HUGS FROM DRACULA AND THE GANG SMILED ON . . .

REQUESTED: HERE'S A PHOTOGRAPH I posted a little while ago on here and at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page, requested now for a repost by Mandy K, Cheryl T and others . .who missed it!  This has to be the most tactile and affectionate photograph, I have ever seen of Lee with an actress . . off studio camera and on set! 

AS I HAVE always said on the subject of Lee feelings on appearing on both 'Satanic Rites of Dracula' and 'Dracula AD 1972'. Lee may not have professionally liked the idea of the films and their plots, but I don't think he sulked or pouted around the set . .  as some would have you believe. And I think, this pic is a fair indication, that what director Alan Gibson said on making both films, that everyone got on, it was relaxed and they had fun! Let's face it, it's not everyone who can say they got a hug from Christopher Lee...!

DIRECTOR HOUGH CREATES A HAMMER LIKE NO OTHER WITH TERROR TWINS!

BACK IN THE EARLY 1970's mankind made some very interesting and surprising break throughs, technical and domestic... In 1972, interactive games with vastly more primitive graphics only existed in laboratories, until the invention of PONG! Remember that? 1970 brought pocket calculators to students, engineers, and scientists the world over! 1971 brought us something that was huge in terms of its impact, the Intel 4004 Microprocessor! 1973 gave us the first cell phone, the XEROX ALTO, also TCP, Ethernet and fibre optics!

ALL THIS . . but for some reason Hammer films just couldn't NAIL a new and entertaining idea, that worked on the big screen. My opinion, but something I never understood! But that was until... John Hough's 'Twins of Evil' which cast not only Peter Cushing in a new spin on the Vampire Killer, but also someone who wasn't even trying to copy or replace Christopher Lee as a the head and evil 'toothful-one', Damien Thomas made a great Count Karnstein. Denis Price added some casting clout briefly and two sweet, though not innocent Maltese actresses / models Mary and Madeleine Collinson shapely slipped into the shoes of the title twins with ease. It was director John Hough, who brought the whole lot together in a very refreshing way. With Tudor Gates twist on some Sheridan Le Fanu influences, Harry Robertson's outstanding music score and Dick Bush and his beautiful cinematography, Hammer had an original tale that looked great, sounded wonderful and still impresses.

HENRY OSCAR REMEMBERED : BRIDES AND SHERLOCK

HERE IS AN ACTOR with a name, that probably most of us would have forgotten, but certainly we know his face 😉 Today marks the birthday of HENRY OSCAR or Henry Wale as some would have known him, back in the day. Oscar changed his name and began acting in 1911, having studied under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

ON FILM OSCAR played professional characters, dentist for Hitchcock, school teachers, doctors, bank mangers, all usually stiff, authoritative and at times pompous, this was probably why Terence Fisher cast him as Herr Lang, head of the charming 'School for Young Ladies' in Hammer films 'The Brides of Dracula' in 1960. Again, pompous, his ego is deflated when Peter Cushing flashes his 'Dr Van Helsing' 'calling card'! It's a lovely scene. Oscar was to work with Cushing again on November 4th 1968, in episode 9 'Thor Bridge' of Cushing's BBC 'Sherlock Holmes' television series, as Bates. Sadly this episode was wiped in the great BBC 'spring clean', so we have no idea or images just how that looked. But my guess is, just like in 'Brides' both Cushing and Oscar, would have squeezed and presented quite a show!

OSCAR ALSO APPEARED in a wide range of films, Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), The Four Feathers (1939), Hatter's Castle (1942), Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948), Beau Brummell (1954), The Little Hut (1957), Oscar Wilde (1960), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Long Ships (1963) and Murder Ahoy! (1964). Today, he isn't forgotten 😊Please join us in remembering and celebrating a Very Happy Birthday to Henry Oscar today! 😉

REMEMBERING ERIC PORTMAN : THE MAN WHO FINALLY DIED

REMEMBERING Actor Eric Portman, who was born today 13th July 1901 in West #Halifax, Yorkshire, UK. He was so convincing and extremely good at playing 'in the cinema audiences perception' mean and calculating German spies and /or #Naziofficers, that many believed he actually was German, or at least #Austrian. Eric had a very distinguished career on stage and in many much admired and respected British films. Among his many film credits are “49th Parallel”, “Went the Day Well”, “Daybreak” and “Millions Like Us”. Eric only appeared in one film from #Hollywood, “The Prince and the Pauper” in 1937.

PORTMAN APPEARED in an absolute gem of a 1963 Peter Cushing film, entitled 'The Man Who Finally Died'. For what sounds something like, associated with one of PC's many fantasy genre films, this one is nothing of the sort. A tight, dramatic and often very suspenseful thriller, starring Stanley Baker, Georgina Ward, Nigel Green, Niall MacGinnis and Mai Zetterling, and directed by Quentin (#Cash On Demand) . . .it's a film that in recent years emerged on dvd and if it's £5 or £25, you'll find much worth every penny. It keeps you guessing and all cast are on their toes, with Porter, Baker and Cushing working together so well. Eric Porter sadly died in Cornwall in 1969. 

I FIND IT CURIOUS that these days, so little is known about Eric Portman’s work as he appeared in many major British films of the Gaumont era, and many with some of our best directors. Happy Birthday Eric Portman, never dull, always entertaining 😉 Trivia : I am today sat in the home of a friend, whose house is less than four houses away from the home where Stanley Baker was born and lived until he was a teenager! 

REMEMBERING BARRY WARREN : BORN TODAY : KISS OF THE VAMPIRE : FRANKENSTEIN

FOR Petra Zemanova 😊 TODAY we remembering the BIRTHDAY of UK actor BARRY WARREN, born today in 1933. Trained at RADA, graduating in 1955, Warren was a handsome very competent supporting actor in several theatre productions, and spent the majority of his career on UK tv screens. 'The Wednesday Play' 'Play of the Month', two characters in the Brit TV classic 'The Avengers in 1966 and and 68. 

AROUND  1975, he vanished completely and continued his life... in a completely different role and gender. WE know him best probably for his work with Hammer Films and the excellent role he played with Peter Cushing in 'Frankenstein Created Woman as Karl in 67.

WARREN ALSO worked with Christopher Lee as Manuel in 'The Devil Ship Pirate's' in 64 and probably his best role for #HammerFILMS as creepy Carl Ravna in 'The Kiss of the Vampire' in 1963. Today we remember Warren and the edge he brought to those 'bad cads' in 'Created Woman' the haunted Ravna in '#KissoftheVampire' and lets not forget his softer side even against the ranks of Lee's Captain Robeles authority! all very sound roles and performances in three classic Hammer films! Happy Birthday and thank you, Barry

ACTOR FREDDIE JONES DIES AGED 91

THE VERY SAD NEWS of the passing of actor FREDDIE JONES reached us last night, has been marked with many comments and shared messages of condolences at the PCASUK Facebook Fan Page, yesterday and today. Freddie was 91 and had an impressive film, television and theatre career that stretched over a very busy sixty years.  Most #Hammerfilm and #PeterCushing fans will know him for  two Hammer classics, first Hammers Frankenstein Must be Destroyed and 'The Satanic Rites Of Dracula'. 

MORE ON FREDDIE JONES and 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' HERE!

IN 'DESTROYED' Freddie gave us a Baron's creation that was full of pathos and sadness. Who can forget his duel with Cushing in the final moments, where Professor Richer cranks up the tension by trapping Cushing's Baron in a blazing house!? Jones's portrayal of Frankenstein's indulgence, is probably is most complex of all Hammer films 'Frankenstein Monsters', who manages to spin the title of 'Monster' neatly into the lap of Cushing's Baron. There are few actors who could so convincingly share the interplay between Cushing Hammer characters and themselves. The tension and  dread was pushed even a little further in the scenes which Freddie Jones and Cushing shared in #hammerfilms 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula'. Freddie's Professor Julian Keeley wobbles and sways from fear, to dread, lust and disgust in a shared A two-hander scene with Cushing, that is probably the highlight of the film. 

MORE ON FREDDIE JONES and 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' in our PCASUK GALLERY and REVIEW : HERE!

FREDDIE JONES also frequently worked with David Lynch with roles in 'The Elephant Man' (1980), 'Dune' (1984) and 'Wild at Heart' (1990 ) His role as Inspector Baynes in Granada television's 'The Return of Sherlock Holmes' in 1988, with Jeremy Brett as Holmes is a gem. Freddie Jones always brought much to every role. You never knew quite what was going to be on the table, but it was always entertaining, convincing and very real.