Grant's Photography

Thanks for the note. As you can see, I'm terrifically fond of Hammer, particularly Fisher's films. John Gilling, though, runs a close second. This, plus THE REPTILE, and for another company, FLESH AND FIENDS, are all provocative, well crafted horrors. Totally agree about Grant's camera work, but would add to your list the way Grant manipulates depth of field. His use of short lenses for even medium shots clearly displaying the overall image in focus, placing characters within a realistic setting without editorializing it. This gives certain images a balanced sense of perspective that ordinarily suggests tranquility. In this context, and with the lighting, there's a kind of sophisticated irony at work here. Equally provocative is the way Grant and Gilling block out camera moves, keeping the figures in various, fluid medium positions throughout a dialogue. This seems to me the same technique Sven Nykvist and Ingmar Bergman perfected throughout their collaboration. Jack Asher, in contrast to Grant, often uses long lenses; he and Fisher pinpoint details of specific focus, layering in information. Asher will use short lenses in fluid master shots, with figures shifting positions within a larger frame. Both camera men were masters, I think, and contributed a great deal to the classic Hammer period.

I looked for your piece in the blog but couldn't find it. Are you David Rattigan? Would like to read more of your stuff.