Posts
2010, 10-04:
Review of film: “CAMERAMAN: THE LIFE AND WORK OF JACK CARDIFF” [ = Report # 18 re 46th CIFF ]
REPORT # 18 on the 46th CHICAGO INT’L FILM FESTIVAL =
This fascinating documentary from CRAIG MCCALL [which took 17 years to make!] covers the life of an Oscar-winning cinematographer who worked in movies for more than 80 years…
… The film starts out with a commentary by actor DUSTIN HOFFMAN about the amazing English-born Mr. Cardiff, who began as a child actor in 1918’s “MY SON, MY SON” when he was 4...
... As the film progresses, there are interview segments involving people Mr. Cardiff worked with, such as KIRK DOUGLAS, LAUREN BACALL, CHARLTON HESTON, & others. Cardiff himself comments about movies that, “It’s a nonsensical [industry] to be in-- full of hypocrisy [&] hyperbole…”
… Mr. Cardiff -- hereafter called Jack – speaks of how he used to be a stand-in in some films… Numerous scenes of his cinematography work are shown, such as from 1947’s “BLACK NARCISSUS”. After that, you can see Jack talking about working at London’s Ealing Studios in 2005 when he was 91 years “young”. He kids, “In another 10 years, I’ll have to take it EASY!”…
… Scenes are shown from numerous films he shot in his career. Jack details how, around 1928, extras were paid like 1 guinea (seemingly around $ 5) per day. He noticed that the extras would tend to change clothes & get in line again & again in order to try to get MORE pay each day, & that worked for a while until the paymasters “caught-on” to the ruse…
… Jack relates how he learned a lot in life by reading books recommended in Frank Harris’ pornographic book “My Life And Loves”…
… Scenes are shown from the 1934 film “LILIES OF THE FIELD” he worked on as the first person to use a scene “clapper”, for BMD studios … In 1936, he worked on “THINGS TO COME”… They then quote some words about Jack from Alexander Korda…
… Scenes are shown from his 1936 cinemtography work for “AS YOU LIKE IT” & 1937’s “KNIGHTS WITHOUT ARMOR”...
... Regarding the latter, Jack commented on how extremely knowledgable actress MARLENE DIETRICH was about LIGHTING matters, because she’d worked with director Josef von Sternberg. He also remarked about how she shocked people coming on the set completely naked for a bathtub scene…
… Charlton Heston speaks about how Jack started very early in the use of TECHNICOLOR, being so good with it that that company hired him to TRAIN some people in its use. Jack speaks about how he studied PAINTING techniques to help in decisions regarding lighting & cinematography…
… An example is given of Jack’s work on 1937’s “WINGS OF THE MORNING”, which was the first Technicolor film shot in Europe. Jack speaks about how he did certain effect in the style of painter Vega…
... Around the late 1930’s, he joined a producer of TRAVELOGUE type films, which allowed him to film the pyramids in Egypt, the Taj Mahal in India, Lawrence of Arabia areas in the Middle East, volcano locales, and others…
… In 1944, Jack worked on the documentary “WESTERN APPROACHES”, which told the story of how the Merchant Marine was supplying free Europe with supplies from America during World War II & which won an OSCAR®… He offers memories from “THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP”…
… The story is told of how director Michael Powell offered him a job as cinematographer on the 1946 film “A MATTER OF LIFE & DEATH” (with scenes shown of David Niven in it). Also in it was actress KIM HUNTER, and, in the documentary, she recalls memories from Jack’s work on it-- how he did wonderful work switching from black & white to color scenes in it, etc.…
… Information is given about “BLACK NARCISSUS” from 1947 (for which Jack won an OSCAR® as best cinematographer in color work)...
... It’s explained how, thanks to Jack’s work, scenes that look like they were shot in India were really done at Pinewood Studios in England, with plaster mountains made to look like real ones, etc… KATHLEEN BYRON speaks about working on that film: “He gave me half of my performance with the [exceptional] LIGHTING [he used]”…
… A good deal of time is spent showing the striking color work Jack did in filming 1948’s “THE RED SHOES”, including MOIRA SHERER speaking of her work in that film…
... MARTIN SCORSESE speaks of how, he was so impressed with Jack’s work in that movie, Martin applied those ideas to the BOXING scenes he directed in his “RAGING BULL”. As Martin says about Jack, he was “using the lens like BRUSH strokes”, & Jack’s work also strongly influenced work by Brian de Palma & Francis Ford Coppola in his “GODFATHER” films…
… There are filmed scenes shown of Jack speaking to the audience at the 1998 CANNES Film Festival about his work, from a documentary “MAGIC HOUR” narrated by Scorsese…
... Then, scenes are shown of Orson Welles in 1950’s “THE BLACK ROSE” shot by Jack, plus ones of Humphrey Bogart & Kathryn Hepburn in 1951’s “THE AFRICAN QUEEN” Jack filmed in Africa under very difficult conditions…
… Hitchcock’s 1949 film “UNDER CAPRICORN” was filmed by Jack, & that used the first CRANE shots done independent of the the old “track” method of shooting… Jack worked on 1948’s “SOUTH OF THE ANTARCTIC” film, & actor JOHN MILLS speaks of working on that…
… 1952 saw the release of “THE MAGIC BOX” Jack filmed. Jack speaks on camera about working with John Wayne & Sophia Loren (in 1957’s “LEGEND OF THE LOST”), + his work with various other beautiful actresses such as Audrey Hepburn (in King Vidor’s 1956 film “WAR & PEACE”, for which he was nominated for an OSCAR for Best Cinematography, Color), Marilyn Monroe (in 1957’s “THE PRINCE & THE SHOWGIRL”), Ava Gardner (in 1954’s “THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA”), & others…
… Comments are given by KIRK DOUGLAS (after recovering from his stroke) about Jack’s work on his 1958 film “THE VIKINGS”. Jack gives technical details how he did the scenes of ships emerging from a “fog” in that film, including how he used paintings of JMW Turner for inspiration (in the way he at times got a dramatic emphasis by OVER-lighting)…
... In 1961, his work on “FANNY” earned Jack his 3rd OSCAR® nomination…
… In 1951, he filmed “PANDORA & THE FLYING DUTCHMAN”, & SCORSESE speaks of acting work in that by James Mason & Ava Gardner…
... Lauren Bacall recalls Jack’s work on “THE AFRICAN QUEEN” film -- including how her husband Humphrey Bogart & director John Huston were the only ones who didn’t get ILL from WATER consumed in that area of Africa, because they were the only 2 people who always drank WHISKEY rather than any water!...
… The last feature film he was cinematographer on was 1985’s “RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II” with Sylvester Stallone. About that, Jack comments, “I had a lot of FUN!...” … In 2001, he was awarded an Honorary OSCAR® for his CONTRIBUTIONS to cinema…
… Eventually, Jack started to DIRECT certain movies, starting with 1959’s “WEB OF EVIDENCE”. [In 1960, he did “SCENT OF MYSTERY” -- the first film done in the short-lived SMELL-O-VISION format]. For 1960’s “SONS & LOVERS”, he was nominated for an OSCAR®. [In 1973, he directed his 7th film, “PENNY GOLD”]…
… There are loads of other fascinating facts & recollections by people in this film, which I think does a marvelous job of giving an overview of the work of a man considered one of the GREATEST cinematographers of all time.
... For the examples and wonderful historical facts and commentaries inherent in it, I give this film 9 of 10 stars…
[ NOTE: You can easily SHARE this Posting with your friends or family by sending them an automatic e-Mail LINK via clicking on the “M” button in the lower left-hand corner under “VOICE OF SILENCE” below... ]
(o_
/\
/\
= = = … ( <> ^ <> ) ...
No comments:
Post a Comment