Cinematographer Lazlo Kovacs dies at 74

[villager]

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Cinematographer Lazlo Kovacs dies at 74


By Carolyn Giardina

Laszlo Kovacs, one of Hollywood's most influential and respected directors of photography, died Saturday night in his sleep. He was 74.

Kovacs lensed the landmark cinematic achievement "Easy Rider" and compiled about 60 credits including "Five Easy Pieces," "Shampoo," "Paper Moon," "New York, New York," "What's Up, Doc," "Ghostbusters," "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "Miss Congeniality."

The Hungary-born cinematographer also carried during his career a remarkable story of courage that occurred 50 years ago during his country's revolution.

Kovacs was born and raised on a farm in Hungary when that country was isolated from the Western world, first by the Nazi occupation and later during the Cold War. Kovacs was in his final year of school in Budapest when a revolt against the communist regime started on the city streets.

He and his lifelong friend Vilmos Zsigmond made the daring decision to document the event for its historic significance. To do this, they borrowed film and a camera from their school, hid the camera in a paper bag with a hole for the lens and recorded the conflict.

The pair then embarked on a dangerous journey during which they carried 30,000 feet of documentary film across the border into Austria. They entered the U.S. as political refugees in 1957.

Their historic film was featured in a CBS documentary narrated by Walter Cronkite.

Against the odds, Kovacs and Zsigmond went on to become two of Hollywood's most influential directors of photography.

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Read more: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/features/people/deaths/e3i26dfe10292c4995e6698dbfeae13d32d

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Sad news for DU's Cineastes...

[rumpel]

1. Rest In Peace

I did not know he was sick (?)

how sad...

[shenmue]

2. Rest in peace

A great career and legacy. :cry:

[Javaman]

3. Man, this sucks. I had a chance to work with him years ago...

I did most of my work in commercials in the early 90's and occasionally a top notch cinematographer such as Mr. Kovacs would shoot one. I had the opportunity to work with him. He was such an amazing teacher and mentor. I was very much a newbie in the camera dept. I wasjust in complete awe of this man.

So nice, so giving with information and sharing his experience.

It was my complete honor and luck to have had a chance to work such a talented human being.

May you always have a clean lens and all your shots be at golden hour.

Thank you Mr. Kovacs

[KT2000]

4. That was a sweet tribute

and well said. His work will live on through "his students."

It was because of him that I started to note the cinematographer is all the films I see.
RIP Mr. Kovacs

[villager]

10. "Golden hour" indeed, Javaman

I'd met Lazlo on a couple of occasions, and even got to interview him briefly about "Easy Rider." He did seem very gentle and giving, both...

[Mabus]

11. What a great tribute to him

My dad cut his teeth working with some very talented artists and I grew up hearing him pass what he learned on to others. He always gave credit to the person who taught him a certain technique or advice. It wasn't name-dropping, it was his way of acknowledging where he acquired his knowledge and encouraging the person he was talking to study the works of another. You just did that and you did it so eloquently.

[driver8]

12. Beautiful tribute, Javaman...n/t

[Lautremont]

5. I've admired his work for years.

He was extremely talented, and his great cinematography in all the movies named in the OP, along with great stuff like 'Pocket Money,' 'The King of Marvin Gardens,' 'Targets,' 'Say Anything' and many more, will live on for a very long time.

[LaPera]

6. Amazing body of work from a GREAT cinematographer! Here's just some of his films....

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004088/

# Torn from the Flag (2006) (director of photography)
# Two Weeks Notice (2002)
# Miss Congeniality (2000) (director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
... aka Miss Undercover (Europe: DVD title)
# Return to Me (2000) (director of photography)

# Jack Frost (1998) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
... aka Frost
# My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) (director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
# Multiplicity (1996)
# Copycat (1995)
# Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)
... aka Sauvez Willy 2 (France)
# The Scout (1994) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
# The Next Karate Kid (1994) (director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
# Cyndi Lauper: 12 Deadly Cyns... and Then Some (1994) (V) (video "I'm Gonna Be Strong")
# Ruby Cairo (1993)
... aka Deception (USA: video title (recut version))
... aka The Missing Link: Ruby Cairo
# Radio Flyer (1992)
# Shattered (1991)

# Say Anything... (1989) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
... aka ...Say Anything... (USA:
# Little Nikita (1988)
... aka The Sleepers
# Predator: The Concert (1987)
# Legal Eagles (1986) (director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
# Mask (1985) (director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
... aka Peter Bogdanovich's Mask (USA: complete title)
# Ghost Busters (1984) (director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
# Crackers (1984)
# The Toy (1982)
# Frances (1982)
# The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981)
# Inside Moves (1980) (as Lazlo Kovacs)
# Heart Beat (1980)

# The Runner Stumbles (1979)
# Butch and Sundance: The Early Days (1979) (director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
# Paradise Alley (1978)
# F.I.S.T (1978)
# New York, New York (1977) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
# Nickelodeon (1976)
# Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976)
# Baby Blue Marine (1976)
# Shampoo (1975)
# At Long Last Love (1975)
# Freebie and the Bean (1974)
# For Pete's Sake (1974) (director of photography)
... aka July Pork Bellies
# Huckleberry Finn (1974)
... aka Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn: A Musical Adaptation (USA: promotional title)
# Paper Moon (1973) (director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
# Slither (1973)
# A Reflection of Fear (1973)
... aka Autumn Child
... aka Labyrinth
# Steelyard Blues (1973)
... aka The Final Crash (USA: TV title)
# The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
# What's Up, Doc? (1972) (director of photography)
# Pocket Money (1972)
# The Last Movie (1971)
... aka Chinchero
# The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker (1971)
# Alex in Wonderland (1970)
# Five Easy Pieces (1970) (director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
# Getting Straight (1970)
# The Rebel Rousers (1970)
# Hell's Bloody Devils (1970)
... aka Operation M.
... aka Smashing the Crime Syndicate (UK)
... aka Swastika Savages
... aka The Fakers (USA: TV title)

# Blood of Dracula's Castle (1969) (as Leslie Kovacs)
... aka Castle of Dracula
... aka Dracula's Castle (USA: TV title)
# That Cold Day in the Park (1969)
# Easy Rider (1969)
# Los Angeles: Where It's At (1969) (TV) (as Leslie Kovacs)
# A Day with the Boys (1969)
# Making of the President 1968 (1969) (TV)
# Single Room Furnished (1968) (director of photography) (as Leslie Kovacs)
# The Savage Seven (1968)
# Targets (1968) (as Laszlo Kovacs)
... aka Before I Die
# Psych-Out (1968)

[SomeGuyInEagan]

8. Add: The Last Waltz (1978)

He is listed as "additional director of photography." This is the Scorsese documentary of the Band's final concert at San Francisco's Winterland (they also served turkey!). One of *the* great filmed rock concerts, some argue the greatest.

I believe it is in the follow-up "Making of the Last Waltz" video (produced for the anniversary DVD a few years ago) that Scorsese says during filming Kovacs got fed up with hearing Scorsese yelling direction and removed his headset. At one point where there was to be a break in events to film, Scorsese told all operators to shut down to reload cameras and rest equipment. Kovacs obviously did not hear the direction and was still filming. Well, the break did not occur and Muddy Waters came out on stage to sing - and only Kovacs caught it on film while others were scrambling (which is why there is such a long, single camera shot of Muddy singing in the film).

Great talent.

[Hissyspit]

7. I just watched "Easy Rider" awhile ago and was amazed at the cinematography

now that I saw it on DVD after years of shitty prints on crappy televisions. It is a BEAUTIFUL movie.

Was wondering if he was doing well just the other day.

[Marnieworld]

9. A loss but I'm not sad.

Sound like he had a great life- got the respect he deserved while living, and died peacefully in his sleep. We should all be that lucky. I didn't know about the easy rider credit but I knew his name from the Scorsese connection. Any friend of Marty's is a friend of mine. I never knew the story about how he began, with that footage of a revolution. They should make a movie about HIM.