Sven Nykvist, 1922-2006
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A crucially important film artist, Sven Nykvist was not only the cinematographer for most of Bergman’s greatest films. He also shot Woody Allen’s greatest film, worked with other major directors like Polanski and Malle, and even in flawed pictures like The Unbearable Lightness of Being the images are remarkable. One depressing thing is that with Bergman’s premature retirement, that last part of his career was largely devoted to films not remotely worthy of his talents; asking him to light Mixed Nuts or With Honors is like asking Degas to paint a billboard advertising Home Improvement. But he was still able to leave a remarkable body of work behind. RIP.