Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Jack Cardiff 1914-2009


A few years ago an honorary Oscar was given to a man I'd never heard of before: Mr. Jack Cardiff. I have to confess that like the average person I used to know more about actors than about people that work behind the camera, but watching the tribute video about Cardiff I couldn't take my eyes off from the beauty of the images he had shot.
I was struck by the beauty of a pair of red shoes possessing a tragic dancer, thrilled by Kate and Bogie aboard a fighting ship and the image of Kathleen Byron consumed by lust was something I got out of my head until I got to see "Black Narcissus" some time later.
Cardiff has passed away at the astounding age of 94, age by which he'd photographed, and directed some of the most famous films of all time (he directed the first picture with Odorama!).
His work will live forever and I'm sure anyone who goes to the Himalayas will go in hopes that they fulfill the beauty promised by Cardiff.

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