Showing posts with label #dracula. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #dracula. Show all posts

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! 
 
 
 
YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features ad prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing OBE

Monday 10 August 2020

SCREAM FACTORY ANNOUNCES NEW BLU RAY 'BRIDES OF DRACULA' FOR RELEASE IN NOVEMBER 2020

NEWS: SCREAM FACTORY has announced a NEW Collector Edition Blu Ray for the US of Hammers Brides Of Dracula starring Peter Cushing, Yvonne Monlaur, David Peel, Martitia Hunt, Freda Jackson.. and a host of Hammer film regulars! Make up Roy Ashton. Directed by Terence Fisher!

 

 

 

OUR PCASUK REVIEW of 'BRIDES OF DRACULA'  with Gallery and GIFS written by  Callum McKelvie! RIGHT HERE!

The DETAILS we have from SCREAM currently are as follows:

National street date for North America (Region A) is 11/10.

This is being presented as a Collector’s Edition release and will come guaranteed with a slipcover in its first three months of release


The newly commissioned artwork you see pictured comes to us from artist Mark Maddox (Dracula: Prince of Darkness, Frankenstein Created Woman). This art will be front-facing and the reverse side of the wrap will feature the original theatrical artwork.

New extras are in progress and will be announced on a later date. We can confirm today though that we are proceeding with a new transfer of the film

 

Order from SHOUTFACTORY.COM and get an EXCLUSIVE 18" X 24" ROLLED POSTER featuring our brand new artwork, available while supplies last!

 

COME JOIN US at our FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE HERE! Post

Thursday 10 January 2019

ON SET FOR WHEN #DRACULA ROSE AND FELL AT #PINEWOODSTUDIOS : RARE FULL COLOUR PRINTS!



#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: Christopher Lee up in the roof top set of Dracula Has Risen From The Grave, at Pinewood studios. 'Grave' I have often thought was one of the few in the series that would have really been so much better with some Cushing Van Helsing in the plot! No?😊😌😊



THIS FILM WAS number THREE in the Lee Hammer Dracula series is often reported to be Hammer films most successful film? Over at the FACEBOOK PCAS FAN PAGE, I have asked if anyone can provide evidence as to why that would be thought so??? Feel free to give us your theories! 😉


ANOTHER ONE THAT IS rarely posted on facebook groups or Hammer films websites.. a full colour transparency from 'Dracula Has Risen from the Grave'. Lee in respose, the last we see of the Count before he is no more. Always thought it was a leap too far, from flesh to slime and ash in this death scene. Hammer and Les Bowie Special Effects team were always so good at the 'big pay off' visuals of Dracula coming back from the dead and dying sometimes the most gruesome, yet quite inventive death!


MORE ON HAMMER FILMS and the QUEENS AWARD in 1968 : HERE!





Wednesday 9 January 2019

GIFS GALORE! WHAT ARE YOUR CHOICES OF THE BEST OF THE HAMMER DRACULA BLU RAY RELEASES! COLLECTING CUSHING WEDNESDAY


WITH THE ARRIVAL of THE LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES from SCREAM FACTORY in APRIL on BLU RAY, it signals the long awaited fact that, all of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing Hammer Dracula films, are now available on BLU RAY . . in some region and in most cases, REMASTERED. We will forever sadly, be hearing many clashing and some questionable opinions for from collectors, experts and fans, to the overall quality of some if not all of these releases. But personal tastes aside, it is great that all of these films have risen from the VHS quality of yesteryear, to a format that embellishes some of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee's best work. Over at the FACEBOOK PCAS FAN PAGEHow many of these titles do own on blu ray, how many on DVD and which stands out as your favorite release and why?




HOW MANY OF THE THESE GIFS from Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing DRACULA tittled Hammer Films can you identify?  









COME UP HELP US keep the memory of PETER CUSHIJG ALIVE and join us at the FACEBOOK PCAS FAN PAGE and our PCAS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...