Gage Skidmore

Oliver Stone

Filmmaker

American·b. 1946

Known for:

Platoon (1986), JFK (1991)

Education:

Yale University (dropped out); NYU (BA, 1971, under Martin Scorsese)

Oliver Stone served in the Vietnam War before writing Midnight Express (1978) and Scarface (1983) and then directing his own accounts of Vietnam - Platoon (1986) and Born on the Fourth of July (1989) - for which he received Academy Awards for Best Director in consecutive years. He subsequently directed JFK (1991) and Nixon (1995), two films of political paranoia that generated significant public debate. He has also directed several controversial documentaries.

Oliver Stone's Gear List(2)

Arriflex 35 BL

ARRI

Connection Source

ShotonwhatWebsite

Connection note

Used ARRIFLEX 35 BL3 for Platoon (1986); mixed ARRIFLEX 16SR with Panavision Panaflex Gold for JFK (1991)

Product description

The Arriflex 35 BL (Blimped Lightweight), introduced in 1972, was the first self-blimped 35mm motion picture camera quiet enough for sync-sound shooting without an external housing. Its mirror-reflex viewfinder and rugged construction made it a standard tool in European and independent filmmaking from the 1970s onward.

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Last updated March 20, 2026

Panavision Panaflex Gold

Panavision

Connection Source

ShotonwhatWebsite

Connection note

Used alongside ARRIFLEX 16SR for JFK (1991) for its documentary-style mixed-format aesthetic

Product description

The Panaflex Gold is a 35mm motion picture camera produced by Panavision, a company that manufactures equipment exclusively for rental to productions. Its near-silent operation and compatibility with Panavision's proprietary anamorphic and spherical lens systems made it a standard for Hollywood features from the 1980s onward. Christopher Nolan and many other directors continue to use Panavision equipment for productions shot on film.