Erwin Hillier

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Erwin Hillier
London, England
OccupationCinematographer
Years active1931–1970
SpouseHelen Yates-Southgate

Erwin Hillier (2 September 1911 – 10 January 2005) was a German-born cinematographer known for his work in British cinema from the 1940s to 1960s.[1]

Early career

Born in Germany to English-German Jewish parents (original surname Hiller)[

M (1931).[2] Soon after he moved to Britain to pursue a career in film.[3]

In Britain, he worked as a camera assistant for

Elstree Studios, working on The Man Behind the Mask (1936) with Michael Powell,[4] who noted his "insane enthusiasm". His debut as cinematographer came with Lady from Lisbon (1942).[5]

Work with The Archers

Impressed by his work on

expressionist[7] use of extreme light and shade which Hillier has been trained in,[8] and is remembered for its depiction of the English landscape.[9] In his autobiography, Powell recalled his obsession with clouds; he often begged for filming to be delayed until a cloud had appeared to break up a clear sky.[10]

His next film I Know Where I'm Going! (1945), again with The Archers, continued the style of its predecessor. It is features Hillier's technical accomplishments, including mixing studio shots with exteriors, concealing the fact that Roger Livesey, the film's male lead, was working in London while the film was being shot in Scotland.

With the war at an end, Powell & Pressburger at last had access to colour film. They asked Hillier to share cinematographic duties with the experienced Technicolor cameraman Jack Cardiff on A Matter of Life and Death. Unwilling to be sidelined, he declined, bringing his intensely creative partnership with Powell & Pressburger to an end.[11]

Post-war career

Hillier made his first colour film London Town (1946), starring Sid Field, although he often returned to work in black and white, typical of many British films of the 1940s and 1950s. His films retained a distinctive expressionist influence in both mediums.

He worked for director

The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968). Their best remembered film is The Dam Busters (1955), featuring some aerial photography by Hillier.[12]

He continued to work until 1970.[13] He died in London in 2005, aged 93 leaving a widow, daughter and sister Gerda Ehrenzweig.[14]

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ Vallance, Tom (10 June 2010). "Erwin Hillier – Obituaries, News". The Independent. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  2. ISBN 978-0-8108-3183-4
    . Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  3. ISBN 978-0-87910-280-7
    . Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  4. ISBN 978-0-85170-581-1
    . Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  5. ^ "Lady from Lisbon (1942)". BFI. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016.
  6. ISBN 978-1-57806-498-4
    . Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  7. ISBN 978-0-7864-2784-0
    . Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  8. ISBN 978-0-19-920632-2
    . Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  9. ISBN 978-1-84150-309-7
    . Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  10. ISBN 978-0-571-20431-1
    . Retrieved 5 October 2010. The only thing he was a bit loony about was clouds in the sky. He detested a clear sky, and it sometimes seemed to me that he forgot about the story and the actors in order to gratify this passion. 'Meekee, Meekee, please wait another few minutes,' he would plead. 'There is a little cloud over there and it is coming our way, I'm sure it is.' 'Oh, for God's sake, Erwin! It won't make the slightest bit of difference to the actor's performance.' 'Meekee, Meekee, please just five more minutes please!' This would go on all day. I admired his dedication.
  11. ISBN 978-1-84511-071-0
    . Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  12. ^ Gritten, David (10 June 2010). "The Dam Busters bounce back – Telegraph". Telegraph. Retrieved 5 October 2010. You might imagine, given its subsequent fame, that the film would have won several awards. Not so; director of photography Erwin Hillier's special effects were Oscar-nominated, and the film received three Bafta nominations, but without success.
  13. ISBN 978-0-19-967154-0
    .
  14. ^ Bergan, Ronald (8 February 2005). "Obituary: Erwin Hillier". The Guardian.

External links

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