Allen Daviau

Camera

Allen Daviau

Born 1942-06-14 · New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Allen Daviau (June 14, 1942 – April 15, 2020) was an American cinematographer known for his collaborations with Steven Spielberg work on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), The Color Purple (1985), and Empire of the Sun (1987). He received five Academy Award nominations and two British Academy Film Award nominations, with one win. In addition to his work in film, Daviau served as Cinematographer-in-Residence at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Acting credits

Citizen Steve poster
6.0

On the occasion of the 40th birthday of the almighty filmmaker Steven Allan Spielberg, inquisitive reporter Clip Maxwell attempts to uncover the truth behind his undisputed rise to the throne of the Amblin Empire.

Citizen Steve

1987

No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos poster
5.6

The artistry, triumph and lifelong friendship of the great cinematographers Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos Zsigmond. With film school equipment, they shoot the Soviet crackdown of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. As refugees they struggle in Hollywood, finally breaking into the mainstream with their pivotal contribution to the "American New Wave."

No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos

2009

The 'E.T.' Journals poster
10.0

The following documentary is composed exclusively of original behind-the-scenes footage shot during the production of "E.T." in 1981. It follows the order of the scenes as they appear in the film.

The 'E.T.' Journals

2012

Visions of Light poster
7.0

Cameramen and women discuss the craft and art of cinematography and of the "DP" (the director of photography), illustrating their points with clips from 100 films, from Birth of a Nation to Do the Right Thing. Themes: the DP tells people where to look; changes in movies (the arrival of sound, color, and wide screens) required creative responses from DPs; and, these artisans constantly invent new equipment and try new things, with wonderful results. The narration takes us through the identifiable studio styles of the 30s, the emergence of noir, the New York look, and the impact of Europeans. Citizen Kane, The Conformist, and Gordon Willis get special attention.

Visions of Light

1992

The Making of 'The Color Purple' poster
9.0

This made-for-video documentary treats film fans to a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Color Purple, Steven Spielberg's oscar-nominated adaptation of Alice Walker's novel about life for a young black woman in turn-of-the-century America. Features interviews with Spielberg, as well as with producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, who share their experiences from working on the project, as well as discuss the special efforts that went into bringing this classic to life.

The Making of 'The Color Purple'

2003

Frank Capra's American Dream poster
6.3

A documentary looking at the life and career of film director Frank Capra. Hosted by Ron Howard.

Frank Capra's American Dream

1997

The Road to Damascus: The Reinvention of Bugsy Siegel poster
NR

Retrospective documentary of the film "Bugsy"

The Road to Damascus: The Reinvention of Bugsy Siegel

2006

Emulsional Rescue: Revealing 'The Godfather' poster
7.0

We hear from Coppola, Spielberg, director of photography Gordon Willis, consulting restoration cinematographer Allen Daviau, film archivist Robert A. Harris, Paramount Post Production executive VP Martin Cohen, MPI senior technical advisor Daniel Rosen, MPI scanning technician Chris Gillaspie, senior digital artist Steven A. Sanchez, digital artist Valerie V. McMahon, and MPI technical director and senior colorist Jan Yarbrough as they offer interesting facts about the original cinematography, details on the restoration of the three films.

Emulsional Rescue: Revealing 'The Godfather'

2008

The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' poster
7.4

A behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of Steven Spielberg's 1982 film "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial."

The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'

1996

Alien Autopsy: (Fact or Fiction?) poster
5.9

This provacative FOX Network "prime time" television special investigates the purported "Alien Autopsy" footage that was allegedly filmed by the United States military after the legendary UFO crash near Roswell, New Mexico in 1947.

Alien Autopsy: (Fact or Fiction?)

1995

The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz poster
5.3

"The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz" - a featurette narrated by Sydney Pollack.

The Art of Imagination: A Tribute to Oz

2005

Lost Forever: The Art of Film Preservation poster
5.0

This documentary short takes you inside the fascinating world of film preservation and restoration.

Lost Forever: The Art of Film Preservation

2011

Cinematographer Style poster
6.8

110 of the world's top cinematographers discuss the art of how and why films look the way they do.

Cinematographer Style

2006

No artwork available
NR

This is a special feature included on the DVD for "The Informer"--a film John Ford made for RKO and which was released in 1935. Victor McLaglen received the Oscar for best actor for this film.

The Informer: Out of the Fog

2006