American Cinematographer - March 1989 - 87

by Mike Maginot
Twentieth

with the

Century

Produced and directed

by Howard Hawks.
Photographed by Joseph August, ASC.
(RCA/Columbia Home Video)
Howard Hawks is the master

pitcher of screwball comedy. Twentieth Cen¬
tury is tossed with the same speed and
accuracy as His Girl Friday, the archetype.
Ben Hecht and Charles McArthur cover all
the bases with their script about a Broad¬
way Svengali and his wayward Trilby.
Most people are too blown
away by John Barrymore and Carole Lom¬
bard's theatrical fireworks to notice Joseph

Augusts tightly composed shots that

so
well frame each bout of verbal venom.
Walter Connolly and Roscoe Karns help to
fill the frame as Barrymores cronies.
*

camera

and voiceover the story,

perhaps with music and sound effects, has
evolved with the advent of computers and
video matting devices into a minimalist
medium that attempts to satisfy an audi¬
ence without any genuine fluid movement.
Pecos Bill is one of a series of
Rabbit Ears Storybook Classics boasting
talented readers and musicians interpreting
childhood favorites. The reader in this case
is Robin Williams and Ry Cooder provides
the musical backdrop. The sophistication of
Williams' narration, written by Brian

Gleeson, may be a bit far out for younger
viewers of this tape and some parents may
find Tim Raglin's illustrations too graphic in
regards to Pecos Bill in the buff, but the
work here is worth a look. C. W. Rogers is
credited with Video Tape Editing and Pro¬
duction Design.
*

The Diary of a Chambermaid
Produced by Serge Silberman
Michel Safra.
Directed by Luis Buhuel.

and

Photographed by Roger Fellous.
(Media Home Entertainment/Image

Elvis On Tour
Produced and directed by Pierre Adidge
Robert Abel.

and

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Photographed by Robert Thomas.
(MGM/UA Home Video)

Entertainment)
MGM/UA, taking advantage of
There is a moment when the
titles end and the matte lines that once
framed the true aspect ratio disappear, that
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Thank heaven for content in a video world
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Buhuel shows all the discreet
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*

Pecos Bill

Produced by Mark Sottnick.
Directed by Mark Sottnick and

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American Cinematographer - March 1989

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - March 1989