Studying "Zodiac"

I've run into this blog discussing film and the fine art of filmmaking and to my delight have found an article dealing with Fincher's directorial techniques on "Zodiac". The article is wonderful and to my personal taste could have gone on for another 100 pages!

The author of that post dwells a lot on famous "film-linguist" David Bordwell, in some references using a terminology I am not familiar with. However, the article also features a few screenshots and explains the observations of the author very comprehensively.

What I noticed and absolutely love about "Zodiac" is that its cinematography and editing is not in any way showy -- and with that rightfully different from "Panic Room" or "Fight Club", which depended on a stylish and noticeable direction of the camera.
But still "Zodiac" displays a very intriguing, visually arresting film-narration that pulls you in and doesn't let you go. There are several sequences once again in this movie that are just shot so perfectly by David Fincher that they will remain in my head forever, such as the remarkable Lake Berryessa scene or the three detectives interviewing Arthur L. Allen.

I really love this quote from the article:

"The more I watch Zodiac the more I appreciate how each camera angle and each edit is entirely deliberate and meticulously, almost painfully laboured over before making it into the final cut."


How absolutely right! I couldn't agree more.
That to me is "The Genius of David Fincher".
Hope there will be more articles like that. Enjoy:

Zodiac and Bordwell's "Intensified Continuity"

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