Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

A major shout out to this new documentary that I watched on TCM this morning. Anybody else see it? I hope @Robert Harris watched it or plans to do so. I'm wishing this gets a Blu-ray release.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/image-makers-1247941


The American Society of Cinematographers celebrates its centennial this year. The Society was founded in Hollywood in 1919 with the purpose of advancing the art and science of cinematography and bringing cinematographers together to exchange ideas and promote the motion picture as an art form.

Our tribute includes four screenings of a new documentary in its television premiere: Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers (2019), a TCM presentation of an Adama Films production. The film is produced and directed by Daniel Raim, an Oscar nominee for Best Documentary Short Subject for The Man on Lincoln's Nose (2000), a study of production designer Robert Boyle.

The documentary recounts the saga of a group of photographic adventurers who resisted Thomas A. Edison's grip on East Coast cinema and went West to film one- and two-reelers in adventurous locations, establishing a brave new world of cinematography. The backdrop includes the California land boom, two world wars and the Great Depression. Archival images are supplemented by new interviews with family members and collaborators of these pioneers.

http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/1541223|0/American-Society-of-Cinematographers-Wednesdays-in-November.html

http://www.tcm.com/this-month/artic...entures-of-America-s-Pioneer-Cinematographers

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 6 2019 AT 12:00 AM
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 6 2019 AT 08:00 PM
SATURDAY NOVEMBER, 9 2019 AT 06:30 PM
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 13 2019 AT 04:30 PM
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 27 2019 AT 02:15 AM

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Had no idea, thanks for the heads up!

 

[Matt Hough]

Haven't watched it yet, but it IS on the agenda.

 

[ahollis]

I just set the DVR for Saturday’s airing. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Haven't watched it yet, but it IS on the agenda.

The cinematographers featured in this documentary are the following:

Billy Bitzer
Charles Rosher
Rollie Totheroh
William H. Daniels
Karl Struss
Gregg Toland
James Wong Howe

Along with special mentions of Karl Freund and George Barnes.

Over the years of watching movies, I think my favorite cinematographers from the Golden Era of Hollywood are Gregg Toland and James Wong Howe. I didn't know there was such a personal connection between those two men until watching this documentary. Man, I would love to visit the ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood.

 

[Robert Crawford]

One more thing, Kevin Brownlow and Leonard Maltin are major participants in this documentary.

 

[Robin9]

http://www.outofthepastblog.com/2019/11/image-makers.html

 

[Angelo Colombus]

It's on my dvr and will watch it tonight.

 

[Vegas 1]

Watched it last night quite interesting, recommended!

 

[bujaki]

I was aware of the doc and will watch it during a rerun.

 

[Bert Greene]

I've always been partial to Karl Struss and Charles Lang, and the Paramount 'house style.' That gauzy, dreamy look.

Enjoyed the documentary, and it was nice to see the cinematographers get their due. My only (ever so mild) disappointment was that when they mentioned the film "Transatlantic" (1931-Fox), they didn't have a clip from it. But that's a super-rare cookie. I thought, however, that the film was one of the recently-remastered early Fox titles that got screened at MoMA in the past year or so.

I always love documentaries that cover the early years, from the filmmakers to the 'industry' as a whole, to just even the daily life of the film capitol and its environs. My interest in those things wanes considerably once we get into the post-war years, even though I often obviously enjoy lots and lots of films and tv-productions made in that later time-period. It's just that once you get into the ossification of the late studio-era and the fragmented disorder that came behind, along with the banal blight of the ever-expansive Hollywood landscape, somehow I just can't muster up much fascination for the industry or the filmmakers.

 

[stevenHa]

I was really blown away by the early black screen traveling matte process from Sunrise !

 

[Robert Crawford]

I've always been partial to Karl Struss and Charles Lang, and the Paramount 'house style.' That gauzy, dreamy look.

Enjoyed the documentary, and it was nice to see the cinematographers get their due. My only (ever so mild) disappointment was that when they mentioned the film "Transatlantic" (1931-Fox), they didn't have a clip from it. But that's a super-rare cookie. I thought, however, that the film was one of the recently-remastered early Fox titles that got screened at MoMA in the past year or so.

I always love documentaries that cover the early years, from the filmmakers to the 'industry' as a whole, to just even the daily life of the film capitol and its environs. My interest in those things wanes considerably once we get into the post-war years, even though I often obviously enjoy lots and lots of films and tv-productions made in that later time-period. It's just that once you get into the ossification of the late studio-era and the fragmented disorder that came behind, along with the banal blight of the ever-expansive Hollywood landscape, somehow I just can't muster up much fascination for the industry or the filmmakers.

It was remastered, but, they at least mentioned it and showed a still from it. I have no problem with their choice of films that were featured in this documentary.

 

[JohnMor]

I can’t wait to check this out! Thanks for heads-up, Robert!

 

[bujaki]

Transatlantic is one great film directed with verve and visual style by William K. Howard. Admired by the late William K. Everson and one of the reasons he changed his name to William K. I saw this film in the print that MoMA used to run in the '70. It was superb then. It was also 35mm nitrate.

 

[Robert Crawford]

A major shout out to this new documentary that I watched on TCM this morning. Anybody else see it? I hope @Robert Harris watched it or plans to do so. I'm wishing this gets a Blu-ray release.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/image-makers-1247941


The American Society of Cinematographers celebrates its centennial this year. The Society was founded in Hollywood in 1919 with the purpose of advancing the art and science of cinematography and bringing cinematographers together to exchange ideas and promote the motion picture as an art form.

Our tribute includes four screenings of a new documentary in its television premiere: Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers (2019), a TCM presentation of an Adama Films production. The film is produced and directed by Daniel Raim, an Oscar nominee for Best Documentary Short Subject for The Man on Lincoln's Nose (2000), a study of production designer Robert Boyle.

The documentary recounts the saga of a group of photographic adventurers who resisted Thomas A. Edison's grip on East Coast cinema and went West to film one- and two-reelers in adventurous locations, establishing a brave new world of cinematography. The backdrop includes the California land boom, two world wars and the Great Depression. Archival images are supplemented by new interviews with family members and collaborators of these pioneers.

http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/1541223|0/American-Society-of-Cinematographers-Wednesdays-in-November.html

http://www.tcm.com/this-month/artic...entures-of-America-s-Pioneer-Cinematographers

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 6 2019 AT 12:00 AM
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 6 2019 AT 08:00 PM
SATURDAY NOVEMBER, 9 2019 AT 06:30 PM
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 13 2019 AT 04:30 PM
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 27 2019 AT 02:15 AM

This documentary is on the TCM app for those that have the app.

 

[Matt Hough]

Movie buffs MUST absolutely watch this. It's a fascinating glimpse into the work of some great movie pioneers and artists. It's being rerun this weekend if you don't have access to the TCM app. I finally got around to watching it today, and it's terrific!

I particularly loved the emotion that comes bubbling out of some of the participants (Kevin Brownlow, for one) as they talk with such passion about the great art that was created with the camera and the geniuses behind it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Movie buffs MUST absolutely watch this. It's a fascinating glimpse into the work of some great movie pioneers and artists. It's being rerun this weekend if you don't have access to the TCM app. I finally got around to watching it today, and it's terrific!

I particularly loved the emotion that comes bubbling out of some of the participants (Kevin Brownlow, for one) as they talk with such passion about the great art that was created with the camera and the geniuses behind it.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER, 9 2019 AT 06:30 PM
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 13 2019 AT 04:30 PM
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 27 2019 AT 02:15 AM

 

[Robert Crawford]

SATURDAY NOVEMBER, 9 2019 AT 06:30 PM
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 13 2019 AT 04:30 PM
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER, 27 2019 AT 02:15 AM

Have more of you watched this excellent documentary?

 

[Brian Alan B]

An absolutely outstanding and fun watch. Wished it could have gone on longer. Don't miss it!!!!!!