 Trained at Germany's UFA studios, cinematographer Erwin Hillier's breakthrough in Britain was his work for Powell and Pressburger on A Canterbury Tale (1944) and I Know Where I'm Going! (1945), which showed his affinity for high-contrast, chiaroscuro lighting, angled compositions, and a keen eye for romantic landscapes.
After the war, he became a regular collaborator of director Michael Anderson, where Hillier's work retained a strong noirish feel well into the 60s (Chase A Crooked Shadow (1957), The Naked Edge , 1961, The Quiller Memorandum (UK/US, 1966)), although their best-known work together is the war film The Dam Busters (1954), with its spectacular aerial shots.
Book: The British Cinematographer by Duncan Petrie (1996).
Tim Bergfelder, Encyclopedia of British Film
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