Considered to be one of the greatest and most influential cinematographers of all time, he is best remembered for his BAFTA Award-winning work on the groundbreaking science fiction film Blade Runner,[1] which is credited for codifying the cyberpunk aesthetic.
[4][5] A contemporary of Conrad L. Hall, his style consisted of heavily textured, film noir-inspired photography, seen in numerous classic films, including Zandy's Bride, Gable and Lombard, Altered States, and Peggy Sue Got Married.
Cronenweth was initially hired as the director of photography for The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, but halfway through production, producers replaced him with Fred J.
[10][11] He and his first wife Carol had three children, Christie, Tim, and two-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth.
He was replaced six weeks into the production of Alien 3 after falling ill, and died in 1996 at the age of 61 as a result of Parkinson's disease.