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which re-united van Hoytema with Alfredson, the setting is firmly the Seventies. Gary Oldman plays George Smiley while the rest of the cast includes Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Stephen Graham, Jared Harris, Ciaran Hinds, Roger Lloyd Pack and Mark Strong.
Inevitably, the hit 1979 BBC miniseries does tend to come to mind, noting also it was a double BAFTA winner both for Alec Guinness’s Smiley and, interestingly, Tony Pierce-Roberts’ cinematography.
Van Hoytema, who saw the TV version after beginning production on the film, which shoots in Budapest and Istanbul as well as London, talks about the difference in mindset.
“To make it work for the cinema, you can’t rely so much on dialogue or on tight close-ups all the time as they tend to do in TV. Also I do think it’s very interesting to do something now about the Seventies; it’s as if you’re almost doing something historical. People tend to relate very differently to the past.
“The way films are made has changed so much between then and now. Now, it’s all about faster-cuts and about trying to keep people constantly entertained. We’d love this film to have some sort of an old-fashioned decency to it.
“The way Tomas and I are shooting it is part of an ongoing discussion everyday. Extremely long lenses at times, sometimes wider lenses. It’s not like we have settled on one idea about how we should capture the whole film. We talked all the time on Let The Right One In relying a lot on instinct; that way you end with what feels right.”
Working with his usual colourist Mats Holmgren - “he fits this project very well” - van Hoytema, also operating again which he hadn’t done on The Fighter, paid tribute to the UK crew “who are so kind and helpful.”
The last time he and Alfredson worked together, the director was reported as commenting fulsomely (and possibly with some exaggeration): “Before I die I will build a monument celebrating Hoyte in the harbour of his hometown Rotterdam, depicting him when he’s out on a walk with his ridiculously small dog Myggan.”
Van Hoytema laughs at the tribute, noting that the dog has since moved out to live with his mother- in-law now that he has a baby “to replace it.” And with that, it’s back to the serpentine business of spy stories. QUENTIN FALK
The Fighter, opening in the UK in February, was originated on 35mm Fujicolor ETERNA 250T 8553, ETERNA 250D 8563 and ETERNA 500T 8573; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, now in production, is being originated on 35mm Fujicolor REALA 500D 8592, ETERNA 500T 8573 and ETERNA 250T 8553; Let The Right One In, now available on Blu-ray and DVD was originated on 35mm Fujicolor ETERNA 250T 8553, ETERNA 250D 8563 and ETERNA 500T 8573.
FUJIFILM MOTION PICTURE • THE MAGAZINE • EXPOSURE • 31
Photo main and left: Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale in scenes from The Fighter; above l-r: Lina Leandersson as Eli in Let The Right One In;
Hoyte van Hoytema on the set of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (photo courtesy Jack English)