CAMERAMAN: THE LIFE & WORK OF JACK CARDIFF — NYFF 2010

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Essential viewing for fans of the cinematographer's craft, Craig McCall's fascinating documentary about one of the greatest cameramen of all time is a film to be cherished.

Jack Cardiff began his film career in 1918, as a four-year-old child actor. By the time he was a teenager Cardiff was working as a camera assistant.

In 1939 he operated the camera for his first feature film, "Main Street of Paris."

Cardiff's bountiful output with Michael Powell and Emeric Pressberger, beginning with "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" (1943), allows Cardiff to exhibit his virtuosic camera abilities.

Jack Cardiff intuitively knew how to take full advantage of the Technicolor technology he helped usher in with "Wings of the Morning" (1937), the first feature film shot using the process.

Hearing Cardiff talk about working with actresses like Marlene Dietrich and Marilyn Monroe is a treat. Jack Cardiff was an accomplished painter whose passion for art informed his uncanny ability to achieve visual compositions of supernatural beauty and light.

"African Queen," "War & Peace," "Black Narcissus," and "The Red Shoes" are merely a few of the visually stunning movies from Jack Cardiff's resume that are referenced in this entertaining look at a true master of the cinema. Unforgettable.

Not Rated. 90 mins.