Ken Kelsch, ASC
At Close Range (1986)
"At Close Range is a totally stylized film; the story, the acting and the cinematography are all highly stylized. If you're going for that kind of look, you have to commit to it and be consistent, and the cinematographer, Juan Ruiz-Anch�a [ASC], did so in this film.
"The picture tells the story of a world that is murky and dark, and it explores the idea of a father teaching a formerly estranged son to be a career criminal. That is not a high-key world; it's not comedy. The lighting should therefore reflect the darkness of the story and viewpoint. Stylistically, Ruiz-Anch�a went the right way; the dark, shadowy lighting emphasizes the characters' inner turmoil, and the spiritual and intellectual darkness of the story.
"Ruiz-Anch�a's philosophy of lighting and my own seem to coincide. I say this even though I'm proud that every segment on my reel has a different look. Basically, I'm against TV-type lighting, although it is becoming more advanced. Faces are no longer always two stops overexposed, compared to the sky, on television. That's a major step toward lighting reality, so I like the fact that Ruiz-Anch�a didn't flat-light the faces in At Close Range; he especially kept his night and driving scenes in half-light or close to it. The night exteriors are kind of sourcey and not totally motivated, but the style is effective.
"During one scene in which Sean Penn is on the hood of a car tormenting the driver, with the windshield wiper in his mouth, one entire half of his face is in shadow. To me, this helps tell the story of a kid trapped in this little town. I also love the use of the slow-motion on Mary Stuart Masterson when Sean Penn first notices her in the town square. It's emotionally strong.
"The lighting is not naturalistic, however. Toward the end of the film, Christopher Walken [who plays the father figure, a master rural criminal] walks into Penn's mother's house. He's wearing shades and the living room is quite dark, and then he goes into the kitchen, which is 'properly exposed.' He gives the grandmother $12,000 in cash to bail out the Penn character, which she refuses.
"The lighting in the sequence isn't necessarily realistic, but it is right for the scene. I keep thinking about my undergraduate film professor, who would scream, 'Look, he's in the dark; what does that mean?' There's a certain validity to that. It's not just cheap symbolism; it's helping to establish the character through lighting manipulation.
"The cinematography in this film tends to be noticeable, and that's dangerous territory. It's a personal gamble. Films should definitely have a signature look, but it has to come directly from the narrative. For example, Days of Heaven is a beautifully photographed film, and [cinematographer] Nestor Alemendros [ASC] did a tremendous job, but it's almost a failure in a way, because you come out saying, 'The film was beautiful, but I don't remember a thing about who was in it!' You have to be very careful not to staple the style onto the film. But I think Juan Ruiz-Anch�a made the right aesthetic judgments in At Close Range."
—as told to Eric Rudolph
Ken Kelsch's credits as a director of photography include the features Bad Lieutenant, The Addiction, The Funeral, Big Night, The Imposters, and the ABC telefilm Rear Window.
© 1999 ASC