Michael Reeves

[Russ]

A wonderful dual release just out on DVD are his two superb films The Sorcerors, and Witchfinder General which has to be one of the greatest British films of all time.

Packed full with extras, restored remastered etc.



Available at full price at about £4.50 each, which has to be the bargain of the year available from www.play.com and HMV and others.



Don't miss out as you can guarantee that they will delete them soon

[The_Late_Peter_Cook]

There is also a new book out on him, written by Benjamin Halligan and published by Manchester University Press as part of their ‘British Film Makers’ series.

[Catweazle67]

What about the Barbara Steele film 'She-Beast'?

Also by Michael Reeves.

[mal]

Available on R1 special edition: DVD Pacific - Buy New DVD Movies, HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs



Mal

[Mandragora]

Witchfinder General is an absolutely stunning film…



The picture was a joint production between Tigon and American International pictures. Reeves first choice for the character of Hopkins was Donald Pleasence. But A.I.P. with their eye on the American market insisted on Vincent Price. Reeves and Price did not see eye to eye, this led to the now legendary conversation in which Price is reputed to have said to Reeves, “I have made over eighty horror films, what have you done.” In reply Reeves said, “I’ve made one good one.” The account of this varies depending on which book you read, but it does demonstrate the known tension between Price and Reeves. Whatever happened Reeves managed to coax a restrained and masterly performance from Price, perhaps one of his best. This was no mean feat with a man who made some very good horror films, but almost always managed to ham it up. Reeves died from a barbiturate overdose at the young age of twenty-five in 1969, shortly after the film was finished, whether it was accidental or otherwise was never clear. In such a short career Reeves had also worked with Boris Karloff in The Sorcerers, with Barbara Steele in She Beast, and indirectly with Christopher Lee in Crypt of Horror.



I am also a great fan of The Sorcerers, made on a shoestring budget by Michael Reeves and with super performances from Boris Karloff and Catherine Lacey… being set in sixties London gives it a contemporary/period feel. In some senses this is a visionary study of voyeurism that hints at the way that the media and in particular the Internet has become a means of experiencing pleasure second hand through watching others…



The scene I especially like is the one were having lured Mike (Ian Ogilvy) back to their flat, Marcus (Boris Karloff) and Estelle (Catherine Lacey), sit Mike in the special chair, which is part of the hypnotic device that they earnestly desire to test on their newly found guinea pig. Before they commence Mike asks what the equipment will do for him, Marcus replies, “Dazzling, indescribable experiences, complete abandonment with no thought of remorse.” Catherine then utters the following words, “Intoxication with no hangover, ecstasy with no consequence.”

[vincenzo]

Before his death Reeves was due to direct The Oblong Box, which also ended up featuring Vincent Price & Hilary Dwyer.

[Catweazle67]

'The Sorcerers' is on BBC2 on Friday 6th November, I suppose because it's Halloween Week?

[billy bentley]

I have just made my way through Iain Sinclair's 1997 book 'Lights Out For The Territory" which I would describe as a series of "Psycho-Geographic" essays on London and its inhabitants. In the essay/chapter titled Cinema Purgatorio, there are several interesting pages on Michael Reeves and Tom Baker (not the Dr. Who), which give something of an insiders impression of Reeves et al. Sinclair is not an easy read and his take on things is far from straightforward. I'm not suggesting anyone buy the book just for these few pages, but if you can lend or borrow a copy, you might find it interesting.