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Dorothea Mitchell – A Reel Pioneer recounts in Mitchell’s own words the amazing life of a pioneer filmmaker. Seventy years later a group of local enthusiasts in Thunder Bay, reinvent the silent pictures, by finishing “The Fatal Flower”,the murder mystery Dorothea had bequeathed to the national Archives of Canada. With no script to work from and some missing scenes, the group nurtured “The Fatal Flower” back to life.
Director
Status
Released
Original Language
EN
Cameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography and of the "DP" (the director of photography), illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from Birth of a Nation to Do the Right Thing. Themes: the DP tells people where to look; changes in movies (the arrival of sound, color, and wide screens) required creative responses from DPs; and, these artisans constantly invent new equipment and try new things, with wonderful results. The narration takes us through the identifiable studio styles of the 30s, the emergence of noir, the New York look, and the impact of Europeans. Citizen Kane, The Conformist, and Gordon Willis get special attention.