This was an alright film. Giving life to the landscape without people. A breath of fresh air not to have voiceover.
The visual geometry of it was nice too. Each shot was a carefully rendered composition that balanced its visual components in unexpected and refreshing ways. The general homage of the piece was a nod to a kind of dark futurism – with shapes and shadows and powerful angles rendered accordingly.
The swivelling CCTV camera has never looked more like a sentient little monster to my eyes. It was like something from War of The Worlds? So yeah – as a visual spectacle – I enjoyed this film. In particular its framing of the subject matter and composition of shots. I used to have a theory that you could go into any situation and if you filmed the right geometric angles of something and edited it correctly – you could therein unlock it’s spirit and reveal its emotional essence to the audience.
Do you think this film has managed to bring you closer to the heart and soul of Hungerford and this bridge? Or do you think that – whilst a skilled and accomplished exercise in cinematography – it lacks deeper contact with the world it’s studying?
Comments
I’m fairly certain this film is about Hungerford Bridge in London and NOT Hungerford the city, as the reviewer has mistakenly presumed.
In which case my answer to the comment, “Do you think this film has managed to bring you closer to the heart and soul of Hungerford…” is a No. However, what it does do brilliantly is show this wonderful bridge (one I cross everyday) in a whole new light. Well done!
Excellent photography of course. The edit is pretty great here, the length of shots is timed just right, then the edit picks up with the music. Really nice cross fade work in there too.
The film really drew me in and I never lost interest. Impressive as it’s such a small video in the browser!
Yes David you’re correct, the film was about the Hungerford Bridge in London- I think that the full title of the film was ‘Hungerford: Symphony of a London Bridge’ although this wasn’t listed on the official Winnipeg site so I can see where confusion may have arisen.
Wow! Made me wish the bridge could speak. Or did it just do that?
Apart from the fact that I felt this film had the only most tenuous attachment to the My Hometown brief – it was visually – a great piece of cinematography coupled with a superb score and edit. Having said that, it didn’t say anything to the viewer about the the place itself – and it begs the question – where is Hungerford Bridge; as there does seem to be a difference of opinion between Lee and David Alexander?
A very nicely shot film… This could be part of a cinematographer’s showreel. I love the nod to German expressionism. The visuals, editing and music are well timed to make the best use of the black and white expressionist nature of the piece.
Seeing as the first thing you see in this film are the words “Hungerford – Symphony of a London Bridge”, it’s pretty obvious this is about Hungerford Bridge in London!! Great film, stunning cinematography, really atmospheric music – absolutely loved it! Captures perfectly the anonymity of life in an artificial and constructed environment like London.
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