Hollywood
cinematographer
Allen
Daviau,
known
for
having
worked
on
films
like
E.T.
The
Extra
Terrestrial,
and
Empire
Of
The
Sun,
passed
away
due
to
COVID-19
on
Wednesday,
in
Los
Angeles.
Daviau
was
77
when
he
passed.
Filmmaker
Steven
Spielberg,
who
had
worked
with
Daviau
on
numerous,
said
in
a
statement,
"In
1968,
Allen
and
I
started
our
careers
side
by
side
with
the
short
film
Amblin.
Allen
was
a
wonderful
artist
but
his
warmth
and
humanity
were
as
powerful
as
his
lens.
He
was
a
singular
talent
and
a
beautiful
human
being."
Daviau
had
been
nominated
for
the
Academy
Awards
five
times,
for
E.T.
The
Extra
Terrestrial,
Empire
Of
The
Sun,
The
Color
Purple,
Avalon
and
Bugsy.
Kees
van
Oostrum,
president
of
the
American
Society
of
Cinematographers
confirmed
his
passing
and
said,
"It
is
with
great
regret
and
sadness
that
I
have
to
announce
the
passing
last
night
of
my
friend
and
a
great
member
of
the
society,
Mr.
Allen
Daviau,
ASC.
Allen
started
his
career
shooting
the
early
movies
of
Stephen
Spielberg,
including
Amblin
(1968),
and
went
on
to
an
impressive
career
as
a
cinematographer
with
movies
that
have
deeply
inspired
us
all.
He
was
honored
with
5
Academy
Award
nominations,
was
bestowed
our
Lifetime
Achievement
Award
in
2007
and
won
our
Outstanding
ASC
Achievement
in
Cinematography
for
Bugsy
(1991)
and
Empire
of
the
Sun
(1987).
He
amassed
an
impressive
body
of
work:
E.T.
the
Extra-Terrestrial
(1982),
The
Color
Purple
(1985),
and
Avalon
(1990),
just
to
mention
a
few."
Van
Helsing,
2004,
directed
by
Stephen
Sommers
and
starring
Hugh
Jackman
and
Kate
Beckinsale
was
the
last
film
that
Allen
was
a
part
of.