MSCL.com

Watching the pilot again, which i haven't seen in about 8 years, it was such a shock to see how young Claire Danes was then. I know it was filmed a good time before the show was picked up and in production, but i had forgotten how young and awkward she looked.

I also forgot how well shot the show was. Interesting transitions from scene to scene etc.

Can't wait to watch the rest now. It really is like I am rediscovering the show all over again

I will readily admit that I was not big on the art of film or direction or whatever you want to call it, but I loved the way MSCL was done - like the Angela/Anne Frank thing or the whole lifeguard kissing thing. I was disappointed that they used transitions like that less and less as the series went on. I comforted myself with the incredible writing and great acting.

I just watched the pilot on DVD for the first time last night and I definitely agree with what everyone posted in the DVD forum about how washed out the color is. Even so, when you compare everyone else's skin tone (try the dinner scene) with Claire's, she is practically glowing in the dark. I mean she isn't just pale - she is literally white as a sheet!

Looking back, it's amazing how much she was able to convey at the age of 13. I have always thought that she is a very controlled actress, but in retrospect, remembering what a bunch of spazzes 13 year old girls can be, it's incredible that she was so cognizant of herself and how to react and play off the other actors.

The other telling thing from the pilot is at the beginning when she lifts her head up from the sink, dripping wet and Crimson Glow red - her neck is soooo thin and it makes her seem very vulnerable. The rest of the episode, she seems to blend in with the other actors (age-wise) - meaning she doesn't stand out as "holy crap she's obviously a lot younger than everyone else" - but at that moment, she really does seem her age.

The 'head out of the sink' scene also made me think how totally young she looked. I also remember thinking "My gosh she's seems so thin and frail, she needs to eat something!"

One more thing related to the pilot!

Angela:
You're so beautiful, it hurts to look at you.

John Mayer ("Your Body Is a Wonderland"):
But you look so good it hurts sometimes.

MP3.COM has the Your Body is a Wonderland here for streaming and download.

even though the color isnt exactly right on the Pilot, i kind of like it that way. its hard to exsplain, it just lokks special and real. life isnt always vibrant yaknow. the rest of the ep's look great, but the first one has a feel all its own.
the pilot and Dancing in the Dark are the best when it comes to the way they were shot IMHO.