! Every film you mentioned was shot using an anamorphic process, according to IMDb. All in black and white, too, no? I guess I need to watch them... (Don't hate me.) I'm not so cultured on classic European and Japanese, which I know is like everything. I will go on a binge one of these days.
what is the name of the song at the end?
That music is the theme music for The Apartment, otherwise known as "Jealous Lover," composed by Charles Williams. Here's a link... if you listen in for about 20 seconds you'll start to hear the part of the recording I used during the last portion of the video: czcams.com/video/6c4NyG8oefI/video.html
where did you find high quality scenes of The Apartment?
I can't recall where I got my file... I'm sure I obtained it through completely legal methods. :)
A wonderfull melancholy Film!
Black and White Anamorphics films not mentioned - Bad Sleep Well, High and Low, Red beard, Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo and Sanjiro (just to name a few)
Love all this, thank you!!
My favourite movie of all time. I loved this video, though I do still believe that, considering the dark subject matter of the film, the black and white added a purity to the shots that colour would have failed to do. Any frame of MacLaine's face will show you that.
Completely agree!
when cinemascope debuted they probably never imagined that after a few years of color productions reverting to monochrome (in anamorphic) features would seriously be even considered
Thank you for great video! only one minor mistake, 06'45" text "Yojimo", "Yojinbo" is correct.
😔 I am ashamed
Thank you, don’t know how I missed that.
Any chance you could list the other films you briefly showed throughout?
Absolutely. Amateur move not to provide the titles of the films...
1:35 - Sept 20, 1959 Episode of What's My Line with Groucho Marx (lol)
2:12 - The Sound Of Music (1965) - 70mm Todd AO (Spherical)
2:18 - East of Eden (1955) - 35mm CinemaScope (Anamorphic)
2:22 - This Is Cinema (1952) - 3 x 35mm Cinerama (3 x Spherical)
2:25 - Ben Hur (1959) - 65mm MGM Camera 65 (Anamorphic)
2:27 - Sleeping Beauty (1959) - 35mm negatives (blow up to 70mm prints) Super Technirama 70 (Anamorphic)
2:29 - How The West Was Won (1962) - 3 x 35mm Cinerama (3 x Spherical)
2:36 - Guys and Dolls (1955) - 35mm CinemaScope (Anamorphic)
2:41 - 2001, A Space Odyssey (1968) - 70mm Super Panavision 70 (Anamorphic)
3:14 - The Robe (1953) - 35mm CinemaScope (Anamorphic)
4:37 - Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954) - 35mm CinemaScope (Anamorphic)
6:35 - The Hustler (1961) - 35mm CinemaScope (Anamorphic)
6:38 - Jailhouse Rock (1957) - 35mm SuperScope 235 (Anamorphic)
6:40 - In Cold Blood (1967) - 35mm Panavision (Anamorphic)
6:43 - Yojimbo (1961) - 35mm Tohoscope (Anamorphic)
6:47 - Manhattan (1979) - 35mm Panavision (Anamorphic)
Hope that's helpful!
@@FrameofMind it is. Thank You very much
what's the name of the movie at 2:19?
That is East of Eden (1955) directed by Elia Kazan, starring James Dean, Julie Harris, and Raymond Massey.
Very interesting. I work in the film business as a Production Manager.
1960 was the golden year of Hollywood
Psycho........
Is The Last Picture Show anamorphic?
IMDb says spherical.
Also not wide screen. 1:1.85
AWESOME MOVIE....GREAT DRY COMEDY
again if u are over 50======must watch=====jack lemmon shirley maclaine-----AWESOME
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What the fuck is "expersivity"?
Hahaha, expressivity. Clearly I need to articulate more in these videos.
Be a mensch!
The rise & Fall of tv. It began with modern fairy tales , it ends with CNN.
Pure crap. Wasn't funny at all.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the movie.
Well made, sexist trope.
Can you expand on your comment. There's definitely sexism represented in the film. Do you mean the whole film is a sexist trope?
It''s been a while since I've seen it, but yes, that was my impression. Caveat, I'm feeling that way about lots of films from the earlier decades. Even while so much social progress was being made at the time, the portrayal of women from today's eyes is overwhelmingly demeaning, I feel.
@@mellow5123 I feel you. These days especially, I look at movies from former eras very differently especially given our current culture. Even films made not that long ago, really. I'm finding I almost have to compartmentalize my perspective of some films when watching them... Sometimes I really have contextualize the film within its era to take it in as it is. Of course, I also can't help but look at through modern eyes. And I also look for what remains universal and timeless within the film. I apologize for plugging another video, lol, but I wonder what you'd think of the content of our in-depth Dr. Strangelove video, sort of pertains to this conversation: looking at films from the past from both a modern context and within their time.
I'd love to see that. Strangelove is a masterpiece and an old favorite so I will look it up. I'm really glad to have stumbled upon your what I now understand is a channel. Having come from the film world, including having been a colorist for a long time, seeing discussion about not only the technical beauty of film, but cogent discussion of content is highly refreshing. To be continued! @@FrameofMind