In Honor of Kim Manners

January 25^th marks the two-year anniversary of Kim Manners’ death.  In honor of him I have been thinking of his work on Supernatural and what memories his efforts evoke.
 
His first episode was “Dead in the Water.”  David Nutter had invited him to come and direct an episode of this new show.  Kim did and the rest is history.  From the beginning Kim had an influence on the show; one which continues today.

In Honor of Kim Manners, by Elle2
 
January 25^thmarks the two-year anniversary of Kim Manners’ death.  In honor of him I have been thinking of his work on Supernatural and what memories his efforts evoke.
 
His first episode was “Dead in the Water.”  David Nutter had invited him to come and direct an episode of this new show.  Kim did and the rest is history.  From the beginning Kim had an influence on the show; one which continues today.
 
The most memorable shot from Dead in the Water for me is this:
 

 
Kim would provide a similar shot at the start of Season 4, Lazarus Rising, when we were given this memorable shot – one that graces the cover of the Season 4 DVD set:
 

 
 
Kim is also the director responsible for giving us the hugs between the Winchesters, from Dad and Dean and Dad and Sam in Shadow;
 

 
 
to Dean hugging Sam in All Hell Breaks Loose II, after ‘that’ deal;
 

 
 
to Sam hugging Dean at the end of Mystery Spot;
 

 
 
to Sam and Dean hugging in Lazarus Rising;
 

 

 
and if that isn’t enough, we got the bonus in that episode of Bobby hugging Dean.
 

 
Kim has the distinction of never leaving the Impala out of an episode, unlike Mike Rohl, Philip Sgriccia, Robert Singer, Eric Kripke, James L. Conway and Jensen Ackles; although, Kim has destroyed her with a semi truck.  Kim also begin the process of giving us heartfelt, brotherly moments set near, in or on the Impala with Dean’s call to Sam in Scarecrow, followed by Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things and then the brotherly bonding moment in Fresh Blood as Dean shows Sam how to fix ‘the girl’, and let us not forget Wanted Dead or Alive, No Rest for the Wicked.  Kim didn’t give us the first of ‘the girl’s great chase scenes (Route 666) but he did show her glory in the chase scene in Houses of the Holy.  
 
I also believe Kim would have had some creative fixes for those seven notorious episodes that the Impala was not in:
 

1. The Usual Suspects, a simple framing shot of Sam and Dean at the coffee shop discussing which of them was Scully and which was Mulder that included the Impala on the street would have sufficed; it’s all in the camera angles.
2. Kim has a wicked sense of humor so in Hollywood Babylon, as the boys are walking along the set towards the ‘sunset’, he simply would have had a flatbed truck with the Impala strapped on it slowly drive past.
3. Criss Angel is a Douchebag would, again, simply require the proper setup, instead of having Dean walking down that dark ally to meet ‘the chief’ simply have him pull the Impala to the curb and park…it’s really simple.
4. It’s a Terrible Life would have again showcased Kim’s sense of humor, as Dean exits his apartment to get into his Prius instead of having it parked alone, have it parked next to none other than…the Impala.  And to add some additional fun to the scene, have Dean carefully examine the sides of the Prius to make sure that the doors of the Impala did not scratch his ‘beauty’.
5. Lucifer Rising, perhaps Kim would have allowed for there to be no Impala in this one, or perhaps he would have moved Dean’s and Bobby’s little scene outside next to the Impala.  Since Sam was outside near his car when the camera faded to Dean it would have also worked that Dean was outside next to his car; would have also added to the idea that Dean had just returned to Bobby’s and thus their conversation began.
6. Point of No Return, this is all staging, we saw it happen earlier in Season 5 in Dark Side of the Moon; Dean exits the motel room after dropping the amulet into the trash can and what is right outside the door waiting for him, the Impala.  Much like The Usual Suspects, Criss Angel and Lucifer Rising, it’s all about staging the scene.
7. Weekend at Bobby’s, here I’ll suggest that it’s the lighting that hides the girl, I think the scene where Dean is on the phone to Bobby and Sam is outside the window on his phone has Sam standing next to the Impala.  I’m pretty sure he’s standing next to some car so I’ll go with ‘the girl’ on this one.  I think Kim would have just been so proud of Jensen for daring to follow his dream, and so humbled to know that Jensen took Kim’s wisdom to heart in his preparation that he would have done nothing other than applaud the result.  I do too.

Let us also remember that it is Kim Manners who directed the episodes that introduced us to two characters who have prevailed beyond expectations, Bobby Singer and Castiel.  
 

 
It is to Kim Manners that we owe the fabulous shot of Castiel’s wings, one that has been shown in new and amazing ways since then in On The Head of a Pin (twice) as well as Point of No Return and Hammer of the Gods.
 
         
 
Kim Manners, gone as many have gone before — too soon, you are missed.  I miss seeing your name on the credits and I miss your talent and skill behind the scenes, however, there are so many shots that I see now that I know have been inspired by your work.  You made your mark on Supernatural and that mark continues today, two years after your death.
 
As always, thanks for reading, Elle2 

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Save