The technology of cinematography has come a long way since 1927, the inaugural Oscars ceremony, which awarded Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. F.W. Murnau's German Expressionist film is notable for its distorted art direction and groundbreaking cinematography by Charles Rosher and Karl Struss, featuring visually-striking tracking shots and forced perspective. Last year's Best Cinematography winner, The Revenant, was the first film shot on the ALEXA 65; the camera's 65mm digital sensor lent the footage a filmic look and enabled cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki to shoot using mostly natural light.
But while technology can certainly bolster a film's aesthetic, cameras are ultimately tools—they are only as strong as the humans behind them. This fact has never been more clear than in an exquisite new video by Burger Fiction that showcases the Best Cinematography winners throughout Oscar history. Though the movies featured in the supercut traverse nearly the entire history of cinema camera innovation, artistry remains impervious to time; some of the greatest aesthetic achievements in cinematography belong to films of another era.
Here's the complete list of Best Cinematography Oscar winners from 1927 to 2016:
Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis is an upcoming American epic science fiction fable written, directed, and produced by Coppola.
And he self-fianced, too.
Check out the trailer below.
The Megalopolis Trailer
Megalopolis is set in a modern America that has experienced a devastating disaster. The story follows an architect who wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia.
The film features an ensemble cast, including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Jason Schwartzman, Talia Shire, Grace VanderWaal, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter, and Dustin Hoffman.
Megalopolis has been a passion project for Coppola since the late 1970s. It has faced numerous delays and cancellations over the years, but Coppola has finally brought his vision to life.
The film is scheduled to premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2024, and will be released in theaters later in the year.