How About a Little Love for the Cinematographer?

Honestly, I don't want to make a cottage industry of criticizing the film reviews of Katjusa Cisar of The Cap Times. I swear on my father's grave. But, being a film geek, I just can't let some stuff go.

This week she has reviewed Mister Lonely, directed by Harmony Korine. While she didn't write a terrible review, there is one bit that annoyed me. To wit:

The cinematography is at times breathtaking. The way Korine sets up the composition in many scenes brings out a rare, stark beauty that accentuates the loneliness of the characters. For instance, the image of a group of nuns holding hands as they fly in formation is a beautiful sight.

If you look at the film's credits, you will find that the cinematographer is this guy, Marcel Zyskind.



Another term for a cinematographer is Director of Photography so Zyskind was in charge of the picture taking. Lighting, lens selection, camera movement, and, yes, shot composition are the purview of the cinematographer. There's a reason for a separate Academy Award for cinematography. There's a reason why film geeks mourn the death of a Sven Nykvist or Conrad Hall. Cinematographers fret over film stock and its grain; they ponder lens lengths; color temperature occupies their minds more than is safe for a human being; they open cameras and futz with the shutter to get the right effect; DPs send lenses back to optics companies to have the coatings removed for just the right look. To be sure, a DP and director are a team but can we give some credit where credit is due? Zyskind spent years pulling focus rings and running around with a SteadiCam (60+ pounds!) harnessed to his frame before he was put in charge and Cisar attributes his hard work and skills to Korine.

So, the next time you see a film and are impressed with the cinematography, try thanking the cinematographer.