RIP Brian Tufano

 

British cinematographer Brian Tufano who shot Trainspotting, Billy Elliot, Quadrophenia and Kidulthood dies aged 83 as BAFTA lead tributes

 

The Daily Mail

By Harry Howard

January 16, 2023

 

The British cinematographer behind films including Trainspotting, Kidulthood and Billy Elliot has died aged 83.

Film industry veteran Brian Tufano had a 50-year career that saw him work on dozens of productions, which also included Blade Runner, East is East and Quadrophenia. 

He was described by the Daily Mail in 1977 as the 'most celebrated TV cameraman in Britain'.

Leading tributes, Bafta Scotland said: 'We are saddened by this news - Cinematographer Brian Tufano shot some of Scotland's most iconic films: Trainspotting, Shallow Grave and Late Night Shopping.'

Quadrophenia's director, Frank Roddam, told MailOnline that Tufano was a 'brilliant' and 'lovely' man who brought 'great experience'. 

Announcing news of his passing on Twitter today, Tufano's former colleague at the UK's National Film and Television School said: 'Very sorry to have to share that Cinematography legend and former @NFTSFilmTV Head of Department Brian Tufano has died.

'He shot so many amazing films and did so much to champion new talent, in particular female DPs. We loved him and will REALLY miss him.'

Fim producer Jessica Levick said: 'So sorry to hear this and love to all his family. If there was one person I was in total awe of at @NFTSFilmTV when I was there, it was Brian Tufano, for DPing some of my absolute favourite films so brilliantly.

'He was amazing.'

Filmmaker Chris Atkins said: 'Brian Tufano shot Trainspotting and was a titan of cinematography, sorely missed.'

Born in Shepherd's Bush, West London, in 1939, Tufano entered the film industry in 1956 as a pageboy at Lime Grove Studios.

He then embarked on an apprenticeship at the BBC and went on to spend more than 20 years working with directors including Ken Loach and Stephen Frears.

Tufano's first prominent film role came on Quadrophenia, which was released in 1979 and became a cult classic.

The film is set during the violent era of rivalry between 'Mods' and Rockers'.

Quadrophenia's director Mr Roddam told MailOnline: 'When I did my first ever film at the BBC, a documentary, there was a system where you had a pool of cameramen.

'You could get very unlucky and get a terrible one. There were certain stars in the group and Brian was one of those. He was much revered.

'On my first documentary, I got him. Years later, I pulled him out of the BBC to make Quadrophenia.'

He added: 'He brought great experience. He was a very experienced cameraman. He was a bit of a classicist.

'It is very important to maintain a tone when you're making a film, he was a very good moderator of the tone.

'We had that language between us.

'He would have a clear memory of the transitions. A brilliant man. And a lovely man to work with.'

The cinematographer went on to form a fruitful partnership with director Danny Boyle, working on four films with him.

The first - Shallow Grave - was released in 1994 and starred Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston and Kerry Fox. 

Trainspotting, which was released two years later, proved to be another classic, with McGregor starring as Mark Renton.

Tufano then worked with Boyle on A Life Less Ordinary - released in 1997 - and Alien Love Triangle, which hit cinemas in 2008.

Earlier in his career, he worked as a photographer on 1982 film Blade Runner, which received rave reviews from critics and viewers.

Billy Elliot, released in 2000, made star Jamie Bell a household name and netted Tufano the Television Craft award from Bafta.

The film was also nominated for the Best Cinematography award.

For the last decade, Tufano has been semi-retired, with his last credit coming on Gymnast, a documentary that followed the British gymnastics athletes who went to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

TUFANO, Brian

Born: 1939, Shepard’s Bush, West London, England, U.K.

Died: 1/16/2023, U.K.

 

Brian Tufano’s western – cinematographer:

War Party - 1988