Page 13 - Fujifilm Exposure_26 Jack Cardiff BSC_ok

cover story
ON THE SET OF THE TELL-TALE HEART WITH VETERAN CINEMATOGRAPHER JACK CARDIFF OBE BSC
A t an age when some might be sitting back and remi-
niscing about past glories, Jack Cardiff remains as active and enthusiastic as ever. The 89 year old cine- matographer, a recipient in
2001 of an Honorary Oscar for his
Islington, first worked with Cardiff on the short film The Dance Of Shiva which she co-produced.
A firm friendship was born then, and when the opportunity to make The Tell-Tale Heart arose, Cardiff was one of the first people whose services she secured. It is, in her words, “a
thing is a bit heightened, a bit deca- dent and quite rich. That’s very much what I wanted to achieve and what Jack could achieve naturally; that’s his house style so to speak. I would gladly do every film with him.”
Working in close collaboration with Chris Pinnock, a fellow DP and col-
achievement in film over 70 years in the industry, has recently finished working on a short film of The Tell-Tale Heart.
Atmospheric and stylish, this Edgar Allan Poe story is adapted and directed by Stephanie Sinclaire, and stars Stephen Lord as the man whose descent into murder and madness forms the black- hearted drama of the piece.
Sinclaire, associate artistic direc- tor of the King’s Head Theatre in
love letter to the genius of Jack, and a celebration of his work.
“I believe that Jack has a strong theatrical sense,” says Sinclaire, who is also a painter, published author and poet. “I adore that. It can be a dreaded word in filmmaking because it’s mis- used so often.
“If you think of the great theatrical filmmakers, people like Hitchcock, Tim Burton, Baz Luhrmann – every-
league of long standing through vari- ous projects in the last two decades, Cardiff brings his enormous experi- ence to bear upon a gripping tale.
In it a young man – here called Jack – murders his elderly neighbour, con- vinced that his ‘vulture eye’ bodes him no good. Initially proud of his stealth and cunning, the man’s paranoia slowly takes hold and even as he is blithely answering the questions of the investi-
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Photos main: Stephen Lord, the star of The Tell-Tale Heart; Jack Cardiff BSC with Director Stephanie Sinclaire (photos Mark Tillie), yesteryear, sketching on The Long Ships (1963) from the book, Conversations with Jack Cardiff; and today in teaching mode (photo Millie Morrow)
Fuji Motion Picture And Professional Video • Exposure • 11