DI PALMA, CARLO

(1925-2004)

Cinematographer. Widely regarded as one of the leading cinematographers of the entire postwar period, Di Palma studied at theCentro Sperimentale di Cinematografiawhile working as camera operator and assistant toAldo Tontion a number of films, includingLuchino Visconti'sOssessione(Obsession, 1943). After the war he served a further apprenticeship with many of the established cinematographers, includingUbaldo Arata,Carlo Montuori, andGianni Di Venanzobefore graduating to director of photography himself onFlorestano Vancini's remarkable first film,La lunga notte del '43(The Long Night of'43, 1960).

After establishing a solid reputation for his black-and-white photography on films such asElio Petri'sL'assassino(The Assassin, 1961) andGiuliano Montaldo'sTiro al Piccione(Pigeon-Shoot, 1961), Di Palma soared to international fame with his work onMichelangelo Antonioni's first color film,Il deserto rosso(The Red Desert, 1964), reaffirmed two years later withBlow-up(1966).He subsequently contributed a very distinctive look to many of the films of thecommedia all'italiana, working on, among others,Mario Monicelli'sLa ragazza con lapistola(Girl with a Pistol, 1968),Ettore Scola'sDramma della gelosia(Jealousy, Italian Style, 1970), andDino Risi'sNoi donne siamo fatte cost(That's How We Women Are, 1971), before directing three films himself, all starring his then partnerMonica Vitti:Teresa la ladra(Teresa, the Thief, 1972), adapted from a novel by Dacia Maraini;Qui comincia I'avventura(Blonde in Black Leather, 1975), a female road movie that in many ways uncannily anticipated Ridley Scott'sThelma and Louise(1991); andMimi Bluette, fiore del mio giardino(Mimi, Flower of My Garden, 1977). Nevertheless, Di Palma will probably be best remembered for his stunning cinematography on many Woody Allen films, beginning withHannah and Her Sisters(1984) and continuing throughRadio Days(1986) andShadows and Fog(1991) toMighty Aphrodite(1995) andDeconstructing Harry(1996). During a distinguished career that spanned half a century and over 50 films, Di Palma won many prizes, including fourNastri d'argentoand a BAFTA nomination. In 2003 he was also honored with the European Film Award for Achievement in World Cinema.