Dann in reel life: Film accolades
Light achievements
Earlier this week, I shared breakfast at the Egg Basket in Schaumburg with Paolo Cascio, a 1981 graduate of Schaumburg High School and now a respected Hollywood cinematographer. I asked him to name a few of the most influential cinematographers in his life.
Not surprisingly, Cascio named Elmhurst-born Wally Pfister, who just won the Oscar for shooting Christopher Nolan's “Inception.”
He also named legendary cameraman Roger Deakins, nominated for shooting the Coen brothers' remake of “True Grit.” He also shot “The Assassination of Jesse James,” and Cascio singled out the train scene in that film.
“When the train pulls up and there are those flickers of light going through the trees?” he said. “And then the train comes up and the steam comes out? I actually got tears in my eyes, I was so moved by the photography.
“I've never been moved to tears by anything. The music and the photography. I thought, man, I'd like to be able to have an effect like that on someone with my work.”
Deakins has racked up nine nominations with no wins so far. Cascio reminded me that even though composer/singer Randy Newman has been nominated 20 times, he's only won twice.
As for other major influences, Cascio mentioned Columbia College graduate and Palatine High School alum Mauro Fiore (last year's Oscar winner for “Avatar”), Conrad Hall and Dante Spinotti.
A Siskel & Ebert story
Back in 1986, Cascio took a job as a camera assistant to shoot some introduction footage for “Siskel & Ebert at the Movies.” “All I remember about Siskel and Ebert was them always fighting like an old married couple, zinging each other back and forth,” Cascio said.
In one shot, a large light was hanging over their heads.
“Siskel started complaining that the light was really hot,” Cascio said. “Roger said, ‘Maybe if you had some hair on top of your head, that wouldn't be a problem.' He proceeded to carry on with, ‘When the shuttle astronauts looked down on the earth, the only thing they could see was Gene's head.'
“Gene said, ‘The only thing they couldn't see was Roger's feet, but since Roger has never seen his feet, it didn't matter.'”
Casio said the whole crew was laughing at the film critics.
“These guys were like the odd couple,” he said. “I thought either these guys are seriously sarcastic, or else they really don't like each other. But they know they're making their living by being together, so they're just plowing along like an old married couple.”
Student Fest deadline
If you're a student who wants to submit a film short to the annual Screen Test Student Fest at the Prairie Arts Center in Schaumburg, your entry must be postmarked by Tuesday, March 8. A music video category has been added. Contact Ron Pileckis at rpileckis@ic.schaumburg.ill.us. for submission information.
Cue the music!
Join me and film historian Raymond Benson as Dann & Raymond's Movie Club surveys the greatest director/composer teams in Hollywood history, such as Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann, Steven Spielberg and John Williams, Tim Burton and Danny Elfman, plus the Coen brothers and Carter Burwell.
It starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at the Arlington Memorial Library, Dunton St., Arlington Heights. Hey, free admission! Go to ahml.org for details or call (847) 392-0100.
• Daily Herald film critic Dann Gire's column runs Fridays in Time out!