American Cinematographer - October 2002 - 70

Desert Storm
graphs. Picked up Wilfred Thesiger's
Crossing the Sands. An exceptional
explorer and writer. In his crossing of
the empty quarter he experienced "a
freedom unattainable in civilization."

Tranquility. "The satisfaction that
comes from hardship and the plea¬
sure that springs from abstinence."
Solitude, a state of mind I am only
too comfortable with. Can I apply
this to Harry? To Durrance?

initially feel liberating from the
overbearing weight of
architecture and society in England.
The joy that the boys feel in being
summoned to fight for God and
country should explode upon their
defined and

arrival [in the desert,] but [the coun¬

try's vastness] will reduce their

sense

of self.

Proportion a key here. Explore
contrast. Extreme contrast. Let

the

bleached whites and crushed blacks

"We lived
nerves...."

For the early
portion of the

film, which finds
Faversham

engaged to the

tion and execution. If Shekhar

can

bring this mind to The Four Feathers
and raise the bar, I certainly will have
no question of involvement.

fair Ethne (Kate

Hudson), the
filmmakers made
architecture

prominent in the
frame to suggest
the

rigidity of

Faversham's life.

First

impressions of script: sweep¬
ing, epic tale which at this point
lacks intimacy. The central love
story between Harry and Ethne is
meant to be passionate but lacks an
all-consuming love. Their love story
appears to be more about duties to
country vs. love for one another. A
fascinating theme to tackle and one
I would be interested in, but clearly
the writer has

no

intention

an

T.E. Lawrence

Casual dining chosen for first meet¬
ing in Los Angeles. Shekhar, Stanley
Jaffe and Bobby Jaffe. Shekhar is
quiet in front of Stanley and Bob.
My deal is essentially in place,
provided this meeting goes well for
all. At first I question Shekhar's hesi¬
tant style. Stanley is a strong pres¬

his voice

ence,

a

force, his mind

unwavering. Does Shekhar's coin¬
cide? No way to determine based
upon this first meeting. That said,
the combined level of enthusiasm is
not to

be

a

be dismissed. I would love

to

part. Now time to wait.

of

moving in this direction. Harry's
journey - what is that? Discovery
of self? The search for

always in the stretch of
-

ideal?

Surrender? The

mentality of ordi¬
nary beings who have lost the world,
surrendered soul and body? I relate.

Films

to

view:

Kagemusha, My Name

commercial. Tired. Shekhar's voice is

pleasant, reserved, polite and philo¬
sophical. I believe we got along quite
well. I expressed a few doubts regard¬
ing the script: the characters of Harry
and Durrance are not well developed
enough, Harry and Ethne's love story
is not yet fully realized, etc. I then
surprised Shekhar by asking why he
wanted

to

make the film. No satisfac¬

tory answer as of yet, other than the

bleached whites. Dust? Flood the

audience with
scream

backlight. Let the dust
during the battle. The sand of

the desert burns. The shadows of the
dunes crash black. The

prison -
deeper yet into black. Force the audi¬
ence to ask what is
lurking in the
unseen. Can I apply this to the streets
of London following Harry's leaving
of the regiment? A broken officer
slinking at night in the shadows of
London streets?

This Sporting Life, Barabbas,
The Gospel According to St. Matthew,

Films:

Lawrence

Mr.

Is Ivan,

ofArabia, Sanjuro, Ran.

Got the offer. Scout

planned for 10

days. Excellent!
Staggered into a call with Shekhar. Up
most of the
night shooting a

give home to fear, to mystery, to the
unknown. Single-source lighting,
pools, fragments of the single source.
Broken, bleeding hot whites framed
by pitch black. Black as infinity?
Sculpt with black. Direct the eye.
Further, create mystery in the blacks
and, with more difficulty, the

Peeping Tom, Dr. Jekyll and
Hyde, Henry & June, Persona,
Once Upon a Time in America (and
West), The Good, The Bad and the

Ugly.

July 2: England. Architecture well
defined. Geometric rigor in the
early scenes (preordained sense of
place, of fate). English hues of green

Desert

penance? We

as

can

do better

than this weak and overused concept.
When

one

and mental

its physical
hardships, the desert

overcomes

and blue (Shekhar). Ordered stag¬

offers "freedom unattainable in civi¬

ing. During Harry's walk to the

lization"

commander when he decides

satisfaction. Personal courage and an
indomitable self-confidence drive

to

resign, the camera angles must force
the viewer

to

feel that there is

no

Harry

(Thesiger). Tranquility and

as

these

very

qualities have

choice. Lines of architecture, color
and eventually self must later be

driven his father, General Faversham.

engulfed by Africa/Sudan.

tree. Men

The

apple doesn't fall far from the
of one stamp.

issue of "man's search for himself."

Studying Minor White's photo¬
66 October 2002

July 15: Perhaps the Sudan, with its
yellows, should

bleached whites and

July

16:

Turbulent

Arrived
waters

in

London.

in the front office
American Cinematographer - October 2002

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - October 2002
