That One Continuous Shot & Gaspar Noe’s Climax
Gather round, kids, for it’s time for another lesson. Today’s topic of discussion: filmmaking porn. More specifically: the continuous shot. The case study: Gaspar Noe’s Climax.
Over the past couple of years, a new phenomenon has emerged and quickly gained popularity in the filmmaking business. That is: the one continuous shot. An undoubtedly amazing-looking feature that can give every film that specific little spark it may need.
The continuous shot gained popularity after Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Granted, it was around much before that, but it was only after studios saw the mass appeal that the public had for the way Birdman was filmed that they decided to go ahead and allow creatives to experiment with this cinematic feature more.
For example, Victoria is a film from 2015 that is truly one continuous shot. That’s next on our watchlist. But more on that, later.
Our main point for today is this:
Continuous shots are great. They look amazing and, if done well, are truly a filmmaking achievement. But they need to serve a purpose.
Because a lot of the time, it’s just filmmaking porn. It’s cool and all, of course, but it doesn’t actually give anything to the story; rather, it takes away. Because continuous shots are getting so popular, even the generic viewer notices them. Thus, a shot like that can take said viewer away from the story and make them think about the movie from a more external angle.
(We should always look at films critically. However, it shouldn’t be the story that pushes us to look through this prism; we should push ourselves.)
A film that completely takes advantage of the continuous one shot and all it has to offer, story-wise, is Gaspar Noe’s Climax.
Climax begins with a 13-minute-long continuous shot. Five of those minutes are a dance sequence. Granted, there are a couple of hidden cuts here and there, so it’s not actually one shot, but the edits are very difficult to notice and made very skillfully.
But that’s not all. From the mid-point of Climax until its end, it’s one 42-minute-long continuous shot. Again, a couple of cuts here and there, but not too many and not noticeable unless looked for. It’s truly extraordinary.
Climax is a rare film where the cinematography, and pretty much all technical details, are used to build the story. Not just details and sparkles, but tools that support the plot.
Climax is an LSD trip.
It’s a bad LSD trip. A psychological horror, of sorts, with truly disturbing stories all around. It’s a journey of the mind. The cinematography in the movie helps build that. It not only creates a feeling of unease, but also a continuous journey of unease. That 42-minute-long shot both enforces the idea that it’s many stories all happening at the same time and creates and establishes the individuality of the characters.
Really, it’s that 42-minute-long shot that makes Climax what it aims to be. It aims to be a scary drug-infused journey, it aims to be chaos, it aims to be neon & colors, and it aims to be different perspectives. Through the shot, it achieves all that.
We’re using Climax as an example for what the continuous shot should be. In a day where most filmmakers like to experiment with this cinematic feature and put it in their movies and stories for simple effect, we wonder when it’s actually necessary and when it actually works. In most films, we think, it doesn’t.
But if its used with grace and purpose, and if it serves the story, then the continuous shot is truly one of Hollywood’s most beautiful creations.
______________________________________________________________________________
Interested in filmmaking? Want to give it a shot with the continuous shot? Get your first camera here and start experimenting.
And check out our Midsommer review.
Enjoyed this article? Share it! We would really appreciate it. You can also tweet us, like our Facebook page, or better yet – subscribe to our email list so you never miss a thing. Or hey, just comment below whatever thoughts you may have – we love reading them and we always respond.
— Pouty Boy