American Cinematographer - December 1988 - 101

Get
on

a

leg up

*.

the

competition
with the
FAST TRIPOD

SUPER
by Mike Maginot
*

eo

The manufacturers of home vid¬
hardware are offering better monitors

and bigger sound to consumers with a
desire to transform their viewing rooms into

well-equipped motion picture palace. Un¬
fortunately something is being lost in the
a

translation from film to video.
Video software products, tapes
and laser discs, are often a poor substitute
for a film favorite originally seen on the big
screen. The obvious psychological differ¬
ences between home and theater aside,
electronic vs. chemical, transmitted vs. pro¬

jected, the element that suffers most when
we go from big screen to little screen is
cinematography.
Allen Daviau, ASC took a big
step in the right direction when he super¬
vised the transfer of E. T The Extra-Terrestrial
to home video. This isn't an option that is
available to every cinematographer, but
Daviaus high visibility due to MCA's massive
ET promotion could change that oversight.
ET is being released in a pan and scan tape
and a letterboxed laser disc.

Many a veteran cameraman has
see his composition, light

turers leave out; more

the work of the

often than not it is

cinematographer.
*

*

*

Wonderful Life
Produced and directed
It's

a

'Tis the
snow and none falls

Swiss-made

*

Weatherproof

*

Lightweight
Bail level

*

Rising column
Carry handle

*

Shoulder strap

*

Velcro

for cinematic
so well or so sentimen¬

as the Capra kind. Many companies
have video versions of this family favorite,
but the one that looks best this Christmas is

tally

from Republic Pictures Home Video. This
one clocks in at 132 minutes. You won't need
to turn off the color and sit through out of

focus, mismatched tones of gray

-

it's in

tie-ups

SuperStix
SuperStix
SuperStix
SuperStix
SuperStix

season

(Legs only)
w/Miller Pro 106..
w/O'Connor 30
w/O'Connor 50
w/Sachtler 7+7
...

...
..

INTERNATIONAL

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1825 NE 149 Street
P. O. Box 61-0606
Miami FL 33181

PHONE 305 / 945-1111
■Sk

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V.

*

*

*

State of the Art of Computer Animation

(Pacific Arts Video)
State of the Art of Computer
Animation is a potpourri of commercial,

MOVING?
Please Notify Us
6 Weeks In Advance

values, and color saturation buried in a video
graveyard. Adding color to black and white
classics and pan and scan to wide screen
epics diminishes their quality and reputa¬

Name

mention, the

New Address

one

hour extravaganza is a

must see video for anyone

rapidly expanding industry.
*

*

City

*

State

Tex Avery's Screwball Classics
(MGM/UA Home Video)

think Jessica from Who
Framed Boger Babbit is the sexiest cartoon
character you have ever seen, it is time
to check out Tex Avery's Swing Shift

film

Cinderella.

get on video and sometimes a taste is
enough. But all the hardware in the world
can't replace what the software manufac¬

we

Apt.#

interested in this

matography at its best is sometimes invisi¬
or subtle, and sometimes incredibly
flamboyant. But the story, the actors, the
emotional elements and special effects are
usually the motivation for people to view a
video.
When theatrical films on tape or
disc are reviewed in this column, some care
has been taken in their transfer. Sometimes
a taste of what was on the big screen is all

/

black and white.

industrial, scientific, logo, and entertainment

on

3311 Empire Blvd.
P. O. Box 82835
Atlanta GA 30354
PHONE 404 / 766-1111

anywhere in the world

animation sharing the common denominator
of being computer generated.
With credits too numerous to

ble

$699.
$1625.
$1995.
$2895.
$2995.

IMAGE DEVICES

been shocked to

tion. It is sad to see so many consumers
satisfied with less than the best. They just
don't know how good it can be.
Most people don't go to the
movies to see the pretty pictures. Cine¬

precision

*

*

by Frank Capra.
Photographed by Joseph Walker, ASC and
Joseph Biroc, ASC.
(Bepublic Pictures Home Video)

Aluminum construction

*

Zip

Mail to:
If you

Gathered

on

this

one

American

Cinematographer
P.O. Box 2230

Hollywood, CA 90078

tape are

eight of the funniest cartoons you are likely
place. This is truly fantastic
animation combined with great story telling.
Among the highlights are The Cat That
Hated People and Who Killed Who?
A

to find in one

ATTACH LABEL HERE for address

inquiry. If you

are

change or
receiving duplicate copies of

AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER, please
send both labels. If moving, list NEW
ADDRESS above.

December 1988
American Cinematographer - December 1988

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - December 1988
