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Post by petrolino on Apr 14, 2019 0:56:50 GMT
You often hear the stories; rigorous rehearsals, demanding technical set-ups. He literally closed the walls in (slowly) to make '12 Angry Men' more claustrophobic, that's the first story I ever remember hearing about a Lumet set.
Here's a new one I heard this week - apparently, 'Serpico' was partially shot backwards to allow Al Pacino to gradually grow his hair out and hippify in syncopation with the rhythm and the narrative. That's angry director Sidney Lumet in a nutshell, nobody gets out alive.
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Eλευθερί
Junior Member
@eleutheri
Posts: 3,710
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Post by Eλευθερί on Apr 14, 2019 9:52:58 GMT
petrolinoThanks for posting this info about Serpico. I just watched The Detective (1968) the other day and was thinking that the main gist of the story reminded me of Frank Serpico's real-life story. It had me wondering whether Serpico had seen the film when it came out (he must have!) and been partly inspired by it. So I read a little of his bio and noticed that his birthday was coming up this weekend--but yesterday when I was trying to remember whose birthday was coming up, I couldn't remember! Happy Birthday, Frank Serpico!
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Post by petrolino on Apr 14, 2019 13:14:46 GMT
petrolino Thanks for posting this info about Serpico. I just watched The Detective (1968) the other day and was thinking that the main gist of the story reminded me of Frank Serpico's real-life story. It had me wondering whether Serpico had seen the film when it came out (he must have!) and been partly inspired by it. So I read a little of his bio and noticed that his birthday was coming up this weekend--but yesterday when I was trying to remember whose birthday was coming up, I couldn't remember! Happy Birthday, Frank Serpico! I like 'The Detective'; used to have it on a Frank Sinatra triple dvd box-set with 'Tony Rome' and 'Lady In Cement'.
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Post by politicidal on Apr 14, 2019 17:28:35 GMT
He brought the verisimilitude on set.  |
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Post by kijii on Apr 14, 2019 18:21:31 GMT
petrolino---
I am going through a Sidney Lumet-viewing phase right now as may be evidenced by looking at my recent "reviews" on the What movie did YOU just FINISH watching? thread.
Last night,I watched one of his most unusual movies, The Morning After, with Jane Fonda and Jeff Bridges (two second-generation actors). The movie WAS strange to me. However, the real bonus of the DVD was a complete commentary track with Sidney doing the commentary. Lumet was very impressed with both actors and had known Jane for many years through her father, Henry. Lumet and Henry Fonda made a few movies together--12 Angry Men (1957), Stage Struck (1958), and Fail Safe (1964).
On the commentary track, Lumet of course talked about the movie, but he also talked about his directing style. For example, he really valued doing rehearsals before attempting to try to just act to the camera on the first shot. This was new to Jeff Bridges and he resisted a bit at first, but soon learned the value of doing rehearsals. Next, he was not familiar with shooting in LA, preferring NYC for exterior shots. The background scenes in this movie are filled with pastel colors; Lumet was fascinated with these colors and it shows--loud and clear--to anyone who has ever seen this movie: often walls of buildings used to bring out the openness of the city as he saw it.
Another interesting thing he said was that he considered this movie a melodrama since it was plot-driven rather than character-driven. To him, dramas are movies such as 12 Angry Men or even, Fail Safe. I might call this movie a mystery, a thriller, or a suspense, but to Lumet is was a melodrama since it is clearly plot-driven where the story emerges from the plot rather than the characters.
Again, this DVD may be of value, if only for its commentary track.
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Post by petrolino on Apr 14, 2019 21:56:01 GMT
petrolino--- I am going through a Sidney Lumet-viewing phase right now as may be evidenced by looking at my recent "reviews" on the What movie did YOU just FINISH watching? thread. Last night,I watched one of his most unusual movies, The Morning After, with Jane Fonda and Jeff Bridges (two second-generation actors). The movie WAS strange to me. However, the real bonus of the DVD was a complete commentary track with Sidney doing the commentary. Lumet was very impressed with both actors and had known Jane for many years through her father, Henry. Lumet and Henry Fonda made a few movies together-- 12 Angry Men (1957), Stage Struck (1958), and Fail Safe (1964). On the commentary track, Lumet of course talked about the movie, but he also talked about his directing style. For example, he really valued doing rehearsals before attempting to try to just act to the camera on the first shot. This was new to Jeff Bridges and he resisted a bit at first, but soon learned the value of doing rehearsals. Next, he was not familiar with shooting in LA, preferring NYC for exterior shots. The background scenes in this movie are filled with pastel colors; Lumet was fascinated with these colors and it shows--loud and clear--to anyone who has ever seen this movie: often walls of buildings used to bring out the openness of the city as he saw it. Another interesting thing he said was that he considered this movie a melodrama since it was plot-driven rather than character-driven. To him, dramas are movies such as 12 Angry Men or even, Fail Safe. I might call this movie a mystery, a thriller, or a suspense, but to Lumet is was a melodrama since it is clearly plot-driven where the story emerges from the plot rather than the characters. Again, this DVD may be of value, if only for its commentary track.
I need to catch up with everybody's viewings there, hopefully will do so over Easter as I have a couple days off work. Thanks.
I appreciate hearing about his passion for pastels, a passion which I share. I like a number of European filmmakers who enjoyed working with pastel shades. They make me think of baroque buildings and rococo stylings.
Kosice, Slovakia
Rococo Interior
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