He got the nickname "Midnight Medford" when he shot
The Organization (1971) with
Sidney Poitier. Up until then they shot day for night. His wife, Lynn Parker, said, "He had a vision of doing a fantastic opening entirely at night, along with almost the entire film. He watered down the streets to make it seem darker, using much he learn from
Alfred Hitchcock, using shadows, angles and camera placement. It's one of the most powerful openings I've ever seen.".