Thursday 31 December 2020

A SAFE AND HAPPY 2021 : #PETERCUSHING BANNER!


POSTED AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE  an hour ago . . In what has been a challenging and extraordinary year, I’ve been grateful for your extraordinary friendship too…. thank you๐Ÿ˜Š Here's to new beginnings! Stay Safe, take care of yourself and each other. A Very Happy New Year Everyone! - Marcus
 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE

Wednesday 30 December 2020

THE LOST PETER CUSHING SHERLOCK HOLMES EPISODES! EXTRACTS AND UNSEEN CUSHING INTERVIEW!


WHAT A SPLENDID WAY TO END a terrible year... You may remember some time ago, I shared the exciting news of some Peter Cushing BBC Sherlock Holmes 'Lost footage' having been found? I think no one could quite believe me... BUT here they are, over at Facebook PCASUK Fan Page... extracts from Kaleidoscope, with some superb colour tinting work by Jonathan Evans Coley๐Ÿ˜Š There is also an UNSEEN interview with Peter, raw footage of him discussing the role and how he got that amazing costume from 1971. Peter looks quite dapper too. The extracts are very interesting and wonderful to see at last! With a bit of luck, Jonathan hopes to provide us with some details of how the whole adventure of finding these clips began and some background on the whole process. Well done Kaleidoscope, top marks, Jonathan! ENJOY! 
 


'Between 9th September 23rd December 1969, Peter Cushing and Nigel Stock starred in 16 episodes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 'Sherlock Holmes' series for the BBC. Of these 16 episodes, ten remain missing from the BBC archives. In 2019 four extended excerpts were recovered as subtitled black and white 'telerecordings' intended for Dutch television. Tey have been restored to their original colour format and are now presented here for the first time. The excerpts are bridged by clips from an unseen 1971 interview for Dutch TV's 'AvroSkoop' in which Peter Cushing discusses his playing of #SherlockHolmes both on television and film . .

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE

Sunday 27 December 2020

#CARRIEFISHER REMEMBERING CARRIE : CHRISTMAS CHEQUES NOT IN THE POST ITS HERE! SPENDING XMAS WITH HELEN.

IT SEEMED, quite surreal back in 2016 posting a banner and news of Carrie Fisher's passing, and that feeling hasn't gone away, even today . . . FOUR years on.

TODAY, I am sure many Star Wars fans and lovers of Carrie's work will be feeling the same, sharing posts and photographs of a woman, who was never dull, touched all she met, was a mountain of energy and fun and yet sadly, like many of us, carried another life, that sometimes worked against her, making even the sunniest of days, dark and exhausting.

ON DECEMBER 27TH 2016, the day we lost CARRIE FISHER, the shock rippled around the world, and I am sure today, many will again feel that disbelief. Many here of course will know her connection to Peter Cushing, through the movie, STAR WARS. With Cushing playing the evil Tarkin and Carrie as the vulnerable Princess Leia, they together played a key scene, with Peter cranking up his performance, as the cruel and most Machiavellian of characters in the Star Wars universe. Carrie later shared how difficult it had been for her to find the motivation, to hate Peter's Tarkin. She too,like many before her, had been charmed and moved, by his kindness and manner on set, it was quite a task to actually say those lines.



EVEN THOUGH she left us a wonderful library of work on screen and on the page, it's a weird feeling, knowing, she isn't around to cheer us up and make us laugh in her interviews. As a teen she was my first crush, she dazzled and shone very brightly . . on screen and in life, a real Princess!๐Ÿ˜ŠWe remember Carrie today . .. 


IT'S CHRISTMAS 1956 and this year along with Peter's traditional skilfully hand crafted Christmas card, Helen gets another one via the Midland Bank...with no doubt a Christmas cheque! The inscription reads, in Peter's hand : 'To my darling Helen from your most loving Peter' the envelope is inscribed 'For Darling Helen'...

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing OBE

Friday 25 December 2020

A MERRY CHRISTMAS : STAY SAFE, TAKE OF YOURSELVES AND EACH OTHER


To all our PCAS followers and friends, whoever you are, wherever you are, I wish you a safe and Happy Christmas.๐Ÿ˜ŠTake care of yourselves and each other ๐Ÿ˜‰- Marcus Brooks

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing OBE

Tuesday 22 December 2020

FRIENDSHIPS LIKE THIS ONE ARE HARD TO FIND . .

FRIENDSHIPS like this one are hard to find and keep.This one went on for decades, professionally and privately. . .  and until the very end.


 

 

'Beneath this outward aloofness and dignity, lies a very sensitive human being.  Sensitive ; warm and often suffering from nerves . . ' Peter Cushing hits the button that many suspected of Christopher Lee for years. 

'What a dear man Peter was! I met him on Hammer films 'The Curse of Frankenstein', we became friends. How fortunate I was to be teamed with him' Christopher Lee often admitted, he often had a tough time with props, it was I think very humble of him, to shine the light on the fact that his weakness was Peter Cushing's gift.  

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing OBE

 

ARE YOU A WINNER? #WARNERBROTHERS 'CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN' COMPETITION : ANSWERS IMAGES AND SEVEN WINNERS!


CONGRATULATIONS! Many thanks to Warner Brothers, for supporting the competition.. and to the MANY who entered! I have revealed the answers to the competition questions, on this banner. You find the how we pick the winners and full answers, below!

HOW WE PICKED THE WINNERS:
All entries names are printed onto several pieces of yellow A4 paper. Each name is then snipped, into a small strip of paper, that paper with the name, is folded three times to hide the name. All the folded name strips are then put together into our black top hat! Usually, the slips are pulled out of the hat, randomly... this time all the names were picked out, one by one, the hat being shaken to mix up the contents after each one, but on pulling out the the 58th correct answer... 64th correct answer, the 67th correct answer drawn, the 69th correct answer drawn and finally the 74th correct answer... these were declared the winners! Why do you think THOSE numbers were chosen specifically this time?? I wonder, if you can guess why? 

THE ANSWERS:

ANSWER ONE: B Bernard Bresslaw. This actor almost became cast as the Creation in 'The Curse of Frankenstein' because of his height and frame. Christopher Lee was chosen it is claimed, because his fee was cheaper than Bresslaw!

ANSWER TWO: C. The only production in the given list, which Melvyn Hayes did not work with Peter Cushing was the Children film Foundation 'Saturday Morning Cinema series, 'Here Come The Double Deckers'. All the other titles, Cushing and Hayes appeared in that film.

ANSWER THREE: True. Hammer films The Curse of Frankenstein was the first theatrical Frankenstein feature film to be produced in colour in 1957.


ANSWER FOUR: B Peter Cushing's contract with Hammer films, named the film as 'The Curse of Frankenstein' . . .

ANSWER FIVE: True. Among several ideas and concepts discussed by Hammer films, before the Curse of Frankenstein, had found it's script, cast and funding, was the making of a black and white feature, hopefully starring Boris Karloff.. as interesting as this concept and film could have been, pipe dream that thankfully, did not come to fruition...

ANSWER SIX: B. When The Curse of Frankenstein had its premiere in the UK, it was held at the Warner Theatre, London. Warner really pulled out the stops, the cast, producers all attended....as well as several pieces of the Bray Studios set of Frankenstein laboratory, which were set up in the entrance foyer of the theatre. Cast and producers posed with Christopher Lee's ghoulish water tank, a bandaged dummy of Lee's monster lay in the tank. Guests that night and paying costumers over the next few weeks, walked through the set of test tubes and cob-webs on their way, to their seats! This photograph has been posted and shared here on this Facebook page and the website in the past. The biggest give away is modern lamp shade in the ceiling and... the cardboard Peter Cushing standee, at the back of the set, holding the severed head at the acid tank! I did actually mention the 'static looking Peter Cushing' in the comments thread at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE


ABOVE: James Carreras with Cushing at the acid tank playing around for the press, and in the unclipped small snap the Peter Cushing Baron Frankenstein Standee cardboard figure!

ANSWER SEVEN: C The Curse of Frankenstein, was produced with a budget of around 55 thousand GB pounds, it did indeed go on to make over 70 times its budget during its world wide theatrical run . . .


ABOVE in the industry press papers, Warner and Hammer made no secret of their success. In the above photographs featured on 'showmanship' you can spot photographs of the foyer display in the Warner theatre too! 

Many thanks to all of you who stuck with this, our longest running competition, a question a day, seven questions . . I wanted to give you a Christmas Comp this year, that would keep you busy, and many were, for sure ๐Ÿ˜ I think many had a lot of fun too. Again, many thanks also to Warner Bros Archive Collection for supporting this and all our previous competitions. IF you haven't read our full review of the film, I will place a link below..and if you ain't got your copy yet, I highly recommend this remastered classic Cushing, Lee Hammer feature... the extras package is terrific and the remastering of film IS very good indeed. The Curse of Frankenstein, is now VERY much alive! Take Care and stay Safe, everyone ๐Ÿ˜Š - Marcus


YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing OBE

Sunday 20 December 2020

THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN : WARNER BROTHERS TWO DISC REMASTERED SPECIAL EDITION BLU RAY 2020

BACK IN 1957 in the Hammer film ‘The Curse of Frankenstein' Peter Cushing with flare, brings a body BACK TO LIFE! Fast forward to December 2020 and Warner Brothers Archive Collection, with a superb 4K remastering RESURRECTS this 63 year old classic and iconic Hammer film, into a TWO DISC living cinema legend! It's well and truly breathing and has never looked better, take my word for it, it has MUCH more than a pulse, with a casket busting full of extras.

THE PLOT: THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN: HAMMER FILMS (1957)

The Curse of Frankenstein chronicles the misadventures of Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) as he relates to a priest the events that culminate in his current predicament. At a young age, his mother passes, and he inherits his family's fortune, which he uses to hire Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart) to instruct him in the medical sciences. Of sharp intellect, Victor eventually exhausts Krempe of his knowledge, at which point they become partners in the pursuit of scientific advancement. But as Victor's dedication to his project grows, so too grows Krempe's disdain. His unchecked ambition eventually leads to his demise, as he revives a dead body (The Creature Christopher Lee) but the results are not what he expected. He is executed after being thought mad by the priest to whom he tells his tale.

AND SO, HERE WE ARE, a day many #Hammerfilm / #PeterCushng fans in the US thought, would never arrive. 'The Curse of Frankenstein' has finally made it's way State-side, with a  Region A Blu-ray release. Again, there is much to celebrate in this release, it's a package that maintains the standards of the Warner Team previous Hammer blu ray releases, namely 'Dracula AD 1972' 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' and their Hammer film blu ray box set 'Hammer Horror Classics' back in 2015. There has been something very rewarding about watching ALL of Warner's treatments of these title. After years and years, viewing these films in more often than not, substandard presentations and at times in very disappointing quality. Press play and right away, you'll see the results of Warner Archive Collection, restoration of the film, to its wonderful 4K scans of preserved separated elements!


Warner brings us 'The Curse of Frankenstein' in not just one, but three separate aspect ratios. Disc one presents the film in either 1.85:1 (US theatrical) or 1.66:1 (UK theatrical), while disc two presents the film in 1.37:1 (open matte for TV). Many who protested at the ratio and colour grading of the 2013 Lionsgate Blu Ray, should be MORE than happy with the choices available here. It seems that Warner has given a lot of thought to the reception that the 2013 release received, and given fans a package that should please everyone...



THE VISUALS:

THE COLOUR through-out is rich with a quite variety of hues, really making the most of the the on-set lighting and the use of cinematographer Jack Asher's amazing colour gels. The exterior woodland areas are just like you would expect them to look in a Hammer film, LUSH GREEN and BROWN. The same can be at last said of the colour and detail in Bernard Robertson's set design too. The Baron's home is great evidence how Robertson made the most of every inch of the set, with colours of the furnishings, paintings with hue soaked walls, curtains, here being seen very clearly, and in a selection of ratios for the first time, since the film was viewed back in 1957. The REMASTERING IS impressive!

 

THE BARON'S lab dances with colour, solid blacks and contrast giving you clear shadows, while subtly creating the atmosphere in places like, the creatures cell, the shadowy corridor to the cell, the Baron's dank lock up in the prologue. Nothing here looks washed out, over exposed or too bright, from what could have been errors or problems in the UK process. It's a 'screen-capture-fan-dream-scape! Every scene looks like a painting! It's all THERE, just as that Hammer crew, headed by Terence Fisher, wanted it to be! It's just taken decades to finally get onto our home cinema screens!

THE AUDIO:

The audio here is presented in English 2.0 mono DTS-HD with optional subtitles in English SDH. As with most single channel-sourced audio tracks, this one lacks any real dynamics. But nothing is lost with this audio, as the film’s original soundtrack is more than exceptable. The dialogue and wild-tracking is very clear. The storms, lab and accompanying sound effects supplement James Bernard’s score, without OTT distorted crashing or overpowering and competing . If you are watching wearing headphones, outside of very mild hiss, this is a clean soundtrack, that’s free of any dropouts or distortion.

PERSONALLY, one of the very enjoyable experiences in watching all of the Warner Hammer Blu Ray releases has been, spotting things in a viewing, that you have NEVER seen before! Like many out there, I have watched these films many times, but for me screening a much loved Cushing classic, given the Warner Team treatment, presents the feature as a quite different experience... this Curse of Frankenstein Blu Ray, is no exception to that expectation, the film looks and sounds, quite different!

THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957) - 2 DISC SPECIAL EDITION
 
New 2020 1080p HD Restoration Masters 
from 4K Scans of Preservation Separation Elements
 
Run Duration: 83:00
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English
Aspect Ratio: Disc One-1.85:1-16x9 Widescreen and 1.66:1-16x9 Widescreen
Disc Configuration: 2-BD 50
 
EXTRA FEATURES:
New feature commentary by Screenwriter/Film Historian Steve Haberman and Film maker/Film Historian Constantine Nasr, Newly Remastered 1.37:1 Open Matte version of feature.
New Featurettes include: The Resurrection Men: Hammer, Frankenstein and the Rebirth of the Horror Film, Hideous Progeny: The Curse of Frankenstein and the English Gothic Tradition, Torrents of Light: The Art of Jack Asher, Diabolus in Musica: James Bernard and the Sound of #HammerHorror, Original Theatrical Trailer (HD)
 
A POINT WORTH MENTIONING, for those who purchased and own copies of the Liongate Region B Blu-ray and DVD release of the film! Indeed for some, the release was not to their liking or preferences BUT you may still want to hang onto it that release, as it does carry a load of extras features that are not carried over to this release, which includes:
 
The Terence Fisher-directed Four Sided Triangle from 1952, which is included as a bonus film (in standard definition); An audio commentary on the main feature by Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby; the 33-minute Frankenstein Reborn: The Making of a Hammer Classic documentary; the Life with Sir featurette with Joyce Broughton, Peter Cushing personal secretary and carer in his final years ; the Tales of Frankenstein: The Face in the Tombstone Mirror TV episode from 1958; The World of Hammer: The Curse of Frankenstein TV episode from 1990; an image gallery; and The Creator's Spark: Hammer's Frankenstein Begins set of liner notes, which are accessible as a .PDF file via DVD-ROM.
 
AND FINALLY, Warner Archive’s Blu-ray release of The Curse of Frankenstein is with no doubt, the finest remastering of  the Hammer Cushing Lee Classic. Fans have waited a LONG time for this title, to add to their collections and Warner has indeed presented a long loved classic, with very high standards and an excellent package of extras to support it! I hope that lovers of the genre and the film, will now go, ORDER and support it! This is VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing OBE

Saturday 19 December 2020

#JEREMYBULLOCH AND #PETERLAMONT RIP : THE FINAL #PCASUK #COMPETITION QUESTION AND #PETERCUSHING 'CORRUPTION' MOVIE ON THE CARDS FOR #2021


THE SEVENTH AND FINAL QUESTION  has now been posted at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page. Answers and entries can now be sent in, using ONLY the Facebook MESSAGE button the the page. As with ALL PCASUK competitions, this competition is OPEN to everyone! Wherever YOU are๐Ÿ˜‰ There are FIVE copies of the Warner Brothers Archive Collection TWO DISC SPECIAL EDITION REMASTERED BLU RAY of #Hammerfilms 'The Curse of Frankenstein' up for grabs! This classic gothic horror starring #PeterCushing and #ChristopherLee has never looked better, and the stack of new extras included in this release, makes this a must have for any Hammer, Cushing and Lee fan!
 
   

Special Features:
SPECS HERE:
THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957) - 2 DISC SPECIAL EDITION
New 2020 1080p HD Restoration

Masters from 4K Scans of Preservation Separation Elements
Run Time: 83:00
Subtitles: English SDH

Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English
Aspect Ratio: Disc One-1.85:1-16x9 Widescreen and 1.66:1-16x9 Widescreen
Disc Configuration: 2-BD 50

New feature commentary by Screenwriter/Film Historian Steve Haberman and Filmmaker/Film Historian Constantine Nasr, Newly Remastered 1.37:1 Open Matte version of feature. New Featurettes include: The Resurrection Men: Hammer, Frankenstein and the Rebirth of the Horror Film, Hideous Progeny: The Curse of Frankenstein and the English Gothic Tradition, Torrents of Light: The Art of Jack Asher, Diabolus in Musica: James Bernard and the Sound of #HammerHorror, Original Theatrical Trailer (HD)

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE: CLICK 

Jeremy Bulloch 1945-2020 . . l have paced the posting of a respectful mention to the very sad news of actor Jeremy Bulloch passing at the PCASUK sites, as even though he did have a connection to Peter Cushing. . .  it's a blurred one! 

Bulloch appeared in the 1958 Stanley Baker / Peter Cushing film, 'Violent Playground' it was his first film, but he was uncredited... he also appeared fleetingly in The Devil's Agent, with Christopher Lee in 1962. This film has the weird association with Peter in being the one and only movie where, for some still 'unrevealed' reason he was edited OUT of the entire film. Unfortunately for Lee, Billie Whitelaw, Marius Goring and Bullock...they were not. It's a stinker. 

Jeremy Bulloch at the Star Wars The Identities Exhibition in 2017 ever popular with even the youngest of Boba Fett Star Wars fans

BUT a quick look at Bulloch's CV, you can see he went on to appear in some superb television work and of course his role as the original #BobaFett in 'Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, and Return of the Jedi. He also appeared as a pilot in Episode III Revenge of the Sith. . He is prominent part of the Star Wars family and history. . . and that is why, I am posting this quite fab on set photograph today of him at work on 'The Empire Strikes Back' with director Irvin Kershner the late Dave Prowse, who also sadly left us on the 28th of November 2020... Over at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page I have opened the post for everyone to feel free to leave comments on the thread.. as he was such a well loved and respected presence at signings and conventions, I am sure many of you will have memories of meeting him too...


LAST NIGHT also brought the very sad news, of the passing of the legendary Peter Lamont, production designer on some of the most prolific films of the past 60 years, Oscar winner and four-time nominee, he also worked on 'The Seven-Per-Cent Solution,' 'Fiddler on the Roof' 'Titanic', a string of Bond films, Aliens ... and even found time for 'Top Secret', a neat little comedy spy spoof that #PeterCushing appeared in, back in 1984. Prolific in his profession, respected and 'A much beloved member of the Bond family and a giant in the industry," producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli... 


'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 probably more famous for creating a very well known cinematic character, ... do you know what that is?? 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing OBE
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