Michael Reeves

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Reeves (born October 17, 1943 in London Borough of Sutton , Greater London , † February 11, 1969 in London ) was a British director and screenwriter .

Life

Reeves grew up in Suffolk . As a child, he made small short films with Ian Ogilvy . He should cast his childhood friend in every one of his films. After finishing school he started working in the film business, initially as an assistant to Don Siegel . In 1963 he worked as an assistant to director Jack Cardiff on the film The Viking Raid . His collaboration was not mentioned. In Italy he employed Paul Maslansky in 1964 as assistant director and screenwriter for the film Castle of the Living Dead with Christopher Lee . While he was able to direct a few scenes of this film, the following year he was able to make his first own film with the English-Italian co-production Revenge of the Blood Beast . The main role was played by Barbara Steele .

In early 1967 he made the film Im Banne des Dr. for Tigon, a small British film company specializing in the exploitation market. Monserrat with Boris Karloff and Catherine Lacey in the lead roles. In July 1968 the film won the “Grand Prize” at the 6th Festival of Fantastic Films in Trieste, with special prizes for Catherine Lacey and Boris Karloff (“Lifetime Achievement”).

In Der Hexenjäger (1968) he was supposed to prove his skills one last time. With Vincent Price as the leading actor, he made an early contribution to a number of Inquisition films that were to play a major role in European cinema for a short time. Reeves, who had actually intended Donald Pleasence as the leading actor, clashed with Price several times and drove him to top form in his role as witch hunter Matthew Hopkins.

Reeve's next film was to be a Victorian drama for the production company American International Pictures : In the grasp of the red mask , again with Vincent Price as the leading actor. However, Gordon Hessler took over the film as director on November 20, 1968 , because Reeves was suffering from depression and insomnia at the time . A few weeks later, Reeves died of a barbiturate overdose .

Filmography

  • 1964: Il Castello dei Morti vivi (Screenplay, Second Unit Director)
  • 1964: raid the Viking (The Long Ships) (assistant director, undisclosed)
  • 1966: La Sorella di Satana (Director, Screenplay)
  • 1967: Under the spell of Dr. Monserrat (The Sorcerers) (Director, Screenplay)
  • 1968: Der Hexenjäger (Witchfinder General) (Director, Screenplay)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Steve Biodrowski - Retrospective: Witchfinder General (1968) on Cinefantastiqueonline.com
personal data
SURNAME Reeves, Michael
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Byron, Michael (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English director and screenwriter
DATE OF BIRTH October 17, 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH London Burrough of Sutton , Surrey
DATE OF DEATH February 11, 1969
Place of death London