Roger Pratt, a famous British photographer known for his striking visual style, has died. He was 77 years old. The British Society of Cinematographers (BSC) announced his death and said he had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease that started early.
Pratt’s career spanned over forty years, during which time he established himself as one of the most adaptable directors of photography in the film business. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on “The End of the Affair” (1999) and worked with many innovative directors.
While filming “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975), he and Terry Gilliam formed a successful relationship out of the blue. While shooting the Bridge of Death scene, Pratt, who was then a clapper loader, amazed Gilliam. Gilliam remembered, “This guy said, ‘Just give me a moment,’ and in a few minutes, he had run down the mountain, crossed the river, run up the other side, jumped into the camera truck, grabbed the right lens, and was ready to go.” “That’s when I fell in love with Roger.”
Pratt, born in Leicester in 1947, began his career in film at the London Film School in the 1960s. In the UK, he started his career at Chippenham Films. The first movie he worked on as a camera assistant was Mike Leigh’s “Bleak Moments” (1971). Later, Pratt worked as a photographer on several Leigh films, including “Meantime” (1983) and “High Hopes.”
Some of the most famous movies of our time are in Pratt’s resume. “Batman” (1989) by Tim Burton had him as the director of photography. He also helped make the magical worlds in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” He also established long-term collaborations with directors like Richard Attenborough, shooting four of his films, including “Shadowlands” and “In Love and War.”
Numerous awards and honors were given to him for his work, including BAFTA nods for both “The End of the Affair” and “Chocolat.” The BSC gave him their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023 to honor his long and impressive career just before he died.
Pratt’s excellent skill and dedication to his work greatly impacted the visual language of modern movies. His work will continue to influence directors for many years to come.
