Nebraska, the movie

[Steve M Hostetter]

I just seen this movie and what a joy it was! It reminds me of the places I've been and the places and people that we all like to shoot. Done in "grainy" black and white.

I must say Bruce Dern has to be one of the very best character actors to have ever lived! I grew up watching him and even though John Wayne was the "star" of many movies I think directors must of thought to themselves, If I can't get Bruce Dern I might not be able to pull it off!" Thats my gut feeling because I've thought to myself many times Bruce helped make a movie! I also remember him in Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte (1964) w/ Betty Davis.. I was 4 when that mvie came out and it scared the sht out of me.

I can't say it enough, this movie is a must see for all the forum members so do treat yourselves you won't be disappointed I promise

Regards
steve

[mdarnton]

Though I didn't notice it at the beginning of the film, as the film moved on I became aware that the whole thing is vibrantly luminous--a really wonderful B&W rendition. After I started realizing this, I probably missed some of the movie because I was staring too much at the tonal rendition. :-)

I'm pretty sure the whole thing was done digitally, then processed to look like film. Real film was never that good.

[starvingartist]

Quite a contrast, considering I just recently watched "Silent Running" from 1972. I first saw it in 1982 when my parents opened a video store and I had the chance to watch all the Neptune award films. i have been a fan of him ever since.

[Steve M Hostetter]

I was thinking maybe they shot some of it with a 16mm with the distortion of the highway and street scenes

[vinny]

It wasn't shot on film, btw but on digital with the arri alexa. They added the grain in post. Don't shoot me!

[Darin Boville]

It wasn't shot on film, btw but on digital with the arri alexa. They added the grain in post. Don't shoot me!

I was just about to point that out! Oh my!

Really enjoyable film. See it in the theater if you can. We took the whole family--even the teenagers liked it.

--Darin

[AtlantaTerry]

Why not simply look up the technical specs of "Nebraska"?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1821549/technical

[Darin Boville]

Why not simply look up the technical specs of "Nebraska"?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1821549/technical

What for? We already know it was digital and what camera it was shot with...???

Did you see the film?

--Darin

[frotog]

It wasn't shot on film, btw but on digital with the arri alexa. They added the grain in post. Don't shoot me!

This is just as I expected and doesn't surprise me at all. The film, while enjoyable, was technically hampered by all the digital noise, particularly in the highlights. Must have been an artifact of the "grain" algorithm. The night after I saw Nebraska my fiancé and I watched the Criterion release of Bogdanovich's "The Last Picture Show". Now that's some beautiful b/w!

[Bruce Schultz]

Now watch "paper moon." Fine b&w and damn funny too

[Steve M Hostetter]

I noticed a lot of selective focusing which didn't make to much sense to me .. I felt like they filmed it in the very same style as they did Napoleon Dynamite but this movie had a plot.. The story was excellent and all the actors were awesome

[djdister]

Since we are free-associating other great b&w films, don't forget Raging Bull.

[Sal Santamaura]

It wasn't shot on film, btw but on digital with the arri alexa...Immediately apparent just from the excerpts shown in commercials for it. An unmistakeable digital "look."


...Don't shoot me!Why would anyone shoot you for pointing out the obvious? :)

[Steve M Hostetter]

It says printed film format 35mm whats that all about?

[MDR]

It says printed film format 35mm whats that all about?

It means that some film prints were made (struck) for cinemas that have not gone digital yet.

Watch a touch of evil by orson welles or anything in B/W made by Ingmar Bergmann. Vargtimmen/Hour of the wolf is a favourite of mine. Wings of Desire is a modern film that has some beautiful B/W cinematography (partial B/W), the Elephant Man is not bad either.

[vinny]

It says printed film format 35mm whats that all about?

Printed on 35mm film for projection. It may have been distributed digihelly to theaters here but printed for foreign markets where people still have standards:)

[frotog]

Rumblefish

[Steve M Hostetter]

Personally I could really care less what camera they used because for me a good motion picture is 50% story and 50% casting the rest is just technical tools involved

[frotog]

Personally I could really care less what camera they used because for me a good motion picture is 50% story and 50% casting the rest is just technical tools involved

The look of the film is integral to its enjoyment. Surprising that a photographer would short shrift the DP.

[ROL]

Personally I could really care less what camera they used because for me a good motion picture is 50% story and 50% casting the rest is just technical tools involved

Well, you stepped in it. This is a Photography sub-forum, not the Lounge. Okay, you like the movie. That's your (lounge–worthy) opinion – you cannot "promise" other's appointment, dis or otherwise, as in your OP.

As much as I like, respect, and identify with BD's work and history as a runner, this role will win him no peer awards. I did not vote for him, because as much as Payne writes good ensemble characters, his stories seem always to miss the mark, for me. Strong character pieces with matching story seem to belong to David O. Russell (American Hustle, The Fighter, Silver Linings), at this time. Nebraska, while amusing, is not great, IMO. For me that title goes to the surprising Gravity, which only made me angry it was so edge–of–my–seat good. The DGA, which almost never gets these things wrong, and for good reason, has already given Gravity their imprimatur.

But as regards photography, per this forum, while there is a lot to like about Nebraska, the auteur's vision of the boundless gray of his youth translated into boring black and white high key tones is not one of them. I was so tired of this post AA-Weston-Bullock kind of vision in monochrome photography that it informed my personal return to a full tonal style of printing. So, while I did not like the photography of Nebraska, either specifically or generally, it had no bearing on my limited enjoyment of the movie. Story always wins out, no matter the media.

If anyone cares to see good, meaningful use of landscape oriented B/W in film, I'd suggest looking to some of the early John Ford westerns, Howard Hawks' Red River, or William Wellman's, The Oxbow Incident.

BTW: I have personal, family roots in Nebraska, my grandfather being a well known photographer based in Omaha.

[Steve M Hostetter]

ROL, nice of your to put in your 3cents but maybe you need to re-read the OP because I did comment on the photography, you must of scanned over that.. All I stated later was that personally I could care less about the (tiny format) camera they used I didn't say I didn't care how good the photography was .. I have been to the state of Nebraska and I remember the western side was quite scenic but the rest looked a lot like my home state of Indiana. Just like publisher's clearing house I can promise anything it's up to you to consider it. If the moderator's find the post to be (lounge-worthy) I have no problem with it..

BTW, who was your grandfather? SNL? :D

[brucetaylor]

[QUOTE=ROL;1106683]
But as regards photography, per this forum, while there is a lot to like about Nebraska, the auteur's vision of the boundless gray of his youth translated into boring black and white high key tones is not one of them.

If anyone cares to see good, meaningful use of landscape oriented B/W in film, I'd suggest looking to some of the early John Ford westerns, Howard Hawks' Red River, or William Wellman's, The Oxbow Incident.[QUOTE]

I saw the film, and while I was pleased they made a decision to present it in B&W (I thought it very appropriate to the subject matter and environment), I did not care for the visual decisions they made in post. I found the low contrast, high key look distracting, my eyes kept looking for something black and it wasn't there. I wish they had used a wider range of tones. I don't know why they shot it digitally either- seems to me film would have gotten the genuine look I think they were after.

I have to agree on your Payne/Russell comparison too, there's a condescension in his work (like About Schmidt) that I think is simplistic and uninteresting. I could never figure out why Bruce's Dern's character was such a curmudgeon, what was the back story? I am much taken in by Russell, not so much Silver Linings but his other work.

I was disappointed in Gravity, I think it could have been much more. Too much sound/music pulled me out of the story. Also the gratuitas hot Sandra Bullock shots: space cheesecake? But this is a serious movie, come on. I don't think short-shorts are part of an astronaut's attire.

[Sal Santamaura]

...I don't know why they shot it digitally either...For the same reason any motion picture is shot digitally. Or distributed digitally. $$$$$$$ No waiting for rushes. No need to set up for re-shooting if something awry shows up in rushes; review the results immediately. No film costs (shooting or releasing). Ultimately, distribution via network; almost free.

Bean counters control the world. That, combined with the fact that some directors actually prefer working in a digital, instant-feedback domain, means it doesn't matter what you or I or anyone else thinks. Motion picture film is going to be history. Not today, not tomorrow, but in the foreseeable future. Regardless of how it looks.

[Steve M Hostetter]

brucetaylor, the back story is that the curmudgeon, (ill tempered old man) was explained during the movie by showing us how his whole family were not good at communicating any type of normal emotions, happy or otherwise.. There was also the old ex-girl friend that told the son of his dads time in the war which I thought played a part in his demeanor.. Not to mention the fact that he was losing his ability to rationalize due to old age and the fact that his parents had some play in it by the way he was disciplined growing up.. Some of that attitude i felt like his constant bitching wife also contributed to and could have very well been the biggest part of the problem.
I thought they did a great job explaining why his character was messed up

Hey look!! luminosity just walked in !! "Where"? You missed it

Sorry the movie is over and your also missing your wallet :D

BTW, I doubt that walk Bruce has is much exagerated do to his bad knees from running I have it too from the same thing