Interesting facts about Black Narcissus

Here are some interesting facts about the movie from IMDb.


1.The much admired Himalayan scenery was all created in the studio (with glass shots and hanging miniatures).

2.The backdrops were blown-up black and white photographs. The art department then gave them their breathtaking colors by using pastel chalks on top of them.

3.Because of the Technicolor camera and film stock, the sets needed an astounding 800 foot-candles (8,600 lux) of illuminance just to operate at T2.8, which was the widest lens aperture setting.

4.Jack Cardiff said that the lighting and color palette of this film was inspired by the works of 17th-century Dutch painter Vermeer.

5.Jack Cardiff came up with the idea of starting the rainfall end scene by first having a few drops hit the rhubarb leaves before cueing a full-force rainstorm. He personally created the first drops with water from a cup when the scene was shot. Michael Powell was so pleased with the effect that he decided to make the scene, originally the penultimate one, the closing shot. Cardiff, however, was a great fan of the original scene (which had already been shot) that was supposed to follow this one and close the film. To this day Cardiff amusingly calls the opening drops of the rainfall "the worst idea I ever had".

Black Narcisus....Good or evil

I completely agree. The cinematography is amazing in this film and truly does aid the development of the characters throughout the film. Outside of the cinematography the movie didnt hold my attention too well and the storyline was in my opinion lacking and a bit slow.

Cinematography in "Black Narcissus"

Okay, the first thing that jumped out at me watching Black Narcissus was the cinematography used to portray the character, Sister Ruth. For those who have seen the movie already know what I am about to say. The cinematographers style for portraying Sister Ruth is incredible. You see Sister Ruth transform from the white, pure nun to the dark, haggard, psychopathic killer toward the end, mostly aided by the use of cinematography. For example, the scene where Sister Clodagh and Sister Ruth have a serious conversation about leaving the convent. Sister Clodagh, notably in her white robes, is placed in front of the window with sun shining through so bright, that it occasionally over-exposing the camera. This probably represents her true purity. However, Sister Ruth is placed in front of a smaller window with the light beginning to fade in the dark room, representing her movement away from the convent community. As her metamorphosis goes on, she is repeatedly put in dark places, with dark clothing, decorated with evil, sometimes scary looking makeup, all of which use the skill of cinematography to its fullest manipulation. Not a bad movie for a bunch of nuns....

Film Suggestion.

I went to the movies last night and watched the film ''Drive'' it stars Ryan Gosling and Albert Brooks. I had a few choice of different movies when i went but chose Drive because it has had a very positive critical reception. I still don't know really what to make of it as a movie whether i like it or not it was very unusually directed and shot but the acting from Gosling (although there was not much dialogue at all) i thought was very good. Director Winding Refn won the Best Director Award at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival for Drive.

I have attached a link to the trailer - as i said i am still not sure if i like it, but i would encourage people to see it, just because it is unusual and different to most recent film releases.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAc23x2JJG0

I thought Citizen Kane was such a good movie. Personally, I usually get bored with black and white movies but this movie drew me in from the very beginning. You really get to know Kane and all of his flaws. This movie is very different from other movies from its time.

first time blogging

not really sure what I'm supposed to say, but I thought that citizen cane was an excellent movie. the use of actors that had never been in a major production before, I thought added to how natural the movie felt. The movie also gave a sense, towards the end, of how cane had become so powerful but still could not keep the love of the people he cared about.

Martin Scorsese on "Citizen Kane"

Thought this was pretty cool:

How one of the most famous directors of today received his inspiration to direct movies from the groundbreaking work of the young Orson Welles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8Uh0fkrwIE&feature=grec_index