In keeping with his cinematic nickname – The Prince of Darkness – the great cinematographer Gordon Willis, ASC is widely known for his low-key work on such classics as The Godfather, The Godfather Part Two, Klute and The Parallax View. I’ve never given much credence to that tag, as anyone who’s delved into the … Continue reading “MATCH GAME”
NO REFLEX? NO PROBLEM!
The ingenuity shown by so many individuals associated with cinematography has always been something to marvel at. This Angenieux zoom lens modification is merely one example. A creation of the mid-’60’s, it was designed for use with the reigning camera of the day, the Mitchell BNC, which at that time was seen as hobbled … Continue reading “NO REFLEX? NO PROBLEM!”
THE BECKMAN-WHITLEY CM16
Looks cool, doesn’t it? And while wearing a jacket and tie, no less! The thought of lifting off in the KGO news copter to capture breaking action with the groovy CM16 must’ve been exciting for a SoCal reporter during the mid-60’s. Or, maybe not…after a flight or two. Beside that tiny demographic, … Continue reading “THE BECKMAN-WHITLEY CM16”
OBSCURITY FOR SURETY
Hot on the heels of Tuesday’s post, here’s another mid-’60’s camera that until now has been lost to the ages: the Sol-Lux Nomag 400. Billed as “The Breakthrough You Have Been Waiting For,” I wonder who they were thinking of when they made that statement. Certainly no one serious about what they were doing. … Continue reading “OBSCURITY FOR SURETY”
SURPRISE, SURPRISE…
Just when I was beginning to think I’d seen it all, I recently learned of something I had no idea existed. The mid-’60’s-vintage Doiflex 16 fits neatly into that category…and it would probably be best if it remained there. Poised as something of a hybrid Arri S – Bolex H16 – Beaulieu R16, … Continue reading “SURPRISE, SURPRISE…”
WICKED, WICKED (1973)
In a lifetime of tripping over weird movies, this one is perhaps the weirdest of them all. Currently streaming on Amazon Prime, it’s not the hokey plot, Richard L. Bare’s ham-fisted direction, the terrible acting, cheesy sets or original organ score from the 1925 version of Phantom of the Opera that wrecked it for … Continue reading “WICKED, WICKED (1973)”
RESERVE THE READING ROOM!
In light of my recent fascination with Eclair’s 1960’s-vintage ads, here’s a little love for our good friends at Arriflex. While not as stylish or clever as the French offerings, Arri is the only camera manufacturer I’m aware of to start their sales pitch with a Latin phrase. Its meaning? Let the buyer be … Continue reading “RESERVE THE READING ROOM!”
ANATOMY OF A FIGHT SCENE, PART 1
The informal recording below shows a half-speed rehearsal for a fight scene that appears in a pilot I shot last year. Though the writers’ strike and other issues have delayed its streaming debut, the complete first season will drop sometime in 2025. For that reason, I’m not allowed to include the finished material. But … Continue reading “ANATOMY OF A FIGHT SCENE, PART 1”
CISCO PIKE (1971)
I’d never seen this one until I caught it the other night on Amazon Prime. As a story, not much happens beyond the obvious: Kris Kristofferson, playing an itinerant songwriter\musician, is blackmailed into selling a hundred keys of pot by Gene Hackman’s dirty cop. Karen Black is Kristofferson’s long-suffering girlfriend, essentially reprising her roles … Continue reading “CISCO PIKE (1971)”
REVERSING INTO THE FUTURE
We all take reflex viewing systems for granted these days, but there once was a time when they were considered an amazing innovation. This ad, from the June 1969 issue of American Cinematographer, offers a perspective that had me scratching my head. With the pictured Mitchell BNC already reflex-modified, why would anyone retrofit it … Continue reading “REVERSING INTO THE FUTURE”