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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