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IMDbPro

Michael Ballhaus(1935-2017)

  • Cinematographer
  • Director
  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Michael Ballhaus
The documentary investigates the history, process and workflow of both digital and photochemical film creation.
Play trailer1:47
Side by Side (2012)
2 Videos
18 Photos
Michael Ballhaus was a German cinematographer. He worked on many American films, including Baby It's You (1983), Old Enough (1984), After Hours (1985), The Color of Money (1986), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), Dracula (1992), The Age of Innocence (1993), Gangs of New York (2002), and The Departed (2006).

Ballhaus was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, for Broadcast News (1987), The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), and Gangs of New York (2002), but never won.

His son Florian Ballhaus is also a cinematographer who worked on Flightplan (2005) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006).

Ballhaus died on 11 April 2017, at the age of 81.
BornAugust 5, 1935
DiedApril 11, 2017(81)
BornAugust 5, 1935
DiedApril 11, 2017(81)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Nominated for 3 Oscars
    • 25 wins & 34 nominations total

Photos18

Michael Ballhaus in TCM Remembers 2017 (2017)
Michael Ballhaus in International Cinematographer's Guild Heritage Series (1991)
Martin Scorsese, Michael Ballhaus, and David M. Dunlap in The Age of Innocence (1993)
Martin Scorsese and Michael Ballhaus in The Age of Innocence (1993)
Martin Scorsese and Michael Ballhaus in The Age of Innocence (1993)
Martin Scorsese and Michael Ballhaus in The Age of Innocence (1993)
Martin Scorsese and Michael Ballhaus in The Age of Innocence (1993)
Martin Scorsese, Michael Ballhaus, and David M. Dunlap in The Age of Innocence (1993)
Michael Ballhaus
Michael Ballhaus
Michael Ballhaus and Mike Nichols in Working Girl (1988)
Michael Ballhaus, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Klaus Löwitsch, and Kurt Raab in World on a Wire (1973)

Known for

Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, and Joe Pesci in Goodfellas (1990)
Goodfellas
8.7
  • Cinematographer
  • 1990
Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Monica Bellucci, Sadie Frost, Michaela Bercu, and Florina Kendrick in Dracula (1992)
Dracula
7.4
  • Cinematographer
  • 1992
Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, and Daniel Day-Lewis in The Age of Innocence (1993)
The Age of Innocence
7.2
  • Cinematographer
  • 1993
Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, and Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York (2002)
Gangs of New York
7.5
  • Cinematographer
  • 2002

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Cinematographer

  • First Fassbinder (2013)
    First Fassbinder
    • Cinematographer
    • Short
    • 2013
  • Thure Lindhardt in 3096 Tage (2013)
    3096 Tage
    • Cinematographer
    • 2013
  • Madonna in Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection (2009)
    Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection
    • Cinematographer (videos Papa Don't Preach, True Blue)
    • Video
    • 2009
  • Purple Sunrise (2009)
    Purple Sunrise
    • Cinematographer
    • Short
    • 2009
  • Nachts träumen die Lampen des Ateliers von ihrem wahren Leben
    • Cinematographer
    • Short
    • 2007
  • The Gentle Makeup of Light
    • Cinematographer
    • Short
    • 2007
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, and Matt Damon in The Departed (2006)
    The Departed
    • director of photography
    • 2006
  • Sonntagsluft
    • director of photography
    • 2005
  • Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton in Something's Gotta Give (2003)
    Something's Gotta Give
    • director of photography
    • 2003
  • Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning in Uptown Girls (2003)
    Uptown Girls
    • director of photography
    • 2003
  • Mutti
    • Cinematographer
    • Short
    • 2002
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, and Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York (2002)
    Gangs of New York
    • director of photography
    • 2002
  • Gone Underground (2001)
    Gone Underground
    • Cinematographer
    • Short
    • 2001
  • The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
    The Legend of Bagger Vance
    • director of photography
    • 2000
  • Poster
    What Planet Are You From?
    • director of photography
    • 2000

Director

  • Unser Franken
    • co-director
    • 2011
  • Max Raabe & Palast Orchester: Heute Nacht oder nie (2009)
    Max Raabe & Palast Orchester: Heute Nacht oder nie
    • Director (artistic direction)
    • TV Special
    • 2009
  • In Berlin (2009)
    In Berlin
    • Director
    • 2009
  • Under the Cherry Moon (1986)
    Under the Cherry Moon
    • Director (uncredited)
    • 1986
  • Fassbinder produziert: Film Nr. 8 (1971)
    Fassbinder produziert: Film Nr. 8
    • co-director
    • TV Movie
    • 1971
  • Die Verabredung mit der Wirklichkeit
    • Director
    • TV Movie
    • 1971

Actor

  • William Forsythe, Danny Trejo, and Wes Studi in Soundman (1998)
    Soundman
    • Big Shot Cinematographer (voice)
    • 1998
  • Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, and Heather Graham in Boogie Nights (1997)
    Boogie Nights
    • Cameraman (uncredited)
    • 1997
  • Hanna Schygulla in The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979)
    The Marriage of Maria Braun
    • Counsel (as Ballhaus)
    • 1979
  • Spiel der Verlierer
    • Dr. Müller
    • 1978
  • Der kleine Godard an das Kuratorium junger deutscher Film
    • 1978
  • Margit Carstensen in Martha (1974)
    Martha
    • Restaurant guest flirting with Martha (uncredited)
    • TV Movie
    • 1974

Videos2

Theatrical Version
Trailer 1:47
Theatrical Version
U.S. Version
Trailer 1:31
U.S. Version

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Michael Alexander
  • Born
    • August 5, 1935
    • Berlin, Germany
  • Died
    • April 11, 2017
    • Berlin, Germany(undisclosed)
  • Spouses
      Sherry HormannOctober 27, 2011 - April 12, 2017 (his death)
  • Other works
    Cinematographer for Madonna's music video "Papa Don't Preach"
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Portrayal
    • 1 Interview
    • 3 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    His uncle Carl Balhaus appeared in the classic M (1931) as the man who marked Peter Lorre with the sign "M".
  • Quotes
    [in 2016, on how his difficult collaboration with Rainer Werner Fassbinder prepared him for his career in the U.S.] It helped a lot because he was not an easy director. He was very hard on me and he was very pushy. He always cracked the whip to be fast and not to spend too much time. So I learned to be fast and still tried to be good. That was a big help later when I started shooting in the States. It was also a big help because he was so temperamental that from then on I knew I could handle every director in the world.
  • Trademark
      Cinematographer of many films by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Martin Scorsese and Mike Nichols.

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