Christopher Wicking

Christopher Wicking (10 January 1943 – 13 October 2008), also known as Chris Wicking, was a British screenwriter, often in the horror and fantasy genres, notably for the British arm of American International Pictures and with Hammer Film Productions,^[1] for whom he was the last 'resident script editor'.^[2][3]

Wicking was born in London and educated at Coopers' Company's School.^[1] While studying at St Martin's School of Art, London, he determined to break into the film industry.^[2]

He began as a film booking clerk for Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors and, while working as an assistant film editor on documentaries^[4] in London, he began writing profiles of directors for the influential French movie magazine Cahiers du cinéma.^[2] He was a lifelong fan of westerns and wrote movie feature articles and interviews about the genre for various British magazines including the Monthly Film Bulletin and Time Out.^[4] He also continued to write for French magazines including Cahiers du cinéma, Positif^[4] and Midi Minuit Fantastique.^[5]

His first credit as a screenwriter^[1] was on the 1969 movie The Oblong Box, initially with Michael Reeves and, after Reeves' death, for director Gordon Hessler.^[2] Although Wicking was only credited for "additional dialogue", Hessler later verbally credited him as writing the entire filmed script.^[4]

Wicking also wrote episodes^[2] for British TV series The Professionals (1979–1982),^[4] Jemima Shore Investigates and the TV dramas The Way to Dusty Death (1995),^[4] On Dangerous Ground (1996).^[4] and Powers (2004).^[6]

He taught screenwriting at various UK institutions including the Royal College of Art, the Arvon Foundation,^[2] the National Film and Television School, Leeds Metropolitan University and King Alfred's College, Winchester; and, in Ireland, at University College Dublin,^[2] the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Irish Film Institute's Education Department.^[5] It was said that he had a fondness for "termite art" - less "precious" work that valued personal vision and idiosyncrasy.^[2]

Wicking died of a heart attack^[2] in Toulouse, France, on 13 October 2008.

• The Oblong Box (1969) (additional dialogue)^[1][4]
• Scream and Scream Again (1970)
• Cry of the Banshee (1970)
• Venom (1971)
• Murders in the Rue Morgue (1971) (co-writer)^[1]
• Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971)
• Demons of the Mind (1972)
• Medusa (1973)
• To the Devil a Daughter (1976) (co-writer)^[1][4]
• Lady Chatterley's Lover (co-writer) (1981)^[4]
• Absolute Beginners (1986) (co-writer)^[1][4]
• Dream Demon (1988)

• The Professionals

The Madness of Mickey Hamilton (1979);^[7] The Gun (1980);^[8] Discovered in a Graveyard (1982)^[9]

• Vahimagi, Tise + Wicking, Christopher (1979). The American Vein: Directors and Directions in Television. Talisman Books ISBN 0-905983-16-5 / ISBN 978-0-905983-16-5

• Christopher Wicking at IMDb