Thursday 16 January 2020

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROLINE MUNRO AT HAMMER @WHITBY PLUS WINNERS READY?


PLEASE JOIN US in wishing actress CAROLINE MUNRO a VERY Happy Birthday today! A wonderful actress and an absolute sweety! Her Peter Cushing connection is of course her appearance in Hammer films Dracula AD 1972' in which Peter Cushing played Van Helsing and her co starring role in Amicus films 'At The Earth's Core' with Peter Cushing and Doug McClure. I know of no one who works harder on the convention circuit to make meeting her a special event! Many Happy Returns and Have Smashing Day, Caroline!


THE VERY POPULAR CAROLINE MUNRO PCASUK Dracula AD 1972 Gallery : 
Just HIT HERE!








THE LAST of the PCAS Cushing Christmas Competitions.. Number five, closed a few days ago. TOMORROW we will be revealing the winning entries and FIRST PRIZE WINNER NAME and RUNNER UP WINNER NAME too! First prize is copy of the #Indicator / #Powerhousefilms blu ray box set HAMMER Volume Four : Faces of Evil, which contains FOUR #Hammerfilms releases, '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 the Indicator Box Set 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 #Braystudios! 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 #PeterCushing, 'Time Without Pity'. . . there is also a copy of this blu ray for the 'Runner up!' SECOND WINNERS NAME drawn out of the deep and creepy hat! Are YOU our LUCKY WINNERS? Find out Tomorrow! 😉😃 - Marcus


JOIN PCASUK ON  INSTAGRAM HERE!

Sunday 12 January 2020

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL ASPEL : WAS IT GOOD FOR YOU TOO?


HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL ASPEL! 😀😃 Here's a man who has such a well known face and reputation on UK television, that when he appears on the screen, it's almost like your favourite Uncle, has come to tea! Aspel's career has been a prolific to say the least! Starting in working as a reporter for the local press, by the early sixties, he had become one of four regular newsreaders on BBC national television, along with Richard Baker, Robert Dougall and Corbet Woodall. Then becoming a regular face presenting BBC flagship programming like 'Come Dancing', 'Crackerjack', 'Ask Aspel', and the Miss World beauty contest, which he covered 14 times.



IT WAS ON A EPISODE of his weekly children's tv show Ask Aspel, where children requested clips of their favourite tv shows, that Aspel first worked with Cushing on January 7th 1974. The next time would be quite 'unexpected' and yet quite an event! After a long spell fronting his own very popular ITV talk show and the horrendous 'never ending' afternoon programme 'Give Us A Clue' that Aspel took over fronting ITV's long running favourite, 'This Is your Life' when host Eamonn Andrews died in 1987 until its run ended in 2003.





ABOVE: ACTRESS JOANNA LUMLEY and actor FREDDIE JONES, both who appeared in Hammer films 'THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA' (1973) with Cushing! Freddie starred with Cushing in Hammer films, 'FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED' (1969) Lumley also starred with Cushing in the very first episode of 'THE NEW AVENGERS' called 'the Eagle's Nest' in 1976.

DURING THAT RUN, Aspel surprised Peter Cushing, with his 'Big Red Book' on 21st February 1990. Cushing's 'This Is your Life' episode almost didn't happen, when the secret cover of surprise was blown a few weeks before the recording. Cushing never let on he knew 'he was coming!' and Aspel did a great job steering Cushing, who at this time could be quite unpredictable during live recordings, through an army of guests who had worked with Peter over the years. One surprise guest was Ursula Andress, who had flown quite a journey to be there for Cushing's evening. When she was announced and grandly made her way onto the set to hug Peter, he welcomed her with hugs when she made a reference to the film they made together.. 'She' in 1965. 'She who must be obeyed!' said Andress. Cushing suggestively replied with glee, 'Oh and you still are darling...What would you like me to DO?' which got a big laugh.


I BELIEVE IT WAS quite a task for the 'This Is Your Life' team, after much research and study to decide on guests for the show. Guests had to be special, entertaining, engaging and guaranteed not to run away from Aspel when he shock surprised them with the book and the evening's planned recording before a live audience, of their lives shared with the public. Aspel had specially requested Peter Cushing be used in the series, several times. The start of preparation and plans were almost uncovered each time and the shows were cancelled. Eventually, Aspel got his wish and Peter Cushing had an evening he would never forget! Thank you for that Mr Aspel ...and a VERY Happy Birthday to YOU!


TWO PAGES from Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee's scripts. BOTH from Hammer Dracula films. Cushing's from 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' (1973) and Lee's 'Taste the Blood of Dracula' (1970) BOTH films had a trying and difficult 'birthing' process . . I think for both Cushing and Lee, making a Hammer Dracula film, was a different experience. . . but it is now, both interesting and quite amusing how Lee and Cushing dealt with prep for the role, short-falls of the script, the detail, the dialogue... Cushing as we know, loaded his scripts with yards of notes, references, costume suggestions and anything that would aid him in doing his best on the screen.. he was quite meticulous.

LEE IN THIS INSTANCE, makes no secret of again being not at all happy with the contents of the page... or any page I would guess. Linda Hayden's Alice lines of 'Master, Master, you are back!' and her '(Whimpering Passionately: Love me! Love Me!) are given the short shrift note with ' Ridiculous Lines!' and another 'NO!' ... for Lee, it must have been extremely frustrating.


ABOVE AND BELOW : The PCASUK guide to 'Hammer's Dracula Franchise' PART ONE HERE and PART TWO HERE


I HAVE SHARED many times that personally I feel Hammer's Dracula's are 'films of moments' 😊😉 Some scenes are very good indeed. Others cringing. I am sure you have watched them all many times..so over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE I am asking, is there any scene, line of dialogue or sequence, that if you hand a magic wand, you would change today?? Marcus 
 



 

LUCKY PCAS WINNERS ANNOUNCED AND COMPETITION FIVE STILL LIVE!


FOUR OF THE FIVE PCAS CUSHING CHRISTMAS COMPETITIONS LUCKY WINNERS have now been drawn and you will find the WINNING ENTRIES and the COMPETITION ANSWERS here on the LINKS below and at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE, which was posted on JANUARY 2020! Congratulations everyone who was lucky to bag yourselves some superb PRIZES this Christmas 😀 There is ONE Cushing Christmas Competition that is STILL LIVE, Competition FIVE,  but it closes at MIDNIGHT GMT. So if you have not entered, there is still time to get YOUR ENTRY IN NOW! GOOD LUCK! 😮😀

THE LINKS TO THE FOUR COMPETITION RESULTS AND WINNERS NAMES ARE HERE: COMPETITION ONE!   COMPETITION TWO!  COMPETITION THREE!   COMPETITION FOUR! 



CUSHING CHRISTMAS COMPETITION FIVE can be found HERE at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page and is OPEN and LIVE until MIDNIGHT TONIGHT GMT! Good Luck! 😊😉 - Marcus 

Wednesday 8 January 2020

NEWS: SCREAM FACTORY SETS APRIL 28TH 2020 RELEASE FOR HAMMER / SHAW BROS CUSHING BLU RAY


NEWS: SCREAM FACTORY have announced they are to release HAMMER FILMS 'SHATTER' (1974) starring STUART WHITMAN and PETER CUSHING on BLU RAY! It has a planned RELEASE DATE of APRIL 28TH 2020 is a REGION A release , but no news or details of SPEC or EXTRAS. We'll keep you posted here ;)



FOR THOSE OF YOU who have never come across this one, in the Cushing Filmography, it's an interesting role. It's a GUEST STAR appearance, but a performance that even though brief, gives screen time, to a Cushing relaxed 'turn' that surprisingly boarders at times, to the edge that Cushing gave to his performance of Baron Frankenstein in Hammer's 1969 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed'! 'Shatter' also known as Call Him Mr Shatter and They Call Him Mr Shatter is a 1974 British-Hong Kong action film starring Stuart Whitman, Lung Ti, Lily Li, Anton Diffring and Peter Cushing in his last film for Hammer Studios. It was the second and final international co-production between Hammer Studios of England and Shaw Brothers Studio of Hong Kong as part of the 'Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires' package. The film was shot entirely on location in Hong Kong and was first released in 1974 in UK.

 





Friday 3 January 2020

PCASUK CUSHING CHRISTMAS COMPETITION WINNER NUMBER FOUR!!


THE DRAWING OF OUR FOUR LUCKY PCAS Christmas Cushing Competition Winners, is happening throughout today, at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE TODAY! SO HERE COMES NUMBER FOUR!

CONGRATULATIONS FRANTIC FRANKY.. and a Happy New Year!  😃😊😀

THE ANSWER we were looking for was . .  D) Berkley Square! Thank you to everyone who took part in the competition

FOUR PCASUK CHRISTMAS COMPETITIONS are now closed, and proved to be our VERY popular indeed! We shall be sure to do it all again in Christmas 2020! ONE competition, for our New Year remains open until Jan 12th 2020! CERTAINLY worth a try 😉  JUST CLICK HERE!

LUCKY WINNER OF SECOND SIGHT FILMS HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD' COMPETITION REVEALED!


CONGRATULATIONS ROXANNE The ANSWER to this competition was C) WAXWORKS! Hmm we had some very interesting answers though, so for some not that easy Many thank s to all of you who entered and of course to our very supportive sponsor, SECOND SIGHT FILMS. YOU read our PCAS feature and review of this release RIGHT HERE! 



YOU CAN ORDER YOUR COPY of Second Sight Films REMASTERED BLU RAY of Amicus films, 'THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD' DIRECTLY  HERE!

CUSHING CHRISTMAS PCAS COMPETITION WINNER NUMBER TWO REVEALED HERE!


Congratulations ALLEN! A Happy New Year to you!
 

THE ANSWER we were looking for was c) THREE DAYS! Amicus were FAST workers, for sure! MANY thanks to everyone who entered this and our last competition and to our very generous sponsor SECOND SIGHT FILMS. You can order YOUR copy of this release from January 5th 2020 DIRECTLY HERE! 


ABOVE: OUR FINAL CHRISTMAS CUSHING COMPETITION IS STILL LIVE until January 12th 2020. YOU CAN ENTER HERE at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE!

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??
 
 

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

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