Michael ReevesCine-literate and single-minded, Michael Reeves took on exploitative film production companies, the British censors, and even Vincent Price to create a unique vision of savage poetry and lacerating despair: Witchfinder General. He died aged 25 in 1969, between the end of Swinging London and the collapse of the British film industry - an apt candidate to represent all that could have been. This critical biography claims Reeves as the great, lost auteur of British cinema and traces his conception of film back to his childhood and formative experiences. Benjamin Halligan examines Reeves's films in the context of the times, citing The Sorcerers and Witchfinder General as foreshadowing and critiquing the psychedelic and revolutionary zeitgeist. Reeves's earlier work on the fringes of the freewheeling European exploitation cinema is also covered, with particular emphasis on his Revenge of the Blood Beast. Drawing on recollections from colleagues, friends and family, many speaking here for the first time, draft scripts, correspondence and original documentation pertaining to the controversial censorship of Witchfinder, and Reeves's struggle with his own private demons, Halligan creates a complete picture of this elusive, driven figure and his films. He speculates on what Reeves would have gone on to achieve, and why this should still matter. |
Contents
List of illustrations | 1 |
98 | 8 |
Displaced Person English | 9 |
Preparing to shoot interiors in Lavenham Courtesy | 12 |
This is a Don Siegel shot | 33 |
The Sorcerers happening | 54 |
288 | 97 |
Tracking with the village mob for the precredit hanging | 101 |
This is England Vincent | 107 |
Ultimata | 152 |
Via dolorosa | 195 |
FILMOGRAPHY | 229 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
actor American International Pictures Austen Baker BBFC Bennett Betty Blood Beast BOUM boys British cinema British Film Brookman brutality budget camera cast Christopher Lee Chuck Compton Corman crew death Deke despite director Don Siegel early Euan film production film-making film's Final screenplay footage friends Hopkins Hopkins's horror films Iain Sinclair Ian Ogilvy idea interview with author Intrusion John Karloff King's Mead Klinger letter London look Maslansky Matthew Hopkins Michael Reeves Mike's Monserrats movie night noted Oblong Box once opening Paul Philip picture Pink Floyd Pirie Polanski psychedelic Radley realised recalls Reeves's remains remarks are taken Revenge Richard role Roscoe Roscoe's Sara Sara's scene screaming screen script seems sequence shoot shot Soho Sorcerers Stearne subsequent remarks talk Terror for Kicks things Tigon Tom Baker Tony Tenser torture Trevelyan Vardella villagers Vincent Price violence wanted witch Witchfinder young zoom