“Nobody's perfect. There was never a perfect person around. You just have half-angel and half-devil in you.”Cinematographer Marcus Patterson joins Movies We Like hosts Andy Nelson and Pete Wright to discuss Terrence Malick's 1978 masterpiece
Days of Heaven. Drawing from his own experience shooting the anthology film
Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake), Patterson explores how Malick and cinematographers Néstor Almendros and Haskell Wexler crafted one of cinema's most visually stunning achievements through their innovative use of natural light and magic hour photography.
Patterson's journey to cinematography wasn't direct – he tried acting, writing, and editing before discovering his passion behind the camera. Starting with short films in Alabama, he developed his craft through countless projects before moving to Los Angeles. His work on
Sunfish demonstrates his ability to capture intimate human moments while maintaining a painterly approach to composition and lighting, particularly in natural settings.The conversation explores how
Days of Heaven revolutionized the use of natural light in cinema, with Patterson offering technical insights about how Almendros and Wexler achieved their remarkable images. Through Linda Manz's narration, the film presents its tragic love triangle from a child's perspective, creating emotional distance that heightens rather than diminishes its impact. Patterson connects these techniques to his own work on
Sunfish, particularly in capturing the languid atmosphere of lake life and the delicate interplay of light and water.
In both films, we see how careful attention to natural light and composition can elevate storytelling beyond mere narrative into the realm of visual poetry. Patterson's deep appreciation for
Days of Heaven and its influence on his own work reveals how cinema's visual language continues to evolve while remaining rooted in these foundational techniques of capturing light and life on film.
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