Monday 24 August 2020

WHEN PETER CUSHING FLEW IN TO THE 'BATTLE FOR BRAY' 1990

WHEN PETER CUSHING Flew in to 'Save Bray Studios!' Back in 1980, what was once the impressive home of Hammer films, Bray Studios, was under serious threat of being 'sold off'... the site and studio, despite being used by other production companies for over 40 years since Hammer left, demolished, making it valuable real estate, for the building of luxury apartments. Several names from the entertainment world, joined forces to raise awareness to the cause of 'Save Bray Studios'.

ON AUGUST 9TH 1990, Peter joined a tv news and press day at the studios, flying in by helicopter, for a chat with the press and photo ops, bringing a high profile to the cause. Bray studios was of course where many of Cushing's and Christopher Lee's classic Dracula and Hammer film were produced. It was a well fought battle, but I think everyone knew, despite the efforts of the 'Save Bray' campaign . . it would be a battle lost.

OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, the Bray studio empty lots and production buildings have been demolished. The major 'mansion house' Down Place, used in many of the Cushing's Hammer films like, Dracula (1958) The Mummy (1959) The Curse and Revenge of Frankenstein.. and so many others, despite being in a quite a poor state, was privately purchase, and is being cleaned up and internally restored as I write. It will be used as a private residence.

Bray Down House in 2015 : Bray Studios is centred around Down Place, country estate built in 1750 by the Tonson family. It became residence of the Hartford family between 1835 and 1901. In 1951, Hammer Film Productions, in search of a base to make their budget horror films, settles on the derelict Down Place. Shooting in country houses avoided the need to build sets, and usually also meant large grounds were available for location work. As the one year lease on Down Place ran out and a union strike prevented a move to a studio, Hammer decide to build a studio in the grounds of Down Place, and name it Bray Studios, after the local town.
 
In 1965 Mr Ernest Oliver, owner of the adjacent Oakley Court, dies, leaving the Court uninhabited. 
 
The building became an ideal setting for many Bray productions, especially featuring in Hammer Films such as 'The Old Dark House', the 'St Trinian's' film series, 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show', 'Half a Sixpence' and 'Murder By Death'
 
Hammer sold Bray Studios in 1970 and it then became a renowned centre for specials effects teams, e.g. 'Space 1999' and the model and miniature filming for notable films including 'Alien' (1979; 'Reign of Fire' (2002), 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus' (2009) Over the years, the studio lots were also used for pre-production rehearsals by many groups such as Radiohead, Kings of Leon, Amy Winehouse and Live Aid back in 1985.  
 

 
It was announced back in 2013 by Neville Hendricks, the then owner of Bray Studios, that the studios are no longer viable and were sold to property developers. There was a high profile local campaign supported by many past stars such as Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Richard O'Brian to save the studios but if failed. In July 2015, it was announced that the listed Down Place building would be restored and converted into luxury apartments and the sound stages and workshops would be demolished to make way for new houses.
 
 
Recently however, like many of it's Hammer resident vampires of old, it proved it wasn't done just yet.. Elton John's bio-pic 'Rocketman' and the BBC 2020 retelling of a tale in a grand three part spectacular saw THE COUNT return to his old haunt in 'Dracula' produced and written by Mark Gatiss and Stephan Moffat! This was filmed, while the final plans, for the bull-dozer....have not won the day yet! 
 
 
 
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