Arguably one of the world's best directors of photography and the best Mexican cinematographer of his generation, award-winning Emmanuel Lubezki shot to prominence with the success of "Like Water for Chocolate" (1991), directed by Alfonso Arau and has gone on to a career that has encompassed independent films as well as mainstream Hollywood fare.
Lubezki developed an early interest in still photography and after majoring in film at Mexico's National University entered the local industry in the late 1980s as producer of classmate Luis Estrada's debut "El Camino Largo a Tijuana" (1989). Estrada hired him as director of photography for "Bandidos/Bandits" (1991) and the following year, the cinematographer was tapped for "Like Water for Chocolate", for which he received Mexico's Ariel award. His cinematography is noted for its layered quality, emphasizing color, no matter what the scheme, celebrating the illuminate fantasy (a quality that recalls the Technicolor work of 1950s Hollywood movie musicals) and composing vivid and memorable images that both haunt audiences and contribute subliminally to the main story. His photography for "Like Water for Chocolate" brought out the mystical elements of the story as well as dwelt on the sensual aspects.
It was only inevitable that American filmmakers would beckon and Lubezki crafted an almost dour composition for Ben Stiller's "Reality Bites" (1994). Working with Alfonso Cuaron on the 1995 remake of "A Little Princess", he earned his first Academy Award nomination. Lubezki gambled on using a green color scheme that added a lustrous patina of elegance to the period drama. For Arau's "A Walk in the Clouds" (1996), his beautiful camerawork enveloped the film's lovers in a mystical carpet of subdued lighting which mirrored their repressed sexuality and sensuality. For Mike Nichols' comedy "The Birdcage" (also 1996), Lubezki's photography stressed the vibrant candy-colored world of South Beach, Florida, lending a joie de vivre to the proceedings.
Reuniting with Cuaron for another literary classic, Lubezki lent his skills to the loose, modern-day adaptation of Dickens' "Great Expectations" (1998). As in their collaboration on "A Little Princess", the filmmakers used a green as the predominant color. In order to fully capture the large emotions of the piece, the cinematographer employed a widescreen format which allowed for both a more dynamic composition in each frame as well as aiding in the realization of the source material's themes. Later that same year, he captured the glamour and luxury of high society of "Meet Joe Black", Martin Brest's reworking of "Death Takes a Holiday". Using a subdued palette of grays, blues and tans, Lubezki created a warmly romantic overlay. The color scheme also served as an ironic counterpoint to the world of Anthony Hopkins' wealthy tycoon who lives in what the movie makers called “a purgatory.” Despite that character's discomfort, the film maintains a bright, almost comforting look.
For his collaboration with Tim Burton on "Sleepy Hollow" (1999), Lubezki invoked the primeval landscapes of Thomas Cole and others artists of the Hudson River School. Burton particularly wanted to invoke the Hammer horror films of the 1950s and 60s, so the design team (including Lubezki) concentrated on creating a unique look for the film. The director of photography used stylized lighting and a monochromatic color scheme accentuated by the contrasting color of Colleen Atwood's period costumes. Less a historical recreation, "Sleepy Hollow" was more of a fantasy world that matched Burton's vision. Whatever the dramatic limitations of the adaptation, the film earned high praise for its design, with several critics' groups awarding prizes to Lubezki for his cinematography. Following this triumph, he teamed with Rodrigo Garcia for the Sundance-screened "Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her" (2001).
His next film, “Ali” (2001), Michael Mann’s uneven biography about heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali (Will Smith), Lubezki was hired eight months before principle photography—an unusually long period of prep time, but necessary because of the director’s obsession for test shoots. After extensive shooting and discussion, both decided to eschew the desire to film in black and white—one of many different styles Mann and Lubezki discussed—to focus on a realistic documentary feel. Most of the movie was shot hand-held or with steadicam, giving “Ali” an immediacy lacking in most biopics and sports films. Meantime, Lubezki moved on to his next project, “Y Tu Mama Tambien” (2001), a sex-charged coming-of-age road film that focused on a love triangle between two competing teenage boys (Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal) and an older woman (Maribel Verdu). Once again, Lubezki shot with a hand-held camera, preferring a documentary style, while managing to bring out the vibrant colors of the Mexican landscape, adding a sensual, almost surreal look to the film.
For “Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat” (2003), Lubezki filled the screen with luminous colors—bright pink, purple and lime green—creating a highly-stylized and superficial world that was a complete departure from his previous films. He returned to more stark colors—shades of grey and black—for the big screen adaptation of “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” (2004), a darker but no less extravagant children’s adventure than “The Cat in the Hat.” He credited photographer Bill Brandt and German renaissance painter Lucas Cranach the Elder for his dramatic lighting scheme. Lubezki toned down the palette for “The Assassination of Richard Nixon” (2004), a low-budget psychological drama about would-be assassin Samuel Byck (Sean Penn), an alienated salesman who tried to hijack an airliner in order to crash it into the White House. Then with “The New World” (2005), Terrence Malick’s take on the Jonestown settlement in 1607 and the supposed love affair between Captain John Smith and Pocahontas, Lubezki shot a majority of the film with natural light—unusual given his affection for staged lighting.