Eugen Schüfftan (21 July 1893, in Breslau, Silesia, Germany, now Wroclaw, Poland – 6 September 1977, in New York City) was a German cinematographer.

He invented the Schüfftan process, a special effects technique that employed mirrors to insert actors into miniature sets. One of the early uses of the process was for Metropolis (1927), directed by Fritz Lang. The technique was widely used throughout the first half of the 20th century until it was supplanted by the travelling matte and bluescreen techniques.

Schüfftan won the 1962 Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White for his work on the film The Hustler.

Selected filmography

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Year Film Director Notes
1924 Die Nibelungen Fritz Lang
1927 Metropolis Fritz Lang
1927 Napoléon Abel Gance
1930 People on Sunday Curt Siodmak, Robert Siodmak, Edgar G. Ulmer, Fred Zinnemann
1930 Farewell Robert Siodmak
1930 The Stolen Face Philipp Lothar Mayring, Erich Schmidt
1931 The Street Song Lupu Pick
1931 The Scoundrel Eugen Schüfftan, Franz Wenzler
1931 My Wife, the Impostor Kurt Gerron
1931 I'd Rather Have Cod Liver Oil Max Ophüls
1932 Coeurs joyeux Hanns Schwarz, Max de Vaucorbeil
1932 The Mistress of Atlantis Georg Wilhelm Pabst
1932 Gypsies of the Night Hanns Schwarz
1932 L'Atlantide Georg Wilhelm Pabst
1932 Queen of Atlantis Georg Wilhelm Pabst
1932 The Faceless Voice Leo Mittler
1933 The Oil Sharks Rudolf Katscher
1933 Du haut en bas Georg Wilhelm Pabst
1933 Läufer von Marathon Ewald André Dupont
1933 Invisible Opponent Rudolf Katscher
1934 The Scandal Marcel L'Herbier
1934 The Crisis is Over Robert Siodmak
1934 Irish Hearts Brian Desmond Hurst
1935 The Invader Adrian Brunel
1935 Children of the Fog John Quin
1935 La Tendre ennemie Max Ophüls
1936 The Robber Symphony Friedrich Feher
1936 Komedie om geld Max Ophüls
1936 María de la O Francisco Elías With Carmen Amaya and Pastora Imperio
1937 Bizarre, Bizarre Marcel Carné
1937 The Cheat Marcel L'Herbier
1937 Yoshiwara Max Ophüls
1938 The Novel of Werther Max Ophüls
1938 Port of Shadows Marcel Carné
1938 Mollenard Robert Siodmak
1944 It Happened Tomorrow René Clair
1950 The Hunted Borys Lewin
1952 The Road to Damascus Max Glass
1953 The Venus of Tivoli Leonard Steckel
1954 A Parisian in Rome Erich Kobler
1955 Ulysses Mario Camerini
1958 Head Against the Wall Georges Franju
1960 Eyes Without a Face Georges Franju
1961 The Hustler Robert Rossen
1961 Something Wild Jack Garfein
1963 Captain Sindbad Byron Haskin
1964 Lilith Robert Rossen

See also

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