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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

RIP Haskell Wexler

E

Erich Roland

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Great DP and human being. Contributed a lot to this industry.
 
A life well shot.

For those of us who came up on Eclairs, Haskell held the lantern, the light; literally, at a critical point in his career, for George Lucas-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0dJ83rQsgk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfiJLvsT5TM

A wonderful man.

His introduction of the Eclair CM3 into the production community was the film precursor to RED Digital. Small, light, multipurpose, cool mojo, only camera that could shoot 35 or 16mm.

All things must pass-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eclair-Cameflex-Camerette-CM3-Cine-35mm-Movie-Camera-/191748671382?hash=item2ca51c8796:g:ItsAAOSwI-BWLtK6
 
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When I was helping with 12on 12off in Toronto I had the great pleasure of having a long Skype call with Haskell.
What a wonderful Gentleman with a thoughtful face and so polite respectful.

I came away impressed as I am sure many before and after me have.

I hope the important work he had laid down will continue.

Just a sad loss.

David
 
I knew Haskell well. A great cinematographer. More so he was a great thinker. He was a visionary in the spirit of a Robert Kennedy. When he spoke I listened. He cared deeply about each and every one of us. His mission tried to humanize our business. I will miss him greatly.
 
Well this is a sad day.

I didn't know Haskell particularly well as all of my interactions were fairly brief but I always came away with an impression of him as a generous and thoughtful man as well as extremely experienced and talented. I've had the pleasure of working with a lot of smart and talented people in my life, but humility and personal contentment are a pretty rare quality with those folks. It was an absolute pleasure knowing him, even if just a little bit.
 
Haskell was a terrific guy -- he could be irascible and a curmudgeon, but he could also be very passionate, intense, and friendly. I worked with him on Matewan back in 1987 and on HBO's 61* in 2001, and he did phenomenal work -- just amazing images, really striking, bold, and emotional. Haskell spearheaded the "12-on/12-off" movement to give crews a more reasonable workday and a guarantee of turnaround prior to the next day, and his documentary Who Needs Sleep should be required watching for any producers who don't grasp the importance of treating crewmembers like human beings.

I talked to Haskell for an hour or two back in 2013 when we were shooting a series of interviews being done for the ASC Awards, and he was bright, sharp, and very articulate (totally together, particularly for a man in his 90s). I think he had mellowed in recent years, but he still had very strong opinions and kept up with modern technology quite a bit. Haskell will definitely be missed.
 
Haskell was always so good to me when I was in film school in the late 70s . He once ran into me at the old MGM labs and dragged me out to his shag carpeted van to show me some new light.
He too introduced me to the Eclair CM3 which could shoot 35mm or 16mm. Ron and Valerie Taylor used this in their underwater work in the 70's & 80's.

He also realized that you could put a doubler on a Angie 12-120mm zoom (a 16mm zoom) and cover the 35mm image circle.

An amazing life
 
If only this business, and the whole world for that matter, had more Haskell Wexlers - we'd be in a better place. One of my personal favorite DPs, I highly recommend "Other People's Money" with Danny DeVito as an example of cinematography that does everything right and never calls attention to itself.

Cheers - #19
 
Haskell deserves all my respect and admiration. I was lucky enough to meet him at college. He was definitely somebody who encouraged us and inspired us. He made me feel like the hand-crank 16mm Bolex was enough to make History. And he was right. Rest in Peace.
 
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