Thursday 30 June 2016

#TBT '?UOY PLEH I YAM' CUSHING TOP SECRET!


#‎tbt‬ RELEASED JUNE 1984, Peter Cushing in 'TOP SECRET'. When Peter Cushing first appears in his scene, he is looking through a magnifying glass, pretty much the same way he had done in countless other films. The trick in this case is, when he lowers the glass...his eye REMAINS HUGE!


'FORWARDS,BACKWARDS, it's all the same to me,' said Peter Cushing in the film's pressbook, 'I've done so many pictures by now that I try to do what's asked of me to the best of my abilities and trust that all is well. My scene in 'Top Secret' was a very interesting exercise in technique and I enjoyed it very much...' Even though his scene is brief, the amount of prep and time spent on his make up appliance and the rehearsing and blocking of shooting his dialogue and action ..BACKWARDS... must have taken considerable time and effort. How do you think it LOOKED??

... THE GUY on the bottom left is STUART FREEBORN make up artist who made the Cushing prosthetic... he is also quite famous for something else... do you know what that is??


PLEASE join us at our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE  NOW with almost 24,000 friends and followers. UPDATED EVERY DAY : THEMED DAYS AND COMPETITIONS!

THE STORY OF THE CUSHING NOTES AND BUREAU


#‎cushingcollectable‬ : WEDNESDAY: You may remember these posts from two Wednesday's ago? And after posting them, I promised to share the story of how I came to own those handwritten autobiography notes of Peter Cushing's...Well....the top post is Peter Cushing's Bureau, purchased just a few years ago. I was lucky to purchase it from a lady, who lived a short distance from Peter Cushing's home at Sea View in Whitstable.

HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN a great fan of Peter's work and he purchased the bureau at the Cushing Collection Auction in Canterbury after Peter Cushing died. Sadly, he too passed a year or so before I purchased the bureau, and his wife was slowly down scaling down her home and relocating.


WHEN THE TIME CAME to go along to her home to collect the bureau, it was quite an emotional parting for her, it was her husband's pride and joy. But when she found out 'where' the bureau's new home was going to be and about PCAS, she was over-joyed! During our meeting at her home, we had some tea and cake and chatted, and found out geographically, we had much in common too!

AFTER AN HOUR OR SO, the time came to carry the bureau out and carefully pack it up for it's journey to my home. I thanked her and told her how extremely pleased I was to be it's new owner, that it would be very well looked after and also pressed into use too!


IT WAS AT THIS POINT, she asked ' Oh, would you also like to take away these too?' She held out a plastic slip folder. Through the ageing and yellowing plastic, I could see inside, a wad of paper, and on the one corner, held by two large paper clips I could just make out lines of handwriting, in blue fountain pen ink! At the same time, I immediately recognised that distinctive style.. it was Peter Cushing's handwriting.

WHILE CAREFULLY SLIDING the paper out from the folder, I looked at her..she was smiling! I said, 'It's Peter's handwriting!!' She beamed back at me, 'Yes!', she said, she was as excited as I was! 'My husband said it was, but I have no idea what it all means. Is it an unfinished letter, he seems to be writing...is it his story and are all those titles his films too?' I barely heard what she had said, I was quickly scanning the pages. It was pretty obvious, these were notes about the contents of Peter's autobiography, in his own hand. 'It's Peter's notes.!', I said 'It's his autobiography. How wonderful! They are very rare indeed, you must be sure to take great care of them.' I said, 'Oh no..' she smiled, 'I want YOU to have them!'


QUICKLY, I DID THE SUMS in my head of their value and blurted, ' Well, that's extremely kind of you, but, I could not buy these today, I have...' but before I could finish, she laughed saying, 'Oh nooo. I WANT you to HAVE them. They should be with you!' I started to explain their value, a nice little break away with the proceeds maybe? But, she wouldn't listen, 'No. I am quite happy with the sale of the bureau...'


IT WAS THEN SHE said something that made my jaw drop so hard, the bump of it hitting the hall carpet could probably be heard down at Sea View.... ' My husband, didn't pay for them anyway..' I was puzzled, 'So, how did you come by them?' I asked. 'Oh, they were just inside THE BUREAU......!' 'What?' I said. 'They were in the pull down desk, in that folder!' she explained. 

I THEN REMEMEBERED what many collectors had told me about the Canterbury auction. There had been so many lots, Peter had so much packed into his home and studio, when it came to dividing things into lots, often someone winning a bid on a book that belonged to Peter, got home and opened it to find an autographed note paper inside. People who purchase items of his clothing found scarves, silk handkerchiefs, cuff-links and pens tucked into them! It was something special, some extra item, however small, a thank you for your purchase..as there was mountains of items to sell. The bureau had been in the auction catalogue, as one of the very few pieces of Peter Cushing's furniture for sale... an expensive antique and a good price was expected, and archived!


AND SO, that is the astonishing story, of how I came by those notes...and the generosity of two women, the lovely lady who owned the bureau and Peter's long time friend, Joyce Brougton, who put the lots together for that auction! Bless you, ladies!



Please Join Us At Our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE!
UPDATED EVERY DAY!

Tuesday 28 June 2016

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY : TWO FROM TARKIN AND GIFS : ROGUE ONE


A DOUBLE ‪#‎toocooltuesday‬ TARKIN POST! First a great panoramic behind the scenes shot from STAR WARS (1977) featuring Cushing as Tarkin and Darth Vader...an interesting point here... IF there is any truth in the rumour that the makers of the ‪#‎starwars‬ film, ‪#‎rogueone‬ released this Christmas, are looking for UNUSED footage of Peter to use in the film...WELL...here is a WHOLE UNUSED SCENE! This scene, which I am sure all you #starwars fans recognise...was dropped from the edited release that made it to cinema's worldwide in 1977, lots of shots of Peter there I am sure AND he has his BOOTS on!


PLUS BELOW...the genuine hem of the trousers (USA PANTS) that Peter wore as Grand Moff Tarkin, in the same film, #STARWARS in 1977... made by BERMANS and Nathans Costumiers..take note Angels... that's BERMANS and Nathans!


JOIN US AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE  UPDATED EVERY DAY!

Monday 27 June 2016

#MONSTERMONDAY GIFS AND FOLLOWERS COMMENTS FROM FACEBOOK


#‎monstermonday‬ DON HENDERSON AS THE GHOUL, from the 1975 film of the same name, is today's 'monster'... made in the good ol tradition of the thing in the attic, and a style from another time, that didn't sit too easy with audiences back in 75, but now...if you can find it, it rewards you with excellent direction and performances, Cushing and Veronica Carlson having the stand out scenes.


SOMETHING THAT I personally can't understand is, why 'the ghoul', in his reveal, was a bit of a disappointment for some.... how about you? . . .
OUR FEATURE AND GALLERIES ON THE GHOUL ARE HERE and  HERE


ON POSTING THIS FEATURE at our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE  below are some of the comments shared from our friends and followers . . .


S. GREEN commented:" I haven't seen the film but it is on you tube so i will. I think the reason people are often disappointed is the fault of the poster, it often promises things that the film just cannot match'.

WE REPLIED: I have never thought of it that way, Stewart! I always thought that viewers because of the build up, in the film itself, felt cheated. If I would have any criticism of the reveal scene, it would be, it was over lit...and probably would have been better set in a dark attic..where he lived! Same problem with 'Blood Beast Terror' and 'The Gorgon' just too much light, you can see too much! Think of the film 'Alien' for most of the film, you only see parts of the creature...here in the Ghoul, there are suggested shots, feet, hand, but far too much eventually... see what you think!

NICK DIGILIO: LOVE that movie!


F.PASSMORE : "I found this film on a public domain collection, ( a pleasant surprise), and enjoyed it. I understand that perhaps some wanted the ghoul to be more of an undead monster or something, but it was just the woman's mentally-deficient son, so his appearance was not as scary. But the idea of feeding him the flesh of guests was pretty scary on its own".


D.YOUNG:"Love The Ghoul! One of the films responsible for getting me interested in horror in general and Cushing in particular. I remember being scared silly by it though I was perhaps a little young to watch it."


A. KEIL: "The very first time I watched it I thought the Ghoul was a little disappointing only because he uttered the word "Father" at the end and it made me laugh. Since then I watch it on a regular basis.It is a very good film and made a change to find Veronica Carlson playing someone against character with her spoilt demanding ways in the film. I also found Peter Cushing's character rather sad, part real part acting.I always catch it on Youtube".


D.WHITEHEAD: "It's a very dark and bleak film. I do wonder how Peter Cushing coped with such a morbid production so soon after the death of his wife. It's also worth noting the similarities between this and Texas Chain Saw Massacre - very similar plots, albeit realised in very different ways. I've always seen this film as a breaking point between the quainter fantasy-tinged British horror of the 50s and 60s, typified by Hammer, and the darker, crueller American horror movies of the 1970s (such as TCM)". 


B.SABRE: "I liked this film. I needs a proper dvd or bluray release.Its seems to be in the public domain. Known as Night of the Ghoul in the Horror Rises From the Grave collection on dvd.It's seems to be it's only release in the world that I can find!"
WE REPLIED: "Hi Bob, I am not sure about The Ghoul being public domain, or how Brentwood Home Video, managed to get a licence to distribute the film... but the transfer from a VHS copy of all the films in this package makes me suspect that they didn't!"


D.YOUNG: "Love The Ghoul! One of the films responsible for getting me interested in horror in general and Cushing in particular. I remember being scared silly by it though I was perhaps a little young to watch it?" 

J.CLARK: "Peter Cushing gives, in my view, his greatest performance. A nice touch to have his dear wife in a photograph in the film! I have this on VHS PAL Video when it was realeased with the likes of 'Persecution', 'Legend of the Werewolf', 'Island of Terror, 'Masks of Death' et el under The Taste of Fear banner from Lumiere".


COME JOIN US at the OFFICIAL FACEBOOK FAN PAGE OF PCAS 

GIF GALLERY : FRANKENSTEIN AND A FACE IN THE WINDOW!


THREE GREAT GIFS : Top one Veronica Carlson in a high tension moment from Hammer films, 'FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED. Next a Hammer Films classic, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee come face to face with a killer spider in THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. And finally, looking out of that window, Christopher Lee in NIGHT OF THE BIG HEAT.

ALL  the titles above are links that will lead you to features and galleries about that film. MORE GIFS to come in our #MONSTERMONDAY feature shortly! ENJOY!


STEADILY marching it's way up to 24k followers! Come and join us at OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE  UPDATED EVERYDAY, rare photographs, features, themed days and MUCH more...

ON SET : ANDRESS DRACULA DALEKS AND DINNING WITH FRANKENSTEIN


#ONSETSATURDAY that's going to HURT! Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee rehearse their 'punch up'...in the balcony of St Botolph's Church.. on set at Elstree film studios. All part of that great fight scene in Dracula AD 1972...

AND BELOW : A GIF shot, of how this shot turned out of the film! NEXT,  Roberta Tovey during the making of Dr Who and the Daleks with Peter Cushing at Shepperton studios, then Ursula Andress checking continuity with Eileen Head on the set of Hammer films, 'She' and finally, Peter Cushing shooting a scene for 'The Evil of Frankenstein' at Hammer films very own, Bray studios under the direction of Freddie Francis.

Friday 24 June 2016

LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF CLIP : 'A MORGUE???'

THERE'S A WORRY SELECTION of bodies popping up throughout a small suburb of Paris..and they all have their throats torn out! Police surgeon, Peter Cushing suspects something is a foot..or paw! Tyburn films, Legend of the Werewolf is one of a pair of films that neatly brought the Brit Horror Era to a close. Cushing made both Legend and The Ghoul with director, Freddie Francis. Kevin Francis, son of Fred was CEO of Tyburn, and looked at one point to have the winning formula to keep the Brit Fantasy Flick alive.


The Making Of Legend Of The Werewolf
Behind the Scenes Photographs, Script and Interviews HERE! SOON!

ALAS, THE SHIP had already left the dock and was sailing for tastes a new, splashed with gore, serial killers and mayhem. 'Legend', 'The Ghoul' and Cushing bring a certain dignity to the screen. A class of film, that would soon vanish from our screens.
 

IN THE CLIP ABOVE, Cushing is joined by Roy Castle. A performer who in the past had been a one man, dancing, singing, musician entertainer who had a vast experience of performing in variety, on both stage and tv. Castle appeared with Cushing in two other films, 'Dr Terrors House of Horrors' and 'Dr Who and the Daleks' both for Amicus films, who at one time were the only real competition to Hammer films. The Dr Who film was Amicus in all but name. Cushing and Castle knew each other well enough, to bounce and feed each other in their two scenes in 'Werewolf', and bring a certain black comedy-vaudeville to the film.


'LEGEND' WAS IN PART, a Tony (Hammer Films) Hinds script, which Kevin Francis added to. The two characters in this clip, funnily enough, do not appear in the first draft of the script! The film has a very neat cast, even Michael Ripper, credited as a 'Sewer Man', gets to re-enact his look of horror, first seen in Hammer films 'The Mummy' with Cushing and Lee back in 1959! Ron Moody plays the lovely scruffy ol zoo keeper, David Rintoul, the doomed Etoile, Lynn Dalby is a sensitive love interest, but Renee Houston in her last screen performance before her death in 1980, as Chou-Chou and Hugh Griffith as Maestro Pamponi, almost steal the show.


This film at the time of writing, still is without a dvd release.


Come Join Us At Our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE NOW!

#TBT : VINTAGE PETER CUSHING FROM HOLLYWOOD CLIP

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY , Peter Cushing's role in this light sentimental drama was overlooked by audiences and critics. Here again Cushing does much with a small role. Supporting stars, Tim Holt and Virginia Gilmore. LADDIE was one of several films that Cushing appeared in during his stay in Hollywood. 

It is believed he also screen tested for a role in Gene Towne and Graham Baker's version of 'Tom Brown's School Days', It's not clear if he actually got the role, shoot hos scenes or was rejected, as he is absent from the 1940 release. During this time Cushing also appeared in 'The Man In The Iron Mask' and 'They Dare Not Love' directed by James Whale, 'Vigil In The Night' (1939) with Carole Lombard, Brian Aherne and Anne Shirley, 'The Howards of Virginia' (1940) and 'A Chump at Oxford' with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in 1939.


 JOIN US at our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE NOW

Thursday 23 June 2016

#TBT : A BIT OF A CANINE WHIFF TO TODAY'S POSTS . . .


THERE'S A DEFINITE CANINE WHIFF, to this weeks ‪#‎throwbackthursday‬! A lovely example of Peter playing 'black comedy' in a scene from Tyburn films, 'Legend of the Werewolf' below, as we remember one of three flirts Cushing had with monsters, of the barking kind! Later today, we have the very 'barking' results from last weeks' 'Twilight Time Baskervilles Blu Ray Compo! 

THEN WE WILL BE BRINGING YOU SOME very early Hollywood Peter Cushing, in a clip from a film, that sounds as if it COULD be about a dog, but thankfully isn't! All that to come, in the meantime, let's sit and 'growl' about the fact that Legend of the Werewolf STILL isn't available as a commercial dvd or blu ray... it's enough to get anyone howling!!


Join US at our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE AND here at the WEBSITE!

CUSHING COLLECTABLES: ANNOTATED PAGES AUTOBIOGRAPHY NOTES


#COLLECTABLESWEDNESDAY I have never before shared images of these collectables, in fact only a handful of people have even ever seen them! But for you, today here they are!.... They are I guess, a one of originals in collectable terms. These are Peter Cushing's personal notes, written in his own hand, made during the compiling of his first autobiography.


THERE ARE 15 PAGES IN ALL, some are paragraphs in rough form, from the chapters of the book, lots of doodles, notes to himself and reminders to 'check this' with question marks...! These are the pages of notes that went to make the filmography and titles of television and theatre performances through out his long career, that appeared at the back of the book. Some titles are just shooting titles, that were changed upon the films release. He also lists he awards, tour date, also if a production were for tv or screen. They make fascinating reading as Cushing tries to chronologically piece together the puzzle. How I came upon these notes. . . . is a story in itself, which I will share with you, next week - Marcus



Our NEW and UPDATED Peter Cushing YOUTUBE CHANNEL is now OPEN. Don't miss an UPLOAD or Clip and SUBSCRIBE NOW!


PETER CUSHING'S FRANKENSTEIN FILMS : FrankensteinFriday EVERY
FRIDAY on our WEBSITE and OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE 
EVERY FRIDAY! 

Wednesday 22 June 2016

#CUSHINGCOLLECTABLES SCRIPT AND AMICUS


#collectables HERE ARE TWO GREAT EXAMPLES of Cushing Rare Collectables... on top... there are many annotated Peter Cushing scripts out there, but his script for the 1979 film TOUCH OF SUN is without doubt the most impressive. The title inner page has a hand drawn series of scenes from the film, all drawn by Peter with a ball point pen! Second, the Amicus Vault of Horror book, from Donald Fearney... two years ago Fearney released this book as a rare companion to his documentary. Lavishly illustrated with rare pics from Amicus films, the book cost £50...there were only TEN published!


CUSHING /SHERLOCK HOLMES GOODIES : 
EVERY SUNDAY AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
AND AT OUR INTERNET PLATFORMS
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...