Feature

David Watkin and his rugs

About twenty years ago the morning the front door bell rang. At the time I was living in a Brunswick Road barrel fronted Regency... »

Memories of DW – Betty Mulcahy

Briefly, I was married in 1940 to my schoolgirl sweetheart who was then killed by so-called Friendly Fire on 21st December 1943, leading RAF... »

Hello, I am Jurgen from Graz…, Exercises in Style.

Apart from poetry and jazz, what else discomforted Mister Watkin? - certainly word play and anagrams. Puns were associated with David Plumtree (see Holleyman... »

Three Musical Heroes

Ascending the Hierarchy of Conductors we come three conductors at whose rostra Mr.Watkin worshipped. They could do no wrong. In ascending order then, Hans Knappertsbusch Willem Mendelberg Wilhelm... »

On the Set of Catch-22

“The visual style of the film is the province of the lighting director, David Watkin, whose work on Charge of the Light Brigade particularly... »

Knowing Mister Watkin

A website that celebrates the Life and Films of David Watkin

Designed and edited by The David Watkin Society (Designer Rachael Adams and historian Dr Chris Mullen)

It is nearly two years since David Watkin died in Brighton. His house is now sold, his Library and personal papers dispersed, and stocks of both volumes of autobiography destroyed.

But his reputation as a wit, scholar and craftsman have not diminished.

This website will further include

• visual and documentary material it was not possible to publish before;
• correspondence with friends, lovers and sparring partners;
• interviews not previously seen;
• unpublished autobiographical writings.

To mark this departure we will make available rare copies of ‘Why is There Only one Word for Thesaurus?’ and ‘Was Clara Schumann a Fag Hag?’ in a limited edition of each signed by officers of The Society.

The edition of Thesaurus will be limited to 50 copies (£75.00 per copy)

Why is there only one word for Thesaurus?

and that of Clara Schumann to 200 copies (£50.00 per copy)

Was Clara Schumann a Fag Hag? Each will contain a certificate of authenticity and a short illustrated account of their writing by Rachael Adams and Chris Mullen who saw both volumes through to production before their author’s death.

Further details shortly on this website.

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Welcome

We welcome you to the David Watkin website that celebrates the work and life of that remarkable cinematographer. We trace his contributions to documentary, commercial and feature film-making, relating his achievements and innovations to the very character of the man, complex and perverse, innocent yet knowing at the same time. He wore his learning lightly but with much seriousness.

Find out what it was to work with David Watkin on sound stage and beyond, to keep him supplied with jokes, food, music, books, pictures and all sorts of other intriguing information. Read within the memories of friends, critics, colleagues and other amused observers.

We invite you to add your own impressions to our interactive database.

Invitation to Contribute…

The website was initiated as a response to the hundreds of friends of David Watkin who wished to contribute to an archive of memories of this remarkable man. The editors are the designer Rachael Adams and the historian Chris Mullen who were in contact with him in Brighton on a weekly, often daily, basis.

Copyright of the words and images to be found here is held by the editors from their personal collection, and by contributing friends and colleagues who have answered the appeal.