#TOOCOOLTUESDAY!
For most Hammer fans it's known as THE cinema poster. It's a 30 x 40
inch sheet of vintage paper, that encapsulates every thing that was
magical about British Horror films and the studio that not only rebooted
the horror film genre in the late 50's, but made Christopher Lee a star
and a household name. The studio was Hammer films, the named star was
Peter Cushing, the film was Dracula aka Horror of Dracula (1958) The
credits rolled, the title appeared, the blood
splashed on the stone tomb... and things were never the same again...If
you want to own this piece of that story and cinema history, it will
set you back somewhere between Five and Seven thousand pounds sterling,
at an auction taking place at WHYTE'S Auction House on February 3rd
2018. The last time another Dracula / Horror of Dracula poster was
valued, it hit the over the 5000 pound sterling mark. (See Clip Below!) So, got your
credit card ready??? Very cool . . .
REMEMBERING : Sir James Carreras, born today in 1909. Son of Enrique
Carreras, the co-founder of Hammer Films and the Blue Hall theatre
chain... and father of Hammer film producer and director, Michael
Carreras. It was JC who hit on the formula of '..design a poster for a
potential film, for the backers to actually see!' A simple but very
effect method. It is said that he, '..judged the success of his films not by critical plaudits, but strictly on the basis of box office returns.'
Maybe so, but for a long time his approached worked, making very large
profits for the backers, giving Hammer films the Queens Award to
Industry Award back in 1968 and a loyal fan base that remains to this
day. He is remembered each year by Variety: The Children's Charity, with
The Sir James Carreras Award. '...This Award honors the name of Sir
James Carreras MBE, who served Variety International with great
distinction as one of its past International Presidents. It is presented
annually to a physician who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and
skill in the field of pediatrics'.
STARTING TOMORROW here at the WEBSITE and at the PCASUK FACEBOOK FAN PAGE #CUSHINGCOLLECTORSWEDNESDAY! Every week, a chance to download a piece of British Horror Cinema History. Some weeks rare CONTACT SHEETS, other weeks rare hi res colour transpaencies. Some weeks several items, others rare one off items. But ALL FREE!
REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.
Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help
us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The
Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and
youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS
coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA
THIS WEEK'S #MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY!
comes from Amicus films, 'THE SKULL' (1965) starring Peter Cushing,
Christopher Lee . .and here, Peter Woodthrope, who some of you may
recognise from his portrayal of Zoltan the hypnotist, Hammer films, 'The
Evil of Frankenstein' also with Peter Cushing from the same year. The
floating SKULL of the The Skull of the "Marquis de Sade" was a true
device of terror, and a concept devised by author and screenplay writer,
Robert Bloch. Bloch worked on a few Amicus films, The Skull probably being the best of the bunch.
PETER CUSHING plays the tormented Christopher MAITLAND . . .a surname
that is a death sentence in an Amicus film, as script writer and
producer has used the surname so many times in his films! This is great
clip. I LOVE the way that Woodthrope's ,Bert Travers falls through no
one, but TWO glass skylights...and if you listen carefully, it sounds as
he went through another too . .. . A TRUE Moment of TERROR! BEST print
on the market, would have to be the EUREKA BLU RAY. GReat visual quality
and sound...and a load of extra features too PLUS It's REGION ZERO!
ENJOY! - Marcus
MORE ON THE SKULL IN OUR FEATURE AND GALLERY : HERE!
REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.
Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help
us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The
Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and
youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS
coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA
THESE DAYS IT CAN quite often appear to ‘Joe Public’ that
the name Peter Cushing is tied to three things; Star Wars, some quirky Doctor
Who off shoots and a number of Gothic Horror pictures from the 50’s, 60’s
and 70’s. Of course as fans we know this not to be true, though even then it appears
that most of the aficionados of his work tend to admire his horror performances
most. That’s unsurprising and personally I’m as guilty of this as anybody else,
particularly as I am a horror fan first and foremost. That said, I thought I’d
break away from the spooky and the space age this week and instead compile a
handy list of the ‘best of the rest’ as it were. Some of the performances
listed here are some of the finest throughout Cushing’s entire career and I’ve
compiled this as a hand starting point for anyone thinking to check out his work,
away from crypts and castles. As with my other lists this is unashamedly personal
and is in no order. BY THE WAY, some of the films I have chosen for my list, can also be watched in their ENTIRETY on the PLAY LISTS at our Peter Cushing Appreciation Society YOU TUBE Channel!
Cash
on Demand (1961)
A tense two-hander between Cushing and another Hammer
regular, Andre Morell, the film is a clever re-working of the Scrooge story
within a ‘thriller’ context. Set in a bank, Cushing plays the tough and austere
Manager who undergoes rigorous psychological torment by Morell’s Colonel
Gore-Hepburn.
HEPBURN ARRIVES AT THE BANK and announces to Cushing that he
intends to rob him and has his wife and child hostage. Should he not comply, Hepburn
will be forced to send the signal that will lead to their termination. Cushing’s
portrayal of a man undergoing unbelievable stress and torment manages to be one
of the most horrifying things the actor has ever produced.
CONTRASTING THIS is
Morell’s performance as the sadistic but undeniably charming Hepburn who
manages to remain calm, whilst breaking PC down piece by piece. Set mostly
within the one room the film can be incredibly uncomfortable at times, with
Morell’s calmness bouncing well off of Cushing’s hysteria.
1984
(1954)
Ok so an obvious one and one that some may consider science-fiction, though I would wholeheartedly disagree.
Similar to the above, this performance showcases the softer side of Cushing and
again features Morell as his tormenter, giving the two an odd similarity.
HOWEVER WHEREASCash on Demand still
has elements of a moral superiority in its message, inherent in any Scrooge
adaptation, the message of Orwell’s novel is far darker and depressing. Again
Cushing astounds as a man put through unspeakable psychological tortures but this
time the result proves far more terrifying than before. Lacking a proper DVD
release, it’s a real shame that such a classic of British TV has yet to be
given even this simple treatment.
Sherlock
Holmes and the Masks of Death (1984)
Ok, ok this is certainly an odd one I would never deny
that. Cushing’s role as ‘the great detective’ is one that spans a number of
portrayals but most notably Hammer’s Hound
of the Baskervilles (1959) and the BBC series in 1968.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS MEANS that Masks of Death is more
often than not, overlooked. Admittedly it suffers from a somewhat plodding
script and perhaps fails to get any attention at all, due to its unavailability
on DVD or Blu-Ray. What really makes this odd little TV-movie however, is Cushing’s
portrayal of a much older Holmes builds on his earlier performances but manages
to provide something…softer, gentler. John Mills plays his Watson this time and
the two work wonders together, making one wish for a mini-series or something
of the sort. The plot attempts to root itself firmly in history, though the
details are a little shaky…to say the least but it’s an interesting little film
and a fun example of Cushing’s Holmes work.
The
Violent Playground (1958) Another somewhat bleak film, Peter Cushing provides a
memorable turn as a Priest attempting to heal the social ill’s surrounding a
Liverpool street gang led by David McCallum.
THE HIGHLIGHTS are doubtless the
sequences in which Cushing attempts to reason with McCallum who appears to have
some sort of a bond with the Priest. This builds to a superb climax in which
McCallum takes a number of school children hostage with a machine gun and
Cushing attempts to talk him down. Brutal, gritty and uncomfortable the least
said about this one before watching the better.
Sword
of Sherwood Forest (1960) Considering that (bar the one entry) this list has so
far been made up mostly of quite depressing drama fare, it seemed right to end
it on a good old fashioned swashbuckler. In Sword
of Sherwood Forest, Cushing takes on the role of the Sherriff of Nottingham
and clearly has a whale of a time.
WHILST I WOULD HATE to describe any of Cushing’s
performances as ‘Pantomime’ that’s the word that comes to mind here, but not
through insult, through the sheer amount of fun he is clearly having. The biggest
disappointment is admittedly Cushing’s death scene, which whilst firmly
cementing his as the secondary villain is particularly lacklustre and seems an
unfair dispatch for the character. Sharing the screen with such celebrated
actors as Richard Greene, Oliver Reed, Nigel Green and Niall MacGinnis the film
may not be wholly successful but is the perfect Saturday afternoon
entertainment.
WELL I HOPE you enjoyed my list.Of course the great shame with much of PC's early
non-horror work is that a great deal of it was for the BBC, who either
wren't in the habit of recording or later decided it would be fun to
burn the few recordings they had. Although pieces like this won't make
the list for obvious reasons, I sure would have loved to have seen his Pride and Prejudice. It may be an odd choice from these lost days but I'd give my left arm to see the 1953 adaptation of Number Three. As for my list here, I am sure there are a couple you may disagree with! Over at the facebook fan page, many are sharing THEIR TOP FIVES. It's lively! Maybe you'd like to join the thread? That's it for this week, more next week, I hope you join me! Callum McKelvie
REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.
Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help
us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The
Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and
youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS
coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA
FREE CONTACT SHEETS FROM HAMMER FILMS: HAMMER FILMS TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA : FEATURING LINDA HAYDEN, ANTHONY HIGGINS . . . .
'I’VE SEEN THE LIKES TONIGHT that mortal eyes shouldn’t look at!’… say that
line of dialogue and any Hammer film fan worth his or her salt, quick as
a flash will reply, ‘Michael Ripper, as the poacher in 'The Mummy!’..
And it is Michael Ripper who we remember today on the day his birth,
27th January 1913. Ripper appeared in many productions for Hammer, seven
with Peter Cushing, nine with Christopher
Lee. . . .
INN KEEPERS, coachmen, police officers, Ripper an accomplished
stage and film actor it could be argued is as much part of the Hammer
family as Cushing, Lee, Fisher and Francis. Christopher Lee once
announced to a packed convention in Baltimore, with Ripper standing at
his side.. 'This man IS Hammer!’ And for many of us, he always will be . . .
IF SOMETHING INTERESTING comes my way, I love to be able to share with
you! Such is the case of this rarely seen candid photograph of
Christopher Lee and Michael Ripper at a signing. The little I have
leaned about this occasion, has come from the owner of this photograph, James Murray.
JAMES WAS WORKING 'on the door' this day at a book shop in London and remembers it well. It was a
book signing, attended by Christopher Lee, signing copies of his book,
'Tall, Dark and Gruesome' the Midnight Marquee edition. Being an admirer
of Christopher Lee, he brought along his camera and posed for a
pic...and managed to capture Michael too! . . .MORE ON THIS STORY: HERE!
REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.
Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help
us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The
Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and
youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS
coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA
THE CONTINUING PCAS WEEKLY SERIES: Our NEXT FOUR FAB FEATURES FOR #CUSHINGSFEMMEFATALESFRIDAY! FOUR EXTENSIVE GALLERIES with RARE IMAGES and CLIPS. FOUR ACTRESSES. FOUR CAREERS. The connection is Peter Cushing and their LIVES and CAREERS far from conventional. #CUSHINGSFEMMEFATALEFRIDAYS!ONLY TO BE FOUND HERE OVER THE NEXT FOUR FRIDAYS!
CLYTIE JESSOP: MEAT, ART AND FILM: A LIFE IN THREE ACTS . . .
VALERIE GAUNT: THE ACTRESS AT START OF HAMMER FILMS GLAMOUR WHO SHOCKED AUDIENCES AND THEN VANISHED!
YVONNE MONLAUR: THE LITTLE OF CINEMA PART TWO
CATCH UP WITH OUR RECENT #CUSHINGFEMMEFATALE GALLERIES AND FEATURES!
THE LITTLE BIRD! PART ONE OF YVONNE MONLAUR :HERE!
REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.
Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help
us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The
Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and
youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS
coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA
