'1917' has one of the best audiovisual moments in film I've ever seen *spoilers*

[NTGYK]

*SPOILERS*



There's this scene halfway through the film where Schofield gets knocked out by a German soldier who shoots him in the helmet, and when he comes to, night has fallen and there is a massive fire in the distance. The above track plays as he struggles out of the building and then runs through the town as German soldiers take shots at him and he tries to avoid them. The entire sequence plays out, feels like an epic, surrealistic nightmare in some hellscape (and this film is not short for nightmarish visuals).

Oh man, that was such a brilliant sequence.

 

[DeckardWintermute]

As soon as I saw the title to this thread I knew what scene you were talking about before I even clicked on it.

 

[HStallion]

The constantly shifting lighting caused by the flares being continuously let off in the nearly destroyed town was amazing. The whole production was an audiovisual feast but that part was especially striking.

 

[scitek]

As soon as I saw the title to this thread I knew what scene you were talking about before I even clicked on it.

Click to shrink...

Haha, I just saw the movie tonight, and that scene immediately came to mind when I saw the thread title.

 

[lint2015]

The constantly shifting lighting caused by the flares being continuously let off in the nearly destroyed town was amazing. The whole production was an audiovisual feast but that part was especially striking.

Click to shrink...

Yeah the flares going off in the town was so good. And must've required crazy planning and coordination.

 

[Kirblar]

Much of the film is like a Diablo game come to life, which I was not expecting going in.

 

[Deleted member 3925]

Yep, Roger Deakins at the top of his game as usual and a beautiful score. Jaw-dropping scene.

 

[NetMapel]

Seems like they planned that part quite meticulously!

 

[FeD]

Yeah the flares going off in the town was so good. And must've required crazy planning and coordination.

Click to shrink...

They actually made a miniature version of the town where they would test the lighting so they could see where the shadows would be. And plan the shot accordingly.

Absolutely stunning sequence.

 

[Mantrox]

Such an enjoyable film.
Its full of amazing visceral sequences.

 

[almutama]

At one point, it even looked like it was daylight. Incredible sequence.

 

[Soap]

Yeah. This scene was something else and made my glad I viewed it in the cinema.

 

[selo]

I thought you'd be talking about the one near the end where he's running and stumbles against other soldiers and gets up. I loved that scene for some reason. I read that that wasn't scripted.


Regarding the scene OP mentions my enjoyment was not as much due to the German soldiers getting the starwars bad aiming syndrome.

 

[Memento Mori]

The film looks incredible in IMAX. Deakins deserves another oscar for this.

 

[Timbuktu]

I hope this stays in IMAX for a while, haven't had the time to catch it yet.

 

[Kaversmed]

It's one of the best films I've seen in years. Such an incredible experience which I did not expect at all going in.

 

[Deleted member 28461]

Can't wait to watch it at home with HDR and Dolby Atmos. The entire film is stunning. I'm usually not into war movies, but I was absolutely blown away by 1917 from a technical standpoint.

 

[Fat4all]

it's easily one of the best composed scenes I've seen recently

an absolute stunner

 

[TheGreatDirector]

Yeah, that was easily the audiovisual highlight of an already beautiful film.

 

[Templeusox]

Amazing scene.

The scene near the end where Schofield runs along the trench as the camera pulls back literally had my jaw agape. It's even more impressive when I found out afterwards that the collisions he had with the other troops were not choreographed.

It's so great to see practical effects live and well.

 

[TheIlliterati]

Seeing this moment in Dolby, it was a peak cinema experience.

 

[balgajo]

That shit was incredible. I was really impressed.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

Seems like they planned that part quite meticulously!

Click to shrink...

Thank you for posting this. I just saw the movie on Friday night and it was exceptional.

 

[Terror-Billy]

I knew it was the night window scene when I read the title. My jaw dropped to the floor when that whole sequence happened. An absolute work of genius and a great example of how all crafts in film can work together to create a defining moment. The music from Tom Newman is the icing on the cake. Criminal if he doesn't win the Oscar for this.

 

[bahorel]

I just saw this movie yesterday and it was incredible. I'm not one for war movies but this felt completely different. the cinematic artistry and music together blew me away. i kept finding myself wondering how they had to choreograph the camera/set to the shot to work. and the actor who played the main character was so good.

 

[Fisty]

Freakin Deakins man, every single frame of this film was a treat and the choreography was unbelievable

 

[Scorpion Soldier]

Seen it twice in IMAX and once in Dolby now (btw if you get the chance, both versions are amazing but the Dolby version takes the cake), but I was just in awe every time it got to the window scene... Felt otherworldly almost, like for a moment you forget you're in a war movie as those flares go off. The scene with Schofield running across the trench is one of the most inspiring/heroic sequences I've seen in a long time though.

 

[scitek]

The choreography is nuts.



The fact it was shot day-for-night kinda blows my mind, too.


Also, I'm seeing a lot of tweets now from people who actually seem to believe the movie was done in one take.

 

[Deleted member 13798]

The constantly shifting lighting caused by the flares being continuously let off in the nearly destroyed town was amazing. The whole production was an audiovisual feast but that part was especially striking.

Click to shrink...

That was a captivating sequence.

 

[ExhaustedWalrus]

I thought overall the movie was OK but this sequence was thematically and visually incredible.

 

[Mona]

The constantly shifting lighting caused by the flares being continuously let off in the nearly destroyed town was amazing. The whole production was an audiovisual feast but that part was especially striking.

Click to shrink...

yep

 

[Speevy]

They should just start each Oscar show from now on by handing Roger Deakins a statue.

 

[Mona]

The fact it was shot day-for-night kinda blows my mind, too.

Click to shrink...

yo wtf

 

[iareharSon]

It was very surreal and dreamlike

 

[jett]

A gorgeous and truly impressive technical achievement, no doubt.

 

[Grimm Fandango]

Yep the flare scene is going to be one of those immortalized into movie history. And something that deserves to be watched in a cinema, not from home.

 

[Fevaweva]

I feel like the vast majority of the technical Oscar awards should be won by 1917.

 

[Kyuuji]

Deakins is a master of his craft. Amazing scene, incredible film.

 

[Speevy]

And the award for Roger Deakins in a motion picture goes to

 

[NTGYK]

It's definitely a film best experienced in the cinema. Similar to Dunkirk, the initial viewing should be in a cinema with a decent size crowd. I can't understate the visceral impact of watching it

 

[Tremorah]

Perfect visuals and music, its like the notes go with the shadows

Just so damn good

 

[Zoe]

I really liked the shot that panned from the dead sniper, through the window, and then to our guy out on the street.

The fact it was shot day-for-night kinda blows my mind, too.

Click to shrink...

Woah

 

[Skux]

I watched this film yesterday and I can't praise it enough.

 

[VanDoughnut]

The movie had so many striking sequences visually but yeah that's the first one that comes to mind.

It was unreal. The shot that shows these war torn buildings and the red light felt surreal and menacing. Hell on earth.

 

[andrew]

The choreography is nuts.



The fact it was shot day-for-night kinda blows my mind, too.


Also, I'm seeing a lot of tweets now from people who actually seem to believe the movie was done in one take.

Click to shrink...

shooting day for night is literally a 100 year old technique—being able to shoot at night is, cinematographically, technically more impressive

 

[Brinbe]

It was okay. I think it was a tad too convenient in many cases. Dude should've died many times. Which felt like a mockery of actual war in a sense. But the audiovisuals were definitely on point.

 

[Dervius]

God damn it, I have a day off tomorrow and now I'm going to have to go and see this again tomorrow while it's still showing.

It's a beautiful film but that night-time sequence is a definite standout. The flares, the flames, the faceless pursuer. It's truly something special, every frame of.it.

As someone else has mentioned though, the rising score and desperation during the trench run at the end was really riveting stuff. A scene that I'll remember for some time.

 

[Arc]

Amazing film. It's going to clean up at the Oscars.

 

[thecouncil]

Thomas Newman and the flares really sold that scene. It didn't need to be as beautiful as it was.

 

[duckroll]

Yeah I saw it today and it was crazy. One of the most self-indulgent and arrogant showcases of pure cinematography in ages. It's a pure showcase of technical competency and mastery at the highest levels. I can see why some people are put off by it, but damn it we NEED films like this from time to time to remind us what can truly be accomplished in the art of film photography. It's just obscene. Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins killed it so hard that the Oscars race for Best Director and Best Cinematography shouldn't even be a contest this year. It starts and ends with 1917.

That scene where Scofield wakes up, looks out of the window, and then walks out into the night illuminated by fire and flares......... just......... wow. Unbelievable. I'm so glad I caught this in a cinema.