British Film Director and Cinematographer Freddie Francis has died aged 89

[Andrés Verdú]

FREDDIE FRANCIS

Hello everyone,

I have just learned the very sad news that the legendary British director and cinematographer, Freddie Francis, has died aged 89. According to reports, Freddie Francis passed away on Saturday in a hospital near his home in Osterley, west London. He had suffered a stroke in December, 2006.

Freddie Francis was born on 22nd December, 1917, in Islington, London (England). He began working as a stills photographer, and later entered the film industry as a clapper boy, camera loader, and focus puller. He was involved with army film units during WWII, and subsequently worked as a camera operator on classic British films like The Elusive Pimpernell, Tales of Hoffmann, Moulin Rouge, Beat the Devil, and Moby Dick. He then progressed to cinematography in 1956 with A Hill in Korea, and then such classic realist working-drama works as Room at the Top and Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings.

The mid-1960s saw Freddie Francis move towards the role of directing, most famously perhaps working for both Amicus and Hammer film studios. Amongst the many films he directed are The Evil of Frankenstein (1964), Dr Terror's House of Horrors (1965), The Skull (1965), Torture Garden (1967), Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968), Tales from the Crypt (1972), The Creeping Flesh (1973), Legend of the Werewolf (1975), The Ghoul (1975), these last two produced by his son, Kevin Francis, and many more. Freddie Francis returned to cinematography with David Lynch's film The Elephant Man (1980), and subsequent work in this field includes The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Dune (1984), and Peter Cushing: A One-Way Ticket to Hollywood (1989), amongst others.

Freddie Francis received many awards throughout his life in recognition of his work, including two Academy Awards for cinematography for Sons and Lovers (1960), and Glory (1989). He was also honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the British Society of Cinematographers in 1997, and with the International Award from the American Society of Cinematographers in 1998.

Freddie Francis worked with Mr Lee on a whole range of films, and, as a director, they collaborated on The Skull (1965), Dr Terror's House of Horrors (1965), Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968), and The Creeping Flesh (1973).

Information at the present time is very scarce, but articles can be found at the following links: http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=13&cs=1 http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...3-1702,00.html

I am certain that Freddie Francis will be very sadly missed by his family, friends, and loved ones, and by millions of people across the world who admired and enjoyed his work in the film industry. I would like to pay tribute to Freddie Francis for his brilliant work and for the joy and pleasure he brought to me and to everyone else who knew and loved his films. May God bless his soul and grant him eternal peace.

Freddie Francis (1917-2007)
Requiescat In Pace

[Isabel Alves]

Thank you for the information, Andrés, same being a sad news.
Yes, this director collaborated for the happiness of a lot of people fans of the fantastic films mentioned by you. And his work continues being reverenced by many of us that we possessed these films in our collection.

[Joakim Lundberg]

Sad news indeed. He was an expert in creating an atmosphere and making you believe what was happening on the screen with very little means.
The work will live on. Freddie Francis, Sven Nykvist. Can never be replaced.

[Helen Dyer]

This is sad news....Losing too many of the great ones........


Helen

[Charles Prepolec]

Freddie Francis. An occasionally inventive director, but one of the truly great cinematographers. Happily he leaves behind a remarkable body of work that will stand forever as a legacy to his talent.

I'll raise a glass to his memory.

Cheers,

[Matt Gemmell]

Sad news but a great age to get to and he's left us a wonderful legacy.
I met him at the last Bray event and he was a real gent happily chatting and posing for photos.It's a shame he won't be at Bray this year but I'll most certainly raise a glass to him.

[Andrés Verdú]

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to let you all know that I have posted a selection of screen captures (in the multimedia gallery section) from the 1973 film The Creeping Flesh, directed by the late Freddie Francis, in memory of the great man. This particular film is one of the best ones starring Mr Lee and Peter Cushing together. I hope that you will find the time to take a look at these. Many thanks to you all. Take care everyone:

Warmest regards,

Andrés

[Helen Dyer]

Andres, Excellent screen shots...Thank You for sharing these....

Cheers,
Helen

[Julia Dykiert]

This is sad news, but I'm grateful for being able to watch his work and to enjoy it. Thank you, Andrés, for posting the screen captures and for the biography. There cannot be a greater compliment for a director, than to say: I saw this film and it made me forget all my problems. He will be missed.

[Andrés Verdú]

Hello everyone,

Well, someone has uploaded a tribute to the late Freddie Francis on YouTube, in the form of a short documentary/interview featuring Mr Francis himself. If anyone here is interested in watching this video, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s61Lz0CqY8Y.

One further item of news is that there is a "Freddie Francis Tribute" to be held at the BFI Southbank, London, on Monday, 23rd July, 2007. The BFI National Film Archive will be screening two films in tribute to Freddie Francis: Paranoic (1963), and Cape Fear (1991). Apparently, the BFI is also hoping that Jimmy Sangster and a member of Freddie Francis's family will introduce the screenings for Paranoic and Cape Fear, respectively. Full details can be found here: http://www.hammerfilms.com/news/index.html (you will need to scroll down the page a bit). I must add that I am indebted to Georges Nahon who informed me of the planned BFI tribute. I am very much hoping to attend this tribute, and, if I am able to go, I would love to meet up with anyone from CLW who would be able to come along too.

Anyway, that is all for the time being. Take care and God bless:

Warmest regards,

Andrés

Its a great loos to the world of cinema. I always liked the way he would shoot a film and his direction was always very good Kaity