Richard Franklin, 58, directed "Psycho II" and "Roadgames", has died.

Wayne Manor · 07-13-2007, 04:57 AM

"Australian thriller director dies
Sandy George, Film writer
July 13, 2007

FILM director Richard Franklin, known for the thrillers Patrick and Roadgames, and more recently the compelling dramas Hotel Sorrento and Brilliant Lies, has died in Melbourne aged 58.

The road movie Roadgames, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, was Australia's most expensive film when it was made in 1978.

Franklin was one of five directors interviewed last month for Mark Hartley's documentary Not Quite Hollywood, about 1970s and 80s Australian films.

"I asked him how he would be considered by the Australian film industry," said Hartley, "and he said `very begrudgingly they would probably say I was a half-decent craftsman'.

"He made commercial mainstream films for the international market when it was not the climate for them, which is why he did not get the recognition deserved."

Franklin grew up in Melbourne and studied film in the US. He got to know Alfred Hitchcock after inviting the master of suspense to give a lecture at the Californian university where he was studying.

"His films are so littered with things Hitchcockian that they make Quentin Tarantino's homages to other directors look lightweight," said producer Antony Ginnane from Los Angeles yesterday.

Ginnane produced horror movie Patrick (1978) and Franklin's steamy Fantasm (1976).

Franklin's first Australian feature was the comedy-western The True Story of Eskimo Nell (1975). As with many of his films he was both producer and director. His US titles include Psycho II (1983) and Cloak & Dagger (1984).

"He thought cinema was not necessarily nationalistic but lived in a world of its own," said Ginnane. "Ironically he came back to Australia and did two movies quite aggressively based on Australian material."

Hotel Sorrento (1995) and Brilliant Lies (1996) were adapted from plays by Hannie Rayson and David Williamson respectively.

Hartley said Franklin was working on his autobiography and a PhD at the time of his death from prostate cancer, overnight on Wednesday"

Katatonia · 07-13-2007, 05:02 AM

R.I.P. - loved Cloak & Dagger and Roadgames.

07-13-2007, 05:06 AM

Is there a link to this story?

07-13-2007, 05:15 AM

You don't need a stinking link. If Wayne Manor says they are dead, they are dead. Bank on it.

RIP. He made some good movies and will be remembered well.

07-13-2007, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onebyone

You don't need a stinking link. If Wayne Manor says they are dead, they are dead. Bank on it.

RIP. He made some good movies and will be remembered well.

I do when I mention it elsewhere, because some people care about copyrights and copying full articles without linking to the source.

But that's okay. I found it.

Goddamn Road Games is great. Even though I haven't seen a thing this guy did post-1991, he had a nice little catalogue there in the 80s.

Cloak & Dagger does indeed OWN.

Lucio Romero · 07-13-2007, 05:21 AM

No way

This is terrible. I was just checking out IMDB not 3 days ago and wondering what he was up to nowdays. I looked at his last film there called Visitors and it looks like a great film. Psycho II is in my top 15 favourite movies of all time & Patrick was the 3rd horror movie I ever saw after Salem's Lot & Creepshow. I will have to track down Visitors and watch this one. R.I.P Richard, you will be missed.

LUCIO!!!!

Erick H. · 07-13-2007, 05:31 AM

I admired his work.PATRICK was an intriguing little picture and I loved ROAD GAMES.Against all probability,PSYCHO 2 turned out to be a very entertaining picture.His last horror film,VISITORS ,is a very offbeat and moody picture.His audio comm track for ROAD GAMES is well worth a listen.
A real shame,he was a talented man.Rest In Peace.

07-13-2007, 05:44 AM

Psycho II is one of my all-time favorites! I really need to check out Roadgames and Patrick.

R.I.P.

rhett · 07-13-2007, 05:53 AM

If you'd have told me he died, I wouldn't have been too shocked, but if you'd have told me he was only 58, that would be a huge surprise. He made some great films early in his career, and it's quite the surprise that he did it so young. Like with Bob Clark, he did so much so early in his life, that he should have been given a longer life to enjoy the impact of his contributions. RIP.

07-13-2007, 07:04 AM

R.i.p.

Wayne Manor · 07-13-2007, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Notoriousaurus

I do when I mention it elsewhere, because some people care about copyrights and copying full articles without linking to the source.

But that's okay. I found it.

Goddamn Road Games is great. Even though I haven't seen a thing this guy did post-1991, he had a nice little catalogue there in the 80s.

Cloak & Dagger does indeed OWN.

I'm always more than happy to respond to a simple PLOSTFU.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...-16947,00.html

:wave:

MorallySound · 07-13-2007, 02:25 PM

I don't think I've seen anything he's directed, but RIP.

Bad_Ronald_1983 · 07-13-2007, 05:05 PM

One of my fav. directors, with some of my fav, movies: (Road Games, Cloak and Dagger, Psycho II, Link.) R.I.P

DVD-fanatic-9 · 07-13-2007, 10:53 PM

This is TERRIBLE. I too absolutely loved Psycho II. I like it better than the original.

satans-sadists · 07-14-2007, 12:06 AM

Bummer.

I've always enjoyed Road Games and the 70's sexploitation film Fantasm. Above all, I think he did a terrific job with Psycho II, my favorite sequel in the series.

07-13-2007, 04:57 AM	#1
Wayne Manor Maniac Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 760	Richard Franklin, 58, directed "Psycho II" and "Roadgames", has died. "Australian thriller director dies Sandy George, Film writer July 13, 2007 FILM director Richard Franklin, known for the thrillers Patrick and Roadgames, and more recently the compelling dramas Hotel Sorrento and Brilliant Lies, has died in Melbourne aged 58. The road movie Roadgames, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, was Australia's most expensive film when it was made in 1978. Franklin was one of five directors interviewed last month for Mark Hartley's documentary Not Quite Hollywood, about 1970s and 80s Australian films. "I asked him how he would be considered by the Australian film industry," said Hartley, "and he said `very begrudgingly they would probably say I was a half-decent craftsman'. "He made commercial mainstream films for the international market when it was not the climate for them, which is why he did not get the recognition deserved." Franklin grew up in Melbourne and studied film in the US. He got to know Alfred Hitchcock after inviting the master of suspense to give a lecture at the Californian university where he was studying. "His films are so littered with things Hitchcockian that they make Quentin Tarantino's homages to other directors look lightweight," said producer Antony Ginnane from Los Angeles yesterday. Ginnane produced horror movie Patrick (1978) and Franklin's steamy Fantasm (1976). Franklin's first Australian feature was the comedy-western The True Story of Eskimo Nell (1975). As with many of his films he was both producer and director. His US titles include Psycho II (1983) and Cloak & Dagger (1984). "He thought cinema was not necessarily nationalistic but lived in a world of its own," said Ginnane. "Ironically he came back to Australia and did two movies quite aggressively based on Australian material." Hotel Sorrento (1995) and Brilliant Lies (1996) were adapted from plays by Hannie Rayson and David Williamson respectively. Hartley said Franklin was working on his autobiography and a PhD at the time of his death from prostate cancer, overnight on Wednesday"

07-13-2007, 05:02 AM	#2
Katatonia Hellbound Heart Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Missouri Posts: 15,997	R.I.P. - loved Cloak & Dagger and Roadgames. __________________ "Through unlit corridors of purest oblivion. Submerged in a sea of darkness without end. To feel nothing...hear nothing...for a thousand eternities." - Evoken - Quietus DVD Profiler Collection

07-13-2007, 05:21 AM	#6
Lucio Romero Victim Join Date: May 2004 Location: The Marsten House in spring, Monroeville Mall in winter, Comfort Station in summer and the Bates Motel in autumn Posts: 124	No way This is terrible. I was just checking out IMDB not 3 days ago and wondering what he was up to nowdays. I looked at his last film there called Visitors and it looks like a great film. Psycho II is in my top 15 favourite movies of all time & Patrick was the 3rd horror movie I ever saw after Salem's Lot & Creepshow. I will have to track down Visitors and watch this one. R.I.P Richard, you will be missed. LUCIO!!!! __________________ Grease Guy : Four pounds of grease...that comes to 63 cents. Homer : Woo Hoo. Bart : Dad, all that bacon cost 27 dollars. Homer : Yeah, but your mom payed for that. Bart : But doesn't she get her money from you. Homer : And I get my money from grease, what's the problem. Some Of My DVDs

07-13-2007, 05:53 AM	#9
rhett Moderator Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Canada Posts: 8,882	If you'd have told me he died, I wouldn't have been too shocked, but if you'd have told me he was only 58, that would be a huge surprise. He made some great films early in his career, and it's quite the surprise that he did it so young. Like with Bob Clark, he did so much so early in his life, that he should have been given a longer life to enjoy the impact of his contributions. RIP. __________________ "It's a good scream...it's a good scream..."

07-13-2007, 02:25 PM	#12
MorallySound There is no magic. Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 5,876	I don't think I've seen anything he's directed, but RIP. __________________ "Things only seem to be magic. There is no real magic. There's no real magic ever." - Martin Bad Monster Films \| Mantis in Black Lace \| Vimeo \| Letterboxd \| Tumblr \| Twitter \| Reel to Reel \| Oh, the Horror! \| DVD Aficionado

07-13-2007, 05:06 AM	#3
Noto Guest Posts: n/a	Is there a link to this story?

07-13-2007, 05:15 AM	#4
onebyone Guest Posts: n/a	You don't need a stinking link. If Wayne Manor says they are dead, they are dead. Bank on it. RIP. He made some good movies and will be remembered well.

07-13-2007, 05:31 AM	#7
Erick H. HackMaster Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 7,478	I admired his work.PATRICK was an intriguing little picture and I loved ROAD GAMES.Against all probability,PSYCHO 2 turned out to be a very entertaining picture.His last horror film,VISITORS ,is a very offbeat and moody picture.His audio comm track for ROAD GAMES is well worth a listen. A real shame,he was a talented man.Rest In Peace.

07-13-2007, 05:44 AM	#8
RyanPC Guest Posts: n/a	Psycho II is one of my all-time favorites! I really need to check out Roadgames and Patrick. R.I.P.

07-13-2007, 05:05 PM	#13
Bad_Ronald_1983 Stalker Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 301	One of my fav. directors, with some of my fav, movies: (Road Games, Cloak and Dagger, Psycho II, Link.) R.I.P

07-13-2007, 10:53 PM	#14
DVD-fanatic-9 Thinking Cannot Hurt You Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,452	This is TERRIBLE. I too absolutely loved Psycho II. I like it better than the original.

07-14-2007, 12:06 AM	#15
satans-sadists Humanitarian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 4,880	Bummer. I've always enjoyed Road Games and the 70's sexploitation film Fantasm. Above all, I think he did a terrific job with Psycho II, my favorite sequel in the series.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode