British film icon, Dick Pope, has died, aged 77.
The two-times Oscar nominee, who is survived by his wife, Pat, was known for his work on films including Mr Turner, The Illusionist and Secrets & Lies. News of Dick’s death was confirmed in a statement from the British Society of Cinematographers. It read: “It is with deepest sadness that we learn of the passing of our friend and colleague Dick Pope BSC.
“Dick had a reputation for being a wonderful collaborator and someone who was passionate about the art form of cinematography. He was keen to embrace new technologies and ideas while also ensuring the skills and crafts of those that came before him weren’t lost.”
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Following the announcement, A-list actor, Tom Hardy, paid tribute to his “lovely friend”, posting on Instagram: “Dick Pope, British Cinematographer, lovely friend and all round legend. Aug 1947 October 2024.”
Dick’s earliest work as a cinematographer came in documentary with the series World in Action. He shifted to narrative television in the ’80s, leading to a BAFTA nomination for his work on Porterhouse Blue.
He was then praised for his work with acclaimed film director, Mike Leigh, and the pair collaborated on 11 films, with their debut together on 1990’s Life is Sweet. They were also credited on Naked, Secrets & Lies, Another Year, Peterloo and Vera Drake.
Lauding the cinematographer for his talents in 2019, Mike said: “The thing about working with the same cinematographer over a long stretch… A violinist who owns a Stradivarius is not going to arbitrarily use another fiddle. That is the tool and you can play anything with it. So that’s how I feel.”
Dick was nominated for an Oscar to celebrate his work on the period drama Mr Turner. He also received a nomination for 2006 mystery, The Illusionist. His other credits included 2000’s The Way of the Gun, 2008’s Me and Orson Welles and 2019’s Motherless Brooklyn. Directors that Pope worked with also included Chiwetel Ejiofor, Gurinder Chadha and Barry Levinson.
His final credit is on Leigh’s new film, the London-set drama Hard Truths, which premiered to acclaim at this year’s Toronto film festival. Mike had said in an interview with Indie Wire that Dick had undergone “major heart surgery” before production.
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