Bruce Logan obit

Bruce Logan Dies: VFX Legend Who “Blew Up The Death Star” & Worked On ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ Was 78

 

He was not on the list.

Bruce Logan, a respected director of photography and cinematographer who worked on classic films including Star Wars: A New Hope, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Tron, has died. He was 78. Logan passed away unexpectedly earlier this month.

At the age of 19, having worked as an animator for the BBC, Logan scored a job on 2001: A Space Odyssey, working on special photographic effects.

Afterwards, he moved to the U.S. and started working as a cinematographer. He worked on Saturation70, a fascinating sci-fi project that starred Gram Parsons, shortly after he left The Byrds that was directed by Anthony Foutz and shot across Joshua Tree and LA.

In 1976, he was hired to head the second unit special effects photography on Star Wars: A New Hope. It’s understand that at the time, the effects team was trying to choreograph the final aerial dogfight using puppetry, with X-fighters on sticks but it wasn’t working. Logan then started shooting explosions to comp into the sequence and later said that his “biggest claim to fame is… I blew up the Death Star.”

Other credits include Airplane!, Avalance Express and Batman Forever. He was director of photography on Idaho Transfer, the Peter Fonda-directed time machine thriller, and cinematographer on Tron. He also directed second unit on Terry Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

He also shot a number of music videos including Borderline, the second video for Madonna, as well as those for Prince and Rod Stewart.

Logan’s daughter, Mary Grace Logan, paid tribute to her father, on social media. “Before CGI ruled the screen, there were visionaires who lit the future by hand. From 2001: A Space Odyssey to Tron, my dad didn’t just work on movies – he  made magic. A rebel with a camera, a pioneer with story, and my personal hero,” she wrote.

“He was the kind of larger-than-life character in the industry who doesn’t really exist anymore. He also built and raced cars, and was an incredibly lovely, warm-hearted, gentle, and soulful man,” added Chris Campion, who wrote Saturation 70: A Vision Past of the Future Foretold.

He was survived by his wife, Mariana Campos-Logan; and children, Mary Grace and Campbell Logan.

 

Director

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1 episode

 

Two Meanings

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Lost Fare (2018)

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Director

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Les Bohemes

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Director

2013

 

2012 Image Control Assessment Series Short

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Short

segment director

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Great Performances (1971)

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Director

1992

1 episode

 

Madonna: The Immaculate Collection (1990)

Madonna: The Immaculate Collection

8.5

Video

Director (video "Borderline")

1990

 

Karyn White in Karyn White: Superwoman (1989)

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Music Video

Director

1989

 

Vendetta (1986)

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5.4

Director

1986

 

Writer

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Lost Fare (2018)

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Writer

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story

writer

2013

 

Actor

Wiltay: Back to Life (2015)

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Doctor

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Technofear (1995)

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Assassin #2

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Vendetta (1986)

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Director

1986

 

Rick Baker and Lily Tomlin in The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)

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(uncredited)

1981

 

Producer

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2006

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Lost Fare (2018)

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producer

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Save Me from the Sound of the Siren (2016)

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executive producer

2016

 

Monkeys (2015)

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Short

co-producer

2015

 

Tyler Bunch, Aimee Garcia, James Godwin, Peter Linz, Jay Simon, Tim Lagasse, and Melissa Creighton in It's a Big Big World (2006)

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6.7

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creative producer

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3 episodes

 

Madonna in Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection (2009)

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8.3

Video

producer (video "Borderline")

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Madonna: The Immaculate Collection (1990)

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8.5

Video

producer: video "Borderline"

1990

 

Madonna in Madonna (1984)

Madonna

8.0

Video

producer (episode "Borderline")

1984

 

Madonna in Madonna: Borderline (1984)

Madonna: Borderline

6.9

Music Video

producer

1984

 

Cinematographer

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3.6

director of photography

2023

 

Timothy Paul Taylor and Sarah Mottley in Knight's End (2021)

Knight's End

3.8

TV Series

Cinematographer (rumored)

2021

1 episode

 

Camera Shootout 2018 (2018)

Camera Shootout 2018

Video

Cinematographer

2018

 

William Atherton, Mark Derwin, Kyle Massey, Robin Christian, Booboo Stewart, Quinton Aaron, Giselle Bonilla, and Julian Alcaraz in Bad Company (2018)

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4.9

Cinematographer

2018

 

Rise of the Empire (2016)

Rise of the Empire

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2016

 

Desecrated (2015)

Desecrated

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Cinematographer

2015

 

Ross and Gil Are Zombies

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Cinematographer

2014

 

The Wrong Guys for the Job (2012)

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6.4

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Cinematographer

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2012 Image Control Assessment Series Short

8.9

Short

Cinematographer

2012

 

Refuge from the Storm (2012)

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God Is Dead (2011)

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8.5

Short

Cinematographer

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R. Kelly Live: The Light It Up Tour (2007)

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Video

Cinematographer

2007

 

Feet Afire

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Short

director of photography

2005

 

Acht

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Cinematographer

2004

 

Jason Priestley and Kari Wuhrer in Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (2000)

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

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TV Movie

director of photography

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Jamie Foxx: Straight from the Foxxhole (1993)

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6.2

TV Special

Cinematographer

1993

 

Karyn White in Karyn White: Superwoman (1989)

Karyn White: Superwoman

7.5

Music Video

Cinematographer

1989

 

Joe Piscopo Live! (1987)

Joe Piscopo Live!

4.5

TV Special

director of photography

1987

 

George Carlin: Playin' with Your Head (1986)

George Carlin: Playin' with Your Head

7.9

TV Special

Cinematographer

1986

 

Ronnie James Dio in Dio: The Last in Line (1984)

Dio: The Last in Line

8.2

Music Video

Cinematographer

1984

 

Tron (1982)

Tron

6.7

director of photography

1982

 

Rick Baker and Lily Tomlin in The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)

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5.5

director of photography

1981

 

Peter Bergman and Phil Proctor in The Day the Earth Got Stoned (1979)

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7.0

Cinematographer

1979

 

Melissa Sue Anderson in Survival of Dana (1979)

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6.0

TV Movie

director of photography

1979

 

Kathleen Quinlan in I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1977)

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Cinematographer

1977

 

Stunts (1977)

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5.5

director of photography

1977

 

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4.4

Cinematographer

1977

 

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Cinematographer (photographed by)

1976

 

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6.1

director of photography

1976

 

Cloris Leachman, Linda Purl, and Stuart Whitman in Crazy Mama (1975)

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5.4

director of photography

1975

 

The Gentleman Tramp (1975)

The Gentleman Tramp

7.5

Cinematographer

1975

 

Angie Dickinson, Robbie Lee, and Susan Sennett in Big Bad Mama (1974)

Big Bad Mama

5.7

Cinematographer (photographed by)

1974

 

Rock City (1973)

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6.4

Cinematographer

1973

 

This Is a Hijack (1973)

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5.3

Cinematographer

1973

 

Idaho Transfer (1973)

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director of photography

1973

 

Howzer (1973)

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Cinematographer

1973

 

Tippi Hedren and Lynn Santer in Land of the Free: The Real Story

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Editor

Lost Fare (2018)

Lost Fare

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Editor

2018

 

Les Bohemes

Short

Editor

2013

 

Outside Chance (1978)

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4.7

TV Movie

Editor

1978

 

Howzer (1973)

Howzer

7.3

Editor

1973

 

Second Unit or Assistant Director

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7.5

second unit director

1998

 

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Deal of the Century

4.7

second unit director in charge of optical effects

1983

 

Visual Effects

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2006

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digital effects

2013

 

A Song for Swan (2012)

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digital effects

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Embers of the Sky (2010)

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Off Campus (2010)

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digital effects

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Jim Carrey, Tommy Lee Jones, Nicole Kidman, Val Kilmer, and Chris O'Donnell in Batman Forever (1995)

Batman Forever

5.4

visual effects director of photography

1995

 

Clint Eastwood in Firefox (1982)

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5.9

process photography: Apogee, Inc.

1982

 

Rick Baker and Lily Tomlin in The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)

The Incredible Shrinking Woman

5.5

special visual effects supervisor

1981

 

Airplane! (1980)

Airplane!

7.7

director of photography: special effects

1980

 

Lee Marvin, Maximilian Schell, Robert Shaw, and Linda Evans in Avalanche Express (1979)

Avalanche Express

4.9

supervisor of special effects: Apogee

1979

 

Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, and Kenny Baker in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

8.6

second unit photography: miniature and optical effects unit

1977

 

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2001: A Space Odyssey

8.3

special photographic effects

1968

 

Camera and Electrical Department

Richard III (2007)

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6.8

director of photography: second unit

2007

 

John Goodman, Courteney Cox, Joe Mantegna, and Ron Eldard in The Runner (1999)

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5.5

photography: second unit

1999

 

Forest Whitaker in Bird (1988)

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7.1

process photographer

1988

 

George Carlin: Playin' with Your Head (1986)

George Carlin: Playin' with Your Head

7.9

TV Special

camera operator

1986

 

Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and Persis Khambatta in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

6.4

additional photography

1979

 

Editorial Department

Contact High

colorist

CompletedTV Series

 

Dominion (2015)

Dominion

3.6

colorist

2015

 

Monkeys (2015)

Monkeys

7.8

Short

colorist

2015

 

Official poster art for Homestead Short Film. Copyright 2015. Virtual Paradox Films.

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7.6

Short

colorist

2015

 

Whispering Pines (2014)

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8.7

Short

colorist

2014

 

Barracuda (2013)

Barracuda

4.8

colorist

2013

 

Refuge from the Storm (2012)

Refuge from the Storm

8.0

colorist

2012

 

Dixon (2011)

Dixon

Short

colorist

2011

 

Embers of the Sky (2010)

Embers of the Sky

6.1

colorist (segment "The Reve, A Song For Swan")

2010

 

A Piece of Secret (2010)

A Piece of Secret

Short

colorist

2010

 

Additional Crew

Refuge from the Storm (2012)

Refuge from the Storm

8.0

digital mastering

2012

 

Thanks

CURIO SHOP

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6.8

Short

thanks

2014

 

Self

Camera Shootout 2018 (2018)

Camera Shootout 2018

Video

Self

2018

 

Zacuto Live (2018)

Zacuto Live

TV Series

Self - Show Guest

2018

 

Almythea: Promotional Video 1 (2018)

Almythea: Promotional Video 1

Short

Self

2018

 

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Q N' A with Mikki and Shay

7.8

TV Series

Self

2015

1 episode

 

Light & Shadow (2013)

Light & Shadow

7.3

Short

Self

2013

 

The Great Camera Shootout 2011 (2011)

The Great Camera Shootout 2011

TV Series

Self

2011–2012

4 episodes

 

Festival de Cine Global de Santo Domingo (2006)

Festival de Cine Global de Santo Domingo

TV Series

Self

2010

1 episode

 

Joe Christofori and Joseph Christofori in Cinematographer Style (2006)

Cinematographer Style

6.9

Self

2006