Certain settings throughout the history of cinema have brilliantly facilitated many disparate elements of cinematography. Sporting venues such as baseball fields, football stadiums, and specifically boxing rings stand out as prominent settings throughout film, along with more locations like high schools, casinos, beaches, cabins in the woods — the list goes on, and that much is obvious.
But one setting that deserves recognition with regard to its use throughout film is of course the battlefield of war. Some of the greatest projects of all time fall into the genre at hand, and that’s thanks to many behind-the-scenes elements like writing, editing, and cinematography. And with regard to camerawork in particular, battlefields have consistently provided film fans with legendary shots. These are twelve examples of such, ranked.
12Black Hawk Down
Directed by Ridley Scott, this war film is perhaps best looked back on forits star-studded cast. Performers like Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor, Tom Hardy, and Orlando Bloom showed up here in valiant fashion. But of course,Black Hawk Down(2001) was also stacked from top to bottom with intriguing camera angles and mesmerizing movements to boot.
And although it comes in at the top of the list, this epic war film — shot by Sławomir Idziak, a cinematographer who you’ll become even more familiar with shortly — it’s obviously still worthy of praise. The masterful camerawork ofBlack Hawk Downis one of the many filmmaking elements that renders it a widely revered war film.
11The Hurt Locker
Directed to a career-defining degree by Kathyrn Bigelow, this war film has so much to write home about from a technical perspective, it feels almost criminal to home in solely on the camerawork. But at the same time, there’s enough at play in that singular facet of filmmaking that it could take up an entire article by itself. And regardingThe Hurt Locker(2009), the cameraman at hand was Barry Ackroyd.
A lesser-known name compared to several entries on this list, Ackroyd has worked on plenty of well-known projects throughout his career, likeCaptain Phillips(2013) andThe Big Short(2015). But he was without question at the top of his cinematographic game here inThe Hurt Locker— as were most parties involved. Most of you have undoubtedly seen this critical darling before reading this, but if not, just know that while nothing in particular stands out, that’s because everything functions so seamlessly.Its masterful cameraworkis just as legendary as its script, performances, or anything else you’re able to muster.
Adapted from a memoir of the same name by Anthony Swofford—who’s portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal to a truly underrated degree — the screenplay was written by William Broyle’s Jr. The product in general went underappreciated, to be frank, with big names attached around every corner of production. It also featured Jamie Foxx alongside Gyllenhaal, with Sam Mendes as the director.
And of course, the man behind the camera was Roger Deakins. This was his first of five total collaborations with Mendes, and it has even gone under the modern radar in terms of their respective filmographies. Deakins was masterful inJarhead(2005), creating an atmosphere of isolation that mirrored the mental states of its many memorable marines. But his efforts herein have been overshadowed by a project that appears later in this very list.
Related:Jarhead - The Most Underrated War Film Ever Made
9Inglourious Basterds
Of course, this famous war film was directed by Quentin Tarantino. And although the overall project wasn’t replete with creative uses of cinematography, there were several shots that resonated fondly with audiences. Many of them included Shoshanna, the film’s protagonist as she fights against Hitler and his Nazi regime.
Her thirst for vengeance led her to host a premiere for Nation’s Pride, a fictional film withinInglourious Basterds(2009). And at the premiere, as German officials gathered inShoshanna’s own movie theater, she donned a stunning red dress that facilitated brilliantly symbolic shots from cinematographer Robert Richardson — a name you’ll read much more about before this list is done.
Related:How to Dress Like a Tarantino Character
8The Deer Hunter
The cinematographer for the project at hand was Vilmos Zsigmond, one of the most prominent names of the American New Wave film movement. And although he came up short at the Academy Awards to Néstor Almendros for the latter’s work inDays of Heaven(1978), it wasThe Deer Hunter(1978) that walked away as the winner for Best Cinematography at the respective BAFTAs ceremony.
And it was well-earned, as Zsigmond channeled his Oscar-winning efforts fromClose Encounters of the Third Kind(1977) in the year prior. Again: this is one of the most influential cinematographers of all time, which is fitting for a war film of this magnitude. It won five out of nine total nominations at the Oscars, including the award for Best Picture. Plus, it’s still regarded as one of the greatest films of its kind. That’s in large part due to the wonderful performances of Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken. But the camerawork from Zsigmond remains equally noteworthy for its poetic and multifaceted nature.
7The Thin Red Line
It was up forBest Cinematography at the Academy Awards, and really only lost because, well,Saving Private Ryan(1998) came out in the same year. This was Terrence Malick’s first film back after a twenty-year hiatus. He put his career on hold after directingDays of Heaven(1978), then returned in valiant fashion here withThe Thin Red Line(1998).
Aside from the cinematography, there’s so much at play here technically that renders it a masterclass of the genre. Its star-studded cast is one of the more prominent elements worth writing home about, as it features actors such as Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, George Clooney, and John Cusack. But it’s also known for its lengthy runtime, sitting nine minutes shy of three hours. It’s well worth the watch, too — and that’s in part due to the engrossing camerawork, of course.
Related:How The Thin Red Line Turns the War Moivie Genre Into Poetry
Despite coming up short in the end toThe Mission(1986) by Chris Menges, this famous war film by Oliver Stone did at least garner a nomination for Best Cinematography at the 59th Academy Awards. And the creative force behind the camera was Robert Richardson, one ofthe best cinematographers of all timeand among the upper echelons with regard to those still living today.
He’s won the Academy Award for the category at hand on three occasions despite coming up short forPlatoon(1986) — the record is a two-way tie between Leon Shamroy and Joseph Ruttenberg with four. But both of those legends have passed, so if Richardson garners another win, he’ll join them in first place. And what’s lastly worth noting regardingPlatoonis that it was Richardson’s first ever nod.
This is one of a few films on the list that actually walked away with a win for Best Cinematography at their respective Academy Awards ceremony. It even triumphed overBourn on the Fourth of July(1989), which was shot by Robert Richardson who appeared earlier in the list. So, the competition forGlory(1989) with regard to cinematography was undoubtedly stiff at the 62nd Oscars. But Freddie Francis was more than up to the task.
The film itself featuredan A-list castwith performers like Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, and Cary Elwes — they shined like the flash of a grenade from start to finish in part thanks to the camerawork that facilitated their every move. It’s a project definitely worth checking out if you haven’t, and one you should revisit for the photography alone.
Directed by Christopher Nolan, this World War II film chronicles the titular battle as soldiers from the British Commonwealth and Empire, others from Belgium, and some from France find themselves completely encompassed by German combatants. The film is high-paced action from the start, and features some of Nolan’s favorite collaborators like Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy.
But what makes the camerawork ofDunkirk(2017) in particular stand out is that Hoyte van Hoytema used IMAX 65 mm handhelds and large-format film stock to shoot the film. And specific Panavision and IMAX camera lenses allowed for particularly well-shot scenes that were filmed during the night. There’s plenty more left to right home about in this regard, but it’s best experiencing for yourself.
3Saving Private Ryan
For a visual confirmation on whether this placement is warranted, turn tothe opening battle sceneon the beach inSaving Private Ryan(1998). Of course, the project was administered by the highest-grossing film director ever in Steven Spielberg, and that fact showed true with results at the worldwide box office. But it was also a critical darling with multiple awards to its name.
It won Best Cinematography at the 71st Academy Awards, along with Best Director for Spielberg. It did come up short for Best Picture toShakespeare in Love(1998), though, in one of the Academy’s most infamous snubs. Everything came together in this masterpiece of a war film to make it the best overall project of its year, let alone the project with the most awe-inspiring camerawork.
