Dark and haunting are the worlds director Denis Villeneuve brings to the screen. Often obstructed by oblique lines and brimming with suspense, Villeneuve frames his films in a way that pulls the audience forward by their already contorted, anxiety-ridden gut. Villeneuve’s most recent film “Blade Runner 2049” will, no doubt, earn its place in the canon of thought provoking and awe-inspiring science fiction cinema. A large portion of praise “Blade Runner 2049” has garnered is due to the transcendent camera work of cinematographer Roger Deakins, with whom Villeneuve previously worked with on “Sicario” and “Prisoners.” Translated by way of Deakins’ incomparable talent and style, Villeneuve marries the feeling of unease and the framework of film to create images that are possessive.
In a supercut/video essay edited by Mikolaj Kacprzak, Villeneuve puts audiences in the position of intimate observer. Entitled “Through the Glass,” many of the shots are masterfully executed by means of production and post-production techniques to fully immerse the audience. Often there’s an abiding sentiment that we are stalkers and foreigners in spaces that seem familiar but we are alienated from. Slow zooms and specific focus often accompany the scenes comprised in the video. Audiences are further separated by a wall of glass in the form of a window, helmet, or division wall. Accompanying these images is the original orchestration from Villeneuve’s film “Prisoners” by Jóhann Jóhannsson.
Uncomfortable in their voyeuristic tone, his films convey both a separation and an intimacy. While “Blade Runner 2049” continues to run in theaters, we hope to find this trademark style of Villeneuve’s direction. Although the images of neon blues and oranges seem bright, we’ll be searching for that reminder of separation as a viewer, as we peer through the glass of yet another commanding Villeneuve spectacle.