Another modern adaptation of the classic rivalry was shot for the big screen. Directed by Tim Story and shot by Alan Stewart on the Sony VENICE Paired With Panavision Primo 70 and Primo Artiste Lenses. That allows large-format characteristics combined with vintage imagery.
Tom and Jerry 2021
Once again, Tom and Jerry take their cat-and-mouse game to the big screen. The plans for a live-action film were announced in 2009 following the success of Alvin and the Chipmunks. However, principal photography began ten years later in 2019 at Warner Bros Studios in Hertfordshire, England. Luckily, the filming ended before the industry’s shutdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the post-production crew worked from home. Tom & Jerry was theatrically released by Warner Bros. Pictures in the United States in February 2021, along with a one-month simultaneous streaming release on HBO Max. The film which was directed by Tim Story has grossed $5 million worldwide and received generally unfavorable reviews from critics, who heavily criticized the film’s heavy focus on human characters over Tom and Jerry, though its visual effects were praised.
Cinematography: Aimed for the big screen
Tom and Jerry 2021 was shot by cinematographer Alan Stewart (Aladdin) on the Sony VENICE paired with Panavision Primo 70 and Primo Artiste lenses. Sources say that this is the first Tom and Jerry movie to have an IMAX release. However, I couldn’t find any IMAX screening. Nevertheless, the cinematographic tools utilized to shoot this legendary rivalry, are designed for the huge canvas, for instance, the VENICE, which is IMAX certified. Furthermore, the glass behind this film is intriguing even more. The production utilized two types of lenses: the Primo 70 and the Primo Artiste, which both of them have developed by Panavision a few years ago.
Primo 70
The Primo 70 lens was showcased in 2014 and was designed to work with larger sensor digital cameras. The lenses were presented at the 22nd edition of the Camerimage International Film Festival, in twelve focal lengths: 24mm, 27mm, 35mm, 40mm, 50mm, 65mm, 80mm, 100mm, 125mm, 150mm, 200mm and 250mm. While the Primo 70s are undeniably sharp, the fall-off from focus is gentle and smooth, with an organic quality to it. There is very little color fringing, coma tails, or distortion.
Primo Artiste
The Primo Artiste lenses, which were announced in 2017, are a full series of T/1.8 Prime lenses dedicated for large format cinematography. The essence of the Artiste concept is an innovative configuration that takes advantage of the aesthetic flexibility available within large-format digital sensors, with the resulting look evoking a quality reminiscent of vintage optics, and thus synchronizes and contributes to the good and old imagery of Tom and Jerry.
Check out the trailer below, and let’s know what you think about this modern-vintage look of this cat and mouse big-screen battle:
