VARIETY is reporting that Hammer/Amicus stalwart Freddie Francis passed away on Saturday at age 89. While often unfavorably compared to Terence Fisher, Francis established an oeuvre that was impressive and influential, and he could whip up a mean omnibus flick when needed.
His genre directing resume included:
TALES FROM THE CRYPT
DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS
TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS
TORTURE GARDEN
THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN
DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE
THE CREEPING FLESH
He also lensed genre staple THE INNOCENTS, Scorsese's remake of CAPE FEAR and a trio of David Lynch films (ELEPHANT MAN, DUNE and STRAIGHT STORY.)
AND he was a camera operator on Powell and Pressburger's TALES OF HOFFMAN, one of George Romero's favorite films.
He will be missed.