Daniel Craig stars in Sam Mendes’ “Skyfall,” a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures/EON Production. Courtesy of Danjaq, LLC, United Artists Corporation, Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

The latest James Bond flick, “Skyfall,” rejuvenates its half-century-old franchise by bringing newfound depth to its debonair protagonist while taking him into intriguing new genres. One of the great keys to the film’s success is its stunning cinematography by Roger Deakins, who has lensed everything from big budget spectacles to art house masterworks. In “Skyfall,” his work shines the brightest in the film’s final act, as Bond finds himself in a showdown straight out of a western. Deakins’ experience with the genre is apparent in every frame–many of which will remind cinephiles of his work in the Coen Brothers’ “True Grit,” and Andrew Dominik’s extraordinary crime drama, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” (see trailer below). With nine Oscar nominations to his name, Deakins could deservedly garner his tenth nod for “Skyfall.” On this podcast, Matt Sheehan of HollywoodSnitch.com joins me for a discussion on Deakins and why his contributions help make “Skyfall” the best Bond picture in years.

The program was produced at Columbia College Chicago. Technical producer was Rebecca Nystedt. An Indie Outlook production.