Kenneth Arthur Kelsch, ASC (July 8, 1947 – December 11, 2023) was an American cinematographer. He was best known for his guerilla filmmaking style and his career-spanning partnership with filmmaker Abel Ferrara, with whom he made more than a dozen films. He was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Ferrara’s The Funeral (1996).
Prior to his filmmaking career, Kelsch served in the United States Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War, as a member of MACV-SOG.
Early life Kenneth Arthur Kelsch was born in Brooklyn on July 8, 1947, and grew up in East Newark and North Arlington, New Jersey. His mother was born in Scotland and his father was born in the Alsace region of France. He was raised Catholic. He took an early interest in photography: he had his own darkroom at 12 years old and his father showed him how to develop black and white photographs. While still in high school, his father died while Kelsch had been attending his first week of seminary and his mother was two weeks pregnant.
Military service Kelsch enlisted in the United States Army in 1965. As a Green Beret, he was the executive officer of an A-team during the Vietnam War and participated in SLAM (Search, Locate, Annihilate, and Monitor) operations in Laos and CIA led cross-border operations in Cambodia. He was a first lieutenant within the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group. He was discharged in 1969.
Education Kelsch studied photography at Montclair State College and New York University's Film & Television program, and attended Rutgers University.
After his discharge, Kelsch attended Montclair State University and worked for Johnson & Johnson making gaffer tape. He worked as a gaffer on Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left. He attended film school at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, graduating with an M.F.A. in 1977. His cinematography professor was Beda Batka. He cited Conrad Hall, Gordon Willis, Michael Chapman, and John Cassavetes as influences.
Film career Between 1979 and 2019, Kelsch made 13 films with director Abel Ferrara, including his first mainstream film The Driller Killer, and the critically acclaimed feature films Bad Lieutenant (1992) and The Funeral (1996), for which he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography.
On television, Kelsch was the director of photography for the pilot episode of the CBS crime drama series Hack (2002) and the first and second seasons of the NBC supernatural procedural drama series Medium (2005–06).
Kelsch also taught cinematography at Montclair State University, Hofstra and Five Towns College on Long Island.
Personal life Kelsch had four children, one of whom died before him. His second wife, Dale Denning, was his assistant at NYU.
Death On December 11, 2023, he died of COVID-19-related pneumonia at a hospital in Hackettstown, New Jersey, at the age of 76.
Filmography Film YearTitleDirectorNotes1979The Driller KillerAbel Ferrara1982In Our WaterMeg SwitzgableDocumentary1986SpookiesBrendan Faulkner Thomas Doran Eugenie Josephwith Robert Chappell1992Bad LieutenantAbel Ferrara1993Dangerous Game 1994Drop SquadDavid C. Johnson1995The AddictionAbel FerraraCondition RedMika KaurismäkiKiller: A Journal of MurderTim Metcalfe1996Big NightCampbell Scott Stanley TucciThe FuneralAbel Ferrara1997The Blackout1998MontanaJennifer LeitzesA Brooklyn State of MindFrank RainoneThe ImpostorsStanley TucciNew Rose HotelAbel FerraraSusan's PlanJohn Landis2000It Had to Be YouSteven Feder2001'R XmasAbel Ferrara2003TestosteroneDavid MoretonAsmali Konak: HayatAbdullah OguzHappy EndAmos Kollek2005Missing in AmericaGabrielle Savage DocktermanBefore It Had a NameGiada Colagrande2008Chelsea on the RocksAbel FerraraDocumentary100 FeetEric RedReturn to Sleepaway CampRobert HiltzikSicak Abdullah Oguz2009Desert FlowerSherry Hormann20114:44 Last Day on EarthAbel Ferrara2013House of Last ThingsMichael Bartlett2014Welcome to New YorkAbel Ferrara2016The Brooklyn BankerFederico Castelluccio2019The ProjectionistAbel FerraraDocumentary
Television YearTitleNotes1999Now and AgainEpisode: "Origins"2000The $treet3 episodes2002HackPilot episode2005-06Medium33 episodes
TV movies and miniseries +YearTitleDirectorNotes1994Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson WhittakerHarry Moses1996The ProsecutorsRod HolcombUnsold pilotBackroads to VegasKirsten A. Bulmer1997Subway Stories: Tales from the UndergroundVariousEvery 9 SecondsKenneth Fink1998Rear WindowJeff Bleckner1999Invisible ChildJoan Micklin Silver2001Private LiesSherry Hormann
Music videos YearTitleArtistDirector1982Betcha She Don't Love YouEvelyn "Champagne" KingSteve Kahn1990King of New YorkSchoolly DAbel Ferrara1996Nigger Entertainment1995CaliforniaMylène Farmer
See also
List of film director and cinematographer collaborations
References
External links
Official YouTube