Tuesday, July 12, 2011

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Silver Screen, Slick Sets: Art Direction, 1964 - Part One

As color was becoming more prominent, the Academy found it necessary to separate the colorful from the monochromatic in the craft categories. After all, a black-and-white film cannot emphasize reds and blues the same way a color film can, and a color film cannot emphasize its shadows and light-play the same way a black-and-white film can. The nominees for B&W Art Direction were for subtle approaches, whether single-set, minimalist work, or dressing up what was already there.

THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY

George W. Davis, Hans Peters & Elliot Scott, art directors
Robert R. Benton & Henry Grace, set decorators
**

From the offices of high-ranking naval officials to supply rooms, every detail is seen to. It's organized clutter, as only the military can do.


HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE

William Glasgow, art director
Raphael Bretton, set decorator
***

From the wealth of the father to the chaos of the daughter. Good ol' Southern Gothic.


THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA

Stephen Grimes, art director
****

Looks like the kind of small getaway my parents would love. It may not look like much, but it'll do.


SEVEN DAYS IN MAY

Cary Odell, production designer
Edward Boyle, set decorator
****

From the honorable Oval Office to the sinister Joint Chiefs Conference Room. The not-too-distant future is eerily close.


ZORBA THE GREEK

Vassilis Photopoulos, art director
*****

From the wealthy Frenchwoman to the poor Greek. Every item is deeply personal, giving us a sense of the residents.

---------------------------------

Photopoulos' art direction for Zorba the Greek won, and for good reason! Indeed, I'm inclined to agree...


PHOTOPOULOS
for
ZORBA THE GREEK
someone built that

2 comments:

TomS said...

I would vote with you here, Walter! "Zorba" had complex design needs, and I thought it was very authentic. Terrific visual details added a lot to this beautiful and unusual fim.

Although in a CLOSE second, I would pick "Sweet Charlotte", whose sets were deliciously demented Southern gothic, and added to the macabre fun...

(Sorry for the delay..I was waiting for Part 2...but you fooled us!)

Walter L. Hollmann said...

Part 2 will come when I see "What a Way to Go"...probably near the end. It's very hard to find! As for Charlotte: This is one of those years where 4/5 of all the nominees in any category are worthy of awardage. And you were right: I LOVED Charlotte!