Dean Cundey

Dean Raymond Cundey, A.S.C.^[1] (born March 12, 1946) is an American cinematographer.

Life and career

Cundey was born in Alhambra, California, United States. As a child, he used to build model sets, suggesting an interest in films from an early age. Cundey already had several low-budget films under his belt when he met Debra Hill, who in 1978 recruited him to work on Halloween, a film she co-wrote with director John Carpenter.

Having Cundey work on a film brought considerable advantages. In addition to his considerable skill as a cinematographer and director of photography, he also had the advantage of owning most of his own equipment packed in a large van, referred to by Debra Hill as the "movie van".^[2]

Cundey's work on Halloween is cited by many fans as being among his best as director of photography. In addition to his lighting skills, particularly in the famous hallway scene where the hidden face of Michael Myers is slowly revealed by way of a blue light next to the mask, he was among the first cinematographers to make use of a recent invention called the steadicam, or panaglide.

The panaglide allowed the camera operator to "wear" the camera and obtain shots that were previously deemed too difficult or even impossible. In Halloween, the panaglide was used as a point of view reference for Michael Myers, allowing the audience to see what he saw.^[3]

Other noteworthy films

Cundey would go on to work with Carpenter and Hill again on the films The Fog, Escape From New York, The Thing, Halloween II, and Halloween III: Season of the Witch. He would also return to work with Carpenter for the last time on the 1986 big budget science fiction/comedy adventure Big Trouble in Little China. Cundey also served as Director of Photography on the 3D movie "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" which currently runs in five Walt Disney theme parks around the world.

Later work

In addition to his work with Carpenter, Cundey would go on to lend his talents for the films Psycho II, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the Back to the Future trilogy, What Women Want, Apollo 13, Jurassic Park, Romancing the Stone, Roadhouse, and Garfield to name a few. In 1997, he made his directorial debut with the direct-to-video sequel Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves. He recently worked in Canada on Camp Rock, one of several movies that he has filmed outside the United States, including Who Framed Roger Rabbit which was filmed primarily in England.

Awards and recognition

Cundey is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers. His work on Who Framed Roger Rabbit earned him an Academy award nomination. On February 2, 2014, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by The ASC; John Carpenter introduced him.^[4]

Filmography

Film

• Beware! The Blob (1972)
• That Girl from Boston (1975)
• Black Shampoo (1976)
• Creature from Black Lake (1976)
• The Charge of the Model Ts (1979)
• The Invisible Woman (1983) (TV)
• M.A.D.D.: Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (1983) (TV)
• Amazons (1984) (TV)
• Invitation to Hell (1984) (TV)
• It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (1984) (TV)
• Tales from the Crypt - And All Through the House (1989) TV Episode
• Nothing But Trouble (1991)
• Honey, I Shrunk the Audience (1994) (uncredited)
• Michael & Mickey (1995)
• Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair (1996)
• Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming (1999)
• Partners (1999) (TV)
• The West Wing (1999) TV Series
• Sakura: Blue-Eyed Samurai (2006) (post-production)

References

External links

• Dean Cundey at the Internet Movie Database