1917 - wow!

[The Byre]

After being awake since five this morning (getting someone to the airport) and then working all day to get some stuff ready, I was afraid that I would fall asleep whilst watching - I need not have worried.

Far from falling asleep, I almost forgot to breathe!

But here's the good news - the cinema was packed as I have seldom seen it before. Loads of young people, as well as some older people that seldom go to the movies, were there in droves.

I heard the audience do a sharp intake of breath on the flare scenes and the woman next to me just muttered 'Wow!'

With a bit of luck, this will be a great artistic (Oscar?) success AND make money! It's a 'must-see and I shall be taking others to see it and get the Blu-Ray.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Agreed - even in my local flea-pit of a cinema (complete with patched screen)

Little 'action' as such, but was on the edge of my seat throughout, despite having the attention span of a gnat.

 

[intheTRADE]

Agreed.

Went with the missus to see it on Saturday and was just amazed by it. Never seen our local cinema so packed either which was good to see

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

I had to step out to the bathroom during some of the scene in Ecouste, and having seen bits of it I regretted the timing as it was glorious.

Not usually a big fan of going to the cinema, but went with my wife who really wanted to see it and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[The Byre]

There's all kinds of on-line speculation on how Roger Deakins got some of the shots. The lighting for the village fire scene was two megawatts. One of the trenches was a mile long. The flares were real flares, but on wires. The three cameras used were prototypes specially built for them by Arri.

 

[intheTRADE]

Apparently all 500 extras were interviewed and hand picked by Sam Mendes himself as well

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

It wasn’t really one continuous shot though right? Obviously there was a cut when he hit his head in the middle, and they used shots where no people were visible to sew bits together? Like at the end when he goes one side of the tree and the camera goes the other? There were a few moments like that.

Edit: still amazing though.

 

[intheTRADE]

It wasn’t really one continuous shot though right? Obviously there was a cut when he hit his head in the middle, and they used shots where no people were visible to sew bits together? Like at the end when he goes one side of the tree and the camera goes the other? There were a few moments like that.

Edit: still amazing though.

From: https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/19...endes-first-world-war-movie-explained-1360847


How was 1917 filmed?
Of course, the movie was not actually all filmed in one, two-hour take. Instead, according to its production notes, it was created "in a series of extended, uncut takes that could be connected seamlessly to look and feel as if it is one continuous shot".

Speaking to Sky News, Mendes admitted that the complicated process, with little margin for error, left him questioning himself at various points in the film's production.

He said: "It was more stressful, definitely - honestly, pretty much every day at some point I thought: 'Why have I done this to myself? It would be so much easier to make this in a conventional way.'

"But when you get the shot – and these are long, long takes – it's so exhilarating and so exciting that you just want to do it again.

"Once you commit to it, it begins to be a challenge that you feel like, 'I'm not going to give up until I've got this'."

The film's reported budget was $90m(£68.9m), and utilised 500 extras, all handpicked by Mendes. It took 65 days to shoot, with much of the filming taking place at a military training base in Salisbury – before the task fell upon the editor Lee Smith to weave the finished package together.

 

[The Byre]

500 young men and no earrings, no piercings, no visible tattoos, no slightly-fatties or pudgy guys, they had to have military haircuts and be fighting fit and able to run long stretches. In other words, young men appearing to be what was considered normal until quite recently!

Yes, trees and other things were used to mask cuts, but the camera pans and movements, as well as the movements of the actors, had to match perfectly.

 

[LeglessPenguin]

Can't wait to see this myself, after hearing so many great reviews

 

[The Byre]

I saw it again last night and enjoyed it even more.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Why did they not get a RFC pilot to fly over the unit and drop a message, far simpler and near guaranteed to get to them and a lot quicker ?

 

[Gordon - Commercial Finance]

Why did they not get a RFC pilot to fly over the unit and drop a message, far simpler and near guaranteed to get to them ?

Because that would have been a rubbish film.

 

[antropy]

Looking forward to watching it this weekend Alex

 

[The Byre]

How was 1917 filmed?

Don't believe everything you read!

Deakins commented on some of the stories about the film "I find it really interesting how some, supposed film savvy, commentators are writing that the entire film was shot on Steadicam and there were less than a handful of cuts. I don't know how they have the gall to publish such rubbish as though they have the facts. I guess that is the world we are living in."

I watched it for the second time last night and enjoyed it even more!

 

[Deleted member 59730]

be fighting fit and able to run long stretches. In other words, young men appearing to be what was considered normal until quite recently!

Really. The fitness of Britain's fighting forces was dire. Many were suffering from the effects of poor diet. An uncle was sent back by the Germans after capture at Dunkirk because he was useless even as a POW.

Food standards were very poor until relatively recently.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Really. The fitness of Britain's fighting forces was dire. Many were suffering from the effects of poor diet. An uncle was sent back by the Germans after capture at Dunkirk because he was useless even as a POW.

Food standards were very poor until relatively recently.

There must have been a lot more to that story than what you have stated and in general they all seemed fit on the newsreels taken at the time and throughout the war

 

[jurassicaffirm]

I read that it was filmed in a way that it appears as if the whole movie was filmed in one shot, which I suppose should be super cool. Can't wait to watch it. Still debating whether I should watch it at home in my bed or go to the cinema.