10 Bad Movies With Amazing Cinematography

7. The Great Gatsby

Colors are key to the interpretation of the world of Jay Gatsby. Amongst the numerous flaws of the staid 1970 Gatsby film was a color palette that never fully realized the vivid colors of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel. But in this messy compilation of poor adaptation choices, one choice that stands out as perfect for the material is the use of light and color. The American 1920s were a period of great lavish debauchery, and if there is anyone who knows how to shoot that sort of thing, it is Baz Luhrmann, working through cinematographer Simon Duggan. Despite a mediocre green screen effect here and there, the roaring 20s come to life in this film... the glitz and glamour polished and enticing, just like it was back in those times. The colors pop off the screen, making Gatsby's new money festivities as vivid as they were on the page. Best Shot: The signature shot of the movie: Gatsby stares down at the partying through his window. While it is one of the most subtle shots in a movie teeming with vibrant images, this shot most establishes the detached elegance of Jay Gatsby.
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Self-evidently a man who writes for the Internet, Robert also writes films, plays, teleplays, and short stories when he's not working on a movie set somewhere. He lives somewhere behind the Hollywood sign.