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Ralf D. Bode

http://www.directorsnet.com/cinematographers/bode/ Ralf D. Bode, a cinematographer who was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on "Coal Miner's Daughter" and who was known for capturing mood and emotion as well as place, dies in 2001. At the beginning of Bode's career, working as a second unit photographer, he won praise for scenes he shot of Sylvester Stallone running up the steps of Philadelphia Museum of Art in the 1976 "Rocky. The following year, Bode photographed his breakthrough feature film, "Saturday Night Fever," memorably capturing the heated dance floor scenes featuring the young John Travolta.

Among about 40 feature films he photographed were "Dressed to Kill," "Gorky Park", "The Accused," "Bring On the Night," "Cousins," "Made in America" and "Love Field." Bode also worked extensively in television, earning Emmy nomination for the ABS and Disney production of "Annie" in 1999. He also handled cinematography for the Bette Midler television of "Gypsy" and Jessica Lange's "A Streetcar Named Desire."

Born in Germany, Bode immigrated to the United States when he was 14. He graduated from University of Vermont and served in U.S. Army Signal Corps, making films and teaching combat photography. After working as an actor in several off-Broadway productions, Bode went to Yale Drama Schools for graduate study in directing. He began his behind-the-scenes work in commercials and independent films, and photographed his first motion pictures in 1974 --"Foreplay," "Saturday Night at the Baths" and "There Is No 13." Last year, Bode taught at the Los Angeles Film School, which was named its annual student award for cinematography in his honor. More information at: https://theoscarsite.com/whoswho6/bode_r.htm http://entertainmentdesignmag.com/ar/show_business_saturday_night_fever http://print.google.com/print/doc?articleid=GOD4lZPxPM2

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"Ralf D. Bode." Video History Project, Experimental Television Center, 2011. https://www.videohistoryproject.org/ralf-d-bode.

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Summary

Ralf D. Bode was a cinematographer nominated for an Academy Award for Coal Miner's Daughter; he died in 2001. Early in his career he won praise as a second-unit photographer for filming Sylvester Stallone on the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps in 1976's Rocky and photographed his breakthrough feature Saturday Night Fever; he shot about 40 features including Dressed to Kill, Gorky Park and The Accused. Born in Germany, he immigrated to the United States at 14, worked extensively in television—earning an Emmy nomination for the ABS and Disney production of Annie in 1999—and taught at the Los Angeles Film School, which named its annual student cinematography award in his honor.

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Last modified 17 June 2011

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