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Barton Fink (1991)
I loved this film, it's style fits me to a tee. I especially loved the look of the film, with it's quiet aloneness and the use of empty spaces. I know that's a weird thing to say but I like quiet movies that are introspective...Barton Fink starts out in an empty hotel with vast spaces surrounding Barton. I believe this technique is called 'deep interior shots'.
Gosh this film looks beautiful and I just loved the staging of it. It's sublime. Some of the film's look comes from using a wide angle lens in combination with a very low or very high angle shot, to give maximum differential between the front an back of the scene. Like this:
Barton Fink (1991)
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Cast: John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis
Genre: Dark Comedy, Drama
Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Cast: John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis
Genre: Dark Comedy, Drama
"A renowned New York playwright is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood."
I loved this film, it's style fits me to a tee. I especially loved the look of the film, with it's quiet aloneness and the use of empty spaces. I know that's a weird thing to say but I like quiet movies that are introspective...Barton Fink starts out in an empty hotel with vast spaces surrounding Barton. I believe this technique is called 'deep interior shots'.
It's the spacial difference between the subject, usually Barton, and his distance to the camera...and also the distance from Barton to the back of the shot.
Gosh this film looks beautiful and I just loved the staging of it. It's sublime. Some of the film's look comes from using a wide angle lens in combination with a very low or very high angle shot, to give maximum differential between the front an back of the scene. Like this:
And this:
Barton Fink is a masterpiece for the stunning cinematography which really lends itself to the isolation and dissolution that the struggling writer Barton Fink is dealing with. Pure visual genus, that puts us into the mindset of Barton.
And I dug the subject matter! Both a period piece film, which I love and it's about 1940's Hollywood too. Damn, it doesn't get any better than this for me!
I loved the characters in this film and the way they exist in a surreal and yet real enough world, that's complete onto itself.
The scenes with the studio head and the producer were pure gold. Just enough truth and reality to ring true and a touch of eclipticness to create memorable characters. Same for the brief, but colorful scene with Chet the desk clerk, too rich! And this has to be my favorite John Goodman performance. Both actors had real chemistry together. The acting and writing through out the entire film is top notch...even the plot and sub plots were fresh and held my attention.
I was also intrigued with the painting on the wall in Barton's hotel room. Instantly I was drawn to it, and that's because the camera work made Barton look interested in it, and then so was I. As it turns out that painting plays a part in the story.
The entire film made me want to watch more so I could learn about this uniquely odd world, that Barton existed in
Barton Fink is a masterpiece for the stunning cinematography which really lends itself to the isolation and dissolution that the struggling writer Barton Fink is dealing with. Pure visual genus, that puts us into the mindset of Barton.
And I dug the subject matter! Both a period piece film, which I love and it's about 1940's Hollywood too. Damn, it doesn't get any better than this for me!
I loved the characters in this film and the way they exist in a surreal and yet real enough world, that's complete onto itself.
The scenes with the studio head and the producer were pure gold. Just enough truth and reality to ring true and a touch of eclipticness to create memorable characters. Same for the brief, but colorful scene with Chet the desk clerk, too rich! And this has to be my favorite John Goodman performance. Both actors had real chemistry together. The acting and writing through out the entire film is top notch...even the plot and sub plots were fresh and held my attention.
I was also intrigued with the painting on the wall in Barton's hotel room. Instantly I was drawn to it, and that's because the camera work made Barton look interested in it, and then so was I. As it turns out that painting plays a part in the story.
The entire film made me want to watch more so I could learn about this uniquely odd world, that Barton existed in