10. Evita (1996)
Khondji’s only Oscar nomination (so far) came for his
period-appropriate photography for Evita. Through a sepia-infused lens, Khondji
captures a 1940s Argentina beautifully, and makes the film’s many musical
numbers soar with nostalgia. It’s a shame Khondji has only been nominated once
before, but I can’t say I’m surprised it was for an Academy-friendly film like Evita.
9. Midnight in Paris (2011)
Khondji has collaborated with Woody Allen on some of the
director’s more inferior recent works (Anything Else, To Rome with
Live, Magic in the Moonlight, and Irrational Man), but
together, they achieved a wonderful color balance to Midnight in Paris.
Whether we’re in the 2010s, 1920s, or 1890s, the camera in Midnight in Paris
does a great job selling the setting.
8. Anima (2019)
Paul Thomas Anderson and Thom Yorke, as shot by Darius
Khondji. What’s not to love? Anima is a 15-minute short film scored to
three songs from Yorke’s new album, “Anima.” The short is as effective as you want
it to be, and the film’s final set piece, scored perfectly to Yorke’s “Dawn
Chorus,” is brought to vivid life by Khondji. The colors, the mood, the vibe. Anima
is currently available on Netflix and begs to be seen.
7. Amour (2012)
Khondji has shot two films for Michael
Haneke, the director’s American remake of his own film, Funny Games,
and the Oscar-winning Amour. Both films feature a cold and detached lens
that is fitting for Haneke’s vision, but, thanks to Khondji, Amour could
very well be the most photographically cold film of Haneke’s career.
6. Delicatessen
(1991)
Khondji has collaborated with Jean-Pierre Jeunet three
times, beginning with their visually absurd work in Delicatessen,
amplifying that same style for The City of Lost Children, and attempting
to carry that style over into Hollywood for Alien: Resurrection. Delicatessen
remains their highlight; a film so confident in its surreal vision that I can’t
help but appreciate it.
5. My Blueberry Nights (2007)
Wong Kar-wai and Christopher Doyle’s decades-long
collaboration is one of the best director/cinematographer pairings in modern
film. Needless to say, Khondji had massive shoes to fill when he stepped in for
Doyle to shoot My Blueberry Nights. But the fact that the best thing
about My Blueberry Nights is its dreamy, neon-soaked photography, I’d
say Khondji stepped in just fine.
4. Se7en (1995)
The look of David Fincher’s Se7en has helped make the
film so iconic. This movie feels
dirty, cold, and raw; it balances a hyper-awareness and a visual surrealism in
such a singular way. The movie is so smart about keeping its location grimly
anonymous, resulting in a rain-soaked nightmare of immense visual power. After
this great collaboration, Fincher and Khondji tried to work together on Panic
Room, but Khondji was let go shortly after filming began. That’s a shame.
I’ve often wondered what these two could capture together again.
3. The Lost City of Z (2016)
& 2. The
Immigrant (2013)
I’d argue that the look of these two James Gray films is as
important as any other aspect of their respective productions. It’s impossible
to imagine both films without Khondji’s hazy, muted, gorgeous visual
landscapes. Both movies even end with shots that not only look stunning but
conclude the narrative appropriately. It’s hard to pick a favorite between the
two, but I’m so drawn to the muted greys, purples, and browns of The
Immigrant. That final shot is truly breathtaking.
1. Too Old to Die Young (2019)
As a whole, this show is not for everyone. Hell, it isn’t
even for most people. But no matter your tolerance for Refn’s pacing, it is
very difficult to imagine someone watching this show and not being impressed by
how it looks. It took me nearly a month to get through all of Too Old to Die
Young, but Khondji’s compositions have been imprinted in my mind, and
because of this, I feel compelled to watch the show again immediately. That’s
the power of the visual form.
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I have yet to see Too Old to Die Young (which I'll likely watch later in the year) while Anima is something I might actually watch immediately as me and mother just got Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming services thanks to my sister.
ReplyDeleteEverything else you mentioned I have seen as Khondji is underrated as it's a shame that he's only nominated for Evita which is an alright film.
There's other films that he shot that I want to mention such as Stealing Beauty which I think is one of Bernardo Bertolucci's underrated films as my parents liked it because of its setting.
I think he did an excellent job in My Blueberry Nights which is still my least favorite WKW film as I just felt it was so derivative of his entire body of work as I don't think it stands out very much.
Stealing Beauty was really close to making the cut here. I love the work Khondji and Bertolucci did together. And I completely agree about your thoughts on My Blueberry Nights. Interesting experiment that he did a film in English, but it's far from his best work.
DeleteA shame about Panic Room. That movie has such a distracting, gimmicky cinematography which completely takes me out of the movie every time I watch it. In Se7en cinematography adds so much to the film, complimenting it in a great way, especially the way John Doe is hidden for big part of the movie - in shadows on the stairs and in that reflection in the puddle, it's just so well done.
ReplyDeleteI have to assume that Khondji rejected the heavy CG type of cinematography Fincher wanted to do in Panic Room, so Fincher ultimately replaced him. I agree, the look of Panic Room is a bit much, but I can see how it influenced his films down the line, which I dig.
DeleteI didn't recognize his name right away, but I have seen some of his work. Se7en is my favorite here, the cinematography in that was perfect for the tone. Midnight in Paris is the only Woody Allen film I've ever liked, he probably breathed some life into that for me.
ReplyDeleteI've always meant to see My Blueberry Nights and never got around to it. I need to re-add that to my list.
Seriously, how good does Se7en look? The cinematography really is perfect in helping to sell the tone of that movie. And I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on My Blueberry Nights.
DeleteI've seen 4 of the 10 - Midnight in Paris, Amour, Se7en, and The Immigrant. I might have to revisit Amour, though not sure I want to put myself through that again. It's an excellent movie, but I don't remember much about its look. The other 3 are definitely spectacular looking, especially Se7en. The camera helps build an oppressive atmosphere much to the film's benefit.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on Amour. Whew, that's a tough one to make it through. That movie just looks and feels so unbearably cold to me. There's a detachment to it that I really appreciate.
DeleteI just watched Delicatessen for the first time. I love how he managed to make the film look dreadful and charming at the same time.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree! That is one damn unique looking movie.
DeleteI really dig Khondji's work. He's had a fairly varied career but he brings a Rembrandt-like command of light that puts him in the same league as Chivo and Deakins. Unfortunately, few of his films have been commercially successful or slam-dunk critical hits. If there's any justice, The Immigrant will only grow in notoriety with time. Ditto My Blueberry Nights, which I sense I hold in higher esteem than you. The story is daft but, viewed as a WKW's paean to a bygone America that only really ever existed in pop culture, it's kinda breathtaking and even poignant. I'd also make a case for the more "commercial" entries in Khondji's filmography (few of which were actually hits): In Dreams, The Beach, Panic Room and The Interpreter.
ReplyDeleteI actually like My Blueberry Nights a bit more than my comment suggested. I do think the cinematography is the best part about the film, but I loved seeing WKW's interpretation of a very specific America. Love the David Strathairn/Rachel Weisz relationship in that.
DeleteOh, and I glossed over the fact that Khondji was fired off of Panic Room. He was the credited cinematographer alongside Conrad Hall and I never bothered to interrogate the reasons why there were two of them. I assume he had a heavy influence on the look of the film in pre-production and it LOOKS like a Khondji film.
ReplyDeleteI always assumed that as well. Maybe I heard Fincher elaborate more about this in the commentary for that movie, but Fincher definitely takes the blame for Khondji's departure. It probably didn't help that the movie had a false start before finally beginning production.
Delete