Editing Ronin (film) (section)

== Production ==
[[File:John Frankenheimer on the set of "Andersonville" (cropped).JPG|thumb|''Ronin'' was the penultimate feature film of director John Frankenheimer (''pictured in 1995''), followed by ''[[Reindeer Games]]''.<ref name="bowie"/>]]

In July 1997, ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' reported that Frankenheimer had signed to direct ''Ronin'', making it his fifth picture for [[United Artists]].<ref name="fleming">{{cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Michael |title='Ronin' in from cold |url=https://variety.com/1997/film/news/ronin-in-from-cold-1116677552/ |website=Variety |date=July 2, 1997 |access-date=December 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219055241/https://variety.com/1997/film/news/ronin-in-from-cold-1116677552/ |archive-date=December 19, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Frankenheimer told the magazine he chose the project because it had a "very good script" and was "the kind of movie I'd love to go see&nbsp;... What I like is, it's a character-driven action picture, and I have done those before, with ''[[Black Sunday (1977 film)|Black Sunday]]'' and ''[[French Connection II]]''. It's not one of these [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] pictures, it's a film about people. It's not bigger than life, which I don't relate to that much."<ref name="fleming"/> He also saw it as an opportunity to apply his broad knowledge and understanding of France, especially [[Paris]], in which he resided for many years.<ref name="commentary">{{Cite AV media notes |title=Ronin |type=audio commentary |publisher=[[MGM Home Entertainment]]}}</ref> He added, "I would not have been able to do the film nearly as well anywhere else".<ref name="fast">{{cite video|title= Ronin: Filming in the Fast Lane|type=featurette|publisher=MGM Home Entertainment|display-authors=etal|date=2004}}</ref> His films ''[[The Train (1964 film)|The Train]]'' (1964), ''[[Grand Prix (1966 film)|Grand Prix]]'' (1966), ''[[Impossible Object]]'' (1973), and ''French Connection II'' (1975) were shot in France.<ref name="magid"/>

Many of ''Ronin''{{'}}s principal crew members had worked with Frankenheimer on television films; editor [[Tony Gibbs]] on ''George Wallace'', set designer Michael Z. Hanan on ''George Wallace'' and ''[[The Burning Season (1994 film)|The Burning Season]]'' (1994), and costume designer May Routh on ''[[Andersonville (film)|Andersonville]]'' (1996).<ref name="prod"/> Frankenheimer chose French cinematographer [[Robert Fraisse (cinematographer)|Robert Fraisse]] to help him achieve the look and style he wanted for the film. Fraisse impressed Frankenheimer with his work on the police thriller ''[[Citizen X]]'' (1995), which persuaded the director Fraisse could handle the more-than-2,000 setups he planned for ''Ronin''.<ref name="magid"/> [[Frank Mancuso Jr.]] served as the film's producer.<ref name="fleming"/>

According to Frankenheimer, French authorities helped him circumvent a strict Paris ordinance that prohibited film productions from firing guns in the city. This was enacted because many civilians had been complaining about the gunfire noise produced by film shoots. Additional factors influenced the decision; officials' desire for an American action film like ''Ronin'', few of which had been filmed there since the law was passed, to be filmed in Paris and the desire to boost France's reputation as a filming location.<ref name="commentary"/>

=== Screenplay ===
Writer John David Zeik, a newcomer to film,<ref name="latimes">{{cite web |last=Harrison |first=Eric |title=Mamet Versus Writers Guild, the Action Thriller Sequel |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 5, 1998 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-05-ca-10109-story.html |access-date=May 15, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911230246/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/aug/05/entertainment/ca-10109 |archive-date=September 11, 2013 }}</ref> conceived the idea for ''Ronin'' after reading [[James Clavell]]'s novel ''[[Shōgun (novel)|Shōgun]]'' at the age of 15.<ref name="prod">{{cite web|title=''Ronin'': About the Production|url=http://www.cinemareview.com/production.asp?prodid=301|website=Cinema Review|access-date=October 28, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020924090320/http://www.cinemareview.com/production.asp?prodid=301|archive-date=September 24, 2002}}</ref> It gave him background information on ''[[rōnin]]'' (masterless samurai), which he incorporated into a screenplay years later. On choosing France as the story's key location, Zeik said: "Many years later in Nice, the location of one of the key set pieces of the story, I stared into the sun and saw the silhouettes of five heavily armed [[Gendarmerie|Gendarmes]] crossing the [[Promenade des Anglais]]. That image made me realize that I wanted to set the film in France."<ref name="prod"/>

Accounts differ as to the screenplay's authorship. According to Zeik's attorney, Playwright [[David Mamet]] was brought in shortly before production to expand De Niro's role and add a female love interest. Although Mamet rewrote several scenes, his contributions were minor according to Zeik's account. Frankenheimer said Mamet's contributions were more significant: "The credits should read: 'Story by J.D. Zeik, screenplay by David Mamet'. We didn't shoot a line of Zeik's script."<ref name="latimes"/> Frankenheimer later retracted this in a September 1998 [[open letter]] published in ''Variety'', writing that "J.D. Zeik is unequivocally entitled to the first position screenwriting credit as well as the sole story credit he was awarded by the [[Writers Guild of America|WGA]]&nbsp;... [He] deserves recognition for his significant contribution to this film, and I am proud to have worked with him".<ref>{{cite web |last=Frankenheimer |first=John |title=Open letter on J.D. Zeik |url=https://imgur.com/a/11TeuIS |work=Variety |page=21 |date=September 23, 1998 |access-date=December 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220151226/https://imgur.com/a/11TeuIS |archive-date=December 20, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> When he learned he would have to share credit with Zeik, Mamet insisted on being credited with the pseudonym Richard Weisz because he had earlier decided to attach his name only to projects for which he was the sole writer.<ref name="latimes"/>

=== Filming and cinematography ===
[[File:Blue Sky Restaurant.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Boarded-up corner building|Facade of a [[Montmartre]] bistro in 2011. Because the building was empty, the crew constructed an interior set seen from the stairs.<ref name="magid"/><ref name="fraisse">{{cite video|title=Through the Lens |type=featurette|publisher=MGM Home Entertainment|year=2004}}</ref>]]

''Ronin'' was produced on a budget of $55 million.<ref name="numbers"/> [[Principal photography]] lasted 78 days,<ref name="magid"/> beginning on November 3, 1997, in an abandoned workshop at [[Aubervilliers]].<ref name="photography">{{cite web|title=''Ronin'': About The Photography|url=http://www.cinemareview.com/production.asp?prodid=303|website=Cinema Review|access-date=October 2, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020924090248/http://www.cinemareview.com/production.asp?prodid=303|archive-date=September 24, 2002}}</ref> Scenes at [[Porte des Lilas (Paris Métro)|Porte des Lilas]] and the historic [[Arles Amphitheatre]] were filmed that November; the crew then filmed at the [[Hotel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes|Hotel Majestic]] in [[Cannes]], [[La Turbie]], and [[Villefranche-sur-Mer|Villefranche]].<ref name="photography"/> Production was suspended for Christmas on December 19 and resumed on January 5, 1998, at [[Épinay-sur-Seine|Épinay]], where the crew built two interior sets on [[sound stage]]s; one for the bistro in [[Montmartre]] and another for the rural farmhouse,<ref name="photography"/> both of which also have exterior location shots.<ref name="commentary"/> The climactic scene with a panicked crowd at [[Zénith Paris|Le Zénith]] required about 2,000 [[Extra (acting)|extras]], who were supervised by French casting director Margot Capelier.<ref name="commentary"/> Filming concluded at [[La Défense]] on March 3, 1998.<ref name="photography"/>

Because there were no [[second unit]] director and camera operator to film the action scenes, Frankenheimer and cinematographer Robert Fraisse supervised them for an additional 30 days after the main unit finished filming.<ref name="magid"/><ref name="arrow">{{cite video|title=Close Up: An Interview with Robert Fraisse |type=featurette|publisher=[[Arrow Video]]|year=2017}}</ref> The first major car-chase scene was shot in [[La Turbie]] and Nice; the rest were filmed in areas of Paris including La Défense and the [[Pont du Garigliano]].<ref name="photography"/>{{sfn|Crosse|2006|p=42}} Scenes set in a road tunnel were filmed at night because it was impossible to block tunnel traffic during the day.<ref name="driving"/> The freeway chase, in which the actors dodge oncoming vehicles, was filmed in four hours on a closed road.<ref name="driving">{{cite video|title=The Driving of Ronin |type=featurette|publisher=MGM Home Entertainment|date=2004}}</ref>

Frankenheimer's affinity for deep [[depth of field]] led him to shoot the film entirely with [[wide-angle lens]]es ranging in [[focal length]] from 18 to 35&nbsp;mm using the [[Super 35]] format, both of which allow more of the scene to be included in each shot as well as the freedom to reframe the movie for [[Fullscreen (aspect ratio)|Full Screen]] presentation.<ref name="commentary"/><ref name="fraisse"/> The director also avoided bright primary colors to preserve a [[History of film|first-generation-of-film]] quality.<ref name="commentary"/> He advised the actors and extras not to wear bright colors and had the film processed with [[Deluxe Entertainment Services Group|Deluxe]]'s [[Bleach bypass|Color Contrast Enhancement]] (CCE), "a silver-retention method of processing film that deepens blacks, reduces color, and heightens the visible appearance of film grain".<ref name="commentary"/>{{sfn|Pomerance|Palmer|2011|p=85}} Fraisse said he used a variety of cameras, including [[Panaflex]]es for dialogue scenes and [[Arriflex 435]]s and 35-IIIs for the car chases, to facilitate Frankenheimer's demands.<ref name="magid"/> [[Steadicam]], a camera stabilizer used for half of the shoot, was operated by the director's longtime collaborator David Crone.<ref name="magid"/> According to Frankenheimer, 2,200 shots were filmed.<ref name="commentary"/>

=== Stunts ===
[[File:450SELI 0411.jpg|thumb|alt=Older red four-door sedan|The [[Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9]] was Frankenheimer's favorite Mercedes model due to its appearance and "great, big powerful engine", and he used it as the protagonist's car in ''Ronin''{{'s}} first major car chase.<ref name="commentary"/>]]

Frankenheimer avoided using special effects in the car-chase scenes, [[previsualization|previsualizing]] them with [[storyboard]]s and used the same camera mounts as those used on [[Grand Prix (1966 film)|''Grand Prix'']].<ref name="commentary"/> The actors were placed inside the cars while being driven at up to {{convert|100|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}, by [[Formula One]] driver [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]], and high-performance drivers Jean-Claude Lagniez and Michel Neugarten.<ref name="magid"/> The actors had enrolled at a high-performance driving school before production began.<ref name="commentary"/> According to Lagniez, the car-stunt coordinator, it was a priority not to cheat the speed by adjusting the [[frame rate]]; he said, "When you do, it affects the lighting. It is different at 20 frames than at 24 frames."<ref name="driving"/> However, Fraisse said: "Sometimes, but not very often, we did shoot at 22 frames per second, or 21."<ref name="magid"/> [[Point-of-view shot]]s from cameras mounted below the cars' front [[Fender (vehicle)|fender]] were used to deliver a heightened sense of speed.<ref name="commentary"/><ref>{{cite book|last1=Lane|first1=Anthony|author-link=Anthony Lane|title=Nobody's Perfect: Writings from The New Yorker|publisher=[[Vintage Books]]|location=New York|isbn=978-0-375-71434-4|pages=249–253|edition=1st|year=2002}}</ref>

For the final chase scene, which used 300 stunt drivers,<ref name="commentary"/> the production team bought four [[BMW 5 Series (E34)#535i|BMW 535i]]s and five [[Peugeot 406]]s;{{efn|In the DVD commentary, Frankenheimer says four BMWs and five Peugeots were purchased for the chase scene,<ref name="commentary"/> namely the BMW 535i and Peugeot 406.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kennouche|first1=Sofiane|title=The greatest drivers' cars to ever feature in movies|url=https://www.evo.co.uk/features/15650/the-greatest-drivers-cars-to-ever-feature-in-movies|access-date=May 9, 2018|work=[[Evo (magazine)|Evo]]|publisher=Dennis Publishing|location=United Kingdom|date=April 1, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509124056/http://www.evo.co.uk/features/15650/the-greatest-drivers-cars-to-ever-feature-in-movies|archive-date=May 9, 2018}}</ref>}} one of each was cut in half and towed by a [[Mercedes-Benz 500 E]] while the actors were inside them.<ref name="commentary"/> Right-hand drive versions of the cars were also purchased; a dummy steering wheel was installed on the left side while the stunt drivers drove the speeding vehicles.<ref name="commentary"/><ref name="driving"/> The final chase had very little music because Frankenheimer thought music and sound effects do not blend well. Sound engineer [[Mike Le Mare]] recorded all of the film's cars on a racetrack, mixing them later in post-production.<ref name="commentary"/>

Frankenheimer refused to film the gunfights in [[slow motion]], believing onscreen violence should be depicted in real time.<ref name="commentary"/> Mick Gould, the film's technical advisor and a former instructor in the advanced training wings of the [[Special Air Service]], trained the cast in weapons-handling and guerilla military tactics.<ref name="prod"/><ref>{{cite web |title=About |url=http://mickgould.net/about-mick/ |website=Mick Gould |access-date=6 December 2021 |date=30 April 2014}}</ref> The physical stunts were coordinated by Joe Dunne.<ref name="variety"/>

=== Alternative endings ===
Frankenheimer filmed two additional versions of the film's ending. In the first, Deirdre (McElhone) waits on the stairs next to the bistro and considers joining Sam (De Niro) and Vincent (Reno). Deciding against it, she walks up the stairs. As she gets into her car, IRA men drag her into a van and call her a traitor; it is implied that she is later killed. Sam and Vincent, unaware of Deidre's abduction, finish their conversation and depart.  Although Frankenheimer said the test audience "hated" the ending because they did not want to see Deirdre die, he thought it "really worked".<ref name="commentary"/> In the second ending, Deirdre walks to her car after Sam and Vincent leave the bistro; this ending was also rejected because it verged on being "too Hollywood", hinting at a sequel. Frankenheimer yielded to the test audience's response with a compromise ending; he said, "with the tremendous investment MGM/UA had in this movie, you have to kind of listen to the audience".<ref name="commentary"/>

=== Music ===
[[Jerry Goldsmith]] was originally commissioned to compose the score for ''Ronin'' but left the project.<ref name="sountracknet">{{cite news|last1=Goldwasser|first1=Dan|title=A Look at ''Ronin'' with Elia Cmiral|url=https://www.soundtrack.net/content/article/?id=9|access-date=September 27, 2017|website=[[Soundtrack.Net]]|date=November 15, 1998|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927202300/https://www.soundtrack.net/content/article/?id=9|archive-date=September 27, 2017}}</ref><ref name="ign">{{cite news|last1=Plume|first1=Kenneth|title=Interview with Composer Elia Cmiral|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/07/07/interview-with-composer-elia-cmiral|access-date=September 27, 2017|website=IGN|date=July 7, 2000|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927203944/http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/07/07/interview-with-composer-elia-cmiral|archive-date=September 27, 2017}}</ref> MGM executive vice-president for music Michael Sandoval assembled an [[A-list]] to replace Goldsmith.<ref name="sountracknet"/> From Sandoval's three choices, Frankenheimer hired Czech composer [[Elia Cmíral]],<ref name="commentary"/><ref name="sountracknet"/> who said he "was far away from being even a 'B' composer at that time".<ref name="ign"/> Cmíral attended a private screening of the film's final version and considered its main theme, which at Frankenheimer's behest would incorporate qualities of "sadness, loneliness, and heroism".<ref name="sountracknet"/> To achieve this, Cmíral performed with the [[duduk]], an ancient, [[double-reed]] [[woodwind instrument|woodwind]] flute that originated in [[Armenia]].<ref name="cmiral">{{cite video |date=2004 |title=Composing the Ronin Score |type= featurette |publisher=MGM Home Entertainment}}</ref> Cmíral sent a demonstration to Frankenheimer, who "loved" it, and was signed as the film's composer.<ref name="sountracknet"/> Cmíral's piece "Ronin Theme" was used for the opening scenes.<ref name="sountracknet"/><ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|title=Ronin [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ronin-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000044016|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=September 27, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927202414/http://www.allmusic.com/album/ronin-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000044016|archive-date=September 27, 2017}}</ref>

Cmíral's score for ''Ronin'', his first for a [[major film studio]],<ref name="cmiral"/> was recorded in seven weeks at CTS Studio in London.<ref name="sountracknet"/><ref name="allmusic"/> It was orchestrated and conducted by [[Nick Ingman]], edited by [[Mike Flicker]], and recorded and mixed by [[John Whynot]].<ref name="sountracknet"/> [[Varèse Sarabande]] released the soundtrack album on [[compact disc]] in September 1998.<ref name="allmusic"/> For [[AllMusic]], Jason Ankeny rated the album 4.5 out of 5 and called it a "profoundly visceral listening experience, illustrating an expert grasp of pacing and atmosphere".<ref name="allmusic"/>