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Greatest Cinematographers ever


Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith

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Totally forgot to mention in my earlier post.......

 

Dean Cundey! Some great photography not spoken of for reasons I can only imagine. Also, Stephen Burum. Rumble Fish, all I'm saying.

 

 

 

Dean Cundey- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005678/

 

Stephen Burum- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005664/

 

Rumble Fish is in my top 3 favorite movies. I haven't seen many Burum films though, just Rumble Fish, The Outsiders, St. Elmos Fire and Mission Impossible.

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As far as greatest, there are so many for whom a case could be made. I couldn't begin to choose. But as for greatest living DP, for me it's without a doubt Jack Cardiff. His career stretches all the way back to the silent era, and he worked with some of the all time greats: Hitchcock, Powell, Huston to name a few. His range of technical expertise is unparalleled: three strip Technicolor, technirama, Cinemascope, 65mm Todd AO and Panavision. He's done just about everything, and he's the prime reason I've chosen to be a DP. How i would love to have a life half as exciting as his has been. If you haven't already, read his auto-bio: "Magic Hour." It's one of the best.

 

Brian R.

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As far as greatest, there are so many for whom a case could be made. I couldn't begin to choose. But as for greatest living DP, for me it's without a doubt Jack Cardiff. His career stretches all the way back to the silent era, and he worked with some of the all time greats: Hitchcock, Powell, Huston to name a few. His range of technical expertise is unparalleled: three strip Technicolor, technirama, Cinemascope, 65mm Todd AO and Panavision. He's done just about everything, and he's the prime reason I've chosen to be a DP. How i would love to have a life half as exciting as his has been. If you haven't already, read his auto-bio: "Magic Hour." It's one of the best.

 

Brian R.

 

Nice, thanks for the information. I'm trying to find his book.

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  • 4 months later...
Personally I haven't seen any better than Conrad Hall yet. What other legendary DP's are there?

 

My personal favorite is Dean Semler's " Dances with Wolves "

more favorites Caleb Deshanel " Passion of Christ "

Jack Green " Unforgiven "

Roger Deakins " Shawshank Redemption "

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Hello Wanda,

 

We're glad that you've joined the forum and even better, contributed. You may get some ankle bites about using both your first and last name. It's a big thing here and stated clearly in the rules. We really do want you to participate. But, we also would like you to play ball on the name thing.

 

Thanks, Paul

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I nearly only see American/British cinematogrpahers mentioned here who mostly do/did Hollywood cinema. Let's not forget people like Vadim Yusov ('Andrei Rublev') and Alexander Knyazhinsky ('Stalker') who did some amazing work in Russia. Their work might not be as accessible, but they are at least equal to anyone mentioned here before.

 

Yep......

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Agree with most names. Freddie Francis was finally mentioned. Also, since I haven't seen his name, Fred Aames. His work on Ice Storm was amazing. Ang Lee raved about working with him. Said, Aames got him, dared him even, to take risks. Challanged him.

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Swede as I am please look at Lulius Jaenzon, I guess the biggest stepping stone in Swedish cinematography. Some 100 films over 40 years with The Phantom Carriage at the top of the mountain (1921). That film just superseeds anything cinematographically from that era, true wizardry with what was at hand.

 

Around these days I hold Savides the highest absolutely, the range that man has shown during his years is amazing.

From Romanek - Madonna´s rain - To Jerry and Elephant to Birth.

 

Deakins has fabulous moments.

 

I do also find myself watching films on television every now and then that look amazing, small films with people never heard of, so I certainly the world is full of amazing DP:s that are never heard of really.

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  • 7 months later...
Connie Hall is definitely up there. Marathon Man looks great, Tim, but our taste differs a lot. Jennifer 8 is one of the best shot thrillers ever and in my opinion just as well lit if not better than Marathon Man. Lots of gutsy low level lighting and actors lighting themselves with bounce from flashlights and such. I do agree that American Beauty wasn't the best in his distinguished career, but if anyone doubted the old man was over the hill, he sure as h*** went out with a bang on RtP. God, that last scene in the rain could very well be the best rain scene ever shot and lit.

 

There's this notion that only european DP's are "artistes" and have the knack for being extremely good, especially in Hollywood istelf. Hall, Willis, Kimball, Wexler, Cortez, and a whole bunch of other brilliant american DP's should hopefully end that misconception.

 

What does are RtP stand for? interested in checking it out.

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I think there are (and have been) some really extremly high skilled cinematographers out there who give/gave us the possibility to learn from their work. For me, in the real end, there remains only one name. Regarding his unique way of thinking and feeling his artistry: Storaro.

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