Films with photography as a theme

[Christopher Sanderson]

Watched a Swedish film last night by Jan Troell Everlasting Moments (Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick) - recommended.

While the photographic theme is simply a device for one much larger, this film is very well done and beautifully performed & shot.

Any others recommended?

[Gary Brown]

There was a recent thread here on a similar topic: Best Documentary Movies About Photography & Photographers?

There's also the essay “Ten Movies Every Photographer Should See.”

[Josh-H]

Watched a Swedish film last night by Jan Troell Everlasting Moments (Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick) - recommended.

While the photographic theme is simply a device for one much larger, this film is very well done and beautifully performed & shot.

Any others recommended?

'Blow Up' is in my opinion a must see for for the genre of photography in movies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowup

[feppe]

Smoke has just one small aspect of the film about photography, but is enough for me to be working on a major photography project inspired by the movie. Excellent performances by Harvey Keitel and Forest Whitaker.

Perhaps not the most flattering portrayal of a photographer is in One Hour Photo, with Robin Williams cast against type.

[Rob C]

La Dolce Vita is also a pretty close approximation of some forms of early celebrity shooting; it also touches deeply and painfully on the manipulation of news - see the visitation of the Madonna and the kids.

Blow Up? Well, I have to admit that I did see it a couple of times when it was originally released, and though first impressions, well, impressed, the more I saw it the less I fell for it, despite already working as a fashion photographer at that period. Or perhaps because of working in fashion at the time. But it was also a little bit inspirational for many of us. But then it was a movie, with a selling job to do.

There was also the Eyes of Laura Mars, with images reputedly by Helmut; there's a video of a fashion shoot sequence from the movie available in Youtube.

Rob C

[Rob C]

Smoke has just one small aspect of the film about photography, but is enough for me to be working on a major photography project inspired by the movie. Excellent performances by Harvey Keitel and Forest Whitaker.

Perhaps not the most flattering portrayal of a photographer is in One Hour Photo, with Robin Williams cast against type.

I can see why Smoke could get your juices flowing, I'd like to see it. I'm afraid that our Robbie is a step too far. Not even Good Morning Vietnam could survive his brand of self. We wusn't compatible!  Saw him yesterday or the day before in a snatch of a show with, I think it was, Jay Leno. Couldn't stand either, but I do envy Leno his wheels.

Rob C

[feppe]

I can see why Smoke could get your juices flowing, I'd like to see it. I'm afraid that our Robbie is a step too far. Not even Good Morning Vietnam could survive his brand of self. We wusn't compatible!  Saw him yesterday or the day before in a snatch of a show with, I think it was, Jay Leno. Couldn't stand either, but I do envy Leno his wheels.

I also find Mr Williams's film humor to be hit and miss; his stand-up is top notch, though. But his role in One Hour Photo is pretty much the polar opposite of all his comedic roles, and far apart even from his dramatic roles. Heavy stuff.

[Robert Roaldi]

There's a British film "Secrets and Lies" with a studio photographer subplot. The photographer in question is one of the main characters in the overall drama, a terrific story btw, but there are some really interesting tender and not-so-tender scenes set in his studio during some portrait sessions.

[Rob C]

There's a British film "Secrets and Lies" with a studio photographer subplot. The photographer in question is one of the main characters in the overall drama, a terrific story btw, but there are some really interesting tender and not-so-tender scenes set in his studio during some portrait sessions.

I miss my studios too!

;-(

Rob C

[tom b]

There was the terrific black comedy Little Murders with Elliot Gould as a photographer. Elliot takes award winning portraits but soon the people become fuzzy but the backgrounds become clear. So he becomes an award winning product photographer. Soon his products become fuzzy and he is left to take photos of excrement which he becomes an award winning photographer.

Cheers,

[RFPhotography]

Rear Window and Blow Up are two that come immediately to mind.

[lightstand]

Pecker is a good one to inspire street photography