Michael Reed
Biography
Read More
Michael Reed is best known as a frequent collaborator on the iconic Hammer B-movie horror films, such as "Dracula: Prince of Darkness" and "The Gorgon." The Hammer films were often mocked for their contrived storylines and clunky dialogue (as Dracula, Christopher Lee opted to perform an entirely silent role after reading the reportedly dreadful script!). However, critics lauded Michael R...
Biography
Michael Reed is best known as a frequent collaborator on the iconic Hammer B-movie horror films, such as "Dracula: Prince of Darkness" and "The Gorgon." The Hammer films were often mocked for their contrived storylines and clunky dialogue (as Dracula, Christopher Lee opted to perform an entirely silent role after reading the reportedly dreadful script!). However, critics lauded Michael Reed's atmospheric photography, especially given his budgetary constraints. Reed got to display his signature style in the much more commercially successful "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," the sixth film in the Bond franchise. Again, while some critics had issues with the movie (George Lazenby's casting, for one), they reserved their praise for Reed's cinematography. In no small part due to Reed's unique approach, many fans and critics alike consider "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" to be one of the best Bond films, even despite Sean Connery's conspicuous absence. Indeed, Reed's calculated use of darkness, which evoked his earlier work in the horror genre, lent the film a level of realism and gravitas unprecedented in the Bond series. That same moody tone was apparent in his later work for the TV series "Philip Marlowe, Private Eye." Based on Raymond Chandler's noir-ish novels about a private detective, the series made good use of Reed's penchant for gloomy and foreboding photography.
Filmography
Cinematography (Feature Film)
Loophole
(1986)
Director Of Photography
Wild Geese II
(1985)
Director Of Photography
Kim
(1984)
Director Of Photography
The Passage
(1979)
Director Of Photography
No Longer Alone
(1978)
Director Of Photography
The Stick Up
(1978)
Cinematographer
Shout at the Devil
(1976)
Director Of Photography
The Hiding Place
(1975)
Director Of Photography
Galileo
(1974)
Director Of Photography
The Hireling
(1973)
Director Of Photography
Ghost in the Noonday Sun
(1973)
Director Of Photography
The Groundstar Conspiracy
(1972)
Director of Photography
Z.P.G.
(1972)
Director of Photography
Von Richthofen and Brown
(1971)
Director of Photography
The McKenzie Break
(1970)
Director of Photography
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
(1969)
Director of Photography
S--x by Advertisement
(1969)
Stills
Two a Penny
(1968)
Director of Photography
The Malpas Mystery
(1967)
Director of Photography
Prehistoric Women
(1967)
Director of Photography
Rasputin--The Mad Monk
(1966)
Director of Photography
Dracula--Prince of Darkness
(1966)
Director of Photography
The Pleasure Girls
(1966)
Director of Photography
The Fast Lady
(1965)
Director of Photographer 2nd unit
The Gorgon
(1965)
Director of Photography
The Moon-Spinners
(1964)
Addl Photographer
The Devil-Ship Pirates
(1964)
Director of Photography
The Three Lives of Thomasina
(1963)
Director of Photographer, 2d unit
My Bare Lady
(1963)
Director of Photography
The Traitors
(1963)
Lighting Camera
In Search of the Castaways
(1962)
Addl Photographer
Film Production - Main (Feature Film)
Moving Target
(1988)
Production Assistant
Scandalous
(1984)
Photography
Title Design (Feature Film)
Scandalous
(1984)
Titles
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Shout at the Devil
(1976)
Dp/Cinematographer
Music (Special)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
(2000)
Music
Andrew Lloyd Webber 50th Birthday Celebration
(1999)
Music Supervisor/ Director
Misc. Crew (TV Mini-Series)
Gore Vidal's Lincoln
(1988)
Office Assistant
Life Events
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
