How'd They Do That?

Jack Lynt

Jack Lynt

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I was just watching The Quick and the Dead and I noticed this interesting use of depth of field.

It looks like the foreground is in focus. The middle ground is out of focus. And the background is in focus.

It's almost as though there are two separate fields of focus.

First of all, am I seeing that right?

When I first noticed it, it seemed a bit weird. But I guess it's actually pretty handy.

Secondly, it's clear enough why they did that. But how did they do it?

And what do you think of it?
 
Interesting technique, but I'm not a fan of it because it looks so unnatural to the eye. Instead of drawing my attention to the main subjects, it takes me out of the story and makes me aware I'm watching a movie.
 
Tarantino does this. And it's way more obvious and distracting when he does. I can't be certain of each instance, but I've noticed it in a few of his films. The best (or, more precisely, worst) example, and the only one I can think of right now, comes from Reservoir Dogs. When Mr. Orange is talking to Officer Nash, the two are in focus, but there's a horrible blurred line running between them. Very ugly.
 
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