Legend of Cinematography Vilmos Zsigmond Passes at 85

We lost one of the greats this weekend, one of the Rembrandts of motion picture cinematography, who leaves a huge legacy of images on the landscape of cinema - Hungarian-born cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond.

Zsigmond came out of a lengthy run in exploitation films, including films such as

Horror of the Blood Monsters, before his 1971 breakthrough on Robert Altman's

McCabe and Mrs. Miller - a daring and unconventional Western using a desaturated, nearly sepia tone color palate that set it apart from every previous Western ever filmed. Its influence still looms large, particularly in the look and feel of HBO's Deadwood.

Zsigmond quickly moved to another film that would become a landmark of the era, with John Boorman's 1972 Deliverance.

He was in high demand, sought after by filmmakers who shaped the decade, continuing to work with Altman in films such as The Long Goodbye, Steven Spielberg's theatrical debut, The Sugarland Express, and Obsession for Brian DePalma.

But it was 1977 that saw Zsigmond's biggest film yet, with Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which won him the Oscar for Best Cinematography -a frustrating triumph, as he felt many of ideas failed to be used, and saw himself as a glorified cameraman. It would be his last time working with Spielberg.

Zsigmond then began his collaboration with Michael Cimino, which led to two films showcasing some of his best work, The Deer Hunter and Heaven's Gate.

While Heaven's Gate has been one of the most misunderstood and vilified of films, Zsigmond's cinematography is some of the most astonishing, naturalistic work ever produced. It's a stunning achievement, and the two films with Cimino represent a master at the peak of his craft.

Zsigmond went on to shoot films such as The Rose, Blow Out, The Witches of Eastwick, The Bonfire of the Vanities, The Ghost and the Darkness, Melinda and Melinda and The Black Dahlia, working with directors such as Woody Allen and Brian DePalma.

His later work in television included stints on The Mists of Avalon and The Mindy Project. 

Vilmos Zsigmond helped shape the look of motion pictures and was a true cinema visionary. His eyes may be closed now, but what he saw will project light in the darkness for generations of film lovers to come.