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Robby Müller

Cinematographer

Robby Müller

Born April 4, 1940 in Willemstad, Curaçao, Territory of CuraçaoDied July 3, 201866 films

Robby Müller (4 April 1940 - 4 July 2018) was a Dutch cinematographer. Known both for his use of natural light and minimalist imagery, as well as expressionistic use of colors, Müller first gained recognition for his contributions to West German Cinema through his acclaimed collaborations with Wim Wenders.

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Müller's first work as a cinematographer was also Wim Wenders' first as director, Alabama: 2000 Light Years. They went on making many more films together such as Summer in the City, The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick, The Scarlet Letter, Alice in the Cities, Wrong Move, Kings of the Road, The American Friend, Wings of Desire, Until the End of the World and Paris, Texas.

Throughout the course of his career, he also worked closely with directors Jim Jarmusch (Down by Law, Mystery Train, Dead Man, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai), Lars Von Trier (Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark), Peter Bogdanovich (Saint Jack, They All Laughed), Barbet Schroeder (Barfly, Tricheurs) and Hans W. Geissendörfer (Jonathan, The Glass Cell, Carlos, The Wild Duck, Der Fall Lena Christ, Die Eltern).

Müller's other work has been on both mainstream productions and independent films, including the hazy, yellow-tinted cinematography of William Friedkin's To Live and Die in LA, Alex Cox's Repo Man, Michael Winterbottom's 24 Hour Party People, Andrzej Wajda's Korczak, Jerry Schatzberg's Honeysuckle Rose, Peter Handke's The Left Handed Woman, Sally Potter's The Tango Lesson, Dom Rotheroe's My Brother Tom and Steve McQueen's Carib’s Leap.

Paul Thomas Anderson referred to Müller as "The master of night exteriors. Like a chef with a secret sauce. I can't quite figure it out." Barry Sonnenfeld recalls the first thing he and the Coen Brothers bonded over was Müller's The American Friend cinematography, which convinced the brothers that Sonnenfeld had good enough taste to shoot their first film (Blood Simple).

Müller died on 3 July 2018, aged 78, having suffered from vascular dementia for several years.

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The best way into Robby Müller's work
Paris, Texas posterFirst watchParis, Texas19848.1A man wanders out of the desert not knowing who he is. His brother finds him, and helps to pull his memory back of the life he led before he walked out on his family and disappeared four…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach

Filmography

66 films
  1. 2018Living the Light: Robby MüllerDirector of Photography
  2. 2014AshesDirector of Photography
  3. 2004PrologueDirector of Photography
  4. 2004Visions of EuropeDirector of Photography
  5. 2004Coffee and CigarettesDirector of Photography
  6. 2003Poem: I Set My Foot Upon the Air and It Carried MeDirector of Photography
  7. 200224 Hour Party PeopleDirector of Photography
  8. 2001My Brother TomDirector of Photography
  9. 2000Dancer in the DarkDirector of Photography
  10. 1999Ghost Dog: The Way of the SamuraiDirector of Photography
  11. 1999Buena Vista Social ClubDirector of Photography
  12. 1998Shattered ImageDirector of Photography
  13. 1997The Tango LessonDirector of Photography
  14. 1996Breaking the WavesDirector of Photography
  15. 1995Dead ManDirector of Photography
  16. 1995Beyond the CloudsDirector of Photography
  17. 1995Last CallDirector of Photography
  18. 1993When Pigs FlyDirector of Photography
  19. 1993Mad Dog and GloryDirector of Photography
  20. 1991Until the End of the WorldDirector of Photography
  21. 1990KorczakDirector of Photography
  22. 1989Notebook on Cities and ClothesDirector of Photography
  23. 1989Mystery TrainDirector of Photography
  24. 1989Coffee and Cigarettes IIDirector of Photography
  25. 1988The Little DevilDirector of Photography
  26. 1987BarflyDirector of Photography
  27. 1987The BelieversDirector of Photography
  28. 1986Down by LawDirector of Photography
  29. 1986The LongshotDirector of Photography
  30. 1985To Live and Die in L.A.Director of Photography
  31. 1985Finnegan Begin AgainDirector of Photography
  32. 1984Body RockDirector of Photography
  33. 1984Paris, TexasDirector of Photography
  34. 1984Repo ManDirector of Photography
  35. 1984CheatersDirector of Photography
  36. 1983Un dimanche de flicsDirector of Photography
  37. 1983Les ÎlesDirector of Photography
  38. 1983Class EnemyDirector of Photography
  39. 1982A Hot Summer NightDirector of Photography
  40. 1981They All LaughedDirector of Photography
  41. 1980Honeysuckle RoseDirector of Photography
  42. 1980Hello Fellow ManDirector of Photography
  43. 1979Saint JackDirector of Photography
  44. 1979In for TreatmentDirector of Photography
  45. 1978MysteriesDirector of Photography
  46. 1978The Left-Handed WomanDirector of Photography
  47. 1978The Glass CellDirector of Photography
  48. 1977The American FriendDirector of Photography
  49. 1976The Wild DuckDirector of Photography
  50. 1976Kings of the RoadDirector of Photography
  51. 1975The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty KickDirector of Photography
  52. 1975Wrong MoveDirector of Photography
  53. 1974Alice in the CitiesDirector of Photography
  54. 1974Die ElternDirector of Photography
  55. 1973The Journey to ViennaDirector of Photography
  56. 1973The Scarlet LetterDirector of Photography
  57. 1972CAN: The Free ConcertDirector of Photography
  58. 1972Summer in the CityDirector of Photography
  59. 1971CarlosDirector of Photography
  60. 1970Eine Rose für JaneDirector of Photography
  61. 1970PakboDirector of Photography
  62. 1970JonathanDirector of Photography
  63. 1969Der Fall Lena ChristDirector of Photography
  64. 1969Alabama (2000 Light Years)Director of Photography
  65. 1968Love and So ForthAssistant Camera
  66. 1963Megalopolis IDirector of Photography