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John Alton (October 5, 1901 – June 2, 1996), born Johann Jacob Altmann, in Sopron, Kingdom of Hungary, was an American cinematographer of Hungarian-German origin. Alton photographed some of the most famous films noir of the classic period and won an Academy Award for the cinematography of An American in Paris (1951), becoming the ...
John Alton. Camera and Electrical Department: An American in Paris. Starting out in 1924 as a lab technician at MGM, John Alton left there for Paramount to become a cameraman. He traveled to France and then to South America, where he wrote, photographed and directed several Spanish-language films.
- January 1, 1
- Sopron, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary]
- January 1, 1
- Santa Monica, California, USA
Jan 17, 2020 · Learn about the life and work of John Alton, a cinematographer who shaped the style of film noir with his innovative use of light and shadow. Read how he started as a child prodigy in Hungary, traveled the world, and became a Hollywood legend.
- ASC Staff
Feb 26, 2021 · Best known for his highly stylized film noir classics "T-Men", "Raw Deal", and "The Big Combo", Alton earned a reputation during the 1940s and 1950s as one of Hollywood's consummate...
- 13 min
- 8K
- Cinematographers on cinematography
John Alton was a renowned filmmaker who worked on classics such as An American in Paris, T-Men and Raw Deal. He pioneered the use of low-key lighting, shadow and depth of field in the film noir genre and wrote a seminal book on cinematography.
John Alton. Camera and Electrical Department: An American in Paris. Starting out in 1924 as a lab technician at MGM, John Alton left there for Paramount to become a cameraman. He traveled to France and then to South America, where he wrote, photographed and directed several Spanish-language films.
John Alton (1901-1996) was a Hungarian-born Oscar-winning cameraman who shot many classic film noirs and color movies. He is known for his unconventional camera angles and low shots, especially in He Walked by Night, The Big Combo, and An American in Paris.
