Starting off this week, we’ve got Denzel Washington’s FENCES, adapted from the August Wilson play of the same name, and shot by the amazing Danish cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen. The film was shot on 35mm using Panavision C Series Anamorphic lenses – an atypical choice for such a claustrophobic interior drama. Of the choice to shoot Anamorphic, Christensen recalled, “Denzel said [that] anamorphic is an actor’s lens. If you’re focused on the foreground, the background will be slightly distorted, and when you shift focus it pulls you to the face. I obviously knew this from a technical perspective, [and] when we tested it, I saw what he meant from a performing point of view.” (source)

Then we have images for Tony Scott’s 1986 macho action classic, TOP GUN, shot by Jeffrey L. Kimball. While this film may be best known for its brash lead performance by a young Tom Cruise and one of the most iconic soundtracks in 80s cinema, its also a complete visual feast representative of Scott’s signature style that set him apart from other action directors of the period. Scott and Kimball shot largely on long lenses, relied heavily on closeups and extreme closeups, and opted for bold dynamic lighting (hard edge lights, silhouettes, etc) and saturated colors whenever possible. It’s enough to take your breath away!

On the other end of the cinematic spectrum, we’ve got images from Andrea Arnold’s breakout critical hit, FISH TANK, which earned her the coveted Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Shot by her frequent collaborator, Robbie Ryan, the film utilizes a subtly restricted palette of cool pastel colors and a tendency toward wider lenses to tell the story of a young woman who is both defined by and constantly fighting against her tumultuous and oppressive environment.

And finally we’ve added Howard Hawks’ fast-talking 1940 screwball classic, HIS GIRL FRIDAY, shot by Joseph Walker, best known for his career-spanning work with Frank Capra. In typical Howard Hawks fashion, this film is visually unobtrusive and entirely character/performance driven, but is a fantastic example of studio-era Hollywood filmmaking for that exact reason. Every camera setup and every cut is designed to be as invisible as possible, ensuring that there’s never a moment’s distraction from the endless flow of brilliantly funny dialogue and wild plot twists. It’s no wonder that noted lover of colorful dialogue, Quentin Tarantino, counts it among his 10 favorite films of all time.