It's very exciting and all but clearly the best thing about it is the truly ridonkulous amount of lens flares Abrams has crammed in to his new film. It's a little-known fact that he exhausted the global supply of lens flares with 2009's Star Trek, and so has had to employ thousands of third-world slave children to create more so that he can realise his vision for Super 8.
Obviously, though, you can't just shove in a lens flare without it having a credible source - I mean, that would imply they're just being used because they look cool - so let's take a closer look at where all these rogue flashes of light are originating, shall we? Yes, we shall.
Even the poster can't escape:
At the time of Star Trek's release (JJ Abrams 1st anamorphically shot flick) he made cryptic and illusory comments in interviews about his mad bonkers lens flare daubing, seriously suggesting that there was a very academic and poetic reason for them above and beyond superficial photographic pizzazzery. He refused to divulge exactly what it was the he was hoping to achieve with them all though and every sane persons assumption was that he'd swallowed a double dose of Michael Bay juice at breakfast.
ReplyDeleteThere was no attempt to hide how he'd physically achieved the effect though - two electricians were employed to stand just outside the edge of frame wielding hand held xenon torches which they wafted about. The same effect seems to have been employed here as the 'unmotivated' flares appear to rove up and down the frame or up and down in intensity in a fashion that only a moving light source will provide
I know that the whole of the geek-o-sphere has gone hard for the Super 8 poster but I have a slight issue with it. The image is presented (strikingly) on it's side because as we've all seen from the trailers an pivotal piece of Super 8 footage will record some space monster malarky after it's tipped on it's side. I know that the poster image ISN'T a frame from that footage but all the same, there'd be no anamorphic flare and more pronounced grain to a Super 8 frame - not to mention a different aspect ratio to that of the poster. It all adds up to a slightly faux poster conceit in my mind. 7/10
ReplyDeleteAlso, A BUS DOING A SIDE WHEELIE!
ReplyDeleteAccording to IMDB the film is set in the 1970's, which explains all the flares.
ReplyDeleteZINGABAZANGABAZOOM!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, the music on that trailer sounded wickles, very Williams-esque. Michael Giacchino is brill.
ReplyDeleteI like lens flares. They remind me of Die Hard.
ReplyDeleteMost things remind me of Die Hard somehow, but I think it's because that was the first film that I noticed them in and I've been a fan of their work ever since. Go flares!
Agreed. Jan de Bont's flares on Die Hard were super-sexy, which is why I expect he bunged a few into Speed as well.
ReplyDelete'SUPER 8' sounds like 'superate' which is what a nasty boil does as it flares up ready to burst. The flares are therefore intended to enhance or flare the drama.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the DOP is simply demonstrating his flare for cinematography.
Has anyone heard from Anna Morfic?
Maybe Dan has it right about 70s styles, the sun shines out of the directors backside which means all his trousers are flared.
Have you noticed that animated cartoons are made with lens flares and other faults in order to make them look more real.
[cough] the trailer music is from Cocoon [/cough]
ReplyDeleteMy favourite flare in a film is the boating distress flare Nicole Kidman fires into Billy Zane's mouth at the end of Dead Calm.
ReplyDeletehttp://super8poster.wordpress.com/offset-for-solve/
ReplyDeleteJJ included the lens flares in STAR TREK, in my opinion, intelligently, so that he would have an organic link between the live action shots and the CG shots. This would (along with other photographic imperfections, like dust on the lens) let you accept the digital shots more seamlessly. So for STAR TREK, Flare did a good job. In SUPER 8, clearly the fame has gone to flare's head. It's gone Lindsey Lohan on us. I think Flare needs a serious time out. Great blog, theincrediblesuit! Check out my blog, shot4shot, for more insight into cool movie shots!
ReplyDeleteThe flares DID belong in Star Trek. They were over done in Super 8. Unless this is the new Abrams signature. Sort of like Spielberg like to elevate the camera over many scenes in many of his flicks. One thing I did enjoy about Abrams recent piece was the involvement of teens making movies with Super 8 film. Although I now understand it was staged, and just part of the story line. Nonetheless, it reminded me of all the movies I shot as a teen with super 8 film. Here is to all the young ideas put on film. You can read about mine at INCREDIBLE http://shot-with-super8-film.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteFrom start to finish the movie is a gem, reminded me of stand by me where kids are the focus, their fears and everyday life.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching Super 8 tonight, and am overcome by sympathetic rectal flares. Apart from the lens flare crapola, the movie is such a lousy retrospective of Goonies, ET and many other movies that had better and more realistic kids.
ReplyDeleteAnd it suffers from the same ET problem, gov't has to be the bad guy, no way, gov't might want to help the alien, befriend it, and get it's tech that way.