Showing posts with label bray studios. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bray studios. Show all posts

Saturday 20 June 2020

NEWLY SOURCED CHRISTOPHER LEE INTERVIEW ON SET OF 'DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE'


OVER AT UK Peter Cushing Appreciation society Facebook Fan Page we have just shared a 'cracker ' of a newly source VINTAGE INTERVIEW with #CHRISTOPHERLEE shot on the set of Hammer films latest addition to their DRACULA series, 'DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE' in 1968. Lee talks about his Hammer films up to this point, the make used in playing his first role for Hammer with Peter Cushing, the creation in 'The Curse of Frankenstein' in 1957 and how he thinks Dracula is NOT a horror character, and how difficult he finds it to play the Count!' It's great to see Lee quite sparky and at the top of his game! You can go straight to this post at the FAN PAGE on what is our WEEKLY Christopher Lee Saturday! :  HERE!




MORE DRACULA but of a different kind...TODAY we also remember actor DAVID PEEL who was born today 19th June 1920. There are few who have made such an impact as Peel. He only appeared in ONE film for Hammer films and I believe only appeared in one film with Peter Cushing.  



ONLY ONE ROLE, one film and yet, enter VAMPIRE HAMMER into google images, and he will appear in most of the pages. Despite the success long after The Brides of Dracula was made...audiences felt a little cheated that it was a DRACULA film, without Dracula!....I suspect that Peel wasn't impressed with either the film or the subject matter. It is good to see today and for the past few years, fans and critics alike now warming to Peel's playing of the Baron. It is sad he is no longer with us though, to see that reward . . .



AN UNHAPPY MAN, with troubles and issues. You probably know, he left the industry early on and went into antiques and real estate, but life for Peel was certainly difficult. We remember him today though, for that one Hammer film and the impressive performance as Baron Meinster, the boy vampire who certainly pushed the boundaries of vampire film!

Thursday 21 May 2020

CAN YOU NAME THOSE FACES???


POSTED TODAY over at The UK Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page Peter Cushing and a gathering of other film and tv stars, who came together to help Save Hammer Films Bray studios in 1990. Cushing was actually helicoptered to the site, from his home in Whitstable, Kent to Bray studios on the day and landed on the green, just at the side of the Thames river! I put out the question of, how many of those four other faces did everyone recognise?? A question that proves that PCASUK is an international society and that there are certainly more followers and fans of Peter Cushing at the PCASUK sites from the US and Europe than there are from the UK! It was a tough question, with only a few correct suggestions! Can YOU name those faces? I will post the answer here tomorrow!

Thursday 23 April 2020

ST GEORGE'S DAY: OBE THANKS TO SCOONESY SFX AND NOW THE SCREAMNGS STARTS!


TODAY'S #WATCHWITHCUSHING #FACEBOOKWATCHPARTY feature is the 1973 Amicus film, ''AND NOW, THE SCREAMING STARTS!' CLICK the blue link and JOIN and ENJOY the party, which will be LIVE from 10.00pm GMT today! 

IT WAS THE ONLY time when Hammer films, main competitor, Amicus, stepped into the same domain and era . . gothic and ghost story. Producers Subotsky and Rosenberg knew the way to save money that would easily be one of their main money pits, was keep the sets and locations, contemporary. Hammer were very good at recycling their sets and props, wizard set designer Bernard Robinson found a way to present what was an impressive studio lot structure as Caste Dracula one day . . and as a 1910 boat harbour in down town Hong Kong in the next! Amicus based their films in simple close contemporary settings. So close that, the seating was often still warm from the cast and crew who had commissioned and worked on that set. In the green room the coffee in the pot, was also still warm! Amicus were, cheap. Cheap as chips in fact. 


SYNOPSIS!
'This creepy, atmospheric horror film from England's Amicus Productions dispenses with much of the tongue-in-cheek presentation of their popular '70s horror anthologies (such as Asylum and Dr. Terror's House of Horrors) in favor of a more adult-oriented approach. The story begins in the 18th century, as a young stable hand tries to prevent nobleman Fengriffen (Herbert Lom) from raping a young servant girl -- who happens to be the stable hand's wife -- and for this transgression has his hand lopped off. Flash forward to the present, where Fengriffen's ancestor (Ian Ogilvy) and his wife (Stephanie Beacham), now living on the ancestral estate, are haunted by the servant's vengeful spirit, as well as the severed hand itself, which roams the gloomy corridors of the mansion.'


DIRECTOR FREDDIE FRANCIS often went on record stating he didn't know which was more lacking foundations or structure, the sets or the scripts! But, somehow, it more often than not, worked.. and worked very well. 'AND NOW, THE SCREAMINGS STARTS!'' released in 1973, directed by Roy ward Baker and starring Peter Cushing, Stephanie Beacham and Ian Ogily looks better then than your average Amicus film. all the exteriors were shot on location at . . Hammer's 'Brides of Dracula' and many others. . Oakley Court in Windsor, interiors at Shepperton studios, where for one time, they actually built their OWN set. Much camera time is spent mind you, showing it off!







I VERY MUCH LIKE this film, I love the Amicus 'wandering hand' featured in at least three other of their films, it worked for its keep! I love Peter's hair too, which was also made to earn it's rental turning up in two other Cushing projects, 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell', 'Orson Wells Great Mysteries' . . I have no idea why or how Cushing managed to get Subotsky to pay for it... and again on the subject of wonga, the screen time of the top-billed stars Peter Cushing, Herbert Lom and Patrick Magee does not exceed 28, 11 and five minutes, respectively. Subotsky was a master tailor and certainly cut the cloth, even though sometimes he 'passed on the buttons'  . .


HAPPY ST GEORGE'S DAY! Saint George is the patron saint of England noted and celebrated with legendary stories of his slaying a dragon and saving a distressed maiden.... Peter Cushing loved history, collected books, made model knights, created 'little wars' gaming props, pageantry figures, reproducing the flags and anything connected with connections or reference this era. He adored this whole time period, with chivalry, knights and medieval castles. He loved appearing in films set in these times too and always very much looked the part! Peter made reference to St George when he was awarded with his 'Order Of the British Empire' medal (OBE) back in 1989. Many at the time, thought he deserved more, Christopher Lee made a point of saying, 'It was too little, too late', he too should have been awarded a knighthood!' Maybe? But for Peter Cushing it was one of his most proudest moments. ..


Footnote: The whole process of the awards and honours takes years . . it often starts with an OBE and travels up, if you have been very active in charity work and / or good deeds. Lee was right, it was too late, but Peter's humbleness could sometimes be his undoing, he often challenged such ideas as 'too much fuss'. You have to be 'officially suggested' for such honours, and it always surprises me, who in fact kick started Peter's OBE application. Not a close friend, a well connected individual, business person or perosn in 'the know'.... it was Ian Scoones, special effects guy for Hammer films, worked on Dr Who, Blake's Seven and many many others films and tv shows uncredited . . living in French at the time. Back in the late 50's /1960's Peter had helped get him a job at Bray studios, he was a young lad and learnt his skills at trade with Les Bowie, who managed the SFX company who delivered most of the FX's for Hammer and other British companies. Ian stuck at it and pushed for the application and without him, Peter would not have been awarded anything . .



TO MANY IAN SCOONES is a name that would be associated with film and television special effects, working with the LES BOWIE Special Effects team and at the BBC. TV shows like the Hammer House of Horror show, Dr Who. Films like 1984, Thunderbirds working for Hammer films Bray studios, many films in which Peter Cushing appeared like, Frankenstein Created Woman, She, Night Creatures. Ian graduated from the Medway College of Art in 1960 and finding himself without employment, made some inquiries to Peter Cushing, who he had been a fan of, since he was a child. Cushing, in turn after meeting Ian, was instrumental in helping him gain employment with Les Bowie . . and the rest as they say, is history.


IT WAS SOMETHING THAT IAN NEVER FORGOT, that had Peter not helped him on his way, he may never have got a foot in the door, let alone employment, in such a competitive area. It was Ian's idea to sponsor the application, for Peter to be award an OBE, an 'Order of the British Empire' Medal, awarded by the Queen and government of the day, for services to the entertainment industry . . . Here for the first time on this page, is the actual letter that Ian received from the Prime Minister's office, telling him, that Peter Cushing was to be award the OBE . . . quite an achievement! Peter Cushing was extremely surprised and very humbled to receive the news of his award and Ian Scoones made all that possible! From 1994, Ian lived in retirement, first in Spain, then in Bulgaria, where he died on January 20th 2010, aged of 69.


TRIVIA: St George is also mentioned in Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula ' In the first chapter, the ill-fated Jonathan Harker is on his way to Count Dracula’s home, and has arrived in Romania on a very auspicious day. “Do you know what day it is?” asks the landlady at Bistritz. “It is the eve of St George’s Day. Tonight, when the clock strikes midnight, all evil things in the world will have full sway.” Needless to say, things didn't really get much better for Jonathan, from there onwards! 😄  Happy St George's Day! Please Stay Safe Everyone! - Marcus



 PLEASE COME JOIN US at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE TODAY!

Friday 17 April 2020

ROY ASHTON MAKE UP ARTIST REMEMBERED


REMEMBERING Master Make Up Artist, Roy Ashton, who was born today 17th April 1909! There is so much you could say about Roy, but his work kind of says it all! So many amazing creations in what was the golden era of Hammer films, Amicus and Tyburn too! I was very humbled to spend time with him at his home and while he was working, and during these times saw at first hand what a true gentleman he was and quite the perfectionist, with a lovely dry wit and friendly character. Roy sadly left us in 1995, but left behind for us, a wonderful and original body of work, that still entertains and frightens us today! Personally, his letters I still treasure, his work I still very much am in awe of, for sure





OVER AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE I have asked everyone to tell us and share their favourite 'Ashton Creation' in the comments below. BELOW is an impressive filmography of Roy's work. A #HappyBirthday, Roy Ashton a true magician and creator of things of nightmares and dreams too 

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
The Horror Dracula (1958)
The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)
The Mummy (1959)
The Stranglers of Bombay (1959)
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)
The Curse of the Werewolf (1960)
The Terror of the Tongs (1961)
These Are the Damned (1962)
The Phantom of the Opera (1962)
Night Creatures (1962) Captain Clegg
The Pirates of Blood River (1962)
 

ABOVE: A WHILE AGO in one of our weekly PCASUK TUESDAY TOUGHY questions, we celebrated ROY ASHTON'S work with PETER CUSHING in 'Tales from the Crypt' (1972)

Paranoiac (1963)
The Old Dark House (1963)
The Crimson Blade (1963)
Nightmare (1964)
The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)
The Kiss of the Vampire (1964)
The Gorgon (1964)
 

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1964)
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb (1964)
The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964)
The Skull (1965)
She (1965)
The Plague of the Zombies (1966)
The Reptile (1966)
The Devil Rides Out (1968)
The House That Dripped Blood (1970)
Hands of the Ripper (1971)
The Devils (1971)
Tales from the Crypt (1972)
The Creeping Flesh (1972)
Asylum (1972)
The Vault of Horror (1973)
The Ghoul (1975)



SEE OUR POSTS every day at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE HERE! and the EXPANDED version here!! EXTRA IMAGES and FEATURES every day here at our WEBSITE!

Monday 6 April 2020

A TRIP TO THE CELLAR PLUS CHRISTOPHER LEE ON CUSHING AND HAMMER FILMS

 
I WONDER HOW MANY of you remember this, clip that I shared at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE TODAY??? Clever editing and timing using footage of Peter Cushing from the 1963 film, 'The Man Who Finally Died' which also starred actor Stanley Baker . . 


#ChristopherLee SATURDAY! Here is a shot you don't often see, from a contact sheet of many from this day during the production. Director Freddie Francis, with producer Aida Young with Christopher Lee during the making of '#DraculahasRisenfromtheGrave' at Pinewood. Francis had just finished '#TortureGarden' with #PeterCushing for Amicus, and four episodes of the tv series, 'The Man in the Suitcase'! What a variety! Hmmm.. those were the days ðŸ˜Š


AND FINALLY TODAY, another #WATCHWITHCUSHING! Here is a great clip from the people at #Cinemax 😊 #ChristopherLee shares some memories of working with #PeterCushing and the fun he and Peter had working for #Hammerfilms. As you probably know both he and Peter were CAST in 22 films though not always appearing in scenes together, I wonder which film do YOU think stands as their best collaboration and WHY??? 

YOU MIGHT FIND this little list helpful! The 22 films are : Hamlet (1948) .. no scenes together, Moulin Rogue (1952) .. no scenes together, The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Dracula (1958) The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), The Mummy (1959), The Gorgon (1964), Dr Terror's House of Horror's (1965), The Skull (1965), She (1965), Night of the Big Heat (1967), Scream and Scream Again (1967)... no scenes together, One More Time (1970) ... no scenes together, The House that Dripped Blood (1971) ... no scenes together, I, Monster (1971), Dracula AD 1972 (1972), Horror Express (1972), The Creeping Flesh (1973), Nothing But the Night (1973), The Satanic Rites of Dracula ( 1973), Arabian Adventure (1979).. no scenes together, The House of the Long Shadows (1983)

ME? I will go between Horror Express and maybe The Creeping Flesh! Why? I am not quite sure, I have a theory🤔🤔 ... but at the Facebook Fan Page, I am asking maybe you can tell me? 😉 - Marcus


The FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE open to EVERYONE. Come and JOIN US! HERE!

Monday 2 March 2020

RARE THE GORGON BEHIND THE SCENES COLOUR PHOTOGRAPH PLUS CUSHING IN OZ!


HERE'S A VERY NEAT colour photograph of Peter Cushing and actress Barbara Shelley during the making of The Gorgon at Bray studios. I purchased the original negative for this publicity photograph back in the late 1970's, it's been posted here once before, but it's a good one.


You can follow and catch our posts FIRST at the Facebook PCASUK 
Fan Page here! 

WHEN THIS PIC WAS POSTED at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE yesterday someone asked if I wasn't worried about posting such a rare pic, on Facebook... So I explained, I post pics for people to do exactly that, to share. Anything I have, own or is sent to me by good folk out there I share. BUT I also include a bit of promo text on the pic, to share where it has been cleaned and repaired if necessary... here. In the majority of cases these are pics on which, we do not own the copyright, this is a hobby, no money exchanged or made. :) There are authors and collectors out there though, that are under the impression that the little watermark is implying I or we own them... nope. This pic today I do own, hence my name. Happens rarely. If you post something on the net, it's gone, the world owns it today. If anyone wants to repost or share a pic that's wonderful. If you want to take it and take off the watermark, that's not really the game.. but your choice, so many here are posted for the first time, so people who know their stills... know where it has come from and that someone has lifted the watermark. Weird that people would do that, unless they maybe dislike or hate the page 😄😉... or us having fun and a reward for working so hard on the posts for fans and keeping the memory of Peter Cushing alive and relevant. . . who knows???  But, I am sure... some do 😉😊


THE LATEST painting by artist, #DARYLJOYCE 😊 This one is a cracker, you think? 😊 After the not so roaring success of the sequel to #DrWho and the Daleks (1965) film, 'Dalek Invasion Earth 2150 AD' (1966) the planned next #Dalek / Dr Who / #PeterCushing feature film, based on the #BBC tv episode 'The Chase' sadly didn't happen... BUT what a treat it could have been, if it HAD! Congrats to Daryl on another fine piece of work! 😊😉

REPOST : CUSHING IN AUSTRALIA 1977!  The text taken from Cushing's second book Past Forgetting: Memoirs of the Hammer Years published in 1988.

'In western Australia, where I thoroughly enjoyed working with John Izzard of swan television in 1977, I had quite an extraordinary experience with an ostrich, a tobacco addict! It stalked me, its beady eyes watching my every move and each time I lit a cigarette, it shot its neck out (like a chameleons tongue catching some runaway insect) and snatched the fag from my lips!! Perhaps Rod Hull encountered that same bird, and got the idea for his act with emu?'


CHRISTOPHER LEE once said that Peter Cushing had a laugh that could clear a restaurant in 30 seconds flat! And it must be said, if you ever get the chance to catch a clip of Peter laughing, it was a belter!

Photos in panel:
Top Left:#PeterCushing and close, life time friend,Peter Gray.
Next right: Cushing in costume with lead actor Robert Stack on the set of John Paul Jones (1959)
Next Right : With CEO of #Hammerfilms, James Carrreras at the premier of The Curse of Frankenstein in 1957
Middle: Peter and wife #HelenCushing on holiday in #Norwich.
Far Right: Peter and #ChristopherLee, on set at Bray studios during the making of Hammer films, 'The Gorgon' (1965)
 


BEHIND THE SCENES ON HAMMER FILMS 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' a full feature with #contactsheets and press stills! RIGHT HERE!

Monday 3 February 2020

NEWS: NEW REMASTERED DEFINITIVE COLLECTORS EDITION OF EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN COMING FROM SCREAM FACTORY!


NEWS: Scream Factory is releasing Hammer's 'The Evil Of Frankenstein' staring Peter Cushing on blu-ray

SCREAM FACTORY PRESS RELEASE BELOW:
**NEW TITLE ANNOUNCEMENT**


'Our love for Hammer Films continues into the new year with an upgraded version of 'THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN' starring Peter Cushing. Coming soon to Blu-ray from us in an all-new definitive edition! Details we have at this time are as follows:
National street date for North America (Region A) is 5/19/2020

This is being presented as a Collector’s Edition release and will come guaranteed with a slip-cover in its first three months of release.

The newly commissioned artwork you see pictured comes to us from artist Mark Maddox (Dracula: Prince of Darkness, Frankenstein Created Woman). This art will be front-facing and the reverse side of the wrap will feature the
original theatrical artwork.


 

New extras are in progress and will be announced on a later date (March timing). We can confirm today though that we are proceeding with a new transfer of the film!




THE PCASUK REVIEW of this classic can be found with GALLERY  HERE!
 
PRE ORDER DIRECTLY NOW HERE! 
The first 500 orders from our site will receive an exclusive limited-edition 18” x 24” rolled poster of the exclusive new illustration.



Friday 3 January 2020

ARE YOU A WINNER? HAMMER VOLUME INDICATOR BLU RAY PCAS COMPETITION

 
ALL FOUR CUSHING CHRISTMAS COMPETITIONS WINNERS have been  drawn today, and winners names published and revealed at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE FOLLOW this link, if you would like to share your winning or your congrats wishes!
 
CONGRATULATIONS MELVYN! YOU are a WINNER😄😊 The answer to this competition was D : Lucy, which many, many of you answered correctly Thank you to everyone who took part and to Indicator / Powerhouse who sponsored this PCAS competition YOU can order your copy of Hammer Volume Four : Faces of Fear DIRECTLY HERE HERE!
 
 
OUR last and FIFTH PCAS Christmas Competition is STILL live and open until January 12th 2020. 😮 Worth having a go??
 
 

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