Movie Recommendation - "Ida"

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I wanted to pass along a movie suggestion that I think any photographer would enjoy. It's called "Ida."

It's a Polish film with English subtitles. More than a good story, it's scene after scene of breathtaking compositions, lighting, and black and white tonality. Not sure it's on Netflix, but you can see it on Amazon Prime. I found it visually stunning and thought you all would enjoy it.

John
 
John, thanks for the suggestion. I just had a look at the movie trailer on youtube... its looks as you say. I'm going to try to watch it.
 
Yes I saw it at the theatre
Mitch Alland a RFf member here recommended it ...
Shot in Film / harrowing haunts of the past / i left the theatre depressed , quite understandable when viewing the harsh cruel realities of Life and what people do
Though quite Happy I saw it...
Like You John , I enjoyed the cinematography
 
It was revealed in an interview that Ryszard Lenczewski, the director of photography, used to shoot a lot of medium format work, and it shows :).
 
helenhill_HH said:
Yes I saw it at the theatre
Mitch Alland a RFf member here recommended it ...
Shot in Film / harrowing haunts of the past / i left the theatre depressed , quite understandable when viewing the harsh cruel realities of Life and what people do
Though quite Happy I saw it...
Like You John , I enjoyed the cinematography
Click to expand...

Actually, Helen, it was shot digitally. Sure wish I'd seen the theater release. I was so overwhelmed by the visuals that story didn't have much impact on me. Perhaps I'll watch it again with that in mind.

John
 
"Ida" is available at Netflix DVD, don't know about streaming.

Reminder: On the subject of beautifully shot, black and white and Polish:
Polanski's "Knife In The Water" is a treat even for those who saw it many years ago.

Thanks for the heads up, John.

Joseph
 
johnwolf said:
Actually, Helen, it was shot digitally. Sure wish I'd seen the theater release. I was so overwhelmed by the visuals that story didn't have much impact on me. Perhaps I'll watch it again with that in mind.

John
Click to expand...

oops You are correct . I got confused about it being film
saw it last Spring and had read an interview and got confused about Ryszard shooting 3000 photographs which became the storyboard for the Film and his love of Jean Loup Sieff's work

small Interesting Interview with the Cinematographer Ryszard Lenczewski :
https://www.lensculture.com/articles/ryszard-lenczewski-cinematography-from-still-to-movie

Ryszard uses his Sony RX100 for his daily walk abouts...
 
Enjoyed that interview. Thanks, Helen.

A telling quote from the cinematographer:

"When we won the Golden Frog [the top prize] at the The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography, the second place winner complained that it wasn’t fair: we hadn't shot a film, we had only made still photographs."​

That's so much of what I like about Ida.

John
 
I've had this sitting on my Netflix menu for a few weeks but not had the time to watch it nor any real knowledge of it. Now it looks like I may have a late night tonight.
 
I've seen it at a theatre on last spring and I'll say it would be a pita to watch it on a small screen. It deserves a large screen and the theatre watching conditions.

One of the most beautiful movies of the century ever.
 
Watched the movie on my iMac and thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I specially liked the cinematography and B&W rendition. It is very well done and a joy to see.
 
Surprising! I'll see it tonight at the theatre where we have a cine-forum!
I already saw it a few months ago and found it very good, both the visual and the story. I didn't know if it was shot digital or film, now I know thanks to the RFF friends!
robert
 
The story told in "Ida" is so-so but the cinematography is perfect. The story won an Oscar, it's a pity cinematography hasn't...
 
IDA, indeed, is on Netflix and I just added it to my queue. Thank you for the recommendation. My all-time favorite film for color cinematography is The Fifth Cord (Giornata nera per l'ariete) an Italian giallo made in 1971 that put multiple Oscar-winner Vittorio Storaro on the map (I think this obscure little film is his best work...) Another plus is its Ennio Morricone score. (I happen to love those 60's/early-70's Euro-schlock... seen em all. This one is visuall breathtaking...) This film was recently available on Youtube. Check it out, if interested, before that mole gets wacked. My favorite film for black and white cinematography "today" (there are many and I could change my mind tomorrow...) is probably Incubus (1966), which stars William Shatner, and the dialog is 100% Esperanto(!) It was filmed by the crew of Outer Limits after the show was canceled. Cinematographer Conrad Hall was doing his darndest to ape Sven Nykvist and did a very fine job. He "out-Nykvisted", Nykvist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_4dsN4a0Y8
 
John, thanks for that recommendation all those months ago. After Ida languished in my queue for half a year, I finally watched it tonight and must add my praise to that above. Everything was wonderfully shot, except I'm slightly on the fence about the cinematographer's repeated use of that composition with a bodyless head or two at the very bottom (frequently bottom-right) of the screen. No matter; it was in any case thoroughly enjoyable to look at, although quite the melancholy storyline.

I must say the cinematographer's work was made a bit easier by the fact that Agata Trzebuchowska is achingly, breathtakingly beautiful. Her look reminds me quite a bit of Claire Danes when she first appeared on the scene in 1994ish. Lenczewski has certainly done her justice.

--Dave
 
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