Gregory Crewdson and The Man Who Wasn't There directed by the Coen Brothers.
Crewdson and the Coen Brothers both draw up the idea of depth and alienation in their shots and narratives, deepening images and taking more and more layers back using windows, mirrors and angles to achieve this. “The Man Who Wasn’t There” concentrates on character movement, but is filmed in the far depth of the house through door frames. The scene with “Big Dave”, Brewster, strangling and beating Ed is shot from close up, yet it also delivers views from down below in the shop with the fight happening up above through a glass window with light just highlighting this character movement. Portraying the hostility from either of the man and the confrontations there forced to have in close proximity.
Crewdson’s “Untitled Winter (Blue Period from Beneath the Roses)” and “Untitled (Vanity from Beneath the Roses)” both incorporate extra rooms, windows, mirrors and door frames to create a metaphor of never ending and to place a character in a place of displacement and creates a layer of separation; inviting, yet ultimately inaccessible.
Gregory Crewdson, a photographer who explores still photographs, which have undergone elaborate production principles, and laborious decisions. A similar set up usually found in cinema when creating film. Using Crewdson’s narrative elements found in his work I can compare him to the “The Man Who Wasn’t There” directed by the Coen Brothers. A story of passion crime and punishment that was filmed in colour and then converted into black and white to create a beautiful and evocative production, it is a narrative that portrays and questions many more powerful emotions throughout.
Gregory Crewdson claims to have two ways in which he may chose to work, either shooting on location which to him is very much about the place and setting, imagery will come out of the existing landscape that is seen before him. Or he will produce imagery that is created in soundstage, a room that may be compiled of a few different sets and each minor detail is laid and thought about to great detail. “The Man Who Wasn’t There” has perfectly captured a sense of place and location for the narrative and a purposeful decision has most likely been made for it to be set in Southern California. This is to create a world which is a post-war, small town which provides an environment of paranoid, cheats, and out of the ordinary people.
Crewdson comes about his locations by driving around to various spots first, places of inspiration, and the location is the priority to him before thinking of a narrative, in contrast to how Joel Coen may have chosen his Southern Californian location after, to suit the bleak elements featured in the film.
Gregory Crewdson narrates to an observer how he depicts scenes of anxiety and dislocation, with the human figure often appearing preoccupied or conversing within its environment. To portray this Crewdson always photographs at what he considers twilight, a time of the day with dying light which he exaggerates with strong artificial light; street lights, house lights, lights from the sky and this is all sharpened with Crewdsons’ choice of backdrop. “The Man Who Wasn’t There” features some great shots that capture a similar sinister atmosphere, with Ed stood in the doorframe to his bathroom, fully captured in solid black, with any glints of light coming from the background and his wife in the bath. This continues throughout the film, silhouette forms appearing in the foregrounds that contain the main focus point of the narrative, but with the idea of mystery and question that can still be seen behind.
Gregory Crewdson claims to have two ways in which he may chose to work, either shooting on location which to him is very much about the place and setting, imagery will come out of the existing landscape that is seen before him. Or he will produce imagery that is created in soundstage, a room that may be compiled of a few different sets and each minor detail is laid and thought about to great detail. “The Man Who Wasn’t There” has perfectly captured a sense of place and location for the narrative and a purposeful decision has most likely been made for it to be set in Southern California. This is to create a world which is a post-war, small town which provides an environment of paranoid, cheats, and out of the ordinary people.
Crewdson comes about his locations by driving around to various spots first, places of inspiration, and the location is the priority to him before thinking of a narrative, in contrast to how Joel Coen may have chosen his Southern Californian location after, to suit the bleak elements featured in the film.
Gregory Crewdson narrates to an observer how he depicts scenes of anxiety and dislocation, with the human figure often appearing preoccupied or conversing within its environment. To portray this Crewdson always photographs at what he considers twilight, a time of the day with dying light which he exaggerates with strong artificial light; street lights, house lights, lights from the sky and this is all sharpened with Crewdsons’ choice of backdrop. “The Man Who Wasn’t There” features some great shots that capture a similar sinister atmosphere, with Ed stood in the doorframe to his bathroom, fully captured in solid black, with any glints of light coming from the background and his wife in the bath. This continues throughout the film, silhouette forms appearing in the foregrounds that contain the main focus point of the narrative, but with the idea of mystery and question that can still be seen behind.
The Coen Brothers always allow characters to converse at times of night or in settings where the only source of light seems to be obtained from the perfectly situated lamp lit rooms, restaurants, or the strong light that always appears on Birdies’ piano. Creating a sense of tension, and close proximity that is between the character allowing the viewer to question and feel the scene.
Gregory Crewdson, influenced by Edward Hopper and Steven Spielberg’s’ “The Close Encounters of The Third Kind” have all considered how twilight may change their choice to narrate an idea and has obviously played with how Crewdson thinks and imagines.
Gregory Crewdson, influenced by Edward Hopper and Steven Spielberg’s’ “The Close Encounters of The Third Kind” have all considered how twilight may change their choice to narrate an idea and has obviously played with how Crewdson thinks and imagines.
Looking at lighting and a specific time of day in which a photograph could be taken for Crewdson, the moment of transition between before and after proves how twilight can be reminiscent of that and is a special period for Crewdson. Similarly he has taken this concept and has repeated it within his photographs, using the metaphor for an in-between state of one thing and another. Just like how he has used a pregnant woman in the piece “Untitled (birth)”, presenting a truthful and firming resolution to the viewer. Similarly Ed Crane in “The Man Who Wasn’t There” constantly questions his daily job role as a hairdresser and the theory of repeatedly cutting hair and visiting the same state over and over. Notifying to him and the viewers how one moment can be relived and experienced more than once.
For Crewdson over the last few years his productions have become increasingly grand works resulting in a large team to help him co ordinate the placing and set up previous to the final photographs. Including many assistants, cameras and an array of lights used to create his desired effect, as well as meetings for the choosing of wallpapers, colour samples and finalised architectural drawings. It is clear for “The Man Who Wasn’t There” that several decisions will have been made to finalise how particular rooms, bars and houses may appear to contrast with the characters presented for the viewer. Along with the cinematography, outfits and set designs.
For Crewdson over the last few years his productions have become increasingly grand works resulting in a large team to help him co ordinate the placing and set up previous to the final photographs. Including many assistants, cameras and an array of lights used to create his desired effect, as well as meetings for the choosing of wallpapers, colour samples and finalised architectural drawings. It is clear for “The Man Who Wasn’t There” that several decisions will have been made to finalise how particular rooms, bars and houses may appear to contrast with the characters presented for the viewer. Along with the cinematography, outfits and set designs.
Crewdson and the Coen Brothers both draw up the idea of depth and alienation in their shots and narratives, deepening images and taking more and more layers back using windows, mirrors and angles to achieve this. “The Man Who Wasn’t There” concentrates on character movement, but is filmed in the far depth of the house through door frames. The scene with “Big Dave”, Brewster, strangling and beating Ed is shot from close up, yet it also delivers views from down below in the shop with the fight happening up above through a glass window with light just highlighting this character movement. Portraying the hostility from either of the man and the confrontations there forced to have in close proximity.
Crewdson’s “Untitled Winter (Blue Period from Beneath the Roses)” and “Untitled (Vanity from Beneath the Roses)” both incorporate extra rooms, windows, mirrors and door frames to create a metaphor of never ending and to place a character in a place of displacement and creates a layer of separation; inviting, yet ultimately inaccessible.
Props and settings used within the narratives are often truthful prospects that propose a connection with the viewer yet create a surreal outcome, for example the cigeratte smoke that almost constantly accompanies Ed throughout each scene, yet these dreamlike wisps of smoke in the light then create a contrast with what is actually happening and what it makes the viewer feel and think.
The two narratives are both trying to explain and create a vision for an observer, something that’s truthful, a connection between their own desires and something in culture that can be a fascination to viewers.
No comments:
Post a Comment