“I learned so much from Adam, not just about cinematography, but about the spirit of independent production,” Cameron said. “He refused to let budget limitations inhibit his artistic expression. Adam had done scores of films when I worked with him on my first, and his scrappy, can-do spirit has been a guiding light for me ever since, even on the biggest of productions.”
“I could not have done my Terminator films without Adam. He taught me the narrative power of color and lighting. Nobody did night photography like Adam. I pride myself on my hand-held camera operating, but I learned that at Adam’s knee. He was the master. I know there is a whole generation of filmmakers that he influenced, and there were a handful of us that were privileged to have him shoot for us. We got to learn the lessons directly at his side. His talent and spirit will be missed.”
Born in Kraków, Poland, Greenberg and his family settled in Tel Aviv, Israel, after the war. His filmmaking career began in newsreels as a cameraman and film lab technician in the late ’50s, before shooting his first documentary, In Jerusalem, directed by David Perlov and released in 1963. He continued to work with Perlov, serving as cinematographer on The Pill and the documentary 42:6 – Ben Gurion. Greenberg made his Hollywood debut on Samuel Fuller’s The Big Red One, which was shot in Israel, and he’d stay in Hollywood for the rest of his career. In 1982, Greenberg shot The Last American Virgin, a remake of the Israeli hit, Lemon Popsicle, which he also photographed.
1984’s The Terminator marked a total shift in Greenberg’s filmmaking, and he spent the rest of the ’80s shooting a series of hits, including La Bamba, Ghost, and Three Men And A Baby. Greenberg also shot the Kathryn Bigelow-directed vampire film Near Dark, which, again, showcased his knack for special effects and night photography. In 1990, he reunited with James Cameron for Terminator 2: Judgment Day, for which he earned his only Oscar nomination. Nevertheless, Greenberg remained an in-demand Hollywood D.P. and shot Dave, Toys, Rush Hour, Sister Act, and his final Hollywood film, Snakes On A Plane. In 2013, Greenberg filmed his final movie, a follow-up to In Jerusalem, entitled Footsteps In Jerusalem.
