1901–1988 · Japan · Cinematographer
Asakazu Nakai
Kurosawa's camera for rain, mud and vast colour battlefields.
Seven Samurai, 1954Source: Wikipedia
CINEMATOGRAPHER · 1901–1996 · UNITED STATES
John Alton
Hard shadows and pools of light that defined film noir.
- Born
- 1901
- Died
- 1996
- Country
- United States
- Field
- Cinematographer
KNOWN FOR
- 1947T-Men
- 1948He Walked by Night
- 1951An American in Paris
- 1955The Big Combo
WHY THEY MATTER
Won the Academy Award for the colour cinematography of An American in Paris, the first Hungarian-born winner in the category; retrospectives at the American Museum of the Moving Image and the Pacific Film Archive.
THE LIFE
Alton, born Johann Jacob Altmann, was of Hungarian-Austrian origin and also worked during the golden age of Argentine cinema. He photographed some of the most famous films noir, many for Anthony Mann, including T-Men and Raw Deal. With Vincente Minnelli at MGM he shared the Academy Award for An American in Paris. His 1949 book Painting with Light became a classic text on cinematography.
Also born in 1900–1929
1901–1974 · United States · Cinematographer
Leon Shamroy
Bold Technicolor of the Fox studio era.
Leave Her to Heaven, 1945Source: Wikipedia
1902–1998 · United Kingdom · Cinematographer
Freddie Young
Sweeping, lush widescreen colour.
Lawrence of Arabia, 1962Source: Wikipedia
1902–2000 · Italy · Cinematographer
Otello Martelli
Neorealist grit that opened up into Fellini's nocturnal spectacle.
La Dolce Vita, 1960Source: Wikipedia
1904–1948 · United States · Cinematographer
Gregg Toland
Deep focus, with near and far planes sharp at once.
Citizen Kane, 1941Source: Wikipedia
1906–1980 · United States · Cinematographer
Boris Kaufman
Poetic realist black and white.
On the Waterfront, 1954Source: Wikipedia