Robby Müller
Known for

Camera

Credits

79

Gender

Man

Birthday

Apr 4, 1940

Day of death

Jul 3, 2018 (78)

Place of birth

Willemstad, Curaçao, Territory of Curaçao

Also known as
Robert Müller
Rob Müller

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 roles
YearMovie / TV show / OtherRole
2020Wim Wenders, DesperadoSelf (archive footage)
2018Living the Light: Robby MüllerSelf
2008One Who Set Forth: Wim Wenders' Early YearsSelf
2006From Dogma to Dogville: Don't Try This at Homehimself
2003Counterfeit World: Making 'To Live and Die in L.A.'Himself (archive footage)
1992The Ditvoorst DomainsSelf
1990Motion and Emotion: The Road to 'Paris, Texas'Self
1990Motion and Emotion: The Films of Wim WendersSelf
1984CheatersIngénieur
1979Saint JackRobby (uncredited)
1979Bayerischer FilmpreisSelf
1951Deutscher FilmpreisSelf
Credits
YearMovie / TV show / OtherRole
2018Living the Light: Robby MüllerDirector of Photography
2014AshesDirector of Photography
2004Coffee and CigarettesDirector of Photography
2004Visions of EuropeDirector of Photography
2004PrologueDirector of Photography
200224 Hour Party PeopleDirector of Photography
2001My Brother TomDirector of Photography
2000Dancer in the DarkDirector of Photography
1999Ghost Dog: The Way of the SamuraiDirector of Photography
1999Buena Vista Social ClubDirector of Photography
1998Shattered ImageDirector of Photography
1997The Tango LessonDirector of Photography
1996Breaking the WavesDirector of Photography
1995Dead ManDirector of Photography
1995Beyond the CloudsDirector of Photography
1995Last CallDirector of Photography
1993Mad Dog and GloryDirector of Photography
1993When Pigs FlyDirector of Photography
1991Until the End of the WorldDirector of Photography
1990KorczakDirector of Photography
1989Mystery TrainDirector of Photography
1989Coffee and Cigarettes IIDirector of Photography
1989Notebook on Cities and ClothesDirector of Photography
1988The Little DevilDirector of Photography
1987BarflyDirector of Photography
1987The BelieversDirector of Photography
1986Down by LawDirector of Photography
1986The LongshotDirector of Photography
1985To Live and Die in L.A.Director of Photography
1985Finnegan Begin AgainDirector of Photography
1984Paris, TexasDirector of Photography
1984Repo ManDirector of Photography
1984CheatersDirector of Photography
1984Body RockDirector of Photography
1983Un dimanche de flicsDirector of Photography
1983Class EnemyDirector of Photography
1983Les ÎlesDirector of Photography
1982A Hot Summer NightDirector of Photography
1981They All LaughedDirector of Photography
1980Honeysuckle RoseDirector of Photography
1980Hello Fellow ManDirector of Photography
1979Saint JackDirector of Photography
1979In for TreatmentDirector of Photography
1978The Glass CellDirector of Photography
1978MysteriesDirector of Photography
1977The American FriendDirector of Photography
1977Wrong MoveDirector of Photography
1977Wrong MoveCamera Operator
1977The Left-Handed WomanDirector of Photography
1976Kings of the RoadDirector of Photography
1976Kings of the RoadCamera Operator
1976The Wild DuckDirector of Photography
1975The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty KickDirector of Photography
1974Alice in the CitiesDirector of Photography
1974Die ElternDirector of Photography
1973The Scarlet LetterDirector of Photography
1973Die Reise nach WienDirector of Photography
1972CAN: The Free ConcertDirector of Photography
1971Summer in the CityDirector of Photography
1971CarlosDirector of Photography
1970JonathanDirector of Photography
1970Eine Rose für JaneDirector of Photography
1970PakboDirector of Photography
1969Alabama (2000 Light Years)Director of Photography
1969Der Fall Lena ChristDirector of Photography
1968Love and So ForthAssistant Camera
1968To Grab the RingAssistant Director of Photography