10 Under The Radar Talents Who Made Cinema Awesome

7. Sven Nykvist (Cinematographer)

A good cinematographer doesn't just capture beautiful images, or highlight the best features of the stars of the film, they are also responsible for creating the mood of the film, and expressing visually the themes or ideas the director is trying to get across to the audience. One of the most celebrated cinematographers in movie history is Sven Nykvist, whose work on Ingmar Bergman films is an excellent example of how a cinematographer's command of the craft can elevate an entire movie. Nyvkist became Bergman's full-time cinematographer in the late 50's, and worked on many of his most famous films, such as Cries and Whispers, Persona, and Fanny and Alexander. He helped Bergman's films break away from the more theatrical appearance of his earlier work, and also helped to convey the multitude of complex ideas Bergman tried to explore in some of his more experimental films. Nyvkist also helped create the "Bergman close-up", which has become one of the directors most memorable trademarks. Nyvkist went on to become the cinematographer for a number of other famous directors, including Woody Allen and Andrei Tarkovsky, but he will always be most closely associated with Bergman, with whom he helped to expand the cinematic vocabulary.