American Cinematographer - June 1995 - 120

Table-top Technology

a source

The Shuttle

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of ideas, as a historical docu¬

ment, and as a

key to the work of one of
cinematography's more colorful maver¬

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Robert Wise,
a

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Most writers on the arts strongly
favor the eccentric genius. Van Gogh
wouldn't be half the critics' darling he is
if he hadn't been mentally disturbed and

lopped off his ear, nor would Wagner be
nearly so fascinating if he hadn't been
such a heel. The same applies to the cre¬
ative people behind motion pictures.
How refreshing, then, to en¬
counter a book devoted to a fine director

Warranty and non-warranty; factory

who also

happens to be a fine man!
might mitigate
against Robert Wise's inclusion in the

parts in stock. Typical turnaround:
1 or 2 days. We're as close to you as
Fedex overnight. We're the only fac¬
tory-authorized service facility in
the country. We're also famous for
fixing lens repairs done elsewhere.
264 Morris

Bio-Bibliography

by Frank Thompson
Greenwood, library binding,
184 pps., $55

Other attributes which

Pantheon of Great Directors

Ave, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046. Phone: (201) 335-4460. Fax: (201) 335-4560

J

are

versatil¬

ity and craftsmanship (cardinal sins!),
popularity, a penchant for delivering a
finished product which doesn't have to
be rescued (or mutilated, according to
the point of view), and a substantial body
of work.
As

Thompson notes, Wise be¬

gan in the editing department at RK0,
and then directed some second units and

pickups. He later became

of Val
Body
Snatcher)and an expert at making classy
pictures on moderate budgets (The Set
Up, Born to Kill). He had definitely hit the
big-time when he made the likes of
Helen of Troy, I Want to Live!, Executive
Suite, Two Flags West, The Day the Earth
Stood Still, and The Haunting. Among his
honors were two Oscars as producer and
director of West Side Story. He repeated
one

Lewton's acclaimed directors (The

Problem:
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Irving G. Thalberg

Thompson provides a useful
chronology, a biographical sketch,
filmography with detailed casts and

career

ease of setup, light weight, variety
quality of fabrics and its versatility
I already own, Scrim Jim™ has

"For

Dave McKenna,

a

credits of 63 features, a list of unrealized

projects, and a chronological bibliogra¬
phy of just about everything ever pub¬

Producer/Director,

lished about Wise. The book is slim and

expensive, but it is intended as a

perma¬

library reference book and accord¬
ingly is printed and bound to last.

nent

The F. J. Westcott
1447 Summit

Toledo, Ohio

Call 1 *800-886-1689 and

we'll send you our
©1994 F.J. Westcott Co.

catalog.
American Cinematographer - June 1995

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - June 1995
