No Subtitles Necessary: László & Vilmos

Cinematographers László Kovács and Vilmos Zsigmond lensed several of the defining American films of the past 45 years, boasting a combined filmography of 140 titles that include Paper Moon, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Deliverance, Five Easy Pieces, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (which earned Zsigmond his only Academy Award), The Deer Hunter, Blow Out, and Ghostbusters, among many others. Beginning with Easy Rider (photographed by Kovács), the pair helped redefine the way movies looked, from grabbing shots on the fly for young directors making personal films on low budgets to using natural light to lend a heightened realism to studio productions. Their work alone would justify this affectionate documentary portrait of the two friends and fellow film professionals, made by James Chressanthis (a cinematographer himself who apprenticed under both men), but their personal story is also fascinating: both fled Hungary in 1956 after the Soviet crackdown (carrying photographs that could have landed them in the gulag), traveled to California, and started working their way up the ladder shooting exploitation films and drive-in quickies. Only in America… Chressanthis profiles their efforts as educators and mentors to young filmmakers (including teaching classes back in post-Soviet Hungary), as well as their contributions to the look and style of American cinema in the ‘70s. DVD extras include bonus interview clips. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Axmaker)