Search the Community

Has anybody been watching the new HBO series, The Deuce? It made me think of the Here's Lucy episode, "Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball." On this series, James Franco plays a set of identical twins, Vincent and Frankie. When I was watching the first episode, I didn't realize Franco would be playing two characters until a scene came up where both characters appeared. I was astounded! At first I was wondering where they found this other actor who looks exactly like James Franco. Then I discovered Franco was playing both characters. The technology is incredible. The character Vincent runs a bar (actually a couple bars). In the first scene where they both appear, Frankie walks in the door. They are both standing there. It's not a split screen; they are both in the same shot, at times partially eclipsing one another. Then Vincent walks across the room and goes behind the bar. In the shot, the bar is in the foreground. Vincent is standing behind the bar, face to the camera. And behind Vincent is a wall with a huge mirror. Then Frankie walks by on the front side of the bar and sits on a stool. This bit was incredible because not only do you see Frankie walk in front of Vincent, eclipsing Vincent in the process, but in that mirror you see the reflection of this same action from the back side. You see the back side of Vincent and the opposite side of Frankie's face as he walks by, and Vincent eclipsing Frankie as Frankie walks past. Unbelievable. And if that isn't enough, you don't see a reflection of the camera even though it's pointed directly at the mirror. There are many amazing shots like this on this series. Imagine what the possibilities would have been for "Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball" if they had this technology back in 1974.