Jump to content

Midnight Meat Train & M4


carbonadam

Recommended Posts

Just picked up Midnight Meat Train on DVD and was shocked to see the main character using a Leica M4. Very cool. The film is worth checking out for the Leica and the film which is pretty crazy.

I had a post on this same movie here about a month ago. How did you figure out it was an M4, very few were black? M4P maybe? Crazy movie eh?:eek:

Link to post
Share on other sites

The very first shot of leon in the city right as the film begins is a close up of him holding the camera. On the DVD I just paused it and could see it said Leitz M4. I'll get a screen grab of it tomorrow and post it here. Crazy how a Leica user follows a crazed killer on a wild journey. So nuts. I had to wait for my family to go our so I could watch the film alone. No one else would watch with me.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually, I could not wait. here are the shouts from the film off my screen. I guess it is a M4P. I am not familiar with the older models so I just saw the M4 and figured that was it. Still, very cool.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited by carbonadam
Link to post
Share on other sites

Could start an interesting thread on the incidence of Leicas appearing in movies. My contribution would be 'Eurotrip', where one of the characters has an interesting outcome when getting his M7 serviced in Amsterdam....

 

I can spare you the trouble ;)

 

Leica FAQ - Leica Spotting & at the Movies

Edited by ErikFive
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks to Eliot on photo.net...

 

The following additional variations of the M4-2 are documented: 1) earliest cameras, some 90-95 or so, all with the SN 1468xxx, have the red Leitz metal circle ("red dot") on the front vulcanite; 2) small details including the lens lock release button and a condenser lens in the rangefinder mechanism were changed from early to later production; 3) there was g gold plated M4-2 (Barnack commemorative) issued with matching gold 50/1.4 Summilux in 1979; and 4) there were small numbers of chrome M4-2s issued (but never catalogued), which turn up for sale from time to time. These were made on special request. Undoubtedly there are other variations of the M4-2 out there.

 

Guess someone will have to phone the director and get the s/no ;)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 5 years later...

Something that strikes me as interesting is how Bradley Cooper handles the M4-P in this movie. He removes the baseplate and taps the camera a couple of times to dislodge the film canister. He shoots with both eyes open most of the time, a habit that many rangefinder users have. And in one scene, he is clearly using a Leicavit to rapidly wind from one shot to the next. There's a little continuity gaffe at that point, as he goes from thumbing the wind lever to flicking the Leicavit and then back in the same sequence, but he is competently using a Leicavit.

 

This suggests that Bradley Cooper is either quite familiar with how a Leica handles, or that he practiced with it for a while with someone who was able to show him how it was used. Also interesting is the choice of model. They could have been using a M7, MP or other modern version for the sake of product placement, but they went with a slightly lesser known model with an even more obscure method of winding. I'd love to be able to ask someone in this production why the M4-P was chosen and where it came from.

 

While the movie is kind of hokey and cartoonishly gory, I consider the Leica to be an uncredited star in it!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Something that strikes me as interesting is how Bradley Cooper handles the M4-P in this movie. He removes the baseplate and taps the camera a couple of times to dislodge the film canister. He shoots with both eyes open most of the time, a habit that many rangefinder users have. And in one scene, he is clearly using a Leicavit to rapidly wind from one shot to the next. There's a little continuity gaffe at that point, as he goes from thumbing the wind lever to flicking the Leicavit and then back in the same sequence, but he is competently using a Leicavit.

 

This suggests that Bradley Cooper is either quite familiar with how a Leica handles, or that he practiced with it for a while with someone who was able to show him how it was used. Also interesting is the choice of model. They could have been using a M7, MP or other modern version for the sake of product placement, but they went with a slightly lesser known model with an even more obscure method of winding. I'd love to be able to ask someone in this production why the M4-P was chosen and where it came from.

 

While the movie is kind of hokey and cartoonishly gory, I consider the Leica to be an uncredited star in it!

 

Actually the choice of M4 was pretty obvious in the movie, as the character did not exactly languish in luxury with the hobby of keeping up a Leica gear collection, rather used an affordable and tough second hand first rate camera which suited him.

 

I liked the movie actually for what it was, although the main character somehow was creepy, yes the main character.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually the choice of M4 was pretty obvious in the movie, as the character did not exactly languish in luxury with the hobby of keeping up a Leica gear collection, rather used an affordable and tough second hand first rate camera which suited him.

 

I liked the movie actually for what it was, although the main character somehow was creepy, yes the main character.

 

Dirk, what you say about the choice of camera makes sense, given Bradley Cooper's character. And the movie is as much about his predestined descent into that world as the events on the Meat Train, which would explain his creepiness.

 

And I did like the movie, and watch it every now and again, for the movie and cinematography and not just the M4-P.

 

Funny, but I handled a M4-2 in a shop and nearly bought it because of its light weight and even smaller build than the M7. Man, it felt really nice! But I didn't because it wasn't a M4-P, and lacked the 28mm framelines that I've come to depend upon.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

Funny, but I handled a M4-2 in a shop and nearly bought it because of its light weight and even smaller build than the M7. Man, it felt really nice! But I didn't because it wasn't a M4-P, and lacked the 28mm framelines that I've come to depend upon.

 

Which is why I can't get over myself and sell my M6 classic despite hardly using it anymore.

It is in some ways the best Leica M, ever made.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...