Top 10: Best Cinematography in Movie Franchises
No media website these days is complete without a few meaningless, perfunctory, entirely subjective listicles! This one combines one of my favourite things about the movie industry - great cinematography - with one of my least favourites - franchises - and makes a whole load of nothing out of the both of them. Read on for the top 10 best-shot movie franchises, according to me and me alone!
Â
10. STAR WARS (1977-2018...)
Star Wars (1977) DP: Gilbert Taylor
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) DP: Peter Suschitzky
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) DP: Alan Hume
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) DP: David Tattersall
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) DP: David Tattersall
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) DP: David Tattersall
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) DP: Dan Mindel
Rogue One (2016) DP: Greig Fraser
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) DP: Steve Yedlin
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) DP: Bradford Young
Â
9. THE EXORCIST (1973-2005)
The Exorcist (1973) DP: Owen Roizman and Billy Williams
Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) DP: William A. Fraker
The Exorcist III (1990) DP: Gerry Fisher
Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) DP: Vittorio Storaro
Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005) DP: Vittorio Storaro
Â
8. ALIEN (1979-2017...)
Alien (1979) DP: Derek Vanlint
Aliens (1986) DP: Adrian Biddle
Alien3 (1992) DP: Alex Thomson
Alien: Resurrection (1997) DP: Darius Khondji
AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004) DP: David Johnson
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) DP: Daniel Pearl
Prometheus (2012) DP: Dariusz Wolski
Alien: Covenant (2017) DP: Dariusz Wolski
Â
7. INDIANA JONES (1981-2008...)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) DP: Douglas Slocombe
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) DP: Douglas Slocombe
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) DP: Douglas Slocombe
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) DP: Janusz Kaminski
Â
6. LONE WOLF AND CUB (1972-1974)
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972) DP: Makiura Chishi
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972) DP: Makiura Chishi
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades (1972) DP: Makiura Chishi
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril (1972) DP: Miyagawa Kazuo
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons (1973) DP: Morita Fujio
Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell (1974) DP: Makiura Chishi
Â
5. THE LORD OF THE RINGS (2001-2003)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) DP: Andrew Lesnie
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) DP: Andrew Lesnie
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) DP: Andrew Lesnie
Â
4. HARRY POTTER (2001-2011)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) DP: John Seale
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) DP: Roger Pratt
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) DP: Michael Seresin
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) DP: Roger Pratt
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) DP: Slawomir Idziak
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) DP: Bruno Delbonnel
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) DP: Eduardo Serra
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) DP: Eduardo Serra
Â
3. THE DARK KNIGHT (2005-2012)
Batman Begins (2005) DP: Wally Pfister
The Dark Knight (2008) DP: Wally Pfister
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) DP: Wally Pfister
Â
2. THREE COLOURS (1993-1994)
Three Colours: Blue (1993) DP: Slawomir Idziak
Three Colours: White (1994) DP: Edward Klosinski
Three Colours: Red (1994) DP: Piotr Sobocinski
Â
1. THE GODFATHER (1972-1990)
The Godfather (1972) DP: Gordon Willis
The Godfather: Part II (1974) DP: Gordon Willis
The Godfather: Part III (1990) DP: Gordon Willis