Gordon Willis
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Gordon Willis (born May 28, 1931 in Queens, New York) is a highly respected Hollywood cinematographer best known for his work on the The Godfather series and on some of Woody Allen's most popular films.
Willis is famed for his expertise at photographing in extremely dark conditions, which has given him the nickname 'The Prince of Darkness'. Another trademark is his preference for filming at the 'magic hour' before twilight, when the sun is low and creates a golden glow.
Willis was shunned by the Academy for many years, failing to gain even a nomination for movies that were otherwise showered with Oscars. He eventually received two nominations, one for his inventive recreation of 1920s photography in Woody Allen's Zelig (1983), and one for The Godfather Part III (1990).
As part of the legends surrounding The Godfather, Willis is said to have thrown an entire 35mm movie camera body and film magazine off a bridge after a quarrel with director Francis Ford Coppola.
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