Alex Phillips
Camera
Alex Phillips (January 11, 1901 Renfrew, Ontario – June 14, 1977) was a Canadian-born Mexican cinematographer and the father of Alex Phillips, Jr., also a cinematographer. In his youth, his family moved to Russia, but he returned to Canada because of his dislike with the czarist government. He enlisted in the Canadian Army where he met Mary Pickford who introduced him to Hollywood since he expressed his interest in becoming an actor. He auditioned with Fox and Paramount Pictures but was unable to obtain a role. He later approached Christie Comedies where he was advised to look for more stable positions in the movie industry and started his career in cinematography and film editing. He received an opportunity when an assistant fell sick and was able to travel to France with the Canadian Official Photography. After Christie Comedies went bankrupt, he was hired by Samuel Goldwyn while he attended evening classes. He received the opportunity of working with Barnes, Edison and Meyer, and learned techniques such as graduations, tridimensional vision and the sense of potential balance. Phillips then began experimenting with lights and camera movements. He moved to Mexico in 1931 and worked with directors such as Arcady Boytler, Roberto Gavaldón, Julio Bracho and Luis Buñuel. He worked on some of the earliest Mexican movies such as the silent film Santa (1931) where his worked was considered expressionist. He worked in more than 250 movies in Mexico and 150 in the United States including La mujer del puerto (1934), Aventuras de Robinson Crusoe (1952 with Luis Buñuel), La Red (1953 with Emilio Fernández). His last film was El castillo de la pureza (1972 with Arturo Ripstein).
Known for
Camera134
movieThe Birthday of the Dog
1975
Director of Photography
movieCastle of Purity
1973
Director of Photography
movieThe Night of a Thousand Cats
1972
Director of Photography
movieYa Sé Quién Eres (Te He Estado Observando)
1971
Camera Department Manager
movieThe Moderate Doctor
1971
Director of Photography
movieSanto vs. the Vice Mafia
1971
Director of Photography
movieDead Aim
1971
Director of Photography
movieLos años vacíos
1970
Director of Photography
Remolino de pasiones
1970
Director of Photography
movieMemories of the Future
1969
Director of Photography
movieCorazón salvaje
1968
Director of Photography
movieThere are not Crosses in the Sea
1968
Director of Photography
movieDespedida de casada
1968
Director of Photography
movieLa guerrillera de Villa
1967
Director of Photography
movieDamiana and the Men
1967
Director of Photography
movieLa soldadera
1967
Director of Photography
movieEstrategia matrimonio
1967
Director of Photography
movieAlazán y enamorado
1966
Director of Photography
movieJuan Colorado
1966
Director of Photography
movieTime to Die
1966
Director of Photography
movieBlack Wind
1965
Director of Photography
movieOf Love and Desire
1963
Director of Photography
movieLa fierecilla del puerto
1963
Director of Photography
movieLittle Town
1962
Director of Photography
movieThe Shame of the Sabine Women
1962
Director of Photography
movieGeronimo
1962
Director of Photography
movieLa rabia por dentro
1962
Director of Photography
movieRumbo a Brasilia
1961
Director of Photography
movieFor the Love of Mike
1960
Director of Photography
movieThe Wonderful Country
1959
Director of Photography
movieLittle Red Riding Hood
1959
Director of Photography
movieUp and Down
1959
Director of Photography
movieTen Days To Tulara
1958
Director of Photography
movieLa odalisca No. 13
1958
Director of Photography
movieVilla!!
1958
Director of Photography
movieMusic of Always
1958
Director of Photography
movieSierra Baron
1958
Director of Photography
movieThe Last of the Fast Guns
1958
Director of Photography
movieSchool for Buglars
1958
Director of Photography
movieMúsica en la noche
1958
Director of Photography
movieEl diario de mi madre
1957
Director of Photography
movieTizoc
1957
Director of Photography
movieAdam and Eve
1956
Director of Photography
moviePlaya prohibida
1956
Director of Photography
movieMaría la Voz
1955
Director of Photography
movieThe Two of Us
1955
Director of Photography
movieUntouched
1954
Director of Photography
movieRobinson Crusoe
1954
Director of Photography
movieThe Proud and the Beautiful
1953
Director of Photography
movieReportaje
1953
Director of Photography
movieThe Net
1953
Director of Photography
movieAdventure in Rio
1953
Director of Photography
movieMujeres que trabajan
1953
Director of Photography
movieQuiero vivir
1953
Director of Photography
movieForgotten Faces
1952
Director of Photography
movieMujeres sacrificadas
1952
Director of Photography
movieMexican Bus Ride
1952
Director of Photography
movieThe Absentee
1952
Director of Photography
movieDancing, salón de baile
1952
Director of Photography
movieLa mujer que tu quieres
1952
Director of Photography
movieStolen Heaven
1951
Director of Photography
movieSensualidad
1951
Director of Photography
movieIn the Palm of Your Hand
1951
Director of Photography
movieDesired
1951
Director of Photography
movieMy Dear Captain
1950
Director of Photography
movieEl pecado de ser pobre
1950
Director of Photography
movieAventurera
1950
Director of Photography
moviePerdida
1950
Director of Photography
movieThe Love Nest
1950
Director of Photography
movieDoña Diabla
1950
Director of Photography
movieNovia a la medida
1949
Director of Photography
movieCoqueta
1949
Director of Photography
movieSecreto entre mujeres
1949
Director of Photography
movieRevancha
1948
Director of Photography
movieIn the Shadow of the Bridge
1948
Director of Photography
movieCortesana
1948
Director of Photography
movieMay God Forgive Me
1948
Director of Photography
movieThe Well-paid
1948
Director of Photography
movieThe Kneeling Goddess
1947
Director of Photography
movieThe Other
1946
Director of Photography
movieMary Magdalene, Sinner of Magdala
1946
Director of Photography
movieEl Buen Mozo
1946
Director of Photography
moviePepita Jiménez
1946
Director of Photography
movieEverybody's Woman
1946
Director of Photography
movieYours and Body in Soul
1945
Director of Photography
movieTwilight
1945
Director of Photography
movieAmok
1944
Director of Photography
movieGran Hotel
1944
Director of Photography
movieSan Francisco de Asís
1944
Director of Photography
movieDoña Bárbara
1943
Director of Photography
movieEl Jorobado
1943
Director of Photography
movieAy, Jalisco, Don't Give Up!
1941
Director of Photography
movieEl secreto del sacerdote
1941
Director of Photography
movieHombre o demonio
1940
Director of Photography
movieMadre a la fuerza
1940
Director of Photography
movieViviré otra vez
1940
Director of Photography
movieThe Mad Empress
1939
Director of Photography
movieCafé Concordia
1939
Director of Photography
movieLa golondrina
1938
Director of Photography
movieLa zandunga
1938
Director of Photography
movieOjos tapatios
1938
Director of Photography
movieNobody's Wife
1937
Director of Photography
movieLa paloma
1937
Director of Photography
Ave sin rumbo
1937
Director of Photography
movieThe Macabre Trunk
1936
Director of Photography
movieMarihuana (El monstruo verde)
1936
Director of Photography
movieCelos
1936
Director of Photography
movieBeyond Death
1935
Director of Photography
movieThe Treasure of Pancho Villa
1935
Director of Photography
movieThe Dressel Family
1935
Director of Photography
movieSor Juana Inés de la Cruz
1935
Director of Photography
movieSueño de amor
1935
Director of Photography
movieLuponini (El terror de Chicago)
1935
Director of Photography
movieCruz Diablo
1934
Director of Photography
movieVenganza suprema
1934
Director of Photography
movieWho Killed Eve?
1934
Director of Photography
movieJuarez and Maximilian
1934
Director of Photography
movieThe Woman of the Port
1934
Director of Photography
Enemigos
1934
Director of Photography
movieThe Tiger of Yautepec
1933
Director of Photography
movieSu última canción
1933
Director of Photography
movieShadow of Pancho Villa
1933
Director of Photography
movieHand to Hand
1932
Director of Photography
movieLas águilas frente al sol
1932
Director of Photography
movieSanta
1932
Director of Photography
movieUna vida por otra
1932
Director of Photography
movieThe Nervous Wreck
1926
Director of Photography
movieUp in Mabel's Room
1926
Director of Photography
movieGrandpa's Girl
1924
Director of Photography
movieHold Your Breath
1924
Director of Photography
Reno or Bust
1924
Director of Photography
movieRide 'Em Cowboy
1924
Director of Photography
movieA Perfect 36
1923
Director of Photography
movieFair Enough
1922
Director of Photography
Crew14
movieGolpe de suerte
1992
Cinematography
movieDos de abajo
1983
Cinematography
movieAndante
1969
Cinematography
movieThe Happy Musketeers
1961
Cinematography
movieLos hijos ajenos
1959
Cinematography
movieThe Littlest Outlaw
1955
Cinematography
movieEl dolor de los hijos
1949
Cinematography
movieThe White Monk
1945
Cinematography
movieVertigo
1945
Cinematography
movieMiguel Strogoff
1944
Cinematography
movieHoy comienza la vida
1935
Cinematography
movieMadame Behave
1925
Cinematography
Seven Days
1925
Cinematography
movieSee My Lawyer
1921
Cinematography