Oscar-nominated cinematographer Adam Greenberg, best known for his work on James Cameron’s “The Terminator” and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” has died in Los Angeles. He was 88.
The Polish-born, Israel-raised lenser began working as a film lab technician and documentary cameraman in the 1950s and 60s before taking on his first director of photography job in 1966 on the film “The Flying Matchmaker”.
He first broke through into Hollywood with Samuel Fuller’s “The Big Red One” in 1980 and Boaz Davidson’s sex dramedy “The Last American Virgin” with its noted ending.
Alongside the Cameron films, Greenberg racked up an impressive list of credentials in the next two decades including Patrick Swayze-led megahit “Ghost,” cult sci-fi classic “Alien Nation,” the Richie Valens biopic “La Bamba,” Kathryn Biglelow’s “Near Dark,” Air Force action feature “Iron Eagle,” romance fantasy “First Knight,” the Michael Crichton adaptation “Sphere,” and Schwarzenegger action features “Eraser” and “Collateral Damage”.
He also lensed a surprisingly large number of comedies, including major hits like the Whoopi Goldberg-led “Sister Act,” the Tom Hanks-led “Turner & Hooch,” the baby raising comedy “Three Men and a Baby” and its sequel, the first of the “Rush Hour” films, the second of “The Santa Clause” films, and the Kevin Kline-led Presidential comedy “Dave”.
Some other comedies didn’t work out so well like Barry Levinson’s infamously dark “Toys,” Penny Marshall’s “Renaissance Man,” the “Inspector Gadget” film, and Ivan Reitman’s pregnant Arnie film “Junior”.
Cameron himself has penned a tribute saying to Deadline:
“I learned so much from Adam, not just about cinematography, but about the spirit of independent production. He refused to let budget limitations inhibit his artistic expression. Adam had done scores of films when I worked with him on my first, and his scrappy, can-do spirit has been a guiding light for me ever since, even on the biggest of productions…
I could not have done my Terminator films without Adam. He taught me the narrative power of color and lighting. Nobody did night photography like Adam. I pride myself on my hand-held camera operating, but I learned that at Adam’s knee. He was the master.
I know there is a whole generation of filmmakers that he influenced, and there were a handful of us that were privileged to have him shoot for us. We got to learn the lessons directly at his side. His talent and spirit will be missed.”
Greenberg’s final Hollywood film was 2006’s “Snakes on a Plane,” though he worked with Cameron to oversee the 3-D conversion of “Terminator 2” in 2017.
