Dante Spinotti
Dante Spinotti | |
---|---|
Born | (1943-08-22) 22 August 1943 (age 80) Tolmezzo, Kingdom of Italy |
Occupation | Cinematographer |
Years active | 1972–present |
Awards | BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography The Last of the Mohicans (1992) |
Dante Spinotti, A.S.C., A.I.C. (born 22 August 1943) is an Italian cinematographer and a member of the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[1] He is known for his collaborations with directors Michael Mann, Michael Apted, Deon Taylor, and Brett Ratner, and is frequently credited with helping to pioneer the use of high-definition digital video in cinematography.[2][3] He is a BAFTA Award recipient and two-time Academy Award nominee (for L.A. Confidential and The Insider).
Biography
Spinotti was born in Tolmezzo, near the Austrian border. At the age of 11, he began experimenting with still photography with a camera inherited from his uncle, a cinematographer and director who specialized in documentaries and newsreels. He left high school early to work in the film industry in Kenya,[4] driven by his skills in freehand drawing.
He moved to the United States in 1986, entering a highly competitive Hollywood environment. Spinotti has highlighted the meticulous preparation and collaborative spirit essential to his work, particularly with director Michael Mann. He also discussed the process of remastering classics like "Heat" and adapting to new technologies, such as using digital cinematography and even iPhones for certain shots to enhance storytelling.[5]
Among the more notable films he has worked on are The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, and L.A. Confidential. Spinotti also was the cinematographer for Brett Ratner's films, such as Red Dragon (2002), After the Sunset (2004), and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).
Spinotti was the cinematographer on both adaptations of the novel Red Dragon by Thomas Harris: Michael Mann's 1986 adaptation (titled Manhunter), and Brett Ratner's 2002 adaptation.[6] He won the Golden Camera 300 award at the Manaki Brothers Film Festival in North Macedonia for lifetime achievement.
Filmography
Film
† | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Year | Title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Il minestrone | Sergio Citti | |
La disubbidienza | Aldo Lado | ||
1982 | Basileus Quartet | Fabio Carpi | |
1983 | Dream of a Summer Night | Gabriele Salvatores | |
Hearts and Armour | Giacomo Battiato | ||
1984 | Cinderella '80 | Roberto Malenotti | |
Softly, Softly | Lina Wertmüller | ||
Così parlò Bellavista | Luciano De Crescenzo | ||
1985 | The Dark Side of Love | Salvatore Samperi | |
The Berlin Affair | Liliana Cavani | ||
1986 | Choke Canyon | Charles Bail | |
Manhunter | Michael Mann | 1st collaboration with Mann | |
Crimes of the Heart | Bruce Beresford | ||
1987 | From the Hip | Bob Clark | |
1988 | Illegally Yours | Peter Bogdanovich | |
The Legend of the Holy Drinker | Ermanno Olmi | ||
Fair Game | Mario Orfini | ||
Beaches | Garry Marshall | ||
1989 | Torrents of Spring | Jerzy Skolimowski | With Witold Sobociński |
1990 | A Violent Life | Giacomo Battiato | |
The Comfort of Strangers | Paul Schrader | ||
1991 | True Colors | Herbert Ross | |
Hudson Hawk | Michael Lehmann | ||
Frankie and Johnny | Garry Marshall | ||
1992 | The Last of the Mohicans | Michael Mann | |
The End Is Known | Cristina Comencini | ||
1993 | The Secret of the Old Woods | Ermanno Olmi | |
Blink | Michael Apted | ||
1994 | Nell | ||
1995 | The Quick and the Dead | Sam Raimi | |
The Star Maker | Giuseppe Tornatore | ||
Heat | Michael Mann | ||
1996 | The Mirror Has Two Faces | Barbra Streisand | With Andrzej Bartkowiak |
1997 | L.A. Confidential | Curtis Hanson | |
1998 | Goodbye Lover | Roland Joffé | |
1999 | The Other Sister | Garry Marshall | |
The Insider | Michael Mann | ||
2000 | Wonder Boys | Curtis Hanson | |
The Family Man | Brett Ratner | 1st collaboration with Ratner | |
2001 | Bandits | Barry Levinson | |
2002 | Red Dragon | Brett Ratner | |
Pinocchio | Roberto Benigni | ||
2004 | After the Sunset | Brett Ratner | |
2006 | X-Men: The Last Stand | ||
The Contract | Bruce Beresford | ||
2007 | Slipstream | Anthony Hopkins | |
2008 | Deception | Marcel Langenegger | |
Flash of Genius | Marc Abraham | ||
2009 | Public Enemies | Michael Mann | |
2010 | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader | Michael Apted | |
2011 | Tower Heist | Brett Ratner | |
2013 | ReWined | Ferdinando Vicentini Orgnani | |
2014 | Hercules | Brett Ratner | |
2015 | I Saw the Light | Marc Abraham | |
2017 | Freak Show | Trudie Styler | |
2018 | Traffik | Deon Taylor | |
Ant-Man and the Wasp | Peyton Reed | ||
2019 | Black and Blue | Deon Taylor | |
Where Are You | Valentina De Amicis Riccardo Spinotti | Also producer | |
2020 | Elyse | Stella Hopkins | |
Fatale | Deon Taylor | ||
2024 | That's Amore! † | Nick Vallelonga | Post-production |
2025 | Alto Knights † | Barry Levinson | Post-production |
Short film
Year | Title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Die tote Stadt | Bruce Beresford | Segment of Aria |
2002 | Mercedes 'Lucky Star' | Michael Mann |
Documentary film
Year | Title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman | Eric Bricker | With Aiken Weiss |
2023 | Posso entrare? An ode to Naples | Trudie Styler |
Acting roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | Frankie and Johnny | Man on bus | Uncredited |
2008 | Deception | Herr Kleiner/Mr. Moretti | [7] |
2011 | Good Vs. Evil: Battle on the Sea | Direct-to-video |
Television
Miniseries
Year | Title | Director |
---|---|---|
1972 | I Nicotera | Salvatore Nocita |
1979 | Paura sul mondo | Domenico Campan |
1982 | Colomba | Giacomo Battiato |
TV movies
Year | Title | Director |
---|---|---|
1975 | Tracce sulla neve | Alessandro Cane |
1980 | La signorina Else | Enzo Muzii |
1981 | Fosca | |
1983 | Le ambizioni sbagliate | Fabio Carpi |
2008 | Blue Blood | Brett Ratner |
2012 | Rogue | |
2015 | Edge | Shane Black |
TV series
Year | Title | Director | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | La pietra di Marco Polo | Aldo Lado | |
2005 | Prison Break | Brett Ratner | Episode "Pilot" |
2007 | Women's Murder Club | ||
2011 | CHAOS | Brett Ratner | Episode "Pilot" |
Awards and nominations
Academy Awards
Year | Title | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | L.A. Confidential | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
1999 | The Insider | Nominated |
BAFTA Awards
Year | Title | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | The Last of the Mohicans | Best Cinematography | Won |
1997 | L.A. Confidential | Nominated |
American Society of Cinematographers
Year | Title | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1992 | The Last of the Mohicans | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography | Nominated |
1997 | L.A. Confidential | Nominated | |
1999 | The Insider | Nominated |
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Year | Title | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | L.A. Confidential | Best Cinematography | Won |
1999 | The Insider | Won |
Satellite Awards
Year | Title | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | L.A. Confidential | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
2006 | X-Men: The Last Stand | Nominated | |
2009 | Public Enemies | Nominated |
Chicago Film Critics Association
Year | Title | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | Heat | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
National Society of Film Critics
Year | Title | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | L.A. Confidential | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
References
- ^ "Dante Spinotti". IMDb. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- ^ "Dante Spinotti - British Cinematographer". British Cinematographer. 2015-05-09. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
- ^ Caranicas, Peter (2016-11-18). "Dante Spinotti on Technology, New Workflow, Directors' Personalities". Variety. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
- ^ "Locarno Film Festival · Interview with Dante Spinotti". Locarno Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
- ^ Newman, Nick (2016-11-28). "Dante Spinotti on Michael Mann's Preparedness, Remastering Classics, and New Technologies". Retrieved 2024-06-29.
- ^ French, Philip (2002-10-12). "Film of the week: Red Dragon". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
- ^ Dargis, Manohla (April 25, 2008). "A Sliver of Thrills". New York Times. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
External links
- Dante Spinotti at IMDb
- Quality screengrabs of Dante Spinotti's fine cinematography on Manhunter (1986) Archived 2007-06-09 at the Wayback Machine
- Profile at New York Times
- Profile at American Cinematographer
- Interview for International Cinematographers Guild
- Interview for LightTools