American Graffiti shot on Nikkor lenses?

[Eric Arnold]

Digging around the archives and internet didn’t surface an answer so I’m putting the question here.

It’s documented THX 1138 was shot on an Eclair CM3 and Nikkor lenses and I’ve seen a production still from American Graffiti with Lucas and Wexler around the camera and what certainly looks like a Nikkor lens; one of the cameras was auctioned off not that long ago and it also looks to have a Nikkor lens. 

Anyone able to shed some light?

[Mark Dunn]

Not sure what else you want to know.

Yes, that looks like a Nikkor to me. Maybe a 24 or 28?

They also used a 2C for MOS. There's an ASC picture of Gary Kurtz with a hard-front 2C with a Panavision lens on it- I don't think it's an anamorphic so that would be from AG as well.

https://ascmag.com/articles/beyond-the-frame-american-graffiti

Edited November 10, 2022 by Mark Dunn

[Eric Arnold]

Thanks for the link Mark.

I’m just curious if anyone knows if they shot the whole film on Nikkor lenses. Given it and THX 1138 were shot Techniscope, low budget and not far apart I’m inclined to think so, but you never know! One production still only tells so much. 

[Dom Jaeger]

Eclair Cameflexes are noisy, so dialogue would have probably been shot on the blimped Arri 2C shown in one of the bts shots here:

https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/cinema/magnum-on-set-american-graffiti/
 

The Cameflex may have used Nikon’s, but the Arriflex was probably fitted with something like Zeiss Standard Speeds. 

[Andrew Schroeder]

In both the shot of Lucas here and the one of him on the crane in the linked article he appears to be using a Nikkor-S auto 50mm f1.4 lens.

[Eric Arnold]

2 hours ago, Dom Jaeger said:

Eclair Cameflexes are noisy, so dialogue would have probably been shot on the blimped Arri 2C shown in one of the bts shots here:

https://www.magnumphotos.com/arts-culture/cinema/magnum-on-set-american-graffiti/
 

The Cameflex may have used Nikon’s, but the Arriflex was probably fitted with something like Zeiss Standard Speeds. 

Thanks Dom.

What got me curious is this recent in-depth article in ASC about THX 1138 where they talk about having to make custom blimps for the CM-3’s and that they shot it all with Nikkor lenses except for a little with an Angenieux 25-250mm. 

https://ascmag.com/articles/thx-1138