Speaking about ‘..Satan’s Claw’ in interviews over the years, Haggard always seemed very serious about his intentions for the project, and the lengths to which he and writer Robert Wynne-Simons went in realising them - an attitude which, though largely responsible for helping the film turn out as brilliantly as it did, perhaps ironically also damaged his prospects for a follow-up career as a director of features. (By which I mean, it probably wasn’t quite the vibe that the likes of Tony Tenser, Deke Heywood or other players in the cash-strapped world of early ‘70s British genre movies were looking for, or so I can only imagine.)
Instead, Haggard carved out a career for himself as a reliable director of respectable British TV (winning a BAFTA for his work on Dennis Potter’s ‘Pennies from Heaven’ in 1978) - in which context we should also single out his role as director on the 1979 ITV ‘Quatermass’ serial (or ‘Quatermass Conclusion’, as I think it should probably have been called - the one with John Mills, anyway). Odd, disturbing and perpetually underrated, it’s a series which arguably feels more resonant and relevant today than it did when first broadcast, and which could perhaps be seen to share a seriousness of purpose, a warped sense of realism and a willingness to disregard genre convention which all loop back to Haggard’s earlier horror masterpiece.
Thereafter, we’ve also got to admire his chutzpah in stepping in to take over 1981’s infamous ‘Venom’ after Tobe Hooper bailed, and actually delivering a half-decent movie in the process. (I know he’s been credited with saying, “the friendliest person on set was the snake,” or words to that effect, but I can’t actually find a source for that quote; his slightly more nuanced thoughts on wrangling one of most difficult casts in film history can be found here however.)
Scarcely much less problematic, Haggard also has the misfortune of being credited as the director of Peter Sellers’ ill-fated ‘The Fiendish Plot of Dr Fu Manchu’ in 1980, although the internet informs me that he was actually dismissed after a few days shooting by Sellers, who completed the bulk of the film himself, so hopefully that whole farrago won’t cast too much of a shadow on his legacy.
Also worthy of note: Piers was the grandson of H. Rider Haggard (author of ‘She’ and ‘King Solomon’s Mines’), and the father of ubiquitous British TV actress Daisy Haggard.
RIP, and my thoughts and best wishes go out to his family & friends.
2 comments:
Oddly, I heard about Piers Haggard's death just a few days after I'd seen him in Peter Medak's 2018 documentary 'The Ghost of Peter Sellers' -- Medak's attempt to make sense of what happened in 1973, when he tried to direct Sellers in the pirate-comedy 'Ghosts in the Noonday Sun'. The project ended in disaster and nearly wrecked Medak's career. Haggard pops up to discuss Sellers with Medak and Joseph McGrath (who'd directed Sellers in 1974's 'The Great McGonagall'). The scene feels like a support-group meeting for film directors who've been left traumatised by Peter Sellers. Though in a way Haggard had it lucky -- unlike Medak, he didn't also have to deal with the famously bipolar Spike Milligan. Anyway, 'The Ghost of Peter Sellers' is worth viewing, if you haven't already seen it, and especially if you're an admirer of Medak's work like I am.
And yes, you're bang-on about 'Quatermass'. Underrated as f**k!
Thanks for your comment Ian!
That certainly sounds like a great documentary. I'm always fascinated by tales of filmmakers trying to deal with isane/out of control stars, so sounds like a must-see, even though Peter Sellers' work (and antics) post-1970 remain a bit of a blind spot for me... probably something I should learn about, so that doc sounds like a good start.
Likewise, I'm a big fan of Medak's 'The Changeling' (who isn't?), but have never seen much of his other work, so should rectify that.
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