David Watkin

Director Of Photography

About

Read More

Birth Place

Margate, England, GB

Born

March 23, 1925

Died

February 19, 2008

Cause of Death

Cancer

Biography

Read More

A former documentary cameraman with British Transport Films, Watkin graduated to cinematographer on Richard Lester's "The Knack ... and How to Get It!" (1964). Other collaborations with Lester included "Help!" (1965), "How I Won the War" (1967), "The Three Musketeers" (1973), "Robin and Marian" (1976) and "Cuba" (1979).Watkin also established working relationships with other high profile...

Filmography

Read More

Lover's Prayer (2000)

Director Of Photography

Tea With Mussolini (1999)

Director Of Photography

Director Of Photography

Night Falls on Manhattan (1997)

Director Of Photography

Obsession (1997)

Director Of Photography

Critical Care (1997)

Director Of Photography

Photos & Videos

View All

The Knack... And How To Get It -- (Movie Clip) It's Not Like That

Moonstruck - (Original Trailer)

Biography

A former documentary cameraman with British Transport Films, Watkin graduated to cinematographer on Richard Lester's "The Knack ... and How to Get It!" (1964). Other collaborations with Lester included "Help!" (1965), "How I Won the War" (1967), "The Three Musketeers" (1973), "Robin and Marian" (1976) and "Cuba" (1979).

Watkin also established working relationships with other high profile directors, particularly Tony Richardson ("The Charge of the Light Brigade" 1968; "Joseph Andrews" 1976; The Hotel New Hampshire" 1984), Ken Russell ("The Devils" and "The Boy Friend" both 1971) and Franco Zeffirelli (the TV miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" 1977 and the features "Endless Love" 1981; "Hamlet" 1990; and "Jane Eyre" 1996). Watkin won particular acclaim for his unfussy lensing of "Chariots of Fire" (1981), for his use of light in "Yentl" (1983) and for the lush, luxuriant colors of "Out of Africa" (1985), which brought him an Oscar.

Filmography

Cinematography (Feature Film)

Lover's Prayer (2000)

Director Of Photography

Tea With Mussolini (1999)

Director Of Photography

Director Of Photography

Night Falls on Manhattan (1997)

Director Of Photography

Obsession (1997)

Director Of Photography

Critical Care (1997)

Director Of Photography

Director Of Photography

Jane Eyre (1996)

Director Of Photography

Goldeneye (1995)

Milk Money (1994)

Director Of Photography

This Boy's Life (1993)

Director Of Photography

Director Of Photography

Used People (1992)

Director Of Photography

The Object Of Beauty (1991)

Director Of Photography

The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez (1991)

Director Of Photography

Memphis Belle (1990)

Director Of Photography

Director Of Photography

Murder By Moonlight (1989)

Director Of Photography

Masquerade (1988)

Director Of Photography

The Good Mother (1988)

Director Of Photography

Last Rites (1988)

Director Of Photography

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1988)

Director Of Photography

Moonstruck (1987)

Director Of Photography

Sky Bandits (1986)

Director Of Photography

White Nights (1985)

Director Of Photography

Out Of Africa (1985)

Director Of Photography

Return to Oz (1985)

Director Of Photography

The Hotel New Hampshire (1984)

Director Of Photography

Director Of Photography

Endless Love (1981)

Director Of Photography

CHARIOTS OF FIRE (1981)

Director Of Photography

Director Of Photography

Hanover Street (1979)

Director Of Photography

That Summer (1979)

Director Of Photography

Joseph Andrews (1977)

Director Of Photography

To the Devil, a Daughter (1976)

Director Of Photography

Robin And Marian (1976)

Director Of Photography

Mahogany (1975)

Director Of Photography

The Homecoming (1973)

Director Of Photography

A Delicate Balance (1973)

Director Of Photography

The Three Musketeers (1973)

Director Of Photography

The Devils (1971)

Director of Photography

The Boy Friend (1971)

Director of Photography

Catch-22 (1970)

Director of Photography

The Bed Sitting Room (1969)

Director of Photography

The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968)

Director of Photography

The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade (1967)

Director of Photography

How I Won the War (1967)

Lighting, Camera

Mademoiselle (1966)

English version Photographer

Director of Photography

The Knack ... and how to get it (1965)

Director of Photography

Visual Effects (Feature Film)

Return to Oz (1985)

Special Effects

Misc. Crew (Feature Film)

Tea With Mussolini (1999)

Dp/Cinematographer

This Boy's Life (1993)

Dp/Cinematographer

Used People (1992)

Dp/Cinematographer

Treasure Island (1990)

Moonstruck (1987)

Dp/Cinematographer

Out Of Africa (1985)

Dp/Cinematographer

White Nights (1985)

The Hotel New Hampshire (1984)

Dp/Cinematographer

CHARIOTS OF FIRE (1981)

Dp/Cinematographer

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Joseph Andrews (1977)

Robin And Marian (1976)

Dp/Cinematographer

Mahogany (1975)

Cinematography (TV Mini-Series)

Jesus of Nazareth (Do Not Use) (1977)

Director Of Photography

Life Events

1948

Began film career working on documentaries

1964

First feature film as director of photography, "The Knack"

Videos

The Knack... And How To Get It -- (Movie Clip) It's Not Like That American director Richard Lester with a characteristically quirky opening in the UK, Michael Crawford as teacher Colin, Ray Brooks his womanizing tenant Tolen, whose recurring group of girls is said to include Charlotte Rampling and Jacqueline Bisset, from The Knack... And How To Get It, 1965.

Mahogany (1975) -- (Movie Clip) A Really Good Obsession Egotistical fashion photographer Sean (Anthony Perkins), before he splits for Rome, is driving everyone nuts, including assistant Tracy (Diana Ross), at an artsy urban Chicago shoot, her boyfriend, neighborhood activist Brian (Billy Dee Williams) not impressed, in Mahogany, 1975.

Bed Sitting Room, The (1969) -- (Movie Clip) I Don't Want A Bathroom! In the underground, Father (Arthur Lowe) finds 17-months pregnant Penelope (Rita Tushingham) with Alan (Richard Warwick), then Nurse (Marty Feldman) examines Lord Fortnum (Ralph Richardson), in Richard Lester's post-nuclear-war comedy The Bed Sitting Room, 1969.

Bed Sitting Room, The (1969) -- (Movie Clip) The Nuclear Misunderstanding From director Richard Lester's post-apocalytic comedy, Frank Thornton (as "The BBC") updates Capt. Martin (Michael Hordern) on pre-war events (Bill Wallis as "The Prime Minister," Ralph Richardson as "Lord Fortnum") in The Bed Sitting Room, 1969.

Hanover Street (1979) -- (Movie Clip) London, 1943 Plenty of tone and impressive wartime staging for director Peter Hyams’ meet-cute opening, Harrison Ford the Yank flyer and Lesley-Anne Down the uniformed nurse queueing for a bus, from Hanover Street, 1979, co-starring Christopher Plummer, from Hyams’ original screenplay.

Hanover Street (1979) -- (Movie Clip) Let Him Drop The Bombs! Director Peter Hyams using all five of the legit American B-25’s assembled for the picture, Harrison Ford as the romantic lead Halloran piloting, Michael Sacks the co-pilot and Richard Masur as the colorful bomber Cimino, on a mission from England to France, early in Hanover Street, 1979.

Hanover Street (1979) -- (Movie Clip) When You Cross A Parakeet With A Tiger Introduction of Christopher Plummer as Paul, with his spouse, English military nurse Margaret (Lesley-Anne Down), whom we know is involved with an American pilot (Harrison Ford), young Patsy Kensit their precocious daughter, in Peter Hyams’ WWII romantic drama, Hanover Street, 1979.

Mahogany (1975) -- (Movie Clip) Do You Know Where You're Going To The first iteration of the ubiquitous, Oscar-nominated theme song by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin, sung by leading lady Diana Ross, who plays Tracy, flashing back with credits from the opening scene, her success in Rome, to earlier days as a fashion student in Chicago, in Mahogany, 1975.

Mahogany (1975) -- (Movie Clip) Your Other Right Shoulder Nina Foch as department store boss Miss Evans and Anthony Perkins photographer Sean elevate the already-decent acting standard, as fashion student Tracy (Diana Ross) shows up late for work, then gets recruited, in Mahogany, Motown boss Berry Gordy the credited director.

Boy Friend, The (1971) -- (Movie Clip) Do It For Them! Assistant stage manager and understudy Polly (Twiggy) gets cliche` last-minute advice from director Max (Max Adrian), with colleagues (Antonia Ellis, Caryl Little), working up to the first version of Sandy Wilson's title tune, in Ken Russell's The Boyfriend, 1971.

Boy Friend, The (1971) -- (Movie Clip) I Can Act Posh! Slowly gaining confidence, understudy Polly (Twiggy), backstage with haughty Percy (Bryan Pringle), then on stage with his wife Moyra (Moyra Fraser), shooting on location at the Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, in Ken Russell's The Boyfriend, 1971.

Boy Friend, The (1971) -- (Movie Clip) If We Only Had Money! Small-time director Max (Max Adrian) imagines what he might manage with more money, leading to a reprise of composer Sandy Wilson's title song, featuring the company, Tommy Tune, and under-study Twiggy (here "Polly"), in Ken Russell's The Boy Friend, 1971.

Moonstruck - (Original Trailer) An engaged woman falls for her fiance's brother in Moonstruck (1987), the Oscar®-winning comedy starring Cher and Nicholas Cage.

Chariots Of Fire - (Original Trailer) Committed British runners strive for the 1924 Olympics in the Academy Award-winning Best Picture Chariots Of Fire (1981).

To the Devil, a Daughter - (Original Trailer) An occult writer (Richard Widmark) fights to save a friend's daughter from Satanists in To The Devil, A Daughter (1976).

Reds -- (Original Trailer) Warren Beatty directed and co-starred, with Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson in Reds, 1981, the story of John Reed, the American Communist who is buried in the Kremlin.

Robin And Marian - (Original Trailer) Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn play a middle-aged Robin Hood and Maid Marian called back to action and romance.

Yentl - (Original Trailer) Barbara Streisand stars in and directs Yentl (1983) based on Isaac Bashevis Singer's story of a Jewish girl who passes as a boy to study the Torah.

Out of Africa - (Original Trailer) Meryl Streep stars in Out of Africa (1985), winner of seven Academy Awards including Best Picture.

Boy Friend, The - (Original Trailer) The understudy goes on for the star and finds love in director Ken Russell's adaptation of the musical comedy The Boy Friend (1971) starring Twiggy.

Family

John Wilfrid Watkin

Father

Lawyer.

Beatrice Lynda Watkin

Mother

Bibliography

By using this site, you agree to our updated Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use