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ALL HAIL THE NETFLIX KING AND CINEMATOGRAPHIC WIZARD
Four Ways Adam Arkapaw Showcases His Cinematographic Genius
Featuring examples uncovered from True Detective, unearthed from Macbeth, and won from The King
The fact of Adam Arkapaw being a cinematic master? The case was closed with True Detective (2014). If you’ve ever feasted your eyes on this brilliant HBO drama with its bleak, barren landscapes and cutting edge shots (including the famous six minute single-take tracking shot), you’ve already had your mesmerizing introduction to the cinematic artistry of Australian cinematographer Adam Arkapaw.
Chances are, you may have already seen some of Arkapaw’s former works: Animal Kingdom (2010), The Snowtown Murders (2011), Macbeth (2015), The Light Between Oceans (2016) or Assassin’s Creed (2016). But Netflix recently released his newest masterpiece: The King (2019). It’s certainly well worth the watch (even a re-watch) if you enjoy movies that patiently break down character behaviour and motivation in insightful and methodical ways. Both True Detective and The King expertly examine different character philosophies, delving deep into character psyches to showcase what lies within their minds. The characters either possess or are introduced to bleak philosophies and harsh perspectives to their reality. Arkapaw has succeeded in presenting us with a beautifully crafted — if not inherently dark — depiction of this grim reality, creating stark imagery that lends well with the beautifully crafted narrative. All this, complete with expert dialogue that never falls short of eternal depth, combine to form a masterpiece of cinema and an experience like no other.
In lieu of the new kingly release, I have noted four things Arkapaw does right when crafting his cinematic pieces.
**If you have not yet watched True Detective, Macbeth, and/or The King, this post may contain spoilers**
