‘Dune: Part Two’ Is A Work of Art Thanks to Innovative Infrared Cinematography
Dune: Part two, which is Denis Villeneuve’s follow-up to Frank Herbert’s beloved novel, has finally hit theatres after much anticipation. More than the winning production of an Oscar in the first film, this sequel seems to take the production to a more advanced level and rightfully many have called it one of the greatest looking films of recent times.
The filmmakers provide audience with the Russians in the previous film which was innovative in every aspect. The russians were cared by the director and now given Russia or Geidi Prime, a home to House Harkonnen.
What Happened to Feyd-Rautha and How Did He Fight in the Ring? A Breathtaking Moment to Witness
In the film Dune: Part Two, there are various intense moments but the defeat of Feyd-Rautha the Harkonnen gladiator was a very interesting one. Butler’s character is revealed here: a murderous and mysterious figure, and the audience witnesses the future of visual storytelling in its evolution.
The sequence utilizes black and white infrared cinematography, which gives a distorted and unusual otherworldly appearance to the images of the world of the Harkonnens. The use of this technique makes Geidi Prime different from the desert scenery of Arrakis, which is a welcome change to the visual narrative of the film.
The Quest to Secure Geidi Prime
Geidi Prime’s exteriors were also depicted for the very first time in Dune: Part One, but only for brief moments indoors and during the night. The opposite was however true in the sequel, which showcased the planet’s outdoor scenes while capturing its alien portrayal. When he first stepped on the location, Villeneuve took stock of the situation and decided to shoot black and white. This enthusiasm resonated with Fraser and pushed him to experiment further.
In an interview with Kevin McCarthy, Villeneuve explained:
“I wanted to shoot Geidi Prime in … black and white, that was my plan. Greig suggested that infrared may be used, making the skin translucent and the eyes pitch-black and angry. This would be reminiscent of the Harkonnens’ mentality as well as a world in which the sun drowns out all hue.”
Fraser expanded on this concept by utilizing a modified ARRI Alexa LF Mini. The film was produced and directed while employing infrared technology, which differs greatly from conventional cinematography. The light spectrum that can be shot in this fashion gives viewers a taste of what an alien world would look like on stage, without the use of special effects makeup or advanced CGI.
How Infrared Cinematography Is Useful?
Light with a wavelength of more than 750 nm is absorbed by infrared cameras. The invasion of Insurgents into foreign lands is technologically not novel in itself, however these new security devices do give video footage that produces a shockingly ghostly picture.
For Dune: Part Two, this technique served a functional purpose since Geidi Prime was meant to be depicted as a planet surrounded by a ‘black sun’. This helped in portraying it as an area which lacked natural sources of light.
Fraser rendered more insight during his interview on The Movie Podcast:
“On Geidi Prime, there is no daylight, it’s just infrared; that sort of explains their pale skin with no hair. It’s an anti-sun world, everything seems to be so wrong and artificial.”
Wardrobe Choice Merits Additional Consideration
But the shift to the usage of infrared cinematography presented more problems than what the production crew had anticipated. This was especially true for costume designer Jacqueline West. Some fabrics seemed to change color due to their opperation; they turned white on set when infrared light was present.
West was quoted saying:
“Some fabrics immediately turned white under infrared. We had to redesign the costumes, so that people, including Feyd, wore black. It took a lot of trial and error with the cameras.”
Production Design and Direction, the Perfect Synergy
Patrice Vermette, the production designer of the film drew inspiration from a relevant yet unconventional source while working on the Geidi Prime colonization as he said: “In fact, it was a series of septic tanks that I saw while driving.” This dramatic influence enriched a so-called brutalist industrial style that suited perfectly for the gloomy asthetic of the Harkonnen world.
The result is a sequence that merges breathtaking visuals with standout production design and excellent detail, clearly featuring one of the defining moments of the picture.
An Awards-Season Contender
Dune: Part Two captivates the viewers and ever so gracefully draws the focus of the audience towards its midnight director as if they are tarred to the screen. The international industrial spetracs from Villeneuve’s newest offering will most likely be lauded come the beginning of the awards season. Of the many differences in his latest attempt towards cinema, the France duel on Geidi Prime is sure to be a signature shot for the film.
Imagine if quite at the end of the film someone would go on something that even the napoleon at times had never contemplated- constructing a draft for the audience on such intense scenes as they see in the deadly confrontation of the characters done in barely divided infrared. Cool, isn’t it?