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HISTORY OVERVIEW CREW: The Director Of Photography
I think since Roger Deakins excelled with his work for "Skyfall" (the first ever Oscar nomination for a cinematographer for James Bond), the interest in the exact list of crewmembers became more noteworthy. I think it's good that we become aware of the importance of the crew that is working on such a Bond film. And it also gives us fans more understanding of the technical work behind a Bond film.
Most of the crewmembers become part of the Bond family for a longer period of time, while others leave after just one Bond experience. I think it's therefore nice to have an historical overview of the different crew members. Perhaps then our respect can also grow a bit for other aspects of a Bond film.
In this topic we discuss all directors of photography / cinematographers who put the visual ideas of the director/producer/screenplay writers into practice. Sometimes acting as a true "visual director", sometimes more as camera operator and sometimes both. But all of them were listed as directors of photography:
01) Ted Moore (†), B.S.C., won 1 Oscar:
---> "Doctor No"
---> "From Russia With Love"
---> "Goldfinger"
---> "Thunderball"
---> "Diamonds Are Forever"
---> "Live And Let Die"
---> "The Man With The Golden Gun"
02) Freddy Young (†), A.S.C. & B.S.C., won 3 Oscars:
---> "You Only Live Twice"
03) Jack Hildyard (†), B.S.C., won 1 Oscar:
---> "Casino Royale" i]non-EON[/i
04) Michael Reed:
---> "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
05) Oswald Morris († 03.17.2014), A.S.C. & B.S.C., won 1 Oscar:
---> "The Man With The Golden Gun"
06) Claude Renoir (†):
---> "The Spy Who Loved Me"
07) Jean Tournier (†):
---> "Moonraker"
08) Alan Hume (†), B.S.C.:
---> "For Your Eyes Only"
---> "Octopussy"
---> "A View To A Kill"
09) Douglas Slocombe, A.S.C. & B.S.C.:
---> "Never Say Never Again" i]non-EON[/i
10) Alec Mills:
---> "The Living Daylights"
---> "Licence To Kill"
Credited as "Camera Operator", but not the leading cinematographer:
---> "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
---> "The Spy Who Loved Me"
---> "Moonraker"
---> "For Your Eyes Only"
---> "Octopussy"
---> "A View To A Kill"
11) Phil Meheux, B.S.C.:
---> "GoldenEye"
---> "Casino Royale"
12) Robert Elswit, A.S.C. & B.S.C., won 1 Oscar:
---> "Tomorrow Never Dies"
13) Adrian Biddle, B.S.C.:
---> "The World Is Not Enough"
14) David Tattersall (†), A.S.C.:
---> "Die Another Day"
15) Roberto Schaefer:
---> "Quantum Of Solace"
16) Roger Deakins, A.S.C. & B.S.C.:
---> "Skyfall"
17) Hoyte van Hoytema, A.S.C.:
---> "Bond 24"
Who do you think should earn a special "Best 007 Cinematography Award"? Who do you call your favourite? And can you see some visual similarities between a cinematographers work for a Bond film and non-Bond films he worked on?
Most of the crewmembers become part of the Bond family for a longer period of time, while others leave after just one Bond experience. I think it's therefore nice to have an historical overview of the different crew members. Perhaps then our respect can also grow a bit for other aspects of a Bond film.
In this topic we discuss all directors of photography / cinematographers who put the visual ideas of the director/producer/screenplay writers into practice. Sometimes acting as a true "visual director", sometimes more as camera operator and sometimes both. But all of them were listed as directors of photography:
01) Ted Moore (†), B.S.C., won 1 Oscar:
---> "Doctor No"
---> "From Russia With Love"
---> "Goldfinger"
---> "Thunderball"
---> "Diamonds Are Forever"
---> "Live And Let Die"
---> "The Man With The Golden Gun"
02) Freddy Young (†), A.S.C. & B.S.C., won 3 Oscars:
---> "You Only Live Twice"
03) Jack Hildyard (†), B.S.C., won 1 Oscar:
---> "Casino Royale" i]non-EON[/i
04) Michael Reed:
---> "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
05) Oswald Morris († 03.17.2014), A.S.C. & B.S.C., won 1 Oscar:
---> "The Man With The Golden Gun"
06) Claude Renoir (†):
---> "The Spy Who Loved Me"
07) Jean Tournier (†):
---> "Moonraker"
08) Alan Hume (†), B.S.C.:
---> "For Your Eyes Only"
---> "Octopussy"
---> "A View To A Kill"
09) Douglas Slocombe, A.S.C. & B.S.C.:
---> "Never Say Never Again" i]non-EON[/i
10) Alec Mills:
---> "The Living Daylights"
---> "Licence To Kill"
Credited as "Camera Operator", but not the leading cinematographer:
---> "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
---> "The Spy Who Loved Me"
---> "Moonraker"
---> "For Your Eyes Only"
---> "Octopussy"
---> "A View To A Kill"
11) Phil Meheux, B.S.C.:
---> "GoldenEye"
---> "Casino Royale"
12) Robert Elswit, A.S.C. & B.S.C., won 1 Oscar:
---> "Tomorrow Never Dies"
13) Adrian Biddle, B.S.C.:
---> "The World Is Not Enough"
14) David Tattersall (†), A.S.C.:
---> "Die Another Day"
15) Roberto Schaefer:
---> "Quantum Of Solace"
16) Roger Deakins, A.S.C. & B.S.C.:
---> "Skyfall"
17) Hoyte van Hoytema, A.S.C.:
---> "Bond 24"
Who do you think should earn a special "Best 007 Cinematography Award"? Who do you call your favourite? And can you see some visual similarities between a cinematographers work for a Bond film and non-Bond films he worked on?
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Comments
SF
QoS
GE
SF and QoS had the best cinematography of the whole series, a close third being GE. The rest of the series just had generic cinematography and lacked style.
Goldeneye's cinematography better than the likes of Dr. No, OHMSS, Thunderball, YOLT, FYEO, TSWLM and TND?
Well, after all, it is your opinion.
Yeah indeed. Ted Moore gave birth to the lush, grand cinematography, that helped recreating the luxury Bond feel.
SF
YOLT
OHMSS (for the final helicopter assault on Piz Gloria alone)
The romantic collage of Bond and Tracy, supported by Louis Armstrong's song, is simply wunderful. Later on in OHMSS the wedding proposal in the barn is IMO a wunderful Doctor Zhivago-esque romantic piece of film. The soft, silky, slightly overlighted shots with filters (IF they used filters, because otherwise Michael Reed did something else....especially with lights) are breathtaking.
I can name some more examples, but as of today I truly believe that OHMSS is the most romantic resonant Bond film ever, thanks to its incredible cinematography.
Allthough emotions really come to the surface very well in CR (Phil Meheux really excelled himself compared to GE with this Bond film) and SF (Roger Deakins) as well.
Yeah, I forgot Freddie Young here. Amazing cinematographer.
You need to relax.
I just personally liked Goldeneye's cinematography. Looking at YOLT and OHMSS, they might be better, I still think Goldeneye is in my top 5 though.
Some subjects lend themselves very well for rankings. I like these kind of topics and I do create them myselves at times. But as this is kind of....technical discussion, I am also slightly opposed to say "hey, this is my favourite! It's on 3rd with me!" I really can't do it myself.
What makes Goldeneye's cinematography outstanding, might I ask?
I love Goldeneye as much as the next person, but even the biggest fans of Goldeneye do not hold its cinematography in high regard (it's pretty much spot on in all other areas, though!).
It was solid & fine IMHO, but not outstanding. TND's was a bit better.
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
SKYFALL
QUANTUM OF SOLACE (purely for aesthetics)
MOONRAKER
THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
Honestly all of the Bond films save for TWINE, DAD, and LTK have had excellent cinematography. In fact those 3 films have their moments as well and are decent overall even. I highly disagree with who ever said the series lacked style and visual excellence. One of my favorite parts about the Bond films, especially some of the earlier films and Gilbert's massive films, are the visuals.
Bond films have, for the most part, really excelled visually I've always thought.
Like I said, it wasn't bad, but I definitely don't think it was anywhere near stellar. It had this cold blandness to it. That's the best way I can put it. I know it probably makes no sense, I've just always found the cinematography lacking in that film. Not exciting.
The pre-title sequence, consequently, is shot beautifully. Everything from Bond in the office to rappelling down the side of the building to the river chase.
As I mentioned briefly in my review, however, there are some gorgeous establishing shots of Istanbul.
Oh yeah. He's done good work. I'm not dissing him as a cinematographer (Aliens is shot beautifully). Just whatever happened on TWINE makes it bleaker and duller than it already is.
The guy who started it all. You wouldn't believe DN cost $1 million, judging by Moore's sumptuous cinematography.
From Russia With Love – Ted Moore
Moore's work on framing Istanbul is very good, but the quality of the cinematography has dropped compared to DN.
Goldfinger – Ted Moore
Apart from Miami and Bond's drive through Switzerland, the locations aren't up too much.
Thunderball – Ted Moore
Moore's cinematography on location in the Bahamas is simply exquisite. His work on photographing underwater is top notch – no matter on what your felling about the underwater stuff in TB, Moore's lensing is quite superb.
You Only Live Twice – Freddie Young
Didn't Lewis Gilbert pinch Young after seeing his work on Doctor Zhivago? Anyway, this famed DoP delivered the goods in YOLT, capturing the Japanese landscapes beautifully.
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – Michael Reed
Reed's work on Majesty’s is simply magisterial. Superb.
Diamonds Are Forever – Ted Moore
Cubby and Harry assembled the old gang back, including Ted Moore. Unfortunately Las Vegas is not befitting of Moore's exceptional work.
Live and Let Die – Ted Moore
The trio of Hamltion's films, that kick of the 70's, are mainly urban affairs, hence the DoP does not get to show off. In this film, the use of Jamaica is a poor relation to Moore's work on DN.
The Man With The Golden Gun – Ted Moore and Oswald Morris
Unfortunately Moore was ill, so Morris was brought on board, after dining with Cubby, who allayed his fears about taking over from another cinematographers work. From the grimy, sweaty urban expanses, such as Bangkok, to the picturesque beaches, Moore and Morris arrest the stunning beauty of the Far East exquisitely.
The Spy Who Loved Me – Claude Renoir
One of my favorites – both in terms of the film and it's cinematography, giving a sense of scale and sophistication, absent for the past three films, and it is framed magnificently by Claude Renoir.
Moonraker – Jean Tournier
What ever your opinion on Moonraker, this is a beautiful film, in part to Tournier's fabulous work.
For Your Eyes Only – Alan Hume
The budget was not a high as the previous two films, and one can tell it. In this particular film, it seems Vaseline was rubbed on the lens. Because Sir Rog was getting older? Despite these problems Hume gave us some pretty picturesque scenery in Italy and the Adriatic.
Octopussy – Alan Hume
Does well in capturing some of the grandeur of India.
A View To A Kill – Alan Hume
Paris and San Francisco are too common to be featured in a 007 epic. Out of all of the films, this has a T.V film vibe to it.
The Living Daylights – Alec Mills
Does well in the Afghan sequence, especially the dawn shot of the riders, silhouetted up against the morning sky.
Licence To Kill – Alec Mills
Set in Mexico, LTK's cinematography does not have the sheen that one usually associates with Bond.
GoldenEye – Phil Meheux
Apart from the wonderfully shot beach scene, this is rather a workman like episode in the Bondian saga.
Tomorrow Never Dies – Robert Elswit
At last we're getting back to the cinematography of days gone past.
The World Is Not Enough – Adrian Biddle
Another pedestrian effort from all involved.
Die Another Day – David Tattersall
Some interesting choices, bleak and grey in N. Korea, vibrant in Cuba, and overloaded and oversaturated in Iceland.
Casino Royale – Phil Meheux
Matching Campbell's direction, this is classy and magnificent.
Quantum of Solace – Roberto Schaefer
The cinematography is uniformly excellent, I like how Schaefer uses his colour palette; vivid brown and red, contrasting with the blue of sky, in the desert, for example.
Skyfall – Roger Deakins
It's either this, or MR, as my favourite looking film of the entire series.
I'm fairly convinced he's an Oscar winning cinematographer once "Bond 24" premieres ;-).
My top 3:
- Meheux
- Deakins
- Reed
I'm planning to do a series of these topics, with other specific professions of crewmembers being highlighted. I really think it's nice if we fans at times dig a little deeper in each individual aspect of filming...especially those for a Bond film :-).
Did you know btw that Oswald Morris dies this year? It was never featured on the news section, but he did make some wunderful aerial shots of Thailand. It made Phuket turn into "James Bond Land" eventually.
I like the gritty look of the film: dramatic lighting, deep blacks, desaturated colours... I just felt like it had more style, and I think it emphasized the story more. Thinking about it more, I wouldn't hold it in as high regard to other Bond films but I think it's an interestingly shot film.
There is some excellent photography both in the earliest and latest films, but SF takes the cake. The prize goes to Deakins.
Lamar Boren shot the Thunderball underwater sequences. Credit given where credit's due and all that.
The prize always goes to Deakins. My personal favorite is the cinematography in OHMSS, but Deakins' manages to heighten my interest in a film I'd otherwise not care for in the slightest, had he not been the DP.