OSCAR-WINNING CINEMATOGRAPHER VILMOS SZIGMOND AND PRODUCERS RESCUE LOST FOOTAGE OF 1965 SUMMER CHILDREN

Ashley Elaine York @ Slamdance 2011

(L-R) DP Vilmos Szigmond, Edie Robinette-Petrachi, and Jack Robinette

An early American New Wave film, shot by Oscar-Winning DP Vilmos Szigmond (CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, THE DEER HUNTER, MCCABE & MRS. MILLER, and BLACK DAHLIA), SUMMER CHILDREN serves as a "time capsule of 1960s youth culture," in the words of producer Jack Robinette.  The influence of Italian Neorealism is ever-present in this neo-noir dramatic feature film shot in black & white in 1965 that explores the underbelly of a group of free-spirited privileged youth who turn on one another during a seemingly innocent yacht trip to Santa Catalina Island.  Although the production values of the film are of the highest order--much to the credit of Szigmond's expert use of natural lighting, deep focus photography, and precise framing--the flawed script, with its fair share of stilted dialogue, implausible plot points, and over-the-top performances, may help to explain why SUMMER CHILDREN was never fully distributed.  Restoration Producer Edie Robinette-Petrachi attributes the lost footage to a plethora of cross-over events on the ground.  She said, "It got stalled at the lab, then the Vietnam War started, and people moved on.  So it was never released."

In fact, until Szigmond, Robinette, and his cousin Robinette-Petrachi rescued and lovingly restored the found footage from the negatives and optical tracks in 2010, the industry had forgot about this socially and historically relevant film that well encapsulates a time of angst and change in America, and particularly in American youth culture.  Having recently broken free of the constricting 1950s ideologies of "family values" and women defined as pristine "young ladies" raised to be happy homemakers, this cast of privileged young adults test the waters of rebellion and non-conformist behavior.  They speak and act in ways that express their need to be sexually liberated and free of their influential but absent families--as the "Freely ye received, freely given" Matthew 10:8 line displayed in the film duly notes.  The film also portrays how deeply entrenched, longstanding social systems like patriarchy, as well as modern social mores that govern relationships among the affluent middle class, are hard to change.  The brooding protagonist Adonis, West (Stuart Anderson), illustrates these difficulties when his competition for alpha male dominance with Franky (John Hanek), who shares the affections of the ethereal beauty Diana (Valora Noland), results in a tragedy that will change their lives forever.  Thus, as 1960s cinema author Tom Lisanti says of SUMMER CHILDREN, "This is not your mother's beach movie."

Permission c.2007 Robinette Productions

After the premiere of the restored version, I talked to the legendary DP Vilmos Szigmond about the making of this film, and also how the art and craft of cinematography has changed with the onslaught of new digital technologies.

What was it like to make this movie at that time?

Vilmos Szigmond (Szigmond):  We were a bunch of idealist youths:  A PA [production assistant] and a DP [Director of Photography] from Hungary that didn't speak English (laughs).  As a cinematographer, my job was the lighting.  Without the lighting, you can't create the mood.

The lighting is exquisite.  Overall, the cinematography is lux.  We're getting so used to digital films today, but actually the depth and realism is so much greater with film.  In fact, in one memorable scene in SUMMER CHILDREN, the framing, lighting, and overall tone reminded me of the famous beach scene in FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, with Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr.  What would you say to budding filmmakers about the importance of lighting in moviemaking?

Szigmond:  Before they turn the camera on and make movies, they need to think about the lighting.  Watch more movies--especially the classics.  I studied the lighting of De La Terre.  You must learn to light in order to direct, too.  My teacher in Hungary said, "You can not compromise even one shot.  Because, if you do, then the next day you will too, and then you will again and again."  I always remember this, what he told me.  Every single shot has to have a meaning.  It has to say something.  If not, you can not use it.  That goes for a commercial as well as a film.  So you have 15 shots in a commercial, 100 shots in a short, or 500 shots in a feature.  It doesn't matter.  You can not give away one of those shots and then expect to get an award at Sundance or any other film festival in the world."

There was some snickering in the audience during the screening, especially during some over-the-top acting performances or after some stilted dialogue.  What do you make of that?

Szigmond:  Well, there is some incredibly beautiful sequences [in the film].  But these are some of the problems with a low-budge movie, sure.  It's a movie and we have to love it for what it is.

Today, with more and more movies being shot in 3-D or digitally, do you see film taking a backseat to digital cinematography in the near future?

Szigmond:  Whether or not you shoot on film or not, it is important to study the great filmmakers of the past.  Filmmaking carries a very deep tradition, and using film really helps us continue that fine tradition  There is so much light and life living in the emulsion of that black & white film, there is no denying that.  But, what is key is to pair it with terrific technology.  That's what we did when we restored this film.

Speaking of changing times with regarding to shooting films, tell me about some of your more recent DPing experiences.  Do you feel the effects of changing technology in your role as a DP?

Ashley and Vilmos Szigmond, January 24, 2011

Szigmond:  When I shot BLACK DAHLIA with Brian De Palma, I used digital intermediate to desaturate the colors--to make it have a film noir feel and black & white style to the movie.  I spent seven days working on the cinematography after we wrapped shooting.  Brain De Palma spend two hours [in the editing room] afterward and changed only four shots in the film.  That's it!  He let me do my job as the cinematographer.  Now, I also recently shot a film for Woody Allen [You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger], who was dissatisfied with my DP work.  Woody spent three weeks changing everything I did.  He overexposed the film by two stops.  The theatrical version looks terrible.  Every shot is overexposed.  But, I recently saw the DVD version of the film and it looks perfect.  He probably revered back to the way it was shot.  

OFFICIAL FILM THE SUMMER CHILDREN Website