Films about photography

Kell

Kell

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Kell
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Or films that use photography as their story arc...

It's nice sometimes to watch things that hold your interest above and beyond the story.

I'm a big fan of documentaries anyway, but also like more sensational 'based on a true story' type films.

The only films that I've seen recently that have any relation to photography have been:

The-bang-bang-club-film.jpeg


The Bang Bang club - which is described as A drama based on the true-life experiences of four combat photographers capturing the final days of apartheid in South Africa.

Kodachrome_film_poster.jpg


Kodachrome is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Mark Raso and written by Jonathan Tropper, based on a 2010 New York Times article by A.G. Sulzberger.

Both enjoyable films.

Any other recommendations?
 
Lee, about photographer Lee Miller
Frankie's House mini-series, if you can find a copy, is the story of Sean Flynn and Tim Page in Vietnam - brilliant
 
I went through a period of grabbing stills from British films made in the 1950s, which portrayed actors or even real photographers, using interesting cameras.

I could post a few examples here, if the admins confirm it's OK to do so.
 
There's Blow-up from the '60s.
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
I went through a period of grabbing stills from British films made in the 1950s, which portrayed actors or even real photographers, using interesting cameras.

I could post a few examples here, if the admins confirm it's OK to do so.
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If you credit the film ok
Nod said:
There's Blow-up from the '60s.
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Lots of naughty bits from the Free Love generation!
 
lindsay said:
If you credit the film ok
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Thanks.

In that case, let's begin with a sighting of the 35mm Tesina being used by an actress in an episode of ATV's "The Saint"...

Actress in episode of The Saint with Tessina 35mm camera Ixus 70 IMG_4371.JPG

There's more about this tiny machine, here...

en.wikipedia.org

Tessina - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
Blow up with David Hemmings, the eyes of Laura Mars with Fay Dunaway. Sort of photography One hour photo. Didn't the killing fields feature a photographer?
It even gets a mention in the Marxs brothers film the big store....
 
swanseamale47 said:
Didn't the killing fields feature a photographer?
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Yes it did - and they manufactured a fake pass for their local Cambodian guide using a cobbled together film and darkroom, which was interesting
 
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found has been released recently in cinemas although I imagine it will most likely to be screened in small independents than the multiplexes.

www.theguardian.com

Ernest Cole: Lost & Found review – tragic story of fiercely pioneering photographer

Cole was a black South African photographer whose work illuminated the reality of life under apartheid, but Raoul Peck’s excellent documentary unearths a life of exile and homesickness
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
"It's nice sometimes to watch things that hold your interest above and beyond the story."

Maybe, but I think that must depend on how you relate to the story.

In Bang Bang Club, I don't even notice the photography, too many emotions, memories, reminders etc from the story, the photography is almost nothing.
 
Sangoma said:
"It's nice sometimes to watch things that hold your interest above and beyond the story."

Maybe, but I think that must depend on how you relate to the story.

In Bang Bang Club, I don't even notice the photography, too many emotions, memories, reminders etc from the story, the photography is almost nothing.
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I know what you mean, but in this case I'm the exact opposite. This film is all about the photography.

When I said 'story' I meant the story of the photographers. Rather than I think the way it's come across and has been interpreted as the story of the war.

What I mean by that, and the Bang Bang club is probably a good example, was that it could just be a documentary about story of these photographers.

Using stills that they took to help tell the story of their work. But without it being a 'based on a true story' dramatisation, you'd never have seen the fighting and the conditions they were working in. It would be harrowing, but has the potential to be dull.

One could argue (and people probably do) that as soon as you dramatise something, you're sensationalising it. I don't know if video footage of their work exists, a quick google suggests maybe not, so it couldn't be made without being some sort of reconstruction. With a score of just 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, I think it suggests that the subject of the film deserved better.

I'd say that Kodachrome is a much better example of a film in which photography is incidental. That's really a film based on their relationship.

TBH, either is fine with me.
 
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Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep in The Bridges of Madison County
 
Watching Under Fire now.

And have a question.

Nick Nolte’s character is almost always seen with a Nikon round his neck. Mostly two or three.

But some have coloured tape over the top.

I suspect it’s just a quick way to pick up the one with a specific lens on it. Is it any more complicated than that?

IMG_8281.jpegIMG_8282.jpegIMG_8283.jpeg
 
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Kell said:
Watching Under Fire now.

And have a question.

Nick Nolte’s character is almost always seen with a Nikon round his neck. Mostly two or three.

But some have coloured tape over the top.

I suspect it’s just a quick way to pick up the one with a specific lens on it. Is it any more complicated than that?

View attachment 451683View attachment 451684View attachment 451685
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I used to do the same with 3 Canon F1ns, Red was slide Film, Green Was Colour Neg film & Blue was B&W film.
 
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Topsy said:
I used to do the same with 3 Canon F1ns, Red was slide Film, Green Was Colour Neg film & Blue was B&W film.
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Ah. I didn’t even think of film.

Makes sense now.

Partly as until recently, my film cameras either have the slot on the back to put the end of your film box in or a window to see it.

Recently picked up a Minolta SRT101 which doesn’t have this and have already forgotten how many shots are on it or whether it’s colour or black and white.
 
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More seriously, though Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay is essential documentary viewing IMHO, featuring contributions from David Hurn amongst others

It's available to watch in its entirety on YouTube

 
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Slightly left field but "Whisky Tango Foxtrot" (yes, it does mean what you think) is a good watch although mainly about broadcast news it also has a fairly significant
press photography element in the form of Martin Freeman as a Brit war photographer.
 
Sky said:
This is on Netflix ATM. (y)
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Thanks.

Did a search in Netflix and it said ‘whoops we haven’t got that’

Then did a Google search to ask where I could watch it and it said Netflix. So I clicked that link and found it.

So if anyone else is looking for it, try this route.
 
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Musicman said:
More seriously, though Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay is essential documentary viewing IMHO, featuring contributions from David Hurn amongst others

It's available to watch in its entirety on YouTube

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Riveting, compelling, FUN! - and real life, not fiction, which is an important distinction.
 
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