Showing posts with label oliver reed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oliver reed. Show all posts

Saturday 18 January 2020

WE GOT WINNERS! HAVE YOU GOT THE PRIZES?? INDICATOR / POWERHOUSE BOX SET PRIZE!


CONGRATULATIONS STEWART and DAN! Stewart has bagged a copy of the #Indicator / #Powerhousefilms #Hammerfilms box set, 'Hammer Volume Four : Faces of Evil' ... which in it's four remastered Hammer films blu rays includes a superb remaster of #PeterCushing's 'The Revenge of Frankenstein' with some great extras PLUS a copy of Indicator's remastered blu ray of 'Time Without Pity' starring Michael Redgrave and Peter Cushing. Our 'runner up' Dan Evans has won a copy of 'Time Without Pity' too! Well done chaps! In the last of our FIVE #PCAS Cushing Christmas #Competitions, I trust you will feel that these goodies as a post Christmas bonus? 😉


MANY THANKS to everyone who took part in this all our other competitions this Christmas and all our other many PCAS Competitions throughout 2019! Thank too to our very generous sponsor Indicator / Powerhouse. You ca now purchase your own copies of Hammer Volume Four : Faces of Evil and 'Time without Pity' DIRECTLY from Powerhouse HERE and HERE! 


OUR PCASUK review feature and gallery  on INDICATOR's blu ray remastered release of 'TINE WITHOUT PITY' HERE!Our review of Hammer Volume FOUR : Taste of Fear, is on it's way! 

MANY THANKS ALSO to all our sponsors last year for supporting and providing some superb prizes and giveaways, these include Warner Brothers, Second Light Films, Twilight Time and many many others!

HERE'S TO #2020 and a whole year of exciting opportunities and PCAS Competitions! 

Wednesday 1 January 2020

CHRISTMAS CUSHING COMPETITIONS NUMBER FIVE : HAMMER VOLUME FOUR BLU RAY BOX SET AND CUSHING REDGRAVE BLU RAY CLASSIC TO WIN


#AHAPPYNEWYEAR EVERYONE! . . and while you are celebrating, why not try your luck at THIS your LAST PCAS #PeterCushing #Christmas #Competition of 2019! This, like all our FOUR other Competitions this Christmas week, is OPEN to everyone and anyone, wherever geographically you may be... and it also has some great prizes attached.. this time for the Winner AND Runner- Up! First Prize, for the FIRST CORRECT ANSWER pulled out of the deep and creepy hat... is #Indicator's excellent remastered Blu Ray Box set, Hammer Volume Four : Faces of Fear, which contains FOUR Hammer films, 'The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll', 'The Damned', 'Taste of Fear' AND... 'The Revenge of Frankenstein', starring Peter Cushing as The Baron, in the sequel to the first Hammer Frankenstein film of 1957, 'The Curse of Frankenstein' 😉

THE EXTRAS ON this release are also really quite special and include the 'never before released' behind the scenes footage of Cushing on set during the making of 'The Revenge of Frankenstein' at Bray studios! A full spec of the box set and it's extras, you can see below! As well, as winning this great box set, your win will also include a copy of Indicator's recent blu ray remastered release of the 1957 fab crime thriller, starring Michael Redgrave AND Peter Cushing, 'Time Without Pity'. . . there is also a copy of this blu ray for the SECOND WINNERS NAME drawn out of the deep and creepy hat! 🙂 How do you bag these prizes? It's simple!

LIKE ALL PCASUK COMPETITIONS, you just have to ANSWER the Competition Question BELOW ..and send your answer to us VIA the PCAS Facebook Fan Page Message Button ONLY! Any entries posted onto the thread below will be deleted and declared void. SO HERE comes the Competition . .  
COMPETITION QUESTION: In 1958 when 'The Revenge of Frankenstein' was released, the UK newspaper, the Daily Telegraph was so shocked and horrified by what they saw on the screen, that the newspaper suggested the British Board of Film Classification create a special NEW category for the film! Was that category : A) For Saturdays Only? B ) For Cushing Fans Only? C) For Crackpots Only? D) For Sadists Only?. This Competition is now LIVE and closes on SUNDAY 12th January 2020 MID-DAY GMT, so plenty of time to enter  😊

HAVE FUN and Good Luck EVERYONE and Do Have A Happy, Healthy and Safe 2020! Many thanks to the team at Indicator for sponsoring this and many other PCAS Competitions during 2019! You can order your own copies of both these Indicator Hammer films and Peter Cushing titles from Powerhouse, just by following  THIS LINK! 

THE BOX SET Specifications :
INDICATOR LIMITED BLU-RAY EDITION BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES:

THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN
New 4K restoration
Original mono audio
Audio commentary with film historians Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby (2019)
Audio commentary with horror and fantasy authors Stephen Jones and Kim Newman (2019)
Back from the Dead: Inside ‘The Revenge of Frankenstein’ (2019, 22 mins): new and exclusive documentary, featuring Alan Barnes, Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby, exploring aspects of the film’s production
Hammer’s Women: Eunice Gayson (2019, 8 mins): profile of the Hammer star by film historian Pamela Hutchinson
A Frankenstein for the 20th Century (2019, 27 mins): video essay by film historian Kat Ellinger and Dima Ballin
Arpeggios of Melancholy (2019, 13 mins): appreciation of composer Leonard Salzedo’s score by David Huckvale, author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde
Outtakes reel (1958, 12 mins, mute): rare, unseen on-set footage
Super 8 version (8 mins, b&w, mute): cut-down home cinema presentation
Original theatrical trailer
Joe Dante trailer commentary (2013, 2 mins): short critical appreciation
Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by Marcus Hearn, Kieran Foster on Hammer’s unrealised Tales of Frankenstein television series, Jimmy Sangster on The Revenge of Frankenstein, a selection of promotional materials, an overview of contemporary reviews, and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray

THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL
High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
Audio commentary with film historians Josephine Botting and Jonathan Rigby (2019)
Identity Crisis: Inside ‘The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll’ (2019, 19 mins): new and exclusive documentary, featuring Alan Barnes, Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby, exploring aspects of the film’s production
Hammer’s Women: Dawn Addams (2019, 11 mins): profile of the Hammer star by British cinema expert Laura Mayne
Interview with Paul Massie (1967, 10 mins): archival audio recording of the film’s star
Now and Then: Wolf Mankowitz (1968, 28 mins): archival interview featuring the screenwriter in conversation with broadcaster Bernard Braden
Mauve Decadence (2019, 11 mins): appreciation of composer Monty Norman’s score by David Huckvale, the author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde
The Many Faces of Dr. Jekyll (2019, 7 mins): an overview of the censorship history of The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll
Original theatrical trailer
Sam Hamm trailer commentary (2013, 3 mins): short critical appreciation
Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by Kat Ellinger, a selection of promotional materials, an overview of contemporary reviews, and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray


TASTE OF FEAR
High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
Two presentations of the film: Taste of Fear, with the rarely seen original UK title sequence, and Scream of Fear, with the alternative US titles
New audio commentary with Kevin Lyons, editor of The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television
Body Horror: Inside ‘Taste of Fear’ (2019, 23 mins): new and exclusive documentary, featuring Alan Barnes, Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby, exploring aspects of the film’s production
Hammer’s Women: Ann Todd (2019, 12 mins): profile of the Taste of Fear actor by Melanie Williams, author of Female Stars of British Cinema: The Women in Question
The BFI Southbank Interview with Jimmy Sangster (2008, 68 mins): archival audio recording of the celebrated filmmaker and screenwriter in conversation with Marcus Hearn at London’s BFI Southbank
The BEHP Video Interview with Jimmy Sangster (2008, 117 mins): archival video recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring Sangster in conversation with Jonathan Rigby
The BEHP Interview with Douglas Slocombe, Part Two: From Hammer to Spielberg (1988, 82 mins): archival audio recording featuring the renowned cinematographer in conversation with Sidney Cole
Fear Makers (2019, 9 mins): camera operator Desmond Davis and assistant sound editor John Crome recall the making of the film
Anxiety and Terror (2019, 25 mins): appreciation of Clifton Parker’s score by David Huckvale, author of Hammer Films’ Psychological Thrillers, 1950–1972
Super 8 version of Scream of Fear (20 mins): original cut-down home cinema presentation
Original US Scream of Fear theatrical trailer
Sam Hamm trailer commentary (2013, 2 mins): short critical appreciation
Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with an essay by Marcus Hearn, Jimmy Sangster on Taste of Fear, an archival on-set report, a selection of promotional materials, an overview of contemporary reviews, and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray

THE DAMNED (2x Blu-ray)

2K restoration
Original mono audio
Alternative presentations of the complete 96-minute version, playable as either The Damned or These Are the Damned
Box-set exclusive presentation of the rarely seen original 87-minute UK theatrical cut of The Damned on Disc 2.
Audio commentary with film historians Kat Ellinger and Samm Deighan
On the Brink: Inside ‘The Damned’ (2019, 27 mins): new and exclusive documentary, featuring Alan Barnes, Kevin Lyons, Nick Riddle and Jonathan Rigby, exploring aspects of the film’s production
Hammer’s Women: Viveca Lindfors (2019, 15 mins): profile of the renowned actor by film historian Lindsay Hallam
Looking in the Right Place (2019, 10 mins): actor Shirley Anne Field recalls working with Oliver Reed and Joseph Losey
Children of ‘The Damned’ (2019, 24 mins): former child actors David Palmer, Kit Williams and Christopher Witty discuss their experiences of makingThe Damned
Something Out of Nothing (2019, 7 mins): screenwriter Evan Jones reflects on his first feature-film credit
Smoke Screen (2019, 12 mins): interview with camera operator Anthony Heller
Beneath the Surface (2019, 26 mins): interview with filmmaker Gavrik Losey, son of director Joseph Losey
Beyond Black Leather (2019, 15 mins): academic I Q Hunter discusses The Damned
No Future (2019, 26 mins): appreciation by author and film historian Neil Sinyard
The Lonely Shore (2019, 21 mins): appreciation of James Bernard’s score by David Huckvale, author of James Bernard, Composer to Count Dracula: A Critical Biography
Isolated music & effects track
Original US theatrical trailer
Joe Dante trailer commentary (2013, 4 mins): short critical appreciation
Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition exclusive 36-page booklet with a new essay by Richard Combs, Joseph Losey on The Damned, a look at the US pressbook, an overview of contemporary reviews, and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray




YOU CAN READ our FULL PCAS REVIEW and GALLERY of the INDICATOR BLU RAY release of 'THE WITHOUT PITY' HERE!  

TIME WITHOUT PITY: THE SPEC:

AVAILABLE NOW  : ORDER YOUR COPY DIRECT HERE!
Limited Blu-ray Edition (World Blu-ray premiere)

Following his blacklisting in the McCarthy HUAC hearings, director Joseph Losey (Eva, The Damned, Secret Ceremony) moved to the England in the 1950s. The gritty British suspense thriller, Time Without Pity was the first film he made in the UK under his own name.

In a BAFTA-nominated performance, the great Michael Redgrave (Goodbye Gemini, Connecting Rooms, Dead of Night) stars as an anguished father whose son is convicted of murder and languishing on death row. In a desperate race-against-time, he attempts to prove his son’s innocence whilst bringing the real murderer to justice.

With photography by Freddie Francis (The Elephant Man), and a superb supporting cast including Ann Todd (Taste of Fear), Leo McKern (X the Unknown), and Peter Cushing (Corruption, The Beast Must Die), Time Without Pity is brilliantly accomplished slice of Brit-noir, and a potent cry against capital punishment.

Time With Out Pity

LIMITED BLU-RAY
EDITION BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES:
High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
The John Player Lecture with Joseph Losey (1973, 80 mins): the celebrated filmmaker in conversation with film critic Dilys Powell at London’s National Film Theatre
New and exclusive audio commentary with Neil Sinyard, co-author of British Cinema in the 1950s: A Celebration
The Sins of the Father (2019, 16 mins): filmmaker Gavrik Losey, son of Joseph Losey, discusses Time Without Pity
Horlicks: Steven Turner (1960, 1 min): vintage commercial for the malted milk drink, directed by Joseph Losey
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition exclusive 40-page booklet with a new essay by Robert Murphy, Joseph Losey on Time Without Pity, Jeff Billington on the MacMahonists and Time Without Pity, an overview of critical responses, and film credit
World premiere on Blu-ray
Limited edition of 3,000 copies
REGION FREE

Friday 6 September 2019

INDICATOR ANNOUNCE HAMMER FILMS VOLUME FOUR : FACES OF EVIL BLU RAY BOX SET


NEWS: INDICATOR have announced Hammer Volume Four Face Of Fear Box set featuring THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL, TASTE OF FEAR, THE DAMNED. Release date: 18 November 2019
Limited Blu-ray Edition (UK premieres on Blu-ray)
 


FOUR CLASSIC HAMMER FILM CHILLERS presented on Blu-ray for the very first time in the UK. Accompanied by a wealth of new and archival extras – including exclusive new documentaries, audio commentaries, alternative versions, new and archival cast and crew interviews, a series of appreciations of their female stars, analyses of their composers’ scores, and extensive booklets – this stunning limited edition box set is strictly 26,000 numbered units
All extras subject to change

REGION FREE

INDICATOR LIMITED BLU-RAY EDITION BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES:

THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN


New 4K restoration : Original mono audio
New and exclusive documentary about the film, produced by Hammer expert Marcus Hearn (2019)
Audio commentary by celebrated horror and fantasy authors Stephen Jones and Kim Newman (2019)
A Frankenstein for the 20th Century (2019): video essay by film historian Kat Ellinger and Dima Ballin
Hammer's Women – Eunice Gayson (2019): profile of the Hammer star by critic and film historian Pamela Hutchinson
David Huckvale on Leonard Salzedo (2019): new appreciation of the renowned composer by the author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde
Super 8 version: original cut-down home cinema presentation
Original theatrical trailer
Trailer commentary (2013): short critical appreciation by filmmaker Joe Dante
Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition box set exclusive booklet with new essays by Marcus Hearn and Kieran Foster, archival interview materials, historical articles, contemporary reviews, and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray

THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL


High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
New and exclusive documentary about the film, produced by Hammer expert Marcus Hearn (2019)
Audio commentary by film historians Josephine Botting and Jonathan Rigby (2019)
Interview with Paul Massie (1967): rare archival audio interview with the film’s star
Hammer's Women – Dawn Addams (2019): British cinema expert Laura Mayne explores the life and career of the UK-born star
David Huckvale on Monty Norman (2019): new appreciation of the renowned composer
Original theatrical trailer
Trailer commentary (2013): short critical appreciation by Josh Olson
Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition box set exclusive booklet with a new essay by Kat Ellinger, archival interview materials, historical articles, contemporary reviews and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray

TASTE OF FEAR


High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
Alternative presentation with US Scream of Fear title sequence
New and exclusive documentary about the film, produced by Hammer expert Marcus Hearn (2019)
Audio commentary with Kevin Lyons, editor of The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television (2019)
The BFI Interview with Jimmy Sangster (2008): archival audio recording of the celebrated filmmaker and screenwriter in conversation with Marcus Hearn at London’s National Film Theatre
The BEHP Video interview with Jimmy Sangster (2008): archival video recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring Sangster in conversation with Jonathan Rigby
The BEHP Interview with Douglas Slocombe – Part Two (1988): archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the renowned cinematographer in conversation with Sidney Cole
Fear Makers (2019): interviews with camera operator Desmond Davis, assistant editor John Crome and clapper loader Ray Andrew
Hammer's Women – Ann Todd (2019): Melanie Williams, author of Female Stars of British Cinema profiles the English star and producer
David Huckvale on Clifton Parker (2019): new appreciation of the renowned composer
Super 8 version of Scream of Fear: original cut-down home cinema presentation
Original theatrical trailer
Trailer commentary (2013): short critical appreciation by Sam Hamm
Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition box set exclusive booklet with an essay by Marcus Hearn, archival interview materials, historical articles, contemporary reviews and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray

THE DAMNED


New 2K restoration
Original mono audio
Two presentations of the film: The Damned, the original UK theatrical release version; and These Are the Damned, the complete and uncut restoration which first premiered in 2007
New and exclusive documentary about the film, produced by Hammer expert Marcus Hearn (2019)
Audio commentary by film historians Samm Deighan and Kat Ellinger (2019)
Beneath the Surface (2019): new interview with filmmaker Gavrik Losey, son of director Joseph Losey
Interview with actor Shirley Anne Field (2019)
Interview with screenwriter Evan Jones (2010)
Children of 'The Damned' (2019): new interviews with actors Kit Williams, David Palmer and Christopher Witty
Hammer's Women – Viveca Lindfors (2019): profile of the renowned actor by critic and film historian Lindsay Hallam
David Huckvale on James Bernard (2019): new appreciation of the celebrated composer
Beyond Black Leather (2019): appreciation by film expert I Q Hunter
No Future (2019): analysis by author and film historian Neil Sinyard
Original theatrical trailer
Trailer commentary (2013): short critical appreciation by filmmaker Joe Dante
Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition box set exclusive booklet with a new essay by Richard Combs, archival interview materials, historical articles, contemporary reviews and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray

Limited edition box set of 6,000 numbered units
All extras subject to change

REGION FREE

PREORDER CLICK HERE! 

Wednesday 8 May 2019

PETER CUSHING PLASTER HANDS PRINTS : OLIVER REED AND BARBARA WINDSOR PLUS PIRATES AND UNCOOL SUN!


BACK IN THE 1990'S, cinema and the arts in the UK were looking for all kinds of inventive ways to mark and celebrate British Cinema and it's many stars. One such great idea was the Best Of British Cinema Hand Prints! The release of this photograph to the press on February 24th 1992 and it probably hasn't seen the light of day since then, came with the press notes of . . .


'Stars of British Cinema put the palm prints into plaster slabs to part of a new monument to the stars! The slabs will be placed in the Prince Charles Cinema, in Leicester Square, London.Among the stars who placed the palms are Oliver Reed, Barbara Windsor and Peter Cushing'




ABOVE are two neat behind the scenes photographs taken during Cushing's and Reed's shooting of 'Captain Clegg / Night Creatures' for Hammer films in 1962 . Cushing was such a stickler for getting detail correct, that when the script called for him to perform a wedding service for Reed's and Yvonne Romain's characters, he called in Rev Sidney Doran, the minister for the Bray church where this scene, and a lot of the scenes in the film was shot!

OLIVER REED had worked with Peter in several films, 'The Sword of Sherwood Forest 'in 1960, and a great pirate-smuggling movie, 'Captain Clegg' aka 'Night Creatures' in 1962, both for Hammer Films and the weird, wonderful and terribly UN-PC, 'A Touch of the Sun' in 1979. Barbara Windsor, didn't work with #PeterCushing on the big screen, but on occasions like this, as there were many in the 1980's, they did socially rub shoulders. Peter looks very happy to be there!



ABOVE AND VERY BELOW: Peter Cushing, Bruce Boa and Oliver Reed in the 1979 film 'A Touch of the Sun', a movie that manages to cross  just about every UN-PC line, within the first ten minutes of it's sometimes uncomfortable screen time. Below, on it's release, straight to video, the misprint of Reed's surname, was just about it's last bow of bad timing, before sinking into a very dark sunset  . .


Sunday 20 January 2019

MADNESS! HP LOVECRAFT : WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN AND VINCENT AND PETER ON THE SET OF A MADNESS THAT CERTAINLY WAS!


HERE IS SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN. But sadly wasn't. After Hammer films went under and was then restarted and rebooted by the late ROY SKEGGS, the opportunity was there for some to take a first look at the many films and projects that the studio had one time considered for production. Many of these also had Peter Cushing in mind, in the casting along with Christopher Lee. The majority sank even before the ink was dry on the note paper or on Tom Chantrell's poster! The above poster, is a but a 'wouldn't it have been great if..' piece if artwork, we often see here at PCAS. Many are emailed or offered up for posting. Sometimes the idea is better than the artwork, but often, as in this case, the artist has a great skill and has also, come up with a concept, were we back in 1966, Sir James Carrerars would have been all too happy to have added it to his pile of posters and concepts for his backers and to have asked, 'How would like to have a slice of our NEXT production?' 


OFTEN IT IS difficult to connect the artwork be it for funding OR even the theatrical release poster tothe film was devised for. Can YOU connect the artwork with the THREE films these were created for?




AS WE ARE NOW all aware these days, that was exactly how the Carreras formula Carrerars and how often Hammer  budgets were built. Usually, nothing of a script, just three lines typed on a piece of paper, a VERY interesting poster and Sir James doing the sell. Which of course, he was very skilled and sucessful at doing. One can only guess how Cushing would have played his role, how Lee if the money was right would have nailed it, I am sure Pleasence would have been very happy to join in, a lover of Lovecraft and like Lee had already worked with Cushing in quite a few other productions. The opinion at the FACEBOOK PCAS FAN PAGE has been interesting. Some believing we were doing an EARLY April Fool post! Some holding out hope that, this could have been promising, even though films of Lovecraft's work, in the past, had been disppointing, with low budgets and little if any real connection to the orignal plot of the book, it was said to have been based on. Still, the drama and concept creation devised in this poster by WKDart, does give us all, the opportunity to dream on and think . . . 


YOU SEE A VERSION of this behind the scenes photograph very often around the net, but here is a slightly different shot of Peter and Vincent Price during the making of MADHOUSE, being interviewed for BBC programme Film 73 . .

NOT INCLUDING the silk around Peter's neck, can you spot the subtle difference in Peter's appearance, to how he looks in the film? Come tell us at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE!

Monday 17 December 2018

REVIEW : TWILIGHT TIMES THE SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST BLU RAY




THE CHARACTER of ROBIN HOOD as far as film production is concerned, seems to have revived and arrived as frequently as the BLOKE in the Cloak, Count Dracula. Since 1938, when actor Errol Flynn donned the tights and bow in 'The Adventures of Robin Hood', which hit loads of lolly for the rich and entertainment for the thrill hungry public, Robin and his Merry Men have nearly always been a winner. There have been many remakes and story direction retakes  that not only revived the tale, but such was the power of the story of Mr Hood, you can spot it like a well aimed arrow, providing themes, influences in everything from extended ideas for spin offs, Mel Brooks epics and even down to a Tom and Jerry or Bugs Bunny cartoon! The world of Robin Hood is one of Olde Worlde very rich, but usless kings, lords and ladies, fat monks and pious priest, where every town has men with swords and maidens who are lit and presented in soft focus, having been crafted by a Westmore brother, who  struggle with the caddish-fiend advances of tash tweaking, baddie barons. But I LOVE it!  



HAMMER FILMS 'SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST'  couldn't be and isn't the DISNEY or Errol version. This Hammer film budget, but BUT it is enormously entertaining. Hammer set design guru, Bernard Robinson was and had been tied up with The Mummy, The Brides of Dracula and the Two Faces of Doctor Jekyll, so John Stoll, did the duties. The reason WHY SWORD does so well is because of its excellent cas. which headlines with Peter Cushing as the Sheriff of Nottingham.. in THREE splendid costume changes. Knowing PC he probably pooted along to Berman's and chose them, as he would say 'Mu-self!'...  and Richard Greene as the lead, and for many THE Robin! Others include Hammer's Richard Pascoe, almost 'out stepping' Cushing as a beauty of a bounder and baddie! Oliver Reed gets the better of Cushing's Sheriff, Niall McGinnis makes a very good Friar Tuck and Richard Greene IS Little John! For a tale, almost exclusively set in woodlands and forest, that also has the FOREST word in its title, one wonders if actress Sarah BRANCH was cast and chosen, only for the potentially endless publicity and press office premier inches that could be pushed and published using her surname as an endless pun? BRANCH is very good in the feature, but held a held a carear that only lasted just over four years!? Did Hammer and Chairman Sir James only spot the BRANCH potential as the main and valid reason to another money spinner and quickly slapped together another fim poster to collect the backers cash? Nope. Truth is, the business  and Hollywood has been churning out  Robin Hood films for actually MORE than a century. And Sword of Sherwood Forest, is certainly one of my personal favorites!



SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST is a film from an era, where movies where 'crafted' for the family. No gallons of gore or huge and cavernous miles deep cleavage, to fall into here! You would think, the attraction of such a film of such qualities, would be well passed. BUT just two weeks ago, PCAS offered up SEVEN copies of the Twilight Time remastered blu ray as sponsored prizes in a VERY well supported competition. This gives a fair indication, that Robin and his Merry Men are still very popular. And in THIS EXCELLENT transfer of the feature film, which is typical of the standard of quality we have come to expect from Twilight Time and Sony, the release looks very good indeed! 


SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST was directed by Hammer film icon Terence Fisher, who was well prepared and knew exactly how best to present all the 'key Hood' moments, having also directed many of the television series episode, that also starred Richrad Greene as Robin. It looks delicious, having been shot in Technicolor and makes the most of the luscious green forests, fern, flora and fauna of the Irish location, having been shot in beautiful Enniskery, County Wicklow. 


VISION
FOR ALL THOSE who mull of the technical pickings of screen size and frames, this 2.35:1 Megascope production is bang on, properly framed. The visuals in that frame, well meet the standards we have come to expect from Twilight Time, who in the past have brought us other Peter Cushing classics like Hammer films 'The Hound Of The Baskervilles' (1959)  and Amicus films 'THE SKULL' (1965) this transfer is immaculate! The colours are VIBRANT and do justice to the magnificent scenery, that both Fisher and cinematographer Ken Hodges were working to capture on the big screen. Hodges also worked with Fisher on the TV series. 


ABOVE: SEVEN LUCKY WINNERS of our TWILIGHT TIME PCAS competition last month!


SOUND
THE SOUNDTRACK on the disc comes as a  DTS HD-MA mono track, which presents dialogue clearly, with no drop out, hiss or bassey muffle. Even though in mono, the music composed by Alun Hoddinott, as in ALL Hood films and particulary the UK tv series, sounds terific. is as good as it could be, with clear dialogue throughout, supporting the clanking and thrashing of duels and sword fights very well. All of this drama, sometimes takes a break and presents Alan-a-Dale played by Denis Lotis singing and yodeling, medieval melodies with harp, flute and his mandolin! Charming! English SDH subtitles are available. 


EXTRAS
IN THE PAST, Twilight Time extras have included, documentaries, galleries, trailers and posters. This release offers a very nice isolated music and effects track. Which personally, would always get my vote, over endless talking heads of types who weren't even breathing when the film was released, let alone a twinkle in some daddy's eye! Also included is the theatrical for the film and the very nice thought of a short but appreciative glossy brochure / booklet on the film.

FOLLOWERS who are interested in purchasing it can skip along to the Twilight Time website or the Screen Archives website to order their copy. A GREAT watch for the family at Christmas.
 

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