Kevin Gelshenen Rafferty II (May 25, 1947 – July 2, 2020) was an American documentary film cinematographer, director, and producer, best known for his 1982 documentary The Atomic Cafe.[1][2]
Kevin Rafferty | |
|---|---|
 photo of Kevin Rafferty | |
| Born | May 25, 1947 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | July 2, 2020 (aged 73) Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Cinematographer Film director Film producer |
| Known for | Documentary films |
Background
editRafferty was born in Boston on May 25, 1947.[3] He studied architecture at Harvard and film at the California Institute of the Arts.[4] He helped teach the craft of filmmaking to Michael Moore during the production of Roger & Me in 1989, and Moore has acknowledged Rafferty's influence on his own filmmaking. Rafferty teamed up with his brother Pierce and Jayne Loader[5] to produce the cult classic documentary film The Atomic Cafe.[6] He was the director, producer, editor and cinematographer of many documentary projects, including Blood in the Face, The War Room, Feed, and The Last Cigarette.[4][7] His last project was 2009's Harvard Beats Yale 29-29.[8]
Rafferty was a nephew of Barbara Bush, and a cousin of George W. Bush.[9]
Rafferty died from cancer at his home in Manhattan on July 2, 2020, at age 73.[3]
Filmography
editAs director or producer
edit- Hurry Tomorrow (1975)
- The Atomic Cafe (1982)
- Radio Bikini (1988)
- Blood in the Face (1991)
- Feed (1992)
- The Last Cigarette (1999)
- Who Wants to Be President? (2000)
- Harvard Beats Yale 29–29 (2008)
As cinematographer
edit- Roger & Me (1989)
- The War Room (1993)
- Good Money (1996)
As himself
edit- SexTV (2003) (TV)
- Manufacturing Dissent (2007)
Reception
editThom Powers of Harvardwood writes that Rafferty is "renowned for his wit and fresh perspectives on American culture".[7] His various films have received positive reception. Of Hurry Tomorrow, Rafferty's documentary indictment of a California State psychiatric hospital, Colin Bennet of The Age wrote "Its anger and courage are the kind that lead to reform".[10] Michael Atkinson of IFC calls Rafferty's latest, Harvard Beats Yale 29-29, "a hypnotic pleasure,"[8] and Fast Company calls it an "engrossing documentary" which was "the best sports film we've seen in years",[11] and Manohla Dargis of New York Times writes "while it seems absurd to include such a picayune event in the annals, the filmmaker Kevin Rafferty makes the case for remembrance and for the art of the story in his preposterously entertaining documentary Harvard Beats Yale 29-29".[12]
The Atomic Cafe had received praise as one of the best Cold War movies of all time.[13][14]
Accolades
edit- 1991, nomination, Grand Jury Prize for Blood in the Face by Sundance Film Festival
- 1983, nomination, Flaherty Documentary Award for Best Documentary for The Atomic Cafe by British Academy of Film and Television Arts[15]
- 2016, The Atomic Cafe selected to the National Film Registry[16]
References
edit- ^ "Kevin Rafferty". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
- ^ "Kevin Rafferty credits". Film.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2009. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
- ^ a b Genzlinger, Neil (July 7, 2020). "Kevin Rafferty, 'Atomic Cafe' Co-Director, Dies at 73". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
- ^ a b "Tie To Win: Kevin Rafferty On 'Harvard Beats Yale'". National Public Radio. February 12, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
- ^ "Atomic Cafe" Producers on Late Night, March 10, 1982-Don Giller on YouTube
- ^ Wiener, Jon (2007). "The Omniscient Narrator and the Unreliable Narrator: The Case of Atomic Café". Film & History: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Film and Television Studies. 37 (1): 73–76. doi:10.1353/flm.2007.0037. S2CID 191613600. Project MUSE 215946.
- ^ a b Powers, Thom (September 5, 2008). "Harvardwood Heads To..."Harvard Beats Yale 29-29" at Toronto International Film Festival – Toronto". Harvardwood. Archived from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
- ^ a b Atkinson, Michael (July 28, 2009). "A Bell Jar Etude". IFC. Archived from the original on July 31, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
- ^ Goodman, Amy (September 6, 2010). "Michael Moore on His Life, His Films and His Activism". Democracy Now.
- ^ Bennett, Colin (August 17, 1979). "Cinema". The Age. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
- ^ "What a long, strange game it was". Fast Company. Archived from the original on December 4, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
- ^ Dargis, Manohla (November 16, 2008). "Back in 1968, When a Tie Was No Tie". New York Times. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
- ^ The 25 Best Movies About The Cold War ≪ Taste of Cinema ≪ Movie Reviews and Classic Movie Lists
- ^ The Atomic Cafe·Senses of Cinema
- ^ "Robert Flaherty Award". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
- ^ "The Atomic Café" - 2016 additions to the National Film Registry - Pictures - CBS News