LITTLE FRANKENSTEIN AND RARE HAMMER FILMS BEHIND THE SCENES

 

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY! RETURNS! The year 2018 marks the 200th anniversary of the publishing of Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, and even though we make a Cushing Frankenstein themed post most weeks, today sees the return of one of Peter Cushing's most popular characters, to it's weekly spot. To MARK the Frankenstein Anniversary in the remaining month of 2018 and the return our Baron Friday Themed posts, here is an EXCELLENT short video, sent to us by our good friend and regular supporter of the PCAS sites, ANDY WINWARD, a master of the short video... and starring his very cute and talented daughter. Please give yourself a 'Friday Treat' and his short video a watch!

OUR FIRST photo for our return of #FrankensteinFriday today... Peter Cushing on set, boom over-head at the ready, camera waiting to roll in a rare unpublished photograph from a contact sheet of 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' at Elstree film studios. In just over 7 years time, he would be back, on the spot at this studio, appearing as Grand Moff Tarkin in 'Star Wars'. . .

I LOVE press books and ad campaigns... the 'Must Be Destroyed' newspaper ads are some of my favs of the whole Hammer Frankenstein series! 😀

CHRISTOPHER LEE'S GOT MILK AND YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN WARNER BROTHERS HORROR OF DRACULA BLU RAY!

#THROWBACK THURSDAY! NO BLOOD, BUT GOT MILK! Lee drinks MILK, on the set of the 1974 Bond epic, 'The Man With The Golden Gun'. Like with several of Hammer films productions, the UK Milk Marketing Board filmed an on set visit during production, to grab several of the film's stars and crew, gulping and gagging down gallons of full cream pasteurised moo moo cream. It all made for some free publicity for the movie and some much needed free health promotion for the UK dairy farmers. 

I NOTICE THAT NEITHER Lee or Cushing, who did one for Legend of the Seevn Golden Vampires, From Beyond the Grave, Dr Who and the Daleks...are rarely actually SEEN swallowing it, though. They hold it to their chops, but there it seems to end! The UK Milk Marketing Board ran these promos in UK cinemas for many years. It was a neat way to get a peep at some of your fav actors and actresses on set, and a few mins away from cheap and tacky ad's for restaurants, hairdressers and mega bucks ads for killer cigarettes and 'mothers ruin' gin! Happy days 😉

 

MISS IT AND MISS OUT! NEXT WEEK!

 

WHAT THE DIRECTOR SAW! THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY AND 'BRRR' LAST WEEKS ANSWER!

THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY: This is a very true and funny one, for sure . . . and gives some background, to what a strange and rather eccentric lady, actress Martita Hunt could be . . if the need took her 😃 Please feel free to join the post over at the  OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PCAS FAN PAGE and share your thoughts with others on the thread 😏. Btw, the source of the answer, is from Hugh Harlow himself...who shared the story with Peter Cushing on the day!!! ANSWER next week!

ABOVE the answer of LAST WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY!

PCAS FEATURE AND GALLERY : HERE! 

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTOGRAPH UNUSUAL AND RARE?

OVER AT THE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PCAS FAN PAGE we've posted this little pic and asked, 'What makes this photograph, unusual and rare? Well, do you know? If you do, then why not come and tell us 😉

A TALENT TO TERRIFY: our nine part series, covers the best of and interesting films, that both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee both appeared in, though not always in scenes together! PART ONE is HERE! 

THE FINAL QUESTION IN THE 'FIVE QUESTIONS PCASUK COMPETITION!

QUESTION FIVE: HOW MANY FEATURE FILMS DID PETER CUSHING AND CHRISTOPHER LEE APPEAR IN TOGETHER... 'THEY SHARED SCENES ON THE SCREEN TOGETHER'... FOR HAMMER FILMS AND AMICUS FILMS AND WHAT WERE THEIR TITLES??

AND SO, here we are! Question FIVE, the final question in our 'FIVE QUESTIONS' PCASUK COMPETITION. I hope you have read the last four questions, posted every day, over the past four days? Now READ CAREFULLY .... What you do next? We now need you to send YOUR answer to THIS question today AND the last FOUR QUESTIONS, to us here at our EMAIL: petercushingpcasgmail.com OR you can send them and enter at our FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE !  

ANY ANSWERS posted in the message box below or on any of the other posts, will be deleted and counted as void. Once you have sent us your FIVE answers, sit back...and wait for the draw of us pulling out the ONE lucky winner's name, who wins the prize of a our SIGNED, full colour, framed photograph of Christopher Lee as Dracula in Dracula AD 1972! ALL ANSWERS MUST BE IN BY FRIDAY 30th NOVEMBER 2018. The winners name will be posted and shared here the following day on Saturday 1st December 2018! So you have quite a few days to study the questions and send in your FIVE ANSWERS entry 😊 It's been a great competition to be part of, I wish you the VERY best of luck 😀You can NOW send us all FIVE of your answers 😀😃 Marcus 

ABOVE: THE PRIZE AND THE START OF PROMOTION FOR THE 'FIVE QUESTIONS COMPETITION' FROM TUESDAY 20TH OF NOVEMBER 2018'

FEMME FATALE FRIDAY AND QUESTION FOUR IN OUR CHRISTOPHER LEE COMPETITION!

SHERLOCK, LEE, CUSHING AND TERENCE FISHER? . . think about it 😊 Question FOUR of Five. Just ONE more tomorrow. Answer this question, keep your answer SAFE, because come Saturday, you'll be asked to send ALL five of your answers to us at PCAS by using the FACEBOOK Message / Contact Button or by EMAIL at our website. PLEASE do not post your answer to us today OR message them in the website message box. Question FIVE will be posted here and on the website TOMORROW 😀

THE PRIZE, as you probably know by now, is a rare and collectable colour autographed frame photograph of Christopher Lee from 'Dracula AD 1972'. It's in mint condition, one of two that I personally own. The framed photograph was donated by Hammer Art back in 2011. It was signed in 2012, along with another exact version of what was being signed. Today is the day, I am giving one away as a prize😮😀 The frame with the photograph is 20 x 14.5″ in size, printed on Hahnemuhle German Etching Paper 315gsm and was one of ONLY TEN in a limited edition. Have fun with this and GOOD LUCK Everyone! 😊 - Marcus

#FEMMEFATLE FRIDAY: Meanwhile out on the mooooor! Here's quite rare and very intresting behind the scenes snap of director Terence Fisher working with Christopher Lee and Marla Landi, during the making of Hammer films, one and only Sherlock Holmes film,'The Hound Of The Baskervilles' (1959) Landi certainly sizzled in her role of the very handsey but highly deceptive, Cecile. She also appeared with Lee in Hammer's 'Pirates Of Blood River' (1962). Quite a fiery and passionate personality off stage and camera Landi was allegally was quite attracted to Lee. Which frightened Lee more than any Hell Hound! Landi landed the role in Baskervilles, after Peter Cushing saw her in a theatre production, and suugested her for the role. She auditioned and nailed it! 😊

THE 1958 HAMMER DRACULA, Phantom of the Opera, Dr Terrors House of Horrors and..KONGA! Today marks the birthday of Michael Gough! Gough had quite an interesting film career, some hits and some misses, but all entertaining. Two films which starred Peter Cushing and packed career on stage and screen. Do YOU have a favourite Michael Gough film? Happy Birthday Michael Gough, you are remembered!

HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING WITH THESE GUESTS PLUS QUESTION THREE IN OUR FABULOUS SIGNED FRAMED LEE DRACULA AD PORAIT!

QUESTION THREE THURSDAY! Crack THIS question TODAY and the previous TWO other questions, and you only have TWO more to go! For those, not in the know, out of sync and / or are starngers welcome! There is a fabulous SIGNED full colour portrait of Christopher Lee as Dracula, up for grabs in THIS competition. It's worth a bundle and would look lovely over yours or your granny's fireplace! All you have to do is answer FIVE questions, the previous you will find here at the PCASUK website and/or our FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGEwebsite. PLEASE no posting your answer in the message box below. . . YET! All five of your answers are welcome, AFTER the competition questions END TOMORROW, AFTER question FIVE! Got it? Good 😀😉 Have FUN and good luck! Question FOUR TOMORROW / FRIDAY! 

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN...ALREADY!  It's been such a fast year, this year and Christmas too will be with us before we know it! So, a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING to our Friends and Followers! 😃

TUESDAY TOUGHY : SECOND QUESTION CLOSER TO SIGNED LEE PRIZE : COLLECTING CUSHING WITH CAMERON JONES

THE PCASUK COMPETITION: Here is Question Number TWO of five in our ' . . win a rare and smashing signed and framed photograph of Christopher as Dracula from Dracula AD 1972!' Competition 🙂 NO answers posted in the message box below please. Another three question to come, after which you can send in all FIVE of your answers to us, as your entry 😉 Good Luck! Question THREE tomorrow 🙂

ABOVE, BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, our CHRISTOPHER LEE 'FIVE QUESTIONS' AUTOGRAPH COMPETITION and the NEWS OF HAMMER FILMS 1958 DRACULA COMING TO BLU RAY, thanks to WARNER BROTHERS, kind of too over the shedule and space, yesterday! However, here we are, just for this week, moving the TUESDAY TOUGHY to TODAY, Wednesday! Kills the title theme, but there you go! So, BRRRRR!? What do you think? Very few of you, guessed the ANSWER to last weeks, CUSHING TUESDAY TOUGHY. It was a tricky one, but the photograph had been included in several features AND a competition! So, no takers. 

HOWEVER, if this weeks' has you, chewing your pencil or keeping you UP at night! No fear, the ANSWER will be here Friday. I mean. WHO IS THAT scuffy looking bird holding onto Mr C? What could be the film? In the meantime, if you would like to chat and throw your ideas, into the pot, WHY NOT pop along to the Facebook PCASUK FAN PAGE and join in the chatter OR even throw your ANSWER into the pot on the thread! 

COLLECTING CUSHING WITH CAMERON JONES: COLUMBUS , OHIO. 'I began collecting about 15 years ago I started with vintage Hammer film posters. I have been a fan of Peter’s since I was a teenager! says Cameron Jones a Peter Cushing fan and collector. Cameron's collection proves a point that, it really isn't about the size of a collection, it's really about the impressive quality of the items.  Like many of the collections I have had the pleasure of seeing, there is always a library of dvd's or blu rays. Cameron's library doesn't just have recently released titles, but also the attraction older releases appeal too. 'The first Peter Cushing film I bought on dvd was an old public domain copy of ‘Horror Express’. I recently got the new Blu-Ray releases of ‘Dracula A.D. 1972’ and ‘The Satanic Rites of Dracula’ The next film I‘ve been eyeing is ‘Island of Terror’ a great little film'

'A great little film'.... one of Cameron's favorites, 'ISLAND OF TERROR' (1966) 

'I GREW UP watching old horror movies. I remember seeing this man who was just so magnetic.. whether he was fighting monsters or creating them it didn’t matter I was always mesmerized by him. Seeing him in a movie meant ‘this was a good one’. Now as an adult my love and respect for Peter Cushing has only grown. He has such range as an actor..he was a natural.'

CLASSIC  Van Helisng with Peter Cushing and David Peel

 in 'The Brides of Dracula' ( 1960) included in Cameron's library!

 

CHRISTOPHER LEE in the Spanish  shocker, 'Horror Express' (1972)

ONE OF THE IMPRESSIVE THINGS about Cameron's collection is, I like that he is a collector, who is bringing together the things that , HE likes. Items, movies and art work that appeal to his love of Peter Cushing. Some of these items are displayed, really tastefully in a spot lit class cabinet. ' My glass display case I got it from IKEA a couple years ago! I think the item in my collection which was the hardest to get was my Titan Van Helsing figurine. It’s pretty rare and hard to find!' Some of you may remember, when Titan released the Cushing Van Helsing figure. It was a limited edition, expensive and everyone serious collector, wanted one gracing their display cabinets! 'My Van Helsing artwork was made for a Kickstarter called ‘Face Cards: Vampires’ a set of trading cards featuring famous Vampires from film and television. The Artist is Byron Winton he decided towards the end of the campaign to add a few famous vampire slayers to the card set. I told him he just HAD to include Peter Cushing’s Van Helsing...and he got put it. I was lucky enough to acquire the original artwork used to make the trading card. It’s Peter as we see him in ‘Brides of Dracula’ 

I ASKED CAMERON if among all the films and tv shows that Peter Cushing appeared in, that Cameron had seen, was there a performance he wasn't so keen on. 'I don’t believe he ever put in a bad performance. Peter brought a touch of class to every film he was in...he is in my opinion the greatest horror actor of all time.' Cameron's collection is still growing, with regular purchases of newly remastered Cushing movies, and if he adds another eye popping gem to that glass display case... he's promised to let us know! I can't wait! 😊 

WIN SIGNED COLLECTABLE RARE CHRISTOPHER LEE FRAMED PORTRAIT : OUR LAST WARNER BROTHERS DRACULA AD COMPETITION

AND SO... HERE WE GO: The last of our competitions celebrating Warner Brothers release of two fantastic remastered blu rays Hammer films, 'Dracula AD 1972' and 'The Satanic Rites Of Dracula' both starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee 😁 It's a rare and collectable prize and a competition that's little more fun maybe. The first of the five questions will arrive here today, with four more to follow, one a day, until the FINAL QUESTION on Saturday 24th November at midnight GMT. If you have any questions about the competition, the prize or what to have for dinner this evening, please don;t hesistate hesitate to email us HERE!

ABOVE is our FIRST QUESTION of FIVE, that will be posted here over the next FIVE DAYS, the final question, question FIVE on Saturday 24th when the competition closes at midnight GMT. Answer this question, keep your answer SAFE, because come Saturday, you'll be asked to send ALL five of your answers by EMAIL to us here at PCASUK! PLEASE do not post your answer to us today OR message them in the website message box. Question TWO will be posted here on the website TOMORROW 🙂 The prize, as you probably know by now, is a rare and collectable colour autographed frame photograph of Christopher Lee from 'Dracula AD 1972'. It's in mint condition, one of two that I personally own. The framed photograph was donated by Hammer Art back in 2011. It was signed in 2012, along with another exact version of what was being signed. Today is the day, I am giving one away as a prize😮😀 The frame with the photograph is 20 x 14.5″ in size, printed on Hahnemuhle German Etching Paper 315gsm and was one of ONLY TEN in a limited edition. You can also if you wish, chat and enter the competition at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE Meanwhile, have fun with this and GOOD LUCK Everyone! 😊 - Marcus

NEWS! WARNER BROTHERS RELEASED 'HORROR OF DRACULA' ON REMASTERED AND TWEAKED BLU RAY!

SOME REALLY GREAT NEWS for US 'Horror of Dracula' fans! The US gets a blu ray release at last, courtesy of Warner Brothers 🙂

HORROR OF DRACULA (1958) NEW 2018 1080p PRESENTATION SOURCED FROM THE HAMMER/BFI RESTORATION Run Time 82:00 Subtitles English SDH Sound Quality DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English Aspect Ratio ORIGINAL ASPECT RATIO - 1.66:1, 16 X 9 WIDESCREEN Product Color COLOR Disc Configuration BD 25 includes Original UK Theatrical Trailer (HD)

CHRISTOPHER LEE AND PETER CUSHING, Britain’s premier masters of the macabre, bring the Horror of Dracula to vivid, full-color death in this retelling of Bram Stoker’s spellbinding vampire tale. Dracula (Lee), a centuries-old Transylvanian nobleman damned to an eternal half-life, regularly finds new victims. He also finds Dr. Van Helsing (Cushing), a scientist who becomes the Count’s implacable foe in a deadly game of bat-and-mouse. This is the UK version titled “DRACULA”, and featuring footage previously restored by the British Film Institute and Hammer Films. Warner Archive’s new release restores the original color palette of the film, using dye-transfer Technicolor prints as reference, and has been meticulously cleaned of film-related damage for a superior presentation.