A few years back, I was fortunate to read Kevin Brownlow’s epic study of one of our greatest directors, David Lean: A Biography. Published in 1996, it’s filled with insights regarding not just a brilliant career, but the private moments of the man behind it. This was no surprise. Brownlow is the preeminent historian of film; if you’re not familiar with him, dig into his resumé. The width and breadth of his scholarship is remarkable. As with Lean (and especially considering the present state of the industry), we’re not likely to see his sort of genius again.
In addition to his prodigious talents behind the camera, Lean had a gift for pithy observations that cut straight to the heart of a subject or situation. A few have stuck with me, and they remain as relevant to cinematographers now as when he first uttered them:
“I wouldn’t take the advice of a lot of so-called critics on how to shoot a close-up of a teapot.”
“I realise more and more that reality on the screen, which used to be the thing to aim at, is a sort of bore. I don’t mean that the audience should sit there and say, ‘Oh, that’s unreal.’ But movies are a kind of dream and I think they should have an unreal edge to them, and that’s what I try to do.”
“I think people remember pictures not dialogue. That’s why I like pictures.”
”A film can only achieve greatness when the camera transcends its mechanical nature and becomes an eye in the head of a poet.”
And my personal favorite, just because it’s so true…
“Good films can be made only by a crew of dedicated maniacs.”
This quote is true to the bone.. “Good films can be made only by a crew of dedicated maniacs.”
Amen to all of these great quotes.