NEGATIVE SPACE: Dante’s peak
Dante Spinotti will never shoot an ugly frame, but in recent years his choice of projects has been unfortunate, to say the least. I can forgive a D.P. of his stature for taking on a project that stars Salma Hayek in bikini (that’s the reason I rented the bloody movie), but why bother polishing uninspired fare like The Family Man? As His Royal Badness once put it: “I just hate to see an erection go to waste.”
I’d have to say his choice in projects has always been a little questionable…
He followed up Michael Mann’s Manhunter (1986) with Crimes of the Heart (1986) , Bob Clark’s From the Hip (1987) starring Judd Nelson. Illegally Yours (1988), Beaches (1988) and The Comfort of Strangers (1990). I haven’t seen nor could I watch those last 5 films.
He then had a nice run from Frankie and Johnny up to The Wonder Boys and then got involved with Rhett Bratner which begat The Family Man, Red Dragon, After the Sunset and X-Men: The Last Stand.
If anything he seems to be loyal to his directors…
Michael Mann, 4 Films
Brett Ratner, 4 Films
Garry Marshall, 3 Films
Michael Apted, 2 Films
Giacomo Battiato, 2 Films
Bruce Beresford, 2 Films
Curtis Hanson, 2 Films
As I recall, The Comfort of Strangers is pretty good. But you’re right, his filmography is wildly inconsistent.