Ernest Laszlo/Robert Aldrich#1

The two shots below are a sample of one of the greatest artistic achievements in American cinema. An outcome of a long and celebrated collaboration between director Robert Aldrich and cinematographer Ernest Laszlo. Their collective work includes:

• Four westerns - Apache (1954), Vera Cruz (1954), The Last Sunset (1961) and 4 for Texas (1963).

• Two film noir: Kiss Me Deadly (1955), The Big Knife (1955).

• And a drama about six German veterans who take on the task of disposing of unexploded bombs in the ruins of post-war country in Ten Seconds to Hell (1959)

In a series of posts we're going to examine the visual elements of these seven films and the role of Laszlo in defining the cinema of Robert Aldrich.

The Last Sunset (1961)