Dante Spinotti

Dante Spinotti
Born
Tolmezzo, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Kingdom of Italy
Years active1972–present

Dante Spinotti, ASC, AIC is an Italian cinematographer.

He is known mostly for his collaborations with directors Michael Mann and Brett Ratner.

He received Academy Award nominations for L.A. Confidential (1997) and The Insider (1999), and won a BAFTA Award for The Last of the Mohicans (1992). He has also won two Italian David di Donatello Awards and two Nastro d'Argento Awards.

Biography

Spinotti was born in the commune of Tolmezzo, in Northern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, near the Austrian border. At the age of 11, he began experimenting with still photography with a camera inherited from his uncle, a cinematographer and director who specialized in documentaries and newsreels. He left high school early to work in the film industry in Kenya, driven by his skills in freehand drawing.[1]

His first work as a cinematographer was the 1972 television drama I Nicotera. His first film was Il minestrone (1981), directed by Sergio Citti. His early work included collaborations with noted Italian directors Lina Wertmüller (Softly, Softly) and Liliana Cavani (The Berlin Affair). He moved to the United States in 1986, entering a highly competitive Hollywood environment.

Among the more notable films he has worked on are The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, L.A. Confidential, The Insider, Public Enemies, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, I Saw the Light, and Ant-Man and the Wasp. Spinotti also was the cinematographer for many of Brett Ratner's films, such as Red Dragon (2002), After the Sunset (2004), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), and Hercules (2014).

Spinotti was the cinematographer on both adaptations of the novel Red Dragon by Thomas Harris: Michael Mann's 1986 adaptation, Manhunter, and Brett Ratner's 2002 adaptation.[2]

Spinotti has highlighted the meticulous preparation and collaborative spirit essential to his work, particularly with director Michael Mann. He also discussed the process of remastering classics like Heat and adapting to new technologies, such as using digital cinematography[3][4] and even iPhones for certain shots to enhance storytelling.[5]

He is a member of the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[6] He won the Golden Camera 300 award at the Manaki Brothers Film Festival in North Macedonia for lifetime achievement. In 2012, he received the American Society of Cinematographers's Lifetime Achievement Award.[7]

Filmography

Film

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Title Director Notes
1981 Il minestrone Sergio Citti
La disubbidienza Aldo Lado
1982 Basileus Quartet Fabio Carpi
1983 Dream of a Summer Night Gabriele Salvatores
Hearts and Armour Giacomo Battiato
1984 Cinderella '80 Roberto Malenotti
Softly, Softly Lina Wertmüller
Così parlò Bellavista Luciano De Crescenzo
1985 The Dark Side of Love Salvatore Samperi
The Berlin Affair Liliana Cavani
1986 Choke Canyon Charles Bail
Manhunter Michael Mann 1st collaboration with Mann
Crimes of the Heart Bruce Beresford
1987 From the Hip Bob Clark
Aria Bruce Beresford Segment Die tote Stadt
1988 Illegally Yours Peter Bogdanovich
The Legend of the Holy Drinker Ermanno Olmi
Fair Game Mario Orfini
Beaches Garry Marshall
1989 Torrents of Spring Jerzy Skolimowski With Witold Sobociński
1990 A Violent Life Giacomo Battiato
The Comfort of Strangers Paul Schrader
1991 True Colors Herbert Ross
Hudson Hawk Michael Lehmann
Frankie and Johnny Garry Marshall Also made a cameo as "Man on Bus" (Uncredited)
1992 The Last of the Mohicans Michael Mann
The End Is Known Cristina Comencini
1993 The Secret of the Old Woods Ermanno Olmi
Blink Michael Apted
1994 Nell
1995 The Quick and the Dead Sam Raimi
The Star Maker Giuseppe Tornatore
Heat Michael Mann
1996 The Mirror Has Two Faces Barbra Streisand With Andrzej Bartkowiak
1997 L.A. Confidential Curtis Hanson
1998 Goodbye Lover Roland Joffé
1999 The Other Sister Garry Marshall
The Insider Michael Mann
2000 Wonder Boys Curtis Hanson
The Family Man Brett Ratner 1st collaboration with Ratner
2001 Bandits Barry Levinson
2002 Red Dragon Brett Ratner
Pinocchio Roberto Benigni
2004 After the Sunset Brett Ratner
2006 X-Men: The Last Stand
The Contract Bruce Beresford
2007 Slipstream Anthony Hopkins
2008 Deception Marcel Langenegger Also acted as Herr Kleiner/Mr. Moretti[8]
Flash of Genius Marc Abraham
2009 Public Enemies Michael Mann
2010 The Chronicles of Narnia:
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader 		Michael Apted
2011 Tower Heist Brett Ratner
2013 ReWined Ferdinando Vicentini Orgnani
2014 Hercules Brett Ratner
2015 I Saw the Light Marc Abraham
2017 Freak Show Trudie Styler
2018 Traffik Deon Taylor
Ant-Man and the Wasp Peyton Reed
2019 Black and Blue Deon Taylor
Where Are You Valentina De Amicis
Riccardo Spinotti 		Also credited as producer
2020 Elyse Stella Hopkins
Fatale Deon Taylor
2025 The Alto Knights † Barry Levinson Post-production
TBA That's Amore! † Nick Vallelonga

Documentary film

Year Title Director Notes
2008 Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman Eric Bricker With Aiken Weiss
2023 Posso entrare? An ode to Naples Trudie Styler

Television

Miniseries

Year Title Director
1972 I Nicotera Salvatore Nocita
1979 Paura sul mondo Domenico Campan
1982 Colomba Giacomo Battiato

TV movies

Year Title Director
1975 Tracce sulla neve Alessandro Cane
1980 La signorina Else Enzo Muzii
1981 Fosca
1983 Le ambizioni sbagliate Fabio Carpi
2008 Blue Blood Brett Ratner
2012 Rogue
2015 Edge Shane Black

TV series

Year Title Director Notes
1982 La pietra di Marco Polo Aldo Lado
2005 Prison Break Brett Ratner Episode "Pilot"
2007 Women's Murder Club
2011 CHAOS Brett Ratner Episode "Pilot"

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Year Title Category Result
1997 L.A. Confidential Best Cinematography Nominated
1999 The Insider Nominated

BAFTA Awards

Year Title Category Result
1992 The Last of the Mohicans Best Cinematography Won
1997 L.A. Confidential Nominated

American Society of Cinematographers

Year Title Category Result
1992 The Last of the Mohicans Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography Nominated
1997 L.A. Confidential Nominated
1999 The Insider Nominated

Los Angeles Film Critics Association

Year Title Category Result
1997 L.A. Confidential Best Cinematography Won
1999 The Insider Won

Satellite Awards

Year Title Category Result
1997 L.A. Confidential Best Cinematography Nominated
2006 X-Men: The Last Stand Nominated
2009 Public Enemies Nominated

Chicago Film Critics Association

Year Title Category Result
1995 Heat Best Cinematography Nominated

National Society of Film Critics

Year Title Category Result
1997 L.A. Confidential Best Cinematography Nominated

References

  1. ^ "Locarno Film Festival · Interview with Dante Spinotti". Locarno Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  2. ^ French, Philip (2002-10-12). "Film of the week: Red Dragon". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  3. ^ "Dante Spinotti - British Cinematographer". British Cinematographer. 2015-05-09. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  4. ^ Caranicas, Peter (2016-11-18). "Dante Spinotti on Technology, New Workflow, Directors' Personalities". Variety. Retrieved 2018-03-18.
  5. ^ Newman, Nick (2016-11-28). "Dante Spinotti on Michael Mann's Preparedness, Remastering Classics, and New Technologies". Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  6. ^ "Dante Spinotti". IMDb. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  7. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (2011-11-08). "'The Insider' Cinematographer Dante Spinotti To Receive ASC Lifetime Achievement Award". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
  8. ^ Dargis, Manohla (April 25, 2008). "A Sliver of Thrills". New York Times. Retrieved August 6, 2023.