Michael Ballhaus

The lens behind Fassbinder and Scorsese's defining eras.

Michael Ballhaus (5 August 1935 – 12 April 2017) was a German cinematographer renowned for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Mike Nichols, and James L. Brooks. His work defined the visual texture of iconic American films like Goodfellas, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Wild Wild West, and Gangs of New York. Before settling in the United States, he built a distinguished career in Germany, beginning his prominence with Fassbinder on Whity (1971). Ballhaus received three Academy Award nominations and three BAFTA nominations for Best Cinematography but never won an Oscar, though he secured two German Film Awards and accolades from major critics associations including the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

Quick Facts

Born

5 August 1935

Birthplace

Berlin, Nazi Germany

Died

12 April 2017

Place of death

Berlin, Germany

Occupation

Cinematographer
film director
producer
screenwriter
editor

Years active

1959–2013

Parents

Oskar Ballhaus; Lena Hutter

Children

2, including Florian

Lore & Background

Ballhaus's journey in cinema began in Berlin, where he was born to actors Lena Hutter and Oskar Ballhaus. Influenced early by family friend Max Ophüls, he appeared as an extra in Ophüls' final film, Lola Montès (1955). His professional breakthrough came with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, starting with Whity (1971), followed by The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972), Chinese Roulette (1976), and The Marriage of Maria Braun (1978). After moving to the US, he brought this European sensibility to Hollywood. His career highlights include serving as head of the jury at the 40th Berlin International Film Festival in 1990. He also made an appearance in Rosa von Praunheim's film Fassbinder's Women (2000). Ballhaus was a member of the Academy of Arts, Berlin since 1993, the Freie Akademie der Künste Hamburg, and a co-founding member of the Deutsche Filmakademie established in 2003.

Reader's Guide

Michael Ballhaus's filmography includes major feature films such as Goodfellas (1990), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), Wild Wild West (1999), and Gangs of New York (2002). His recognition includes three Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography and three BAFTA nominations for the same category. He won two German Film Awards. Critics' awards include wins from the Chicago Film Critics Association, the Boston Society of Film Critics, and two wins at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. His final credited work was Sherry Hormann's 3096 Days in 2013.