Stephen H Burum
About
Biography
Filmography
Biography
Leading modern cinematographer who collaborated on some of the most visually striking films of the 1980s. Burum learned his craft at UCLA while working with two undisputed giants of the field: ace cinematographer James Wong Howe ("Body and Soul," "Sweet Smell of Success," "King's Row") and technological pioneer Charles Clarke. He developed a fruitful relationship with Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope Studio, beginning with an assignment as director of second-unit photography for "Apocalypse Now" (1979). Burum would later shoot two of Coppola's most lyrically stylized films, "The Outsiders" (1983) and "Rumble Fish" (1983). The former featured such rich color photography that this elemental tale played like a "Gone With the Wind" for troubled teens. The even more stylish "Rumble Fish" reimagined a black-and-white 1950s juvenile delinquent flick as directed by Jean Cocteau. This unusual film has also been a significant influence on the look and feel of music videos.
Burum headed up the second unit on Zoetrope's "The Black Stallion" (1979) and lensed "The Escape Artist" (1982), the directorial debut of fellow cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (who shot "The Black Stallion"). He has also shot several Brian De Palma films, including "Body Double" (1984), "The Untouchables" (1987), "Casualties of War" (1989), "Raising Cain" (1992) and "Mission to Mars" (2000).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cinematography (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cinematography (Special)
Life Events
1979
First significant credit, as director of photography for the second unit on "Apocalypse Now"
1979
First credit as director of photography on "Pacific High", a documentary feature
1981
First credit as director of photography on a fiction film, "Death Valley"
1983
First collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola as director of photography on "The Outsiders"
1984
First collaboration with Brian De Palma on "Body Double"
