Dante Spinotti

Last updated
Dante Spinotti
Born (1943-08-22) 22 August 1943 (age 81)
OccupationCinematographer
Years active1972–present
Awards See below

Dante Spinotti, ASC, AIC (born 22 August 1943) is an Italian cinematographer. He is known for his collaborations with directors such as Michael Mann, Michael Apted, Ermanno Olmi, Bruce Beresford, Curtis Hanson, and Brett Ratner. He received Academy Award nominations for L.A. Confidential (1997) and The Insider (1999), and won a BAFTA Award for The Last of the Mohicans (1992). He has also won two Italian David di Donatello Awards and two Nastro d'Argento Awards.

Contents

Biography

Spinotti was born in the commune of Tolmezzo, in Northern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, 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, driven by his skills in freehand drawing. [1]

His first work as a cinematographer was the 1972 television drama I Nicotera. His first film was Il minestrone (1981), directed by Sergio Citti. His early work included collaborations with noted Italian directors Lina Wertmüller ( Softly, Softly ) and Liliana Cavani ( The Berlin Affair ). He moved to the United States in 1986, entering a highly competitive Hollywood environment.

Among the more notable films he has worked on are The Last of the Mohicans , Heat , L.A. Confidential , The Insider, Public Enemies, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I Saw the Light, and Ant-Man and the Wasp . Spinotti also was the cinematographer for many of Brett Ratner's films, such as Red Dragon (2002), After the Sunset (2004), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), and Hercules (2014).

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. [2]

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 [3] [4] and even iPhones for certain shots to enhance storytelling. [5]

He is a member of the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. [6] He won the Golden Camera 300 award at the Manaki Brothers Film Festival in North Macedonia for lifetime achievement. In 2012, he received the American Society of Cinematographers's Lifetime Achievement Award. [7]

Filmography

Film

Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released
YearTitleDirectorNotes
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

Short film

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1987Die tote Stadt Bruce Beresford Segment of Aria
2002Mercedes 'Lucky Star' Michael Mann

Documentary film

YearTitleDirectorNotes
2008 Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman Eric BrickerWith Aiken Weiss
2023Posso entrare? An ode to Naples Trudie Styler

Acting roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991 Frankie and Johnny Man on busUncredited
2008 Deception Herr Kleiner/Mr. Moretti [8]
2011Good Vs. Evil: Battle on the SeaDirect-to-video

Television

Miniseries

YearTitleDirector
1972 I Nicotera Salvatore Nocita
1979Paura sul mondoDomenico Campan
1982Colomba Giacomo Battiato

TV movies

YearTitleDirector
1975Tracce sulla neveAlessandro Cane
1980La signorina Else Enzo Muzii
1981Fosca
1983Le ambizioni sbagliate Fabio Carpi
2008Blue Blood Brett Ratner
2012Rogue
2015 Edge Shane Black

TV series

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1982 La pietra di Marco Polo Aldo Lado
2005 Prison Break Brett Ratner Episode "Pilot"
2007 Women's Murder Club
2011 CHAOS Brett RatnerEpisode "Pilot"

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

YearTitleCategoryResult
1997L.A. Confidential Best Cinematography Nominated
1999The InsiderNominated

BAFTA Awards

YearTitleCategoryResult
1992The Last of the Mohicans Best Cinematography Won
1997L.A. ConfidentialNominated

American Society of Cinematographers

YearTitleCategoryResult
1992The Last of the Mohicans Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography Nominated
1997L.A. ConfidentialNominated
1999The InsiderNominated

Los Angeles Film Critics Association

YearTitleCategoryResult
1997L.A. Confidential Best Cinematography Won
1999The InsiderWon

Satellite Awards

YearTitleCategoryResult
1997L.A. Confidential Best Cinematography Nominated
2006X-Men: The Last StandNominated
2009Public EnemiesNominated

Chicago Film Critics Association

YearTitleCategoryResult
1995Heat Best Cinematography Nominated

National Society of Film Critics

YearTitleCategoryResult
1997L.A. Confidential Best Cinematography Nominated

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References

  1. "Locarno Film Festival · Interview with Dante Spinotti". Locarno Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  2. French, Philip (2002-10-12). "Film of the week: Red Dragon". The Observer. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  3. "Dante Spinotti - British Cinematographer". British Cinematographer. 2015-05-09. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  4. Caranicas, Peter (2016-11-18). "Dante Spinotti on Technology, New Workflow, Directors' Personalities". Variety. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  5. Newman, Nick (2016-11-28). "Dante Spinotti on Michael Mann's Preparedness, Remastering Classics, and New Technologies" . Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  6. "Dante Spinotti". IMDb. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  7. Giardina, Carolyn (2011-11-08). "'The Insider' Cinematographer Dante Spinotti To Receive ASC Lifetime Achievement Award". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
  8. Dargis, Manohla (April 25, 2008). "A Sliver of Thrills". New York Times. Retrieved August 6, 2023.