Their names, to those who know, are legend. Think of the greatest images in film history: that beautification close up of Chaplin’s smile in City Lights (1931) the ancient mummy coming to life, driving a man to instant madness in The Mummy (1932) Dorothy opening the door to Oz, moving from a colourless world to one bursting with vibrant colours in The Wizard of Oz (1939) Scarlett overlooking her beloved Tara in Gone with the Wind (1939) Kane towering over the podium, speaking to his admirers in Citizen Kane (1941) Jett Rink (James Dean) stomping out his property in Giant (1956) the magnificent movement of thousands during the exodus in The Ten Commandments (1956) the thundering chariot race in Ben-Hur (1959) the dark majesty of The Godfather (1972) the intimate glimpse into depravity in Cabaret (1972) the jump to hyperspace in Star Wars (1977) that startling opening in Apocalypse Now (1979) Elliott and ET ride across the moon, and so many other iconic moments created by the cinematographer and director. Like many crafts it has evolved through the years and continues to do so. In fact, the person the director will work closest with is his or her cinematographer.įilm is a visual medium, though sound and music came into the art in 1927, the visual art has always been first and foremost. Be it black and white or colour, cinematography is the most important of the technical crafts in making a film. Film is an image driven art form and without those images, we have nothing.Ĭinematography serves the story, providing a visual context, but can also enhance with striking visual beauty. “Cinematography is infinite in its possibilities, much more so than music or language” said the great Oscar winning cinematographer Conrad Hall. They shot three films with absolute artistry and magnificence, 12 hours of stunning beauty which, as cinematography should, served the story.

With a single shot, those words were given life and an image through the lenses of Andrew Lesnie and director Peter Jackson. Tolkien wrote pages of descriptive prose in describing the locations and world of The Lord of the Rings.

10 best cinematography shots ever