# Greatest Masterpieces of Production Design **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 26, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295 "2008-09-26T05:33:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/21 "2008-09-27T10:22:22Z")
Tron The Adventures of Baron Munchausen The Fifth Element ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/22 "2008-09-27T12:43:10Z")
I’ll throw in “Spirited Away”. The attention to detail in this movie is incredible…the spirit creatures, the bathhouse, Yubaba’s quarters contrasted to Zeneba’s cottage, the train. I think I’ll watch Spirited Away again… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/23 "2008-09-27T12:58:56Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > I was watching _[Blade Runner](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/)_ the other day, and it occurred to me that it might be the [greatest](http://marcosrock.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/blade-runner1.jpg) [masterpiece](http://mrvertigo.free.fr/vuducanap/uploaded_images/blade-runner-los-angeles-752153.jpg) of [production design](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production_designer), [like](http://boingboing.net/images/bladerunner-01-0707.jpg), [ever](http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews34/a%20blade%20runner%20hd%20blu-ray/IMG_8759.jpg). If not, what else? I’ve always thought Blade Runner was a bit overrated at times for other reasons. But in terms of production design it’s difficult to think of anything that tops it. It may be the all time winner in this regard. What impresses me more about Blade Runner than, say, Barry Lyndon, to use your other example, is that in the former case a convincing world had to be not only built and filmed, but created from a conceptual level and made convincing. The world of Barry Lyndon actually existed once; you don’t need to be convinced that what you are seeing is a real world. Sure, some do it better than others, but the viewer needs no convincing that this world is internally consistent. Unless there’s some horrid anachronism that takes you out of the movie, you’ll settle into the world being presented to you right away; oh, okay, I’m in 18th-century Europe, or classical Rome, or World War II, or what have you. But the L.A. seen in Blade Runner didn’t exist, or doesn’t yet, and had to be created from scratch. All sci-fi movies do this, but some a LOT better than others, and Blade Runner best of all. As cliche as it is to mention the movie in any context, Star Wars also has amazing set design. And Dune was equally awesome. But why I think Blade Runner was better is that it went beyond just being “let’s make a world different from this, and spend a lot of money on it and make sure it’s got a unique, consistent feel.” It was a world different from this, _but clearly evolved from this_, and in a way that (in 1982) seemed reasonably possible. They managed to set our world decades ahead in a way you could totally buy as a realistic outcome, and yet that still surprised and amazed you. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/24 "2008-09-27T15:24:14Z")
Much as I dislike the movie, “What Dreams May Come” was just beautifully designed. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/25 "2008-09-27T15:48:44Z")
Like RickJay I have reservations about “Blade Runner” as a story, but yeah it might be the best ever at creating a new and visually fascinating world. “Baron Munchausen” had some fine moments. Another beautiful vision was “Hudsucker Proxy.” And rest in peace, Paul. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/26 "2008-09-27T16:16:50Z")
**The Umbrellas of Cherbourg** ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/27 "2008-09-27T19:43:42Z")
**Batman** ('89) and well, pretty much any Tim Burton movie. **Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events** - this looks more like a “Roald Dahl” world than any movie actually based on Dahl’s books. **Popeye** - maybe the movie’s not so great, but the look and feel of the town of Sweethaven and its citizens is really well done. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/28 "2008-09-27T20:04:17Z")
_Moulin Rouge_ - City of Lost Children\* Seconding _The Royal Tenenbaums_ and _The Darjeeling Limited_ and adding _The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou_. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/29 "2008-09-27T20:46:12Z")
> [@Ronald\_C.Semone](#): > > **The Umbrellas of Cherbourg** Oh, amen. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/30 "2008-09-27T22:11:37Z")
_Akira_ _1492: Conquest of Paradise_ _Star Wars_ (Honestly, I think that’s a major reason for the franchise’s longevity and popularity) Burton’s _Batman_ movies _The Crow_ ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/31 "2008-09-27T22:42:13Z")
No one has mentioned **Dark City** yet, so I guess I will. Not the best, but well worth praising IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/32 "2008-09-27T23:17:03Z")
K, unless I missed something in my C&Ping, here’s what’s been mentioned so far. Anyone want to add clarification or anything? Akira Alien Alien Apocalypto Archangel Baron Munchausen Barry Lyndon Blade Runner Blade Runner Blade Runner Bram Stoker’s Dracula Brazil Brazil Brazil Burton’s Batman movies Charlie and the Chocolate Factory City of Lost Children City of Lost Children City of Lost Children Cleopatra Close Encounters Country Cube Dark City Delicatessen Doctor Zhivago Dune Dune Dune E.T Field of Dreams Forbidden Planet 1492: Conquest of Paradise Gattaca Hamlet HGTTG Hudsucker Proxy Intolerance Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate LOTR Lyndon Matrix Minority Report Moulin Rouge Neverending Story One from the Heart Pan’s Labyrinth Pirates of the Prospero’s Books Restoration Se7en Shane Spirited Away Stalker Star Wars Team America: World Police Adventures of Baron Munchausen Cell Cook, the Thief, his Wife, and her Lover Crow Darjeeling Limited Darjeeling Limited Dark Crystal Fifth Element Incredibles Island Last Emperor Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Royal Tenenbaums Royal Tenenbaums Scarlet Empress Secret Garden Time Bandits Tron 2001 2001 Umbrellas of Cherbourg What a Way to Go What a Way to Go What Dreams May Come What Dreams May Come Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295/33 "2008-09-27T23:17:53Z")
In my all-time top ten (this week, anyway): [Night of the Hunter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFzTBPy7nl8). It’s a tragedy that Charles Laughton never directed again. Also, any movie directed by Orson Welles, but these are my favourites: [A Touch of Evil](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg8MqjoFvy4), arguably the most famous tracking shot in all of cinema. [Othello](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3crdChxEVg). Doom, Doom, DOOOM! [The Lady from Shanghai](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_p66HjTweo). Origin of the hall-of-mirrors cliche? None of these clips are done justice by the crappy size and resolution of youtube clips so I hope people will hunt these movies down in the theatre or, at the very least, see them on DVD to truly appreciate these visual masterpieces. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-masterpieces-of-production-design/465295.md?page=1)