Michael Ballhaus,A.S.C.(5 August 1935 – 12 April 2017) was a Germancinematographerwho collaborated with directors such asRainer Werner Fassbinder,Martin Scorsese,Mike Nichols,James L. Brooks,andWolfgang Petersen.He was a member of both theAcademy of Arts, Berlin,and theAmerican Society of Cinematographers.
Michael Ballhaus | |
|---|---|
 Ballhaus in 2007 | |
| Born | 5 August 1935 |
| Died | 12 April 2017(aged 81) Berlin,Germany |
| Occupation | Cinematographer |
| Years active | 1959–2013 |
| Organization | American Society of Cinematographers |
| Known for | Broadcast News Goodfellas The Age of Innocence The Departed |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2, includingFlorian Ballhaus |
| Parent(s) | Oskar Ballhaus Lena Hutter |
| Relatives | Carl Balhaus(uncle) |
Early life
editBallhaus was born inBerlinas the son of German actorsLena HutterandOskar Ballhaus.His uncle was actor and directorCarl Ballhaus.[1][2]Ballhaus was influenced by family friendMax Ophüls,[3]and appeared as anextrain Ophüls' last filmLola Montès(1955).[4]
Career
editBallhaus came to prominence with his work withRainer Werner Fassbinderbeginning withWhity(1971), in addition toThe Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant(1972),Chinese Roulette(1976) andThe Marriage of Maria Braun(1978). In 1990, he was the head of the jury at the40th Berlin International Film Festival.[5]
After settling in the United States, he worked on many American films, such asBaby It's You(1983) forJohn Sayles;Old Enough(1984) forMarisa Silver;Under the Cherry Moon(1986) forPrince;After Hours(1985),The Color of Money(1986),The Last Temptation of Christ(1988),Goodfellas(1990),The Age of Innocence(1993),Gangs of New York(2002) andThe Departed(2006) forMartin Scorsese;Broadcast News(1987) andI'll Do Anything(1994) forJames L. Brooks;The Fabulous Baker Boys(1989) forSteve Kloves;Bram Stoker's Dracula(1992) forFrancis Ford Coppola;Sleepers(1996) forBarry Levinson;andWild Wild West(1999) forBarry Sonnenfeld.Ballhaus appeared inRosa von Praunheim's filmFassbinder's Women(2000).
Ballhaus was nominated three times for theAcademy Award for Best Cinematographyfor his work onBroadcast News,The Fabulous Baker BoysandGangs of New York,but never won. Despite this, he did win theChicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematographyfor his work onBram Stoker's Dracula;both theBoston Society of Film CriticsandLos Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematographyfor his work onThe Fabulous Baker Boys;and theLos Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematographyfor his work onGoodfellas.
His documentaryIn Berlin,made withCiro Cappellari,was released in May 2009.
Ballhaus's final film wasSherry Hormann's3096 Daysin 2013.
Personal life and death
editBallhaus was married to actress and art director Helga Maria Betten from 1958 until her death in 2006.[6]She appeared in a handful of films, such as those directed byFassbinder.They had two sons: cinematographerFlorianand assistant director Jan Sebastian.[7]
In 2011, Ballhaus married German-American film directorSherry Hormann,who is known forDesert Flower.[8]He died at his home in Berlin on 12 April 2017, at the age of 81, after a short illness.[9]
Filmography
editAwards
edit- 2007Bavarian Film AwardsHonorary Award
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Filmreference.com
- ^Thomas Vorwerk,Das fliegende Auge: Michael Ballhaus im Gespräch mit Tom Tykwer
- ^A Conversation With Michael Ballhaus, ASC (November 20, 2006)at theWayback Machine(archive index)
- ^Michael Ballhaus discusses his connection with the Austrian director in the documentary filmWorking with Max Ophuls: Lola Montès Revisited(2008).
- ^"Berlinale: 1990 Juries".berlinale.de.Retrieved14 March2011.
- ^Fox, Margalit (15 April 2017)."Michael Ballhaus, an Oscar-Nominated Cinematographer, Dies at 81".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved21 February2023.
- ^"In Memoriam: Michael Ballhaus, ASC, BVK (1935-2017) – The American Society of Cinematographers (en-US)".theasc.com.Retrieved21 February2023.
- ^Filmreife Hochzeit in Zehlendorf!.bild.de, 28 October 2011. Retrieved on 13 March 2012.
- ^McNary, Dave (12 April 2017)."Michael Ballhaus, 'The Departed' and 'Goodfellas' Cinematographer, Dies at 81".Variety.Retrieved11 January2019.
External links
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