American Cinematographer - April 2014 - 4

The International Journal of Motion Imaging

SEE AND HEAR MORE CINEMATOGRAPHY COVERAGE AT WWW.THEASC.COM

In an exclusive podcast, cinematographer
Jost Vacano, ASC, BVK discusses his approach
to the original RoboCop, released in 1987.

Left: In Paul Verhoeven's sci-fi classic RoboCop, Peter
Weller stars as a terminally wounded police officer who
returns to active duty after being transformed into a
powerful cyborg. Right: Jost Vacano, ASC, BVK.
(RoboCop photo courtesy of MGM. Vacano photo by
Douglas Kirkland.)

THIS MONTH'S ONLINE QUESTION: Which science-fiction movies have the most fantastic cinematography?
Malia Campbell: "Blade Runner!!!!"

Iain Bruce: "Blade Runner and its breathtakingly beautiful neon-noir. They made grime and dust
David Joshua Smith: "2001 is still at the top of look ethereal. Fantastic lighting, composition and
the list."
camera movement. A world fully realized
through wonderful cinematography."
Robbie Corcoran: "Alien."
Kristian Nomedal: "Metropolis by Fritz Lang."
J.T. Moreland: "Close Encounters of the Third
Kind!!"
Marla Porter: "Inception."

Aaron William Peterson: "I like that you used
the word 'fantastic' instead of 'best' or 'well
crafted.' Fantastic cinematography has the ability
to push boundaries and to call forth questions of
the sublime. 'Fantastic' isn't just great craftsmanship, it is capturing wonder. With that in mind I
would choose 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade
Runner and Metropolis."

Derrick Lafayette: "12 Monkeys, District 9, Star
Richard Davis: "I love the look of Moon. Amaz- Henry Febles: "The Matrix. Do not forget about Trek Into Darkness."
ingly well shot."
bullet time!"
Dusty Clark: "2001, Sunshine and A.I., hands
Adam Ahmed: "Dark City."
Philip Wheeler: "Star Wars."
down!"
Evan Halleck: "Aliens is shot beautifully. It is rare Faisal-Azam Qureshi: "Stalker, 2001, Blade
that a movie shot decades ago can still truly bring Runner and Dune."
you into a science-fiction world and scare the
crap out of you."
Derek Stettler: "I think science fiction offers the
perfect opportunity for cinematography to fulfill
E.J. Enriques: "Minority Report, for a future its highest purpose, because science fiction is all
[that is] not so out of reach."
about creating new worlds. Few films are more
successful in this regard than Blade Runner. Its
Jorge Corral: "Gravity!"
sheer beauty only elevates the achievement. I'm
also fond of the cinematography of 2001, Alien,
Pete Von Tews: "Blade Runner. I've even had Oblivion and Tron: Legacy."
dreams with that look."
Giselle Ocasio Morales: "The Fifth Element
Fernando Toscano: "Blade Runner and Chil- does it for me."
dren of Men."
Adam Chambers: "I like the work Karl Walter
Jorge Corral: "The greatness of Gravity is its Lindenlaub [ASC, BVK] did on Stargate."
simplicity."

Jeremiah Bayani: "Primer, The Fountain, Pi."
Fabio Pirovano: "2001: A Space Odyssey, Star
Wars, Escape from New York, Outland, Alien 3,
Virtuosity, Event Horizon, Solaris (Steven Soderbergh, [shooting] as Peter Andrews), Sunshine,
Pandorum, Gravity."
Venusi Junior Taumoepeau: "Allen Daviau
[ASC]'s work on E.T. is memorable to me."
Bill Allan: "I agree with the Blade Runner majority, but what about The Road Warrior?"
Tanmay Toraskar: "The Abyss, shot by [director
of photography] Mikael Salomon [ASC] and
[underwater director of photography] Al Giddings. Great underwater cinematography for a
very science-fiction adventure movie."

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American Cinematographer - April 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - April 2014