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Can we talk about how the beginning of The Sound of Music the most gorgeous sequence in film history

You could probably teach a unit on cinematography for the film techniques used for the first few moments of this movie. The breathtaking helicopter shots of Austria are gorgeous and wonderfully set up the tone and setting of this film. Then it crescendos as you see a woman off on the summit of a hill. The shot continues until Julie Andrews dominates the screen, belting out the gorgeous main theme of the movie. I wish I could post the full clip, but the only thing I can find when the song kicks in.



The build up to that moment is so fantastic though.
 
i hate that song

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While I enjoy an old movie as well, especially a well directed and cinematic one such as sound of music, the shots drones and pilots are enabling these days are simply breathtaking beyond compare. For example that SoM helicopter tracking shot is forced to cut when then circling her for the close up sequence. These days those shots start and end with a drone throughout a single continuous shot. I haven't given up on modern film or directors/cinematographers but there is a lot of filler or missed opportunities out there today.
 
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I_D

Member
It's incredible how much better old movies looked. Not all of them, but they had a richness to them that we lost somewhere along the way, sometime in the 90s probably. I can't really describe it, but they have SOUL.

A big part of it is practical-effects vs CGI. Most modern movies look like cartoons because of CGI (not all of them, obviously).


I also like how old movies are not filmed in air-conditioned environments, so everybody has a sweaty sheen about them. It makes everything feel much more realistic.
 
It's incredible how much better old movies looked. Not all of them, but they had a richness to them that we lost somewhere along the way, sometime in the 90s probably. I can't really describe it, but they have SOUL.

It’s a big reason why they tend to age so much better than the 90s flood of terrible CG effects and whatnot.

Alien still looks great, to this day.
 
A big part of it is practical-effects vs CGI. Most modern movies look like cartoons because of CGI (not all of them, obviously).


I also like how old movies are not filmed in air-conditioned environments, so everybody has a sweaty sheen about them. It makes everything feel much more realistic.

Not to mention advanced editing techniques like color correction, as well as digital film itself gives everything a kind of untextured look.
 

cryptoadam

Banned
Not enough CGI. Need some portals in the sky, maybe 2 or 3 Armies fighting each other. how about some 12 legged horses and Amazon armoured ladies.
 
When I went to Salzburg (which is quite near from where I live) three years ago, I noticed there were a lot of "Sound of Music" tours, memorial places, etc..
Me and my girlfriend didn't even know this, so we googled up about it.

Seems it's a very american thing, that most people from the are don't even know about..
 

Gp1

Member
It's incredible how much better old movies looked. Not all of them, but they had a richness to them that we lost somewhere along the way, sometime in the 90s probably. I can't really describe it, but they have SOUL.

CGI and the rise of digital cameras, where they were more practical to shoot, but the quality was not so good for FHD and beyond.

Lawrence of Arabia, filmed in the late 50s early 60's (IMHO one of the most beautiful movies of all time, especially in 4K), could be easily upscaled without a hitch to 8k using the 70mm version with a better IQ than most of the early 2000's movies.

That a look at how gorgeous this is...



as if this were filmed yesterday
 
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