Oliver Wood (21 February 1942 – 13 February 2023) was a British cinematographer,[1][2] best known for his work on blockbuster action and comedy films[2] such as Die Hard 2, Face/Off, Freaky Friday, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and the Bourne franchise.[3] He collaborated with directors like Paul Greengrass, John Woo, Renny Harlin, Ron Underwood, and Adam McKay, and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography for The Bourne Ultimatum.[4]
Oliver Wood | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 February 1942 London, England |
| Died | 13 February 2023 (aged 80) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Cinematographer |
| Years active | 1961–2023 |
| Known for | Miami Vice The Bourne Trilogy Face/Off |
| Spouse(s) | Jane Forth Sabina Groh |
Life and career
editWood was born in London on 21 February 1942.[5] At the age of 19, he moved to New York City. His first break came for director Leonard Kastle on cult crime film The Honeymoon Killers (1969) where he used available light to give the dark comedy a newsreel look.[6] He shot numerous B-movies and independent films throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, frequently collaborating with cinematographers Joseph Mangine and Fred Murphy.[7] He also worked as a camera operator on higher-profile projects including Body Rock (1984) and To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), both of which were shot by Robby Müller.[8] He also became a music video and commercial cinematographer, working for directors like Bob Giraldi and Rupert Wainwright.[9]
His big break came when he was director of photography for 53 episodes of stylish crime drama Miami Vice, serving as the series primary DP between 1987 and 1989. His work on the series caught the attention of producers, enabling him to work on big-budget Hollywood films including Die Hard 2 (1990), Face/Off (1997), U-571 (2000) Fantastic Four (2005), and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013).[10] He was the original director of photography on the swashbuckling action film Cutthroat Island, but suffered an on-set injury and was replaced by Peter Levy.[11][12][13] He also shot the Bourne Trilogy, where he worked with director Paul Greengrass to produce a spontaneous, naturalistic effect, often using multiple cameras, frequently handheld, citing films such as The Battle of Algiers as an influence.[14][15] He was nominated for a BAFTA for The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).[16]
In 2016, Wood shot the remake of Ben-Hur,[1] directed by Timur Bekmambetov, utilizing GoPro cameras to film the movie's action sequences.[17] His last credit was for Morbius (2022).[5]
Death
editWood died from cancer at his home in Los Angeles, California on 13 February 2023 at the age of 80.[5] He is survived by his wife, Sabina Groh; his daughters, Katharine Wood and Fiona Wood; and his son, Emerson Forth.[9]
Filmography
editFilm
Short film
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Mr. Gimme | Peter Mark Schifter |
| 1984 | My Hometown | Bob Giraldi |
| 1988 | One or the Other | Nicholas Hondrogen |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | City Boy | Bob Giraldi | TV movie |
| 1987 | Nasty Hero | Nick Barwood | |
| 1987–89 | Miami Vice | 53 episodes | |
| 1991 | Angel City | Renny Harlin | TV movie |
| 2020 | Cine Chalom | Yossi Benavraham | Episode "EXTRAIT DU FILM "VOLTE FACE" DE JOHN WOO... 1997" |
References
edit- ^ a b "OLIVER WOOD". www.cinematographers.nl. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ a b "Oliver Wood | Biography and Filmography". Hollywood.com. 6 February 2015. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
- ^ "Oliver Wood – Murtha Skouras Agency". www.murthaskouras.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ "Film Awards Winners in 2008". www.bafta.org. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ a b c Gajewski, Ryan (18 February 2023). "Oliver Wood, Cinematographer on 'Bourne' Franchise and 'Face/Off,' Dies at 80". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ Gary Giddins, The Honeymoon Killers Archived 24 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine, The Criterion Collection
- ^ "OLIVER WOOD". www.cinematographers.nl. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ Ryan Gajewski (18 February 2023). "Oliver Wood Dead: Cinematographer on Bourne Identity, Face/Off Was 80 – The Hollywood Reporter". Hollywoodreporter.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
- ^ a b Jazz Tangcay,J. Kim Murphy (18 February 2023). "Oliver Wood Dead: 'Bourne' Trilogy Cinematographer Was 80". Variety. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Bernard, Paul (26 March 2013). Adventures in Movies: A Chronicle of 25 Years in Movies from Roger Rabbit to Harry Potter. BookBaby. ISBN 9781626754980.
- ^ "Class of 1995: 'Cutthroat Island' | THE FILM YAP". THE FILM YAP. 30 November 2015. Archived from the original on 29 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ Sterngold, James (31 March 1996). "Debacle on the High Seas". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ Jon Silberg, "The Bourne Ultimatum" Archived 29 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, American Cinematographer magazine, September 2007
- ^ David Heuring, "Homeward Bound" Archived 27 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, ICG Magazine, August 2007
- ^ 2008 Winners Archived 5 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine, BAFTA, accessed 21 January 2016
- ^ Hart, Hugh (18 August 2016). "YouTube-Inspired Director Used GoPro Cameras to Capture Ben-Hur Chariot Action". Where to Watch. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ "OLIVER WOOD". www.cinematographers.nl. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2017.