
Robby Müller
Personal Info
Known for
Camera
Gender
Male
Birthday
1940-04-04
Day of Death
2018-07-03 (78 years old)
Place of Birth
Willemstad, Curaçao, Territory of Curaçao
Robby Müller
Biography
Robby Müller (4 April 1940 - 4 July 2018) was a Dutch cinematographer. Known both for his use of natural light and minimalist imagery, as well as expressionistic use of colors, Müller first gained recognition for his contributions to West German Cinema through his acclaimed collaborations with Wim Wenders.
Müller's first work as a cinematographer was also Wim Wenders' first as director, Alabama: 2000 Light Years. They went on making many more films together such as Summer in the City, The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick, The Scarlet Letter, Alice in the Cities, Wrong Move, Kings of the Road, The American Friend, Wings of Desire, Until the End of the World and Paris, Texas.
Throughout the course of his career, he also worked closely with directors Jim Jarmusch (Down by Law, Mystery Train, Dead Man, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai), Lars Von Trier (Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark), Peter Bogdanovich (Saint Jack, They All Laughed), Barbet Schroeder (Barfly, Tricheurs) and Hans W. Geissendörfer (Jonathan, The Glass Cell, Carlos, The Wild Duck, Der Fall Lena Christ, Die Eltern).
Müller's other work has been on both mainstream productions and independent films, including the hazy, yellow-tinted cinematography of William Friedkin's To Live and Die in LA, Alex Cox's Repo Man, Michael Winterbottom's 24 Hour Party People, Andrzej Wajda's Korczak, Jerry Schatzberg's Honeysuckle Rose, Peter Handke's The Left Handed Woman, Sally Potter's The Tango Lesson, Dom Rotheroe's My Brother Tom and Steve McQueen's Carib’s Leap.
Paul Thomas Anderson referred to Müller as "The master of night exteriors. Like a chef with a secret sauce. I can't quite figure it out." Barry Sonnenfeld recalls the first thing he and the Coen Brothers bonded over was Müller's The American Friend cinematography, which convinced the brothers that Sonnenfeld had good enough taste to shoot their first film (Blood Simple).
Müller died on 3 July 2018, aged 78, having suffered from vascular dementia for several years.
Known For
Acting
(2020)
Wim Wenders, Desperado
as Self (archive footage)
(2018)
(2008)
(2006)
(2003)
Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.'
as Self (archive footage)
(1992)
The Ditvoorst Domains
as Self
(1990)
(1990)
(1984)
Cheaters
as Ingénieur
(1979)
Saint Jack
as Robby (uncredited)
Crew
(2018)
Living the Light: Robby Müller
Director of Photography
(2014)
Ashes
Director of Photography
(2004)
Coffee and Cigarettes
Director of Photography
(2004)
Prologue
Director of Photography
(2004)
Visions of Europe
Director of Photography
(2002)
24 Hour Party People
Director of Photography
(2001)
My Brother Tom
Director of Photography
(2000)
Dancer in the Dark
Director of Photography
(1999)
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Director of Photography
(1999)
Buena Vista Social Club
Director of Photography
(1998)
Shattered Image
Director of Photography
(1997)
The Tango Lesson
Director of Photography
(1996)
Breaking the Waves
Director of Photography
(1995)
Dead Man
Director of Photography
(1995)
Beyond the Clouds
Director of Photography
(1995)
Last Call
Director of Photography
(1993)
Mad Dog and Glory
Director of Photography
(1993)
When Pigs Fly
Director of Photography
(1991)
Until the End of the World
Director of Photography
(1990)
Korczak
Director of Photography
(1989)
Mystery Train
Director of Photography
(1989)
Coffee and Cigarettes II
Director of Photography
(1989)
Notebook on Cities and Clothes
Director of Photography
(1988)
The Little Devil
Director of Photography
(1987)
Barfly
Director of Photography
(1987)
The Believers
Director of Photography
(1986)
Down by Law
Director of Photography
(1986)
The Longshot
Director of Photography
(1985)
To Live and Die in L.A.
Director of Photography
(1985)
Finnegan Begin Again
Director of Photography
(1984)
Paris, Texas
Director of Photography
(1984)
Repo Man
Director of Photography
(1984)
Cheaters
Director of Photography
(1984)
Body Rock
Director of Photography
(1983)
Les Îles
Director of Photography
(1983)
Class Enemy
Director of Photography
(1983)
Un dimanche de flics
Director of Photography
(1982)
A Hot Summer Night
Director of Photography
(1981)
They All Laughed
Director of Photography
(1980)
Hello Fellow Man
Director of Photography
(1980)
Honeysuckle Rose
Director of Photography
(1979)
In for Treatment
Director of Photography
(1979)
Saint Jack
Director of Photography
(1978)
Mysteries
Director of Photography
(1978)
The Left-Handed Woman
Director of Photography
(1978)
The Glass Cell
Director of Photography
(1977)
The American Friend
Director of Photography
(1976)
Kings of the Road
Director of Photography, Camera Operator
(1976)
The Wild Duck
Director of Photography
(1975)
Wrong Move
Director of Photography, Camera Operator
(1975)
The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick
Director of Photography
(1974)
Alice in the Cities
Director of Photography
(1974)
Die Eltern
Director of Photography
(1973)
The Scarlet Letter
Director of Photography
(1973)
Die Reise nach Wien
Director of Photography
(1972)
Summer in the City
Director of Photography
(1972)
CAN: The Free Concert
Director of Photography
(1971)
Carlos
Director of Photography
(1970)
Jonathan
Director of Photography
(1970)
Eine Rose für Jane
Director of Photography
(1970)
Pakbo
Director of Photography
(1969)
Alabama (2000 Light Years)
Director of Photography
(1969)
Der Fall Lena Christ
Director of Photography
(1968)
Love and So Forth
Assistant Camera
(1968)
To Grab the Ring
Assistant Director of Photography