Günther Krampf (8 February 1899 – 4 August 1950) was an

Austrian Austrian may refer to: * Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent ** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law * Austrian German dialect * Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

who later settled and worked in the UK. Krampf has been described as a "

phantom Phantom may refer to: * Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animating force within all living things ** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living Aircraft * Boeing Phantom Ray, a stealthy un ...

of film history" because of his largely forgotten role working on a number of important films during the silent and early

sound era A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

. Only two of Krampf's films '' The Student of Prague'' (1926) and '' The Ghoul'' (1933) were

expressionist Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...

, as he generally used a naturalistic style.

Germany

Krampf first worked as a cinematographer in 1920. During the following decade Krampf worked alongside a number of the leading directors of the

Weimar era The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is als ...

including

F. W. Murnau Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (born Friedrich Wilhelm Plumpe; December 28, 1888March 11, 1931) was a German film director, producer and screenwriter. He was greatly influenced by Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Shakespeare and Ibsen plays he had seen at t ...

Robert Wiene Robert Wiene (; 27 April 1873 – 17 July 1938) was a film director of the silent era of German cinema. He is particularly known for directing the German silent film ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' and a succession of other German Expressionism, ...

G. W. Pabst Georg Wilhelm Pabst (25 August 1885 – 29 May 1967) was an Austrian film director and screenwriter. He started as an actor and theater director, before becoming one of the most influential German-language filmmakers during the Weimar Republic. ...

Richard Oswald Richard Oswald (5 November 1880 – 11 September 1963) was an Austrian film director, producer, screenwriter, and father of German-American film director Gerd Oswald. Early career Richard Oswald, born in Vienna as Richard W. Ornstein, began h ...

and

Rudolf Meinert Rudolf Meinert (1882–6 March 1943) was an Austrian screenwriter, film producer and film director, director. Meinert was born Rudolf Bürstein in Vienna, but worked for most of his career in the Cinema of Germany, German film industry. He became ...

at a time when German films enjoyed a high critical reputation.

Britain

Krampf moved to Britain to work in 1931. Krampf made six films for

Gaumont British The Gaumont-British Picture Corporation produced and distributed films and operated a cinema chain in the United Kingdom. It was established as an offshoot of the Gaumont Film Company of France. Film production Gaumont-British was founded in 18 ...

, a leading studio, between 1932 and 1936. He returned to Germany in 1935 to work on the historical epic ''

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronati ...

''. An agreement Krampf had with an Austrian company to work on ''Mausi'' (which was ultimately never made), was broken by the studio because of pressure from

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

possibly because Krampf might have been of Jewish heritage.Bergfelder & Cargnelli p.82 Krampf successfully sued in court, and returned to Britain, where he lived for the remainder of his career. After leaving Gaumont, Krampf worked mainly at

Welwyn Studios Welwyn Studios was a British film studio located at Broadwater Road, Welwyn Garden City, in Hertfordshire. The facility operated between 1928 and 1950. The studios were first constructed by British Instructional Films, and converted to make s ...

. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Krampf collaborated with

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

on two

Propaganda film A propaganda film is a film that involves some form of propaganda. Propaganda films spread and promote certain ideas that are usually religious, political, or cultural in nature. A propaganda film is made with the intent that the viewer will ad ...

s ''

Aventure malgache ''Aventure Malgache'' (1944) is a short British propaganda film in French directed by Alfred Hitchcock for the British Ministry of Information. The title means '' Malagasy Adventure'' in English. There are conflicting reports as to the true i ...

'' and '' Bon Voyage''. His final film of note was '' Fame is the Spur'', a thinly disguised

biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudra ...

of the politician

Ramsay MacDonald James Ramsay MacDonald (; 12 October 18669 November 1937) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the first who belonged to the Labour Party, leading minority Labour governments for nine months in 1924 ...

, by the

Boulting brothers John Edward Boulting (21 December 1913 – 17 June 1985) and Roy Alfred Clarence Boulting (21 December 1913 – 5 November 2001), known collectively as the Boulting brothers, were English filmmakers and identical twins who became known for thei ...

Selected filmography

* ''

The Legend of Holy Simplicity ''The Legend of Holy Simplicity'' (german: Die Legende von der heiligen Simplicia) is a 1920 German silent drama film directed by Joe May and starring Eva May, Alfred Gerasch and Wilhelm Diegelmann.Bock & Bergfelder p. 181 The art director Er ...

'' (1920) * '' The Maharaja's Favourite Wife'' (1921) * ''

Nosferatu ''Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror'' (German: ''Nosferatu – Eine Symphonie des Grauens'') is a 1922 silent German Expressionist horror film directed by F. W. Murnau and starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok, a vampire who preys on the wife ...

'' (1922) * ''

On the Red Cliff ''On the Red Cliff'' (german: Am roten Kliff) is a 1922 German silent drama film directed by Hanna Henning and starring Fritz Kortner, Agnes Straub, and Hans Adalbert Schlettow. It premiered at the Marmorhaus in Berlin. The film's sets were des ...

'' (1922) * ''

The Lost Shoe ''The Lost Shoe'' (german: Der verlorene Schuh) is a 1923 German silent fantasy film directed by Ludwig Berger and starring Helga Thomas, Paul Hartmann and Mady Christians. Its plot is loosely based on that of Cinderella. It was shot at the ...

'' (1923) * '' One Glass of Water'' (1923) * ''

The Hands of Orlac ''The Hands of Orlac'' may refer to: * ''Les Mains d'Orlac'', a novel by Maurice Renard and several adaptations of that novel: * The Hands of Orlac (1924 film), ''The Hands of Orlac'' (1924 film), an Austrian film * The Hands of Orlac (1935 film) ...

'' (1924) * '' Boarding House Groonen'' (1925) * ''

The Girl with a Patron ''The Girl with a Patron'' (german: Das Mädchen mit der Protektion) is a 1925 German silent comedy film directed by Max Mack and starring Ossi Oswalda, Willy Fritsch, and Nora Gregor. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin. It was ...

'' (1925) * '' The Adventure of Mr. Philip Collins'' (1925) * '' The Student of Prague'' (1926) * '' Out of the Mist'' (1927) * '' A Murderous Girl'' (1927) * ''

The Girl with the Five Zeros ''The Girl with the Five Zeros'' (German: ''Das Mädchen mit den fünf Nullen'') is a 1927 German silent comedy film directed by Curtis Bernhardt.Bock & Bergfelder p.41 It was shot at the Grunewald Studios in Berlin. The film's sets were design ...

'' (1927) * ''

Grand Hotel A grand hotel is a large and luxurious hotel, especially one housed in a building with traditional architectural style. It began to flourish in the 1800s in Europe and North America. Grand Hotel may refer to: Hotels Africa * Grande Hotel Beir ...

'' (1927) * ''

The Prince of Rogues ''The Prince of Rogues'' (german: Schinderhannes) is a 1928 German silent drama film directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Hans Stüwe, Lissy Arna and Albert Steinrück. It was shot at the Johannisthal Studios in Berlin. The film's art dire ...

'' (1928) * ''

Pandora's Box Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology connected with the myth of Pandora in Hesiod's c. 700 B.C. poem ''Works and Days''. Hesiod reported that curiosity led her to open a container left in the care of her husband, thus releasing phys ...

'' (1929) * ''

Masks A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practi ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Veil Dancer ''The Veil Dancer'' (french: Le meneur de joies, german: Die Schleiertänzerin) is a 1929 French-German silent film directed by Charles Burguet and starring René Navarre, Hertha von Walther Hertha von Walther (born Hertha Stern und Walter v ...

'' (1929) * ''

Vendetta Vendetta may refer to: * Feud or vendetta, a long-running argument or fight Film * ''Vendetta'' (1919 film), a film featuring Harry Liedtke * ''Vendetta'' (1950 film), an American drama produced by Howard Hughes * ''Vendetta'' (1986 film), a ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Last Company ''The Last Company'' (german: Die letzte Kompagnie) is a 1930 German war film directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Conrad Veidt, Karin Evans and Erwin Kalser.Bock & Bergfelder p. 315 It was part of the popular cycle of Prussian films which p ...

'' (1930) * ''

Alraune ''Alraune'' (German for ) is a novel by German novelist Hanns Heinz Ewers published in 1911. It is also the name of the female lead character. The book originally featured illustrations by Ilna Ewers-Wunderwald. Legend The basis of the story o ...

'' (1930) * ''

Cyanide Cyanide is a naturally occurring, rapidly acting, toxic chemical that can exist in many different forms. In chemistry, a cyanide () is a chemical compound that contains a functional group. This group, known as the cyano group, consists of ...

'' (1930) * '' The Bells'' (1931) * ''

The Virtuous Sinner ''The Virtuous Sinner'' (German: ''Der brave Sünder'') is a 1931 German comedy film directed by Fritz Kortner and starring Max Pallenberg, Heinz Rühmann and Dolly Haas. Production The film was made at the Babelsberg Studio in Berlin, although ...

'' (1931) * '' Queen of the Night'' (1931) * ''

The Song of the Nations ''The Song of the Nations'' (German: ''Das Lied der Nationen'') is a 1931 German musical film directed by Rudolf Meinert and starring Camilla Horn, Igo Sym and Betty Amann. A separate French-language version ''La chanson des nations'' was also pr ...

'' (1931) * '' The Outsider'' (1931) * ''

The Lucky Number ''The Lucky Number'' is a 1933 British sports comedy film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Clifford Mollison, Gordon Harker, Joan Wyndham and Frank Pettingell. The screenplay concerns a professional footballer who attempts to recover a ...

'' (1932) * ''

Kuhle Wampe ''Kuhle Wampe'' (full title: ''Kuhle Wampe, oder: Wem gehört die Welt?'', translated in English as ''Kuhle Wampe or Who Owns the World?'', and released in the USA as ''Whither Germany?'' by Kinematrade Inc.) is a 1932 German feature film abou ...

'' (1932) * ''

Rome Express ''Rome Express'' is a 1932 British thriller film directed by Walter Forde and starring Esther Ralston and Conrad Veidt. Based on a story by Clifford Grey, with a screenplay by Sidney Gilliat, the film is a tale about a European express train ...

'' (1932) * '' The First Mrs. Fraser'' (1932) * ''

Sleeping Car The sleeping car or sleeper (often ) is a railway passenger car (rail), passenger car that can accommodate all passengers in beds of one kind or another, for the purpose of sleeping. George Pullman was the American innovator of the sleeper car. ...

'' (1933) * '' The Ghoul'' (1933) *'' Little Stranger'' (1934) * ''

Death at Broadcasting House ''Death at Broadcasting House'', also known as ''Death at a Broadcast'', is a 1934 British mystery film directed by Reginald Denham and starring Ian Hunter, Austin Trevor, Henry Kendall, and Jack Hawkins. Novel The original plot comes from a ...

'' (1934) * ''

'' (1935) * '' The Tunnel'' (1935) * ''

Everything Is Thunder ''Everything Is Thunder'' is a 1936 British thriller film directed by Milton Rosmer and starring Constance Bennett, Douglass Montgomery and Oskar Homolka. Its plot concerns a British officer who attempts to escape from a German Prisoner of War ca ...

'' (1936) * ''

The Amateur Gentleman ''The Amateur Gentleman'' is a novel by Jeffery Farnol, published in 1913. It was made into a silent film in 1920 and again in 1926 and a talking film in 1936 with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. starring as the protagonist, Barnabas Barty. Plot summ ...

'' (1936) * '' His Lordship'' (1936) * '' Paradise for Two'' (1937) * '' Marigold'' (1938) * ''

On the Night of the Fire ''On the Night of the Fire'', released in the United States as ''The Fugitive'', is a 1939 British thriller film, directed by Brian Desmond Hurst and starring Ralph Richardson and Diana Wynyard. The film is based on the novel of the same name ...

'' (1939) * '' The Outsider'' (1939) * ''

Convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

'' (1940) * '' Dead Man's Shoes'' (1940) * ''

The Black Sheep of Whitehall ''The Black Sheep of Whitehall'' (the opening credits read ''Black Sheep of Whitehall'') is a 1942 British black-and-white comedy war film, directed by Will Hay and Basil Dearden, starring Will Hay, John Mills, Basil Sydney and Thora Hird in h ...

'' (1942) * ''

The Night Has Eyes ''The Night Has Eyes'', released in the United States as ''Terror House'' by Producers Releasing Corporation and re-released in the US by Cosmopolitan Pictures in 1949 as ''Moonlight Madness'', is a 1942 British thriller film directed by Leslie ...

'' (1942) * ''

Suspected Person ''Suspected Person'' is a 1942 British drama film directed by Lawrence Huntington and starring Clifford Evans, Patricia Roc and David Farrar. The film was made at Welwyn Studios by Associated British, one of the two leading British studios of ...

'' (1942) * ''

Warn That Man ''Warn That Man'' is a 1943 British comedy thriller film directed by Lawrence Huntington and starring Gordon Harker, Raymond Lovell and Finlay Currie. It was based on the 1941 play '' Warn That Man!'' by Vernon Sylvaine which had run for te ...

'' (1943) * ''

Latin Quarter The Latin Quarter of Paris (french: Quartier latin, ) is an area in the 5th and the 6th arrondissements of Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine, around the Sorbonne. Known for its student life, lively atmosphere, and bistros ...

'' (1945) * '' Fame is the Spur'' (1947) * ''

This Was a Woman ''This Was a Woman'' is a 1948 British crime film directed by Tim Whelan and starring Sonia Dresdel, Walter Fitzgerald and Emrys Jones. It was made at the Riverside Studios with sets designed by the art directors Ivan King and Andrew Mazzei. ...

'' (1948) * '' Portrait of Clare'' (1950) * '' The Franchise Affair'' (1951)

References

Bibliography

* Bergfelder, Tim & Cargnelli, Christian. ''Destination London: German-speaking emigrés and British cinema, 1925-1950''. Berghahn Books, 2008.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Krampf, Gunther 1899 births 1950 deaths Austrian cinematographers British cinematographers Film people from Vienna