Why is the greatest cinematographer on Earth stuck making lousy movies?

Two (two!) atrocious Exorcist prequels? Come on...

Oscar winner Vittorio Storaro.
(Image credit: TIZIANA FABI/AFP/Getty Images)

Vittorio Storaro, the world's most important living cinematographer, has worked on some of the most visually influential films of the 20th century. The Conformist, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage, Apocalypse Now, One From the Heart, The Last Emperor — all are imbued with Storaro's impeccable gift for rendering ugliness gorgeous and beauty tangible. His dexterous use of color as an emotional instigator, along with his understanding of composition and camera movement, remains unsurpassed, even as the rapid ascension of digital technology has made visual manipulation easier than ever.

And that leads us to a perplexing question: Why doesn't Storaro work on great movies anymore?

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Greg Cwik

Greg Cwik is a writer and editor. His work appears at Vulture, Playboy, Entertainment Weekly, The Believer, The AV Club, and other good places.