Get ready to be transported back in time with The English, an episodic series that pays homage to the Spaghetti Westerns of the late last century. But this isn’t just a simple tribute – it also explores how the cinematographers of that era might have filmed these classic movies using modern technology.
Arnau Valls Colomer, the show’s cinematographer, faced a daunting task – he had only 90 days to shoot six one-hour episodes of this American land-rush drama. Initially, he had considered moving away from the traditional Western aesthetic, but thankfully he changed his mind.
The story follows Emily Blunt’s character, an English Lady on a mission to find her son’s killer, as she meets Chaske Spencer’s Indian scout looking to secure land promised to him by the American army. But the time was full of dangers and general lawlessness, including the continued violent depopulation of the American Indian.
To recreate the vast landscapes of the mid-west, the production team had to get creative. Spain was used as a substitute for the US, but not the southern part of the country where the Spaghetti Westerns were made. Instead, they filmed in Castilla-La Mancha and Castile and León, using digital mountains and clever framing techniques to hide the joins.
But how did they recreate the classic Western look? Arnau used vintage Panavision lenses from the 1980s, which produced beautiful flares and bokeh, and shot with a static camera to increase the speed of set-ups. The result is stunning images that pay tribute to the classic Western tropes like silhouettes, long shadows, and breathtaking widescreen scenery.
While virtual production has its place in modern filmmaking, using it for a cinematic Western genre may miss the point. The beauty of The English lies in its homage to the past and the use of traditional techniques to recreate the classic Western look. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this journey back in time.
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