Sunday, 13 September 2015

THE CREEPING FLESH: LORNA HEILBRON AND PETER CUSHING'S PLAYING OF PROF HILDREN


Peter Cushing commitment to the role of Emmanuel Hildren was as strong as ever, and his professionalism absolute.He still concerned himself with not only his performance, but every aspect of filming. His copy of of the script is enthusiastically annotated with character details and instructions to himself.


'Don't gabble. Don't over act. Don't be conventional absent minded professor' And there, mixed up with notes about hairpieces and how to prepare lab slides are the words, 'Bois' 'Helen' 'Us'.


Peter related to me as a father and was tremendously caring and supportive' co star, Lorna Heilbron remembers today.'I played his daughter. He felt that I resembled his wife, Helen, so we had a rather intense relationship where I felt he really lived his part in the film.'


To play the deranged Hildren in the prologue and epilogue, Cushing again sacrifices any shred of vanity - without the toupee, which he wore in practically every film now, his hair is whitend and disarrayed and his cheekbones are strongly emphasisedf with make up. A quavering voice, insisting 'I alone can save the world', completes the impression of the character's tragic mental collapse.



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