Paul Greengrass writes that his Bourne Ultimatum is about “truth and essence” and not “surface.”
There’s a huge argument raging in forums about the style he adopts to achieve this. David Bordwell calls this an extreme hand held style. He has an excellent article on this in his weblog which I’d urge you to read.
Bloody Sunday was an excellent film. I saw it at the New York Film Festival and and was blown away by what he accomplished. I think Greengrass does have a point and looking back at his work I think he makes a strong case.
The trouble is everyone is copying this style without even thinking once whether it really belongs in their movie. Even the respected director Mani Ratnam uses it in Guru- his Bollywood fantasy tale of the rags to riches story of the Indian entrepreneur turned uber-industrialist Dhiru-bhai Ambani.
it makes me wonder.
No related posts.
What is the Paul Green grass style used in Guru?
I actually liked the camera work in BOurne ultimatum .. i rmember this scene early on when Simon Ross goes to meet “the source” in Turin…. and the camera floats/ hovers behind th elistener so that we see just one eye of the speaker!
That was Super… for such secretive conversation .. almost as if we’re listening in.. i loved that … reminded me of this scene in Mulholland drive where this guy in a coffee shop tells of a nightmare of someone behind the place…. wherein the camera does the similar hovering thingy…..remember?
Sarat: Guru uses a similar hand held style, though perhaps not as “extreme” as in Bourne. A bit wimped out if I may say.
Mainstream cinema likes to think that handheld=reality.
Do try and see the Truffaut classic Day For Night. Great use of handheld there.