It was sad to hear about the death of Val Guest. He died last week, but no newspaper (perhaps with the exception of the subs only Variety) has yet run an obituary.
He had a fabulous career, working with Will Hay in his early days, through to directing the Hammer versions of the Quatermass films amongst others. He also co-directed Casino Royale, but I don’t suppose that Confessions of a Window Cleaner or the Cannon and Ball vehicle, The Boys in Blue, were ever foremost on his CV.
In 2001, I was lucky enough to hear him speak at a screening of one of my favourite films which he directed, The Day The Earth Caught Fire. I also got a signed copy of his autobiography, So You Want To Be In Pictures. I’ll be honest and admit that I’ve only ever dipped into this book, so I can’t comment on the poor reviews it gets at Amazon.
One way or another, he had a significant impact on British films over the years and was an important figure, and he will be missed.