A.S.C.: A Solid Century

If you've watched enough movie credits closely, you've probably seen the abbreviation A.S.C. after the names of some of the cameramen. That's the American Society of Cinematographers, which this year is celebrating its centenary. The A.S.C. and TCM are doing a spotlight this month on TCM.

That spotlight is starting Wednesday mornings and running through prime time, which would explain why the Bette Davis salute started on Tuesday morning rather than being prime time through Wednesday morning. In prime time each Wednesday, there's going to be a cinematographer sitting down with Ben Mankiewicz to discuss the movies presented and, I would presume, focus on the cinematography in those movies.

It should be noted that the spotlight isn't solely on A.S.C. members, considering the number of non-Hollywood films in the spotlight; this first week of the spotlight includes Metropolis at 3:30 AM tomorrow (or overnight tonight if that's your perspective). There are also going to be quite a few foreign films in the following week.

There's also a new documentary, Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinemtographers, getting its TCM premiere tonight at 8:00 PM with a repeat at midnight and two more airings later in the month.