Boris Kaufman, cinematographer
Sept 25, 2023 14:17:52 GMT
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Post by spiderwort on Sept 25, 2023 14:17:52 GMT
Boris Kaufman was born on August 24, 1897, in Bialystok, Poland, then part of the Russian Empire. He was the brother of Denis Kaufman (a.k.a. Dziga Vertov, famous for directing the landmark Russian film, Man with the Movie Camera (1929)), and also the brother of Russian cinematographer, Mikhail Kaufman.
Boris first became famous as the cinematographer of Jean Vigo's masterpiece, L'Atalante (1934).
He emigrated to Canada during World War II, then moved to New York, supporting himself by shooting short subjects and documentaries before Elia Kazan chose him to shoot On the Waterfront (1954). Kazan wanted Kaufman to inject a kind of realism similar to Italian neo-realism in the film, which he did brilliantly and earned an Oscar for his work.
And he worked with Kazan again in 1961, shooting Splendor in the Grass, this time in color.
In his autobiography, "A Life," Kazan said it was his collaboration with Kaufman that taught him that cinematographers were artists in their own right.
They worked together three more times, all in B & W: The Fugitive Kind (1960),
and The Pawnbroker (1964).
Kaufman retired in 1970, after shooting Otto Preminger's Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970). He died in New York City in 1980. He was a real artist, whose works influenced directors and cinematographers around the world.
Your thoughts and comments are welcome.
Boris first became famous as the cinematographer of Jean Vigo's masterpiece, L'Atalante (1934).
He emigrated to Canada during World War II, then moved to New York, supporting himself by shooting short subjects and documentaries before Elia Kazan chose him to shoot On the Waterfront (1954). Kazan wanted Kaufman to inject a kind of realism similar to Italian neo-realism in the film, which he did brilliantly and earned an Oscar for his work.
Kaufman also shot Baby Doll (1956) in B & W for Kazan and received a second Oscar nomination for it.
And he worked with Kazan again in 1961, shooting Splendor in the Grass, this time in color.
In his autobiography, "A Life," Kazan said it was his collaboration with Kaufman that taught him that cinematographers were artists in their own right.
Kaufman also shot Sidney Lumet's first feature, 12 Angry Men (1957), brilliantly utilizing a confined space to create an intense cinematic landscape (with Lumet's great collaboration, of course).
Long Day's Journey into Night (1962)
and The Pawnbroker (1964).
One of my favorites of his films is the little known, All the Way Home (1963), another B & W beauty.
Kaufman retired in 1970, after shooting Otto Preminger's Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970). He died in New York City in 1980. He was a real artist, whose works influenced directors and cinematographers around the world.
Your thoughts and comments are welcome.
