Ласло Ковач: Американдық кинематография шебері

Hungarian American cinematographer
the cinematographer

László Kovács ASC (; 14 May 1933 – 22 July 2007) was a Hungarian American cinematographer who was influential in the development of American New Wave films in the 1970s, collaborating with directors including Peter Bogdanovich, Richard Rush, Dennis Hopper, Norman Jewison, and Martin Scorsese. Known for his work on Easy Rider (1969) and Five Easy Pieces (1970), Kovács was the recipient of numerous awards, including three Lifetime Achievement Awards. He was an active member of the American Society of Cinematographers and was a member of the organization's board of directors.

Born in Cece, Hungary, to Julianna and Imre Kovács, Kovács studied cinema at the Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest between 1952 and 1956. In November that year, they smuggled the 30000 feet (9144 m) of film into Austria to have it developed, and they arrived in the United States in March 1957 to sell the footage. At the time Kovács would be credited as Leslie Kovacs and Zsigmond as William Zsigmond.

Kovács' breakthrough came with the 1969 film Easy Rider, starring and directed by Dennis Hopper. Kovács was reluctant to work on this film at first, having already worked on a number of B movie biker films, such as Hells Angels on Wheels. Hopper ultimately convinced Kovács that this film would be different and Kovács signed on as the film's director of photography. He earned second place for the Best Cinematographer Golden Laurel at the 1970 Laurel Awards. In 1970, he again worked with Hopper on the film The Last Movie. That same year, Kovács filmed Five Easy Pieces, for which he received the third place Golden Laurel for Best Cinematographer. Kovács filmed more than 70 motion pictures. Among these were six films for director Peter Bogdanovich: Targets, What's Up, Doc?, Paper Moon, At Long Last Love, Nickelodeon, and Mask. Bogdanovich worked with Kovács more times than any other cinematographer. Other notable films Kovács photographed include For Pete's Sake, Shampoo, New York, New York, Ghostbusters, Ruby Cairo, Say Anything , Radio Flyer, My Best Friend's Wedding, and Miss Congeniality. He also did additional photography on Close Encounters of the Third Kind and The Last Waltz. When working on The Last Waltz, camera operators were instructed to turn their cameras off at different intervals, in order to save battery life. One of these instances was during Muddy Waters' set, but Waters' outstanding performance led director Martin Scorsese to spontaneously change his mind, and ordered all cameras to be turned on. Because the cameras took several minutes to fully warm up, most caught only the last few bars of Waters' performance. Kovács, however, either did not hear or disregarded orders to shut down his camera, and was the only cameraman on set who managed to film Waters' entire performance. Kovács' final work appears in Torn from the Flag, a 2006 feature documentary about the 1956 Hungarian Revolution which incorporates original footage he and Zsigmond shot as film students before fleeing to the United States.

On July 22, 2007, Kovács died at his home in Beverly Hills, California at the age of 74. At the time of his death, Kovács had been married for 23 years to his wife, Audrey. He had two daughters, Julianna and Nadia, and a granddaughter, Mia. Kovács was honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards from Camerimage (1998), WorldFest (1999), and the American Society of Cinematographers (2002). The Lifetime Achievement Award from the ASC is the organization's highest honor. In addition, Kovács received an Excellence in Cinematography Award from the 1999 Hawaii International Film Festival and a Hollywood Film Award at the 2001 Hollywood Film Festival. The American Society of Cinematographers dedicated the 2008 Heritage Award for top student filmmakers in memory of Kovács. The 2008 documentary film No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos explores the 50 year friendship between Kovács and Zsigmond and their influence on filmmaking. Film critic Leonard Maltin said that, without Kovács and fellow cinematographer Zsigmond, "the American New Wave of the late 1960s and early '70s wouldn’t have flowered as it did."

Year Title Director Notes1964Kiss Me Quick!Peter Perryas Lester Kovacs 1965The Wonderful World of Girlsas Art Radford1966Single Room FurnishedMatt Cimberas Leslie KovacsA Smell of Honey, a Swallow of BrineByron Mabe as Art RadfordThe Notorious Daughter of Fanny HillPeter Perry 1967Hells Angels on WheelsRichard Rush1968A Man Called DaggerRichard RushThe Savage SevenPsych OutTargetsPeter BogdanovichMantis in LaceWilliam Rotsleras Leslie Kovacs1969Mark of the GunWally and Walter CamposBlood of Dracula's CastleAl AdamsonJean HewittEasy RiderDennis Hopper Golden Laurel Award for Best CinematographyThat Cold Day in the ParkRobert Altman1970The Rebel RousersMartin B. CohenGetting StraightRichard RushFive Easy PiecesBob RafelsonGolden Laurel Award for Best CinematographyAlex in WonderlandPaul Mazursky1971The Marriage of a Young StockbrokerLawrence TurmanThe Last MovieDennis Hopper1972What's Up, Doc?Peter BogdanovichThe King of Marvin GardensBob RafelsonA Reflection of FearWilliam A. Fraker1973Steelyard BluesAlan MyersonWith Stevan LarnerSlitherHoward ZieffPaper MoonPeter Bogdanovich1974Huckleberry FinnJ. Lee ThompsonFor Pete's SakePeter YatesFreebie and the BeanRichard Rush1975ShampooHal AshbyAt Long Last LovePeter Bogdanovich1976Baby Blue MarineJohn D. HancockHarry and Walter Go to New YorkMark RydellNickelodeonPeter Bogdanovich1977New York, New YorkMartin Scorsese1978F. I. S. T. Norman JewisonParadise AlleySylvester Stallone1979Butch and Sundance: The Early DaysRichard LesterThe Runner StumblesStanley Kramer1980Heart BeatJohn ByrumInside MovesRichard Donner1981The Legend of the Lone RangerWilliam A. Fraker1982FrancesGraeme CliffordThe ToyRichard Donner1984CrackersLouis MalleGhostbustersIvan Reitman1985MaskPeter Bogdanovich1986Legal EaglesIvan Reitman1988Little NikitaRichard Benjamin1989Say Anything Cameron Crowe1991ShatteredWolfgang Petersen1992Radio FlyerRichard DonnerRuby CairoGraeme Clifford1994The Next Karate KidChristopher CainThe ScoutMichael Ritchie1995Free Willy 2: The Adventure HomeDwight H. LittleCopycatJon Amiel1996MultiplicityHarold Ramis1997My Best Friend's WeddingP. J. Hogan1998Jack FrostTroy Miller2000Return to MeBonnie HuntMiss CongenialityDonald Petrie2002Two Weeks NoticeMarc Lawrence