VISIONS OF LIGHT
A film review by Shane R. Burridge
Copyright 1997 Shane R. Burridge
Visions of Light (1992) 92m.
Superlative collection of movie scenes and interviews with cinematographers was directed by Arnold Glassman, Todd McCarthy, and Stuart Samuels, and won the 1993 Oscar for Best Documentary. While it may seem a little nepotistic of the film industry to give an award to a documentary about the film industry, it is in this case well deserved. The stars of the show are the directors of photography who have contributed to movies over the last hundred years. VISIONS OF LIGHT reads like a Who's Who of cinematographers: Nestor Almendros, Vilmos Zsigmond, James Wong Howe, Gordon Willis are among the cast list enthusing and reminiscing about the images they and others have created.
Documentary traces the evolution of cinema chronologically, but what makes it unique is seeing developments such as the advent of sound and color exclusively through the eyes of the cinematographers (although I find it odd that the invention of new lenses is never acknowledged at any time). The DPs come across as a closely-knit club - it's fun hearing them talk about their work and admiration for their contemporaries, friends, and heroes. As one captivating film sequence follows another you'll feel you are at their sides, flipping through a family album of cinematic treasures. How could anyone not want to rush out and see all of these films on a big screen afterwards?
Films of every genre and era are ably represented, and what's admirable is that there are few of the usual 'classic' scenes that always appear in films of this type (one exception is the crane shot of the wounded in GONE WITH THE WIND). VISIONS OF LIGHT wisely emphasizes the feeling of discovery - unexpected or forgotten moments of film are unearthed and rediscovered from start to finish. You won't be anticipating segments from ROSEMARY'S BABY or IN COLD BLOOD. Other works like SUNRISE and McCABE AND MRS MILLER are impossible to ignore. Film packs a lot in for its 90 minutes. You may have some fun with friends later discussing what was left out (personally, I'd like to know why BARRY LYNDON's breakthrough photography-by-candlepower wasn't included). A must for anyone seriously interested in cinema.
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