...as a brunette, yet. By 1967 the former child actress had not yet achieved the full sex-kitten effect that would so transfix Charles Bronson in 1969's Twinky, and be so peculiarly and upsettingly subverted in 1971's Straw Dogs. She was somewhere in that not-a-girl-not-yet-a-woman territory for this appearance in Michael Reeves' unusual and powerful The Sorcerers, playing one of the increasingly confused ladies in the lives of the hypnotically possessed Ian Ogilvy. The picture is the subject of today's Tuesday Morning Foreign Region DVD Report, over at The Auteurs'.
Glenn, I just left a comment over at "The Auteurs...", so I don't want to repeat myself, but I'm really glad you liked "The Sorcerers". It may not be quite up to "The Witchfinder General", but it's still something else. Catherine Lacey is outstanding.
On a side note, I took your indirect recommendation, and recently started reading "Zeroville". What an odd book...
Posted by: bill | February 17, 2009 at 12:21 PM
For an article I'm writing about Ken Russell, I re-watched BILLION DOLLAR BRAIN last week for the first time in years and was surprised to see George listed in credits. When I went back to her scene, I saw why, as this still illustrates, I didn't recognize her. She was much more mature two years later in THE LOOKING GLASS WAR.
Few British actresses of her era have as many completely different but offbeat credits as STRAW DOGS, DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY, MANDINGO, and the wonderfully entertaining VENOM.
Posted by: Michael Adams | February 17, 2009 at 12:34 PM
@Michael, yes, George was quite versatile and, I think, thoroughly undervalued/underrated. Sienna Miller is a poor substitute for her indeed.
Posted by: Glenn Kenny | February 17, 2009 at 06:06 PM
Recently rewatched Dirty Mary Crazy Larry and had a great time with it.
I've GOT to get a Region 2 one of these days; The Sorcerers sounds most interesting. I did have the privilege of meeting Ian Ogilvy a few years ago when he agreed to play the male lead for a reading of a screenplay of mine (he's a friend of the director). He looked fantastic and he did a great job (love his voice). As I fan of Conquerer Worm, I naturally complimented him on it, and he said, "Yes, that's the one everybody seems to remember." I'm heartened to see on imdb that he's been working again in TV and film after a few years away from it.
Posted by: jbryant | February 21, 2009 at 02:29 AM