American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1963)

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY James Wong Howe, ASC, lines up Mitchell camera for a location scene for Paramount Pictures’ ‘'Hud.” Mounted on front of the camera are the Panavision lens and widescreen sunshade. FOLLOW SHOT of Patricia Neal is made in closeup by camera operator with Mitchell camera mount¬ ed on shoulder brace. Watching the proceedings closely is cinematographer Howe, 2nd from right. The Photography Of 'Hud' James Wong Howe reveals some highlights of photographing this monochrome production in Vistavision — most of it on location in remote Texas cattle country. By HERB A. LIGHTMAN z^ll of the exteriors and many of the interior scenes for Hud were shot on location in the Texas Panhandle. Even before the picture had been completed, it had made a tremendous impact on the citizens of Claude, Texas, and also on many touring motorists who were confused by the temporary change wrought by the film makers. For the produc¬ tion campany had moved into Claude, re-named it temporarily, repainted some of its oldest and most reliable landmarks, and even gave new names to prominent stores and buildings on the town’s main street. Claude, with the kind consent of the town’s administration suddenly became Vernal, Texas — story locale of Hud — and remained so for the five weeks the company was in production there. Claude is a picturesque little cattle country com¬ munity, 29 miles east of Amarillo, which the film producers found afforded just about every location site needed for the picture. There was the vacant two-story ranch home on the 100-year old Hender¬ son Ranch, 12 miles east of Claude, which was used to represent the Bannon Ranch house of the story. Unoccupied for ten years, the house, which stands in lonely solitude on the barren plains, was re¬ painted, a front porch added, and otherwise mod¬ ernized to the period by Paramount studio work 408 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER, JULY, 1963