Alex Phillips
Encyclopedia
Alex Phillips was a Canadian-born Mexican
cinematographer
and the father of Alex Phillips, Jr., also a cinematographer.
In his youth, his family moved to Russia
, but he returned to Canada because of his dislike with the czarist government. He enlisted in the Canadian Army where he met Mary Pickford
who introduced him to Hollywood since he expressed his interest in becoming an actor.
and Paramount Pictures
but was unable to obtain a role.And studied under Stanley Shoemakers wing. He later approached Christie Comedies where he was advised to look for more stable positions in the movie industry and started his career in cinematography
and film editing
. He received an opportunity when an assistant fell sick and was able to travel to France
with the Canadian Official Photography. After Christie Comedies went bankrupt
, he was hired by Samuel Goldwyn
while he attended evening classes. He received the opportunity of working with Barnes, Edison and Meyer, and learned techniques such as graduations, tridimensional vision and the sense of potential balance. Phillips then began experimenting with lights and camera movements.
, Roberto Gavaldón
, Julio Bracho
and Luis Buñuel
. He worked on some of the earliest Mexican movies such as the silent film Santa
(1931) where his worked was considered expressionist. He worked in more than 250 movies in Mexico and 150 in the United States
including La mujer del puerto
(1934), Aventuras De Robinson Crusoe (1952 with Luis Buñuel), La Red (1953 with Emilio Fernández
). His last film was El castillo de la pureza (1972 with Arturo Ripstein
).
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
and the father of Alex Phillips, Jr., also a cinematographer.
In his youth, his family moved to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, but he returned to Canada because of his dislike with the czarist government. He enlisted in the Canadian Army where he met Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford was a Canadian-born motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
who introduced him to Hollywood since he expressed his interest in becoming an actor.
Hollywood
He auditioned with Fox20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
and Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
but was unable to obtain a role.And studied under Stanley Shoemakers wing. He later approached Christie Comedies where he was advised to look for more stable positions in the movie industry and started his career in cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
and film editing
Film editing
Film editing is part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking. It involves the selection and combining of shots into sequences, and ultimately creating a finished motion picture. It is an art of storytelling...
. He received an opportunity when an assistant fell sick and was able to travel to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with the Canadian Official Photography. After Christie Comedies went bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, he was hired by Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn was an American film producer, and founding contributor executive of several motion picture studios.-Biography:...
while he attended evening classes. He received the opportunity of working with Barnes, Edison and Meyer, and learned techniques such as graduations, tridimensional vision and the sense of potential balance. Phillips then began experimenting with lights and camera movements.
Mexico
He moved to Mexico in 1931 and worked with directors such as Arcady BoytlerArcady Boytler
Arcady Arcadievic Boytler Rososky was a producer, screenwriter, and director, most renowned for his films during the golden age of Mexican cinema....
, Roberto Gavaldón
Roberto Gavaldón
Roberto Gavaldón was a Mexican film director.Eight of Gavaldón's films were featured on the list 100 Best Movies of the Cinema of Mexico...
, Julio Bracho
Julio Bracho
Julio Bracho Gavilán was a Mexican film director and screenwriter.Bracho was born as ninth of eleven children of Julio Bracho y Zuloaga and his wife Luz Pérez Gavilán...
and Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel
Luis Buñuel Portolés was a Spanish-born filmmaker — later a naturalized citizen of Mexico — who worked in Spain, Mexico, France and the US..-Early years:...
. He worked on some of the earliest Mexican movies such as the silent film Santa
Santa (film)
Santa is the first Mexican narrative sound film. It was directed by Antonio Moreno and starred Lupita Tovar, based on the novel of the same name by Federico Gamboa. In 1994, the Mexican magazine Somos published their list of "The 100 best movies of the cinema of Mexico" in its 100th edition and...
(1931) where his worked was considered expressionist. He worked in more than 250 movies in Mexico and 150 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
including La mujer del puerto
The Woman of the Port (1934 film)
The Woman of the Port is a 1934 Mexican romantic drama film directed by Arcady Boytler and starring Andrea Palma. The film is based on the novel Le Port by French author Guy de Maupassant.-Plot:...
(1934), Aventuras De Robinson Crusoe (1952 with Luis Buñuel), La Red (1953 with Emilio Fernández
Emilio Fernández
Emilio "El Indio" Fernández was an actor, screenwriter and director of the cinema of Mexico. He is best known for his work as director of the film Maria Candelaria which won the Grand Prix at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival.-Early life:Fernández was born in Mineral del Hondo, Coahuila...
). His last film was El castillo de la pureza (1972 with Arturo Ripstein
Arturo Ripstein
Arturo Ripstein y Rosen is a Mexican film director.-Life and career:Ripstein got his break into movies working as an uncredited assistant director for Luis Buñuel. In 1965, he directed his first feature, Tiempo de Morir...
).
Awards
- Premio Ariel for TizocTízocTizocic or Tizocicatzin , usually known in English as Tizoc, was the seventh tlatoani of Tenochtitlan.-Biography:...
(1956), En la palma de tu mano (1952) and El Castillo de la pureza (1973, Ariel de Oro).
External links
- (es) Biography at Canal 22.