Why "Children of Men" should have won best Cinematography

Pan’s Labyrinth won for best cinematography over Children of Men. Of course, I believe the opposite should have been the result.

So, for all intensive purposes, here are my reasons why I believe Children of Men should have won the award for Best Cinematography over Pan’s Labyrinth.

1) Visual Effects Help Storyline: In both films, the visual effects help create the world we are meant to believe in. In PL, the visual effects (mostly CG bugs and brutal violence) demonstrate a fairytale world in which a young girl is attempting to return to her underworld kingdom. Though PL has major strengths in this area, only a small portion actually demonstrated a continuous effort to create a world unseen. In CoM, the entire length of the movie focused around the rugged, war torn, poverty stricken world in the not to distant future. At no point did any of the visual effects wane to give way for story. PL, stuck with an almost unrelated “real world” plot, forces us back and forth from spectacular visuals to cut-of-the-mill guerilla warfare. In my book, CoM takes this category above and beyond.

2) Use of Actual Cinematography: Cinematography doesn’t just include what people are wearing, or what they look like. In fact, that’s usually the costume department’s duty. And it doesn’t just include the pretty Computer Graphic generated scenes either. Cinematography includes the art of setting up a visual picture; the movement, flow, and angle of camera shots; and composition of each frame. Yes, PL focused on these aspects at times, but at no point did CoM falter. CoM focused on long takes, one lasting 9 straight minutes during one of the most coordinated action scenes I’ve seen. Admittedly, PL does have rare special shots, but no where near as consistent and creative as CoM.

3) Length of Shots: As referenced above, CoM includes a nine minute scene of uncut action that baffles the mind of any director or coordinator. In short, the shot begins with Theo (Clive Owen) running down an alley way, avoiding bullets, being captures, escaping capture due to rebel fighting, running down a destroyed city block, avoiding more bullets by running through two rundown buses filled with people, dodging tank fire, entering a building under fire, climbing 3 flights of stairs, and locating the last of the infants on the planet. ALL WHILE hundreds of extras are fighting, and cowering. Unfortunately, at no point does anything of this caliber of achievement happen in PL.

4) Cinematography Does Not Equal Computer Graphics: This will be short and simple. Cinematography does not mean Computer Graphics power. Though PL had creative CG creatures, and animation, one cannot give the award simply because the majority of their budget went to the graphics team. The story was creative, and at points, the imagery peeked interest, but at no point can you give an award on the sole basis of computer power put into the story. The camera has to be involved in some way (IMHO) and it just wasn’t an element in PL.

Well, that’s what I have to offer. I was going to do more, but without having shots from the special features disc of CoM, it’s hard to explain some of the contraptions they developed for special shots, including a new camera rig for inside a car to give Point-of-View on all 5 people in a car without having to cut, or have a cameraperson in the car. Again, unprecedented skill. Passed up again by the Oscars.

I’m through with them.