If you’re not familiar with the films of Powell and Pressburger, you need to find copies of Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes and Tales Of Hoffmann right now. One of the singular virtues of these films is that they were shot by esteemed cinematographer Jack Cardiff, who was and always will be a perfect example of how much a cinematographer can bring to a film.
He never used lighting, color, composition or camera movement for their own sake, unlike today’s filmmakers - he used these effects to express emotion, to enrich the characters, to create an environment or a mood. He used them in service of the story being told, a principle that has largely been forgotten.
In addition, Cardiff had a fine career as a director through the sixites and early seventies, adapting D.H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers for the screen. He also gave us a rollicking Viking saga with The Long Ships, and one of my favorite adventure films - Dark Of The Sun, starring Rod Taylor and Jim Brown. He eventually returned to cinematography, shooting big-budget Hollywood genre films such as Death On The Nile, Ghost Story, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Conan The Destroyer and Tai-Pan. He died on April 22nd at age 94 .
RIP, Mr. Cardiff. You were a master.
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