James A. Fitzpatrick's Traveltalks for MGM were probably the best known of the travel shorts during the studio era. Every month or so the moviegoer could look at a new place in bright Technicolor from all over the world.
Other studios had other series doing the same thing. United Artists was not a studio, but they imported a British series that did the same thing and their series, "A Worldwide Window" often had its subjects shot by Jack Cardiff, probably the most painterly of the great Technicolor cameramen. This is one of his.
Mr. Cardiff does two things here that lift this well out of the ordinary. First, he uses a moving camera, shooting a constantly changing scene as people walk and ride down the road, in a pan shot, keeping the viewer constantly pushing to see what amazing splash of color is coming up next. His second bit of technique is to overexpose his film, producing a flat background and a look like a Goya painting, or perhaps a mural on a whitewashed wall. It's quite innovative and lovely and Cardiff would remain, until his death at 94, one of the most interesting of people working in the field.
Other studios had other series doing the same thing. United Artists was not a studio, but they imported a British series that did the same thing and their series, "A Worldwide Window" often had its subjects shot by Jack Cardiff, probably the most painterly of the great Technicolor cameramen. This is one of his.
Mr. Cardiff does two things here that lift this well out of the ordinary. First, he uses a moving camera, shooting a constantly changing scene as people walk and ride down the road, in a pan shot, keeping the viewer constantly pushing to see what amazing splash of color is coming up next. His second bit of technique is to overexpose his film, producing a flat background and a look like a Goya painting, or perhaps a mural on a whitewashed wall. It's quite innovative and lovely and Cardiff would remain, until his death at 94, one of the most interesting of people working in the field.
