Best Cinematography 1966

1927/28 through 1997
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What was the year's best Cinematography in Black-and-White and in Color?

The Fortune Cookie (Joseph LaShelle)
0
No votes
Georgy Girl (Kenneth Higgins)
1
4%
Is Paris Burning? (Marcel Grignon)
0
No votes
Seconds (James Wong Howe)
8
29%
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Haskell Wexler)
5
18%
Fantastic Voyage (Ernest Laszlo)
1
4%
Hawaii (Russell Harlan)
1
4%
A Man for All Seasons (Ted Moore)
5
18%
The Professionals (Conrad L. Hall)
5
18%
The Sand Pebbles (Joseph MacDonald)
2
7%
 
Total votes: 28

Mister Tee
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Re: Best Cinematography 1966

Post by Mister Tee »

I can't vote under black and white because I never saw Is Paris Burning? I remember the movie opening -- and getting pretty terrible reviews (despite being the work of well-respected Rene Clement). That it managed this nomination anyway was a fairly strong sign the category's usefulness was at an end.

As were the nods for The Fortune Cookie and Georgy Girl. Although I liked the first film, and adored the second, neither was anything special in the visual department. (Georgy Girl, by the way, is the only one on this side of the slate that I saw on a big screen.)

Were I voting, I'd break probably the way most have. Wexler does a wonderful job of concealing the fact that Virginia Woolf? is basically a one-set play, and is not an ignoble winner. But Howe came closest to notable artistic achievement with Seconds, and might have got my vote in the end.

By the way, did anyone see The Simpsons' parody segment of Virginia Woolf last night? I think it's the first time I've ever seen anyone attempt such a thing, and it was pretty clever.

Over on the color side, I saw a full three of the nominees in theatres-- widescreen theatres, at that.

Not included in that trio were Fantastic Voyage and Hawaii, both of which I saw on television, in the 80s and 90s. The former had some (for the time) great sets and effects, and might have been a contender with today's voting pool. The latter had the advantage of its lush island scenery, though everything about the movie just reeked of bloat and letdown.

I guess The Sand Pebbles probably hits most people the way Hawaii does me -- with only a few minutes less to its running time, it makes for a long slog. But I did see The Sand Pebbles at the Rivoli Theatre, and enjoyed the spectacle. Disclaimer: I was 15 at the time. Anyway, I think its spot in this category is one I wouldn't hotly dispute.

But the other two nominees -- who seem to be grabbing most of our votes -- provide stronger visuals. I have to confess I haven't seen The Professionals since Election Day 1966 (talk about another universe), but my recollection is of crisp, clean outdoor images that captured the hot sun of the Southwest.

A Man for All Seasons, as I've probably noted here before, was a standout among all the era's period costume epics, not so much for its beauty as for its modesty. It didn't seem to be trying to knock us out with its sets and vistas; it felt like it was more interested in creating a believable environment. This served the film well: it was about the only film of its kind from these years that engaged me on a human level. This is a different kind of achievement from what Burnett Guffey brought about just a year later -- less of a one -- but it's way superior to the Cleopatras that we're going to run into in the coming weeks. A semi-enthusiastic vote for Ted Moore (who, without this credit, would be known mainly as the Bond film guy).
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Re: Best Cinematography 1966

Post by Big Magilla »

Black-and-White

Is Paris Burning? is a botched telling of the liberation of Paris. The U.S. release version of this French film was badly dubbed. The original French version with subtitles is not much better, but the art direction and cinematography are decent enough to have earned their Oscar nominations, still, it's a definite also-ran.

The Fortune Cookie is a well-made Billy Wilder comedy, but Joseph LaShelle's cinematography although decent enough does not rise to the level of his masterpieces, Laura and The Apartment.

Hey there Georgy Girl had impressive cinematography by Kenneth Higgins the year after Darling made critics sit up and take notice, but this race is really between two legendary cinematographers, one just coming into his own and the other in the fifth decade of his amazing career.

Haskell Wexler's dazzling camerawork belies the largely one set filming of Who's Afraid of Virginina Wollf? and cements his reputation as one of the greats. James Wong Howe's startling imagery in Seconds is even more impressive than his Oscar winning camerawork on Hud.

It's a tough call, but Howe gets my vote.

Color

Ernest Laszlo's cinematography goes hand-in-hand with the special effects on Fantastic Voyage, and is impressive but but is up against even more impressive imagery in the other nominees.

Russell Harlan's camerawork on Hawaii is memorable throughout even when the film itself is not. Conrad Hall's work on The Professionals dazzles throughout and Joseph MacDonald's lensing of The Sand Pebbles is one of the film's biggest assets, but as with Wexler's opening up of Virginia Woolf, Ted Moore's opening up of A Man for All Seasons betrays its stage origins, but even more so. He get my vote.
Reza
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Re: Best Cinematography 1966

Post by Reza »

B/W
1. Seconds
2. .....Virginia Woolf?
3. Is Paris Burning?
4. The Fortune Cookie
5. Georgy Girl

Colour
1. The Professionals
2. A Man For All Seasons
3. The Sand Pebbles
4. Hawaii
5. Fantastic Voyage
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Precious Doll
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Re: Best Cinematography 1966

Post by Precious Doll »

As we go back in this category it is going to get harder to decide on selection a winner(s) as I've only seen the majority of the films on Tv or VHS video. I will disclose at the being of each post what I have seen on the big screen or DVD/Blu Ray.

Of the 1966 nominees I have seen Seconds, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? & A Man For All Seasons on the big screen. I have seen Georgy Girl on DVD. Everything else on VHS.

B&W was an easy choice: Seconds. A visually striking film for a highly original and thoughtful film from John Frankenheimer. I think Haskell Wexler does an extraordinary job on Virginia Woolf, given that a good chunck of the film takes place in two settings. His captured in confined space but gave it scope and energy. The Fortune Cookie & Georgy Girl are quite good looking films, especially the later given it was not a Hollywood production. To be honest I can't remember what Is Paris Burning? looked like.

The colour nominees are a lesser bunch. I ultimately went for A Man For All Seasons which I remember as drab looking for totally appropriate for its setting. The Professionals probably looks better but I'm on the fence with these two. The Sand Pebbles looked good but the other two are totally serviceable for their material.

Omissions: Blow Up (the best of the year - how did this miss out?), Fahrenheit 451, The Pornograhers & Au Hasard Balthazar (all seen on the big screen).
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
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Best Cinematography 1966

Post by Big Magilla »

Five nominees in Black-and-White and five in Color - all for then well-known films. How do they hold up?
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