3.3 - K-19: THE WIDOWMAKER (2002) & Camaraderie

Our latest Kathryn Bigelow offering is the 2002 thriller based on a true story, K-19: THE WIDOWMAKER. We discuss its editing, pacing, and narrative, in a discussion that ranges from the way in which Bigelow tries to tease out relationships on different social levels to more on her depiction of masculinity, particularly in a military context

This Week’s Media
THE PINK CHIQUITAS (1987): Anthony Currie, Frank Stallone, Bruce Pirrie
ATONEMENT (2007): Joe Wright, James McAvoy, Keira Knightley

Recommendations
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (2016): Antoine Fuqua, Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt
MADMEN (2007—15): Matthew Weiner, Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss
NKNOWN (2011): Jaume Collet-Serra, Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger
THE CONSTANT GARDENER (2005): Fernando Meireilles, Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz

Footnotes
Firstly this week, here’s a link to the historical narrative adapted into Bigelow’s film (the ’Nuclear accident’ section is particularly relevant): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_submarine_K-19. Then, here’s a fairly basic piece explaining the building blocks of camera technique, a number of which KB uses in the cramped space of the submarine: http://www.elementsofcinema.com/cinematography/camera-movement. This is an interesting book collecting some essays on post-World-War-II nuclear diplomacy: https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=79RJheQYvq8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR8&dq=russian+cold+war+party+camaraderie&ots=gOKV934XTD&sig=qVst45eyi3bXblB66eDeVVnY9yg#v=onepage&q&f=false. This gives a better explanation of a ‘match cut’ than Sam offered! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_cut. And finally, here’s more on the composer who did so much to help build tension aurally in the film (Sam meant to wax lyrical about him, and forgot): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Badelt.