Jack Cardiff, RIP

April 23rd, 2009 at 12:43pm Will Pfeifer

Kathleen Byron as a crazy nun in BLACK NARCISSUS

You might not have heard of him, but cinematographer Jack Cardiff revolutionized the use of color in film, creating unforgettable images that seemed as much like paintings as film frames. In his collaborations with Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger in such classics as THE RED SHOES, A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH and BLACK NARCISSUS, he created color palettes that reflected the characters’ emotional states, lifting the movies themselves to the level of expressionistic art.

He also worked on THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA, THE AFRICAN QUEEN, THE VIKINGS and, believe it or not, RAMBO: PART II (which, for its many flaws, is a great-looking movie).

Here’s his obit from the Los Angeles Times. If you’re curious for more, rent BLACK NARCISSUS or one of his other films. They’re all worth a look. As a bonus, the Criterion DVD of BLACK NARCISSUS has “Painting with Light,” an excellent feature on Cardiff and his work.

Entry Filed under: Deaths