Comments on: R.I.P. Freddie Francis 1917-2007 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/ Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:52:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: cinebeats http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-2458 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:28:26 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-2458 Thanks Paul! I love British horror films in general so yep, I really fond of Freakmaker and Raw Meat. I actually watched Raw Meat again a few weeks ago and thought about writing something about it. I need to see Freakmaker again. Great stuff! Thanks Paul!

I love British horror films in general so yep, I really fond of Freakmaker and Raw Meat. I actually watched Raw Meat again a few weeks ago and thought about writing something about it. I need to see Freakmaker again. Great stuff!

]]> by: Paul http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-2454 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 08:17:38 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-2454 I think I love you. Do you know 'Freakmaker' and 'Death Line/Raw Meat? Great British Films, 1973; Donald Plesence as evil botanist and funny cop, Tom Baker in hideous make-up knocking 'freaks' around: lovely! I think I love you.

Do you know ‘Freakmaker’ and ‘Death Line/Raw Meat?
Great British Films, 1973; Donald Plesence as evil botanist and funny cop, Tom Baker in hideous make-up knocking ‘freaks’ around: lovely!

]]> by: dom http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-110 Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:18:39 +0100 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-110 I was a little disappointed with Freddie on the commentary for Dr Terrors H of H. dvd, he seemed rather dismissive of his horror films. He had drifted into direction, he was primarily a d.o.p. & considered directing as secondary & more of a pot boiling activity & whilst he always had clear recollections of his "worthy" work, eg. The Innocents, he had little recollection of favourites like The Skull, The Creeping Flesh & Mumsy,Nanny,Sonny & Girly. I don't think he appreciated how well loved his films are, having said that I think Roy Ward Baker is much the same. People forget what great technicians were involved in british horror, world class d.o.p.'s & art directors working with tiny budgets. It's ironic that the film snobs who ignore his horror work in favour of his modern photography with Scorsese & Lynch, it was these horror films that these directors grew up with & were inspired to make films from in the first place! Dozens of "respectable" directors cite Hammer films as a formative influence & re paid this debt by using ppl like Francis & Douglas Slocombe to photograph their films. Yet you no mention is made of these films in most film books, it's as if Hammer never happened. It's only their post modern "cult" status & Scorsese approval that allows non horror critics to grudgingly afford them some column inches. We fans however have never had that problem. We grew up with them, we continue to watch them & blogs like yours celebrate them....good for us! I was a little disappointed with Freddie on the commentary for Dr Terrors H of H. dvd, he seemed rather dismissive of his horror films. He had drifted into direction, he was primarily a d.o.p. & considered directing as secondary & more of a pot boiling activity & whilst he always had clear recollections of his “worthy” work, eg. The Innocents, he had little recollection of favourites like The Skull, The Creeping Flesh & Mumsy,Nanny,Sonny & Girly.

I don’t think he appreciated how well loved his films are, having said that I think Roy Ward Baker is much the same. People forget what great technicians were involved in british horror, world class d.o.p.’s & art directors working with tiny budgets.

It’s ironic that the film snobs who ignore his horror work in favour of his modern photography with Scorsese & Lynch, it was these horror films that these directors grew up with & were inspired to make films from in the first place!

Dozens of “respectable” directors cite Hammer films as a formative influence & re paid this debt by using ppl like Francis & Douglas Slocombe to photograph their films. Yet you no mention is made of these films in most film books, it’s as if Hammer never happened.

It’s only their post modern “cult” status & Scorsese approval that allows non horror critics to grudgingly afford them some column inches.

We fans however have never had that problem. We grew up with them, we continue to watch them & blogs like yours celebrate them….good for us!

]]> by: cinebeats http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-103 Sat, 24 Mar 2007 04:45:54 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-103 Kevin - Thanks a lot! I think you'd enjoy The Doctor and the Devils so you should give the DVD a look. It's funny, but personally I think the best thing about the Cape Fear remake is the cinematography. The movie is shot really well! Jeremy - Thanks! Besides the great write-up by Tim Lucas, I haven't thought much about the other Francis tributes I've read. A lot of them read like back-handed compliments and the writers seem to have very litte regard or understanding of the work he did outside of his stuff with Lynch. It's a shame that there isn't more appreciation of British horror, as well as the British New Wave. I love British cinema so many of my favorite filmmakers & actors are Brits. Kevin - Thanks a lot! I think you’d enjoy The Doctor and the Devils so you should give the DVD a look. It’s funny, but personally I think the best thing about the Cape Fear remake is the cinematography. The movie is shot really well!

Jeremy - Thanks! Besides the great write-up by Tim Lucas, I haven’t thought much about the other Francis tributes I’ve read. A lot of them read like back-handed compliments and the writers seem to have very litte regard or understanding of the work he did outside of his stuff with Lynch. It’s a shame that there isn’t more appreciation of British horror, as well as the British New Wave. I love British cinema so many of my favorite filmmakers & actors are Brits.

]]> by: Jeremy http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-100 Fri, 23 Mar 2007 04:02:55 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-100 This was a pleasure to read. Very insightful and thoughtful tribute to one of the greats. Very nicely done, thanks for posting it. This was a pleasure to read. Very insightful and thoughtful tribute to one of the greats. Very nicely done, thanks for posting it.

]]> by: Kevin http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-98 Fri, 23 Mar 2007 02:01:48 +0000 http://cinebeats.blogsome.com/2007/03/21/rip-freddie-francis-1917-2007/#comment-98 Nice overview of the man's work. I've only caught the second half of the Doctor and The Devils on TV, and I now feel guilty I never watched it in its entire. Better late than never. Apparently it was due to his past as a horror director that made Scorsese feel Freddie Francis should be his D.O.P. on Cape Fear, to hel phim with doing such a film. Nice overview of the man’s work. I’ve only caught the second half of the Doctor and The Devils on TV, and I now feel guilty I never watched it in its entire. Better late than never.

Apparently it was due to his past as a horror director that made Scorsese feel Freddie Francis should be his D.O.P. on Cape Fear, to hel phim with doing such a film.

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