Terence Fisher, English director and screenwriter (b. 1904)
Terence Fisher (23 February 1904 – 18 June 1980) was a British film director best known for his work for Hammer Films.
He was the first to bring gothic horror alive in full colour, and the sexual overtones and explicit horror in his films, while mild by modern standards, were unprecedented in his day. His first major gothic horror film was The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), which launched Hammer's association with the genre and made British actors Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee leading horror stars of the era. He went on to film several adaptations of classic horror subjects, including Dracula (1958), The Mummy (1959), and The Curse of the Werewolf (1961).
Given their subject matter and lurid approach, Fisher's films, though commercially successful, were largely dismissed by critics during his career. It is only in recent years that Fisher has become recognised as an auteur in his own right. His most famous films are characterised by a blend of fairytale myth and the supernatural alongside themes of sexuality, morality, and "the charm of evil". Drawing heavily on a conservative Christian outlook, there is often a hero who defeats the powers of darkness by a combination of faith in God and reason, in contrast to other characters, who are either blindly superstitious or bound by cold, godless rationalism.
1980Jun, 18
Terence Fisher
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Events on 1980
- 26Jan
Egypt
Israel and Egypt establish diplomatic relations. - 2Feb
United States Congress
Reports surface that the FBI is targeting allegedly corrupt Congressmen in the Abscam operation. - 10Jun
Nelson Mandela
The African National Congress in South Africa publishes a call to fight from their imprisoned leader Nelson Mandela. - 29Jul
Islamic Revolution
Iran adopts a new "holy" flag after the Islamic Revolution. - 9Oct
14th Dalai Lama
Pope John Paul II shakes hands with the Dalai Lama during a private audience in Vatican City.