When many film fans think of the biggest cinematographers around, names like Roger Deakins, Robert Richardson, Rachel Morrison, and Emmanuel Lubezski get thrown around quite often. But perhaps one of the best that fails to get the immediate name recognition is Christopher Doyle, the long-time collaborator of the master filmmaker Wong Kar-wai. And in a new interview with The Film Stage, the cinematographer gives his philosophy on film and why you won’t dare catch him working with some of the biggest directors in Hollywood.
As mentioned, Doyle has worked on films such as “Chungking Express,” “Happy Together,” “In the Mood for Love,” and “2046,” all with director Wong, with some of those films not just being considered some of the best of their respective years, but some of the best films, period. And when you read what Doyle says about the craft of making a film, it’s clear why he’s so good at his job, and why he’s likely not going to be making a blockbuster anytime soon.
“Everyone I work with, it’s not because of the script, or it’s not because of the money–sometimes,” said Doyle. “It’s because I think we can spend six months or a year together and enjoy each other’s company. Why else would you do it? I mean, any film, you’re going to spend at least six months with somebody. Why would you spend six months with Michael Mann or James Cameron? Are you crazy?”
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When asked if he ever has had experiences with those filmmakers, Doyle not only laughed at the suggestion but explained why a director such as Mann or Cameron wouldn’t dare work with him — ego.
“Of course not,” he said. “They don’t know what to do with me! [Laughs] Because they think the world revolves around them. The world doesn’t revolve around anybody. The world revolves around beer, sometimes. [Clinks glass] It revolves around complicity. The world is based on intimacy, on shared ideas. I mean, in my world, anyway.”
So, with all that being said, what makes a solid production? How does a great script turn into a great film? Well, Doyle has an idea.
“The script is a blueprint, but the film is a process,” he explained. “I think that’s really important. Sometimes people are not quite prepared for that process, so sometimes you have to help them go there. Usually, once you start to see what you’re doing, hopefully, you understand where you can go. Which is the opposite to, ‘Okay, it was shit. Spider-Man is not going to work today. Let’s put $100,000,000 into making it look better.’”
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He added, “I think we have absolutely opposite attitudes to what’s filmmaking. We make the film we can. They buy the film they think they want. I’m not sure which one… of course, they have the box office, but I think we have the integrity. It’s a little bit different.”
The rest of the interview at The Film Stage is pure gold and really demands a full read. And if you’re unfamiliar with the work of Doyle or Wong, you will have plenty of opportunities to catch up, as it’s been announced that they’re working on a collection of remastered works that will likely be released in 2020.