THE 'WHO-DONE-IT WITH-BITE! : CALLUM MCKELVIE TRIES TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF THE 43 YEAR OLD THRILLER

SOON TO BE RELEASED IN A REMASTERED BLU RAY COLLECTION, CALLUM, TRIES TO SOLVE THE ALLURE OF THE DOG THAT WONT LIE DOWN . . .

DESPITE HAVING TACKLED  classic monsters such as Frankenstein and Dracula, it wouldn’t be until the mid-1970’s when Peter Cushing appeared in a Werewolf film. Indeed two in as many years, 1974’s The Beast Must Die! And 1975’s Legend of the Werewolf. The latter of these was a much more traditional werewolf tale, whilst the former was something of an innovative attempt to twist the tale with a murder mystery drama and Blaxploitation elements popular at the time. After all, it was only a mere three years since the release of Shaft and Blaxploitation horror films were not unusual with Blacula in 1972, its sequel Scream Blacula Scream! In 1973 and others such as Sugar Hill following later. Add to this a ‘funky’ soundtrack and a unique gimmick, the ‘Werewolf Break’, which stopped the film just before the third act to give the audience the chance to guess who the werewolf might be.

BASED ON JOHN BLISHE'S 1950 story; There Shall Be No Darkness, the script by Michael Winder sticks particularly close to the material on which it’s based, updating the period and sensibilities appropriately. Cushing play Professor Lundgren, one of several individuals invited by Calvin Lockhart’s Tom Newcliffe, to his home. Newclifffe is a millionaire who is convinced one of his guests is a werewolf and is determined to hunt them. Like the varying versions of And Then There Were None, from which the film borrows a great deal, it’s the cast that immediately draws attention. Alongside Cushing and Lockhart are a young Michael Gambon, Charles Gray, Ciaran Madden, Marlene Clark and Tom Chadbon. One of the main joys of the film is the interactions between these various characters, particular those scenes between Charles Gray’s pompous diplomat and Tom Chadborn’s psychotic artist. Anton Differing appears for a welcome few scenes as a security technician who meets a grisly end at the hands (or perhaps paws) of the beast.

IT'S A SIMPLE ENOUGH premise but one that provides an entertaining spin on the usual werewolf tales of reluctant monsters and is therefore all the more interesting for it. There are several missed opportunities in the script however, it drags a little in the middle and lacks debate on Lockhart’s desire to kill a beast that is a human being who cannot help the horrific changes that occur. Considering the sluggish scenes in the middle where Lockhart chases an unknown suspect through the woods or some of the admittedly endless scenes of conversation between the various guests in which they demonstrate the same levels of paranoia again and again, subtext such as this would of helped enliven these duller portions.

THE FILM RELIES a lot on its action and suspense, which is handled very well by director Paul Annett, who has apparently fond memories of the production. He states that due to the sorry state of the werewolf, he decided to concentrate on the small cast, an approach which works wonders.  The beast itself is admittedly somewhat lacklustre when compared to the creature that would appear a year later in Legend of the Werewolf. Here a large dog in a rather shaggy fur coat is used instead of any prosthetics. In a few scenes with dim lighting, where only glimpses of the beast are shown, it proves to be somewhat effective. However in other scenes, for example the death of Anton Differing’s character, his terrified expression as he stares at what is clearly a rather docile animal, wagging it’s tongue, are laughable If the film was remade in the 1980’s let’s say, with similar effects to John Landis’s An American Werewolf in London then doubtless a more animalistic looking werewolf would have been successful. Honestly though, they should have gone for prosthetics on an actor.

THAT'S NOT to lambast the film however. On the whole The Beast Must Die is incredibly entertaining. A wonderful cast and generally fun atmosphere on the skeleton a thriller film work immensely successfully. It would prove to be the last horror production by Amicus and whilst certainly not up to the standard of other films such as From Beyond the Grave or my own personal favourite The Skull, allowed them to bow out of the genre with dignity.

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#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: PAINTING INTO A CORNER?

THERE WERE MANY 'could have been's' in the long career of Peter Cushing. On both small and big screen, and scanning the long litter of tantalizing titles and scripts, are as exciting, as they are frustrating. Putting aside the Daddy of all these no-goes, John Carpenter's 'Halloween', two names that appear to come up frequently as culprits of numerous Cushing non starters are the BBC and, as you would expect, Hammer films. The later was a company where the fate of a go-green light was finely balanced on a thumbs up OR down, following the flashing of some titillating artwork on a poster, unveiled at a meeting of money types looking to make a profit. The long and sad cry of projects that never got beyond treatment stage, makes for an emotional read! With Hammer it was always the bottom line of finance, the BBC was often crippled by it's own business model of, creativity by committee.

DISPITE THIS, during the 1950's and 60's Aunty Beeb did a tremendous job of presenting much ground-breaking, and exciting drama. However, it was the same BBC though that in its urge to unwrap a tv Christmas schedule that would keep the viewers glued to their programmes , that was instrumental in causing Cushing's absence from what could have been another Peter Cushing / Christopher Lee Hammer film smash. Based on the Barry Lyndon's play, 'The Man in Half Moon Street', or as Hammer came to re-tittle it, 'The Man Who Could Cheat Death', would have been that film. As it turned out, only Lee would appear in a minor supporting role, with actor Anton Diffring starring as the 'Man', one Dr. Georges Bonnet.

AFTER A VERY busy year and completing Hammer films one and only dip into Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes library, with The Hound of the Baskervilles, by October 1958, Cushing was looking forward to spending some time on preparing an exhibition of his paintings in the new year. The BBC however, were keen to get him on-board in their line up of stars appearing in their programming during the Christmas scheduling of 58.  Michael Barry (1910 – 1988) producer, director and executive at the BBC was very busy preparing a production of George Du Maurier's 'Trilby' for the festive programming, and very much had his eye on Peter Cushing to play the role that had brought much critical acclaim to  John Barrymore on screen and Herbert Beerbohm- Tree on stage. On September 9th Michael Barry received some sobering correspondence from Cushing television agent, Angela Hepburn : 

'I have some more information from Hammer films as to their plans for Peter's next production  for them. which ..... is to be 'The Man in Half Moon Street. At present they plan to start shooting this picture on or about the 10th of November. It will be a six to seven week schedule- generally six. Hound of the Baskervilles, on which he has just commenced work this week - and the start of Half Moon Street gives an available period of October 20th - 9th November approximately'. 

BARRY, DESPITE his impressive and long production experience must have chewed a couple of pencils on that one! But despite the tight schedule and restrictions, he was still very keen to go ahead with Cushing. In his reply to Angela Hepburn, Barry noted, 'Svengali belongs to a period that requires breadth and colour which I believe Peter would join me in appreciating' Barry had in 1952, he succeeded Val Gielgud to become the Head of Drama at BBC Television, a position he was to occupy for the next decade. He was responsible for commissioning several important productions, including the Quatermass science-fiction serials, and in 1954 suggested Peter Cushing to play Winston Smith in the famous adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. This latter production caused much controversy due to its supposed horrific scenes and subversive content.

THROUGHOUT the 50's Peter Cushing was Mr Television. Hardly a week went by without him appearing in the BBC's listings. He was the BBC's Mr. Darcy in their flagship 1952 production of 'Pride and Prejudice', he had won several television awards, a BAFTA and the BEEB still saw him as one of their stars. Also, since the launch of the 'Other-side', Independent Television the loss of their monopoly on the little screen, was starting to make Aunty wobble. ITV were starting to nibble away at the BBC's hold, and the Independent Television regional stations had started to broadcast around the UK. Whispers of competition, ratings and stars jumping ship, were staring to be heard along the hallowed corridors of Alexandra Palace and the Riverside studios. Which is why, when Barry was faced with the timing problem, he offed to reschedule and postpone the transmission of Trilby to Boxing Day, rather than loose Cushing.

Despite this, the casting of Cushing in Trilby, was not to be. The whole idea was shot down in a letter to producer Christopher McMaster from Angela Hepburn on November 27th 1958.

'It is with the greatest regret I have to tell you that Peter Cushing will not be available to play Svengali for you on the postponed filming date. As you may or may not know, Peter is under contract to Hammer films to do five films for them within the period of 18 months. This means virtually that he has approximately ten days to a fortnight off between each film and therefore his periods of availability are not only limited but also spaced far apart. In actual fact the film he is about to do (on a 12 week schedule) is not for Hammer but for another company - and therefore it follows that as soon as it is completed he has to return immediately to Hammer to start work on his next film for them. I explain this to you so that you can see how very little point there appears to be in postponing your production with the idea of Peter being available at a later date. I have just talked with Peter on the telephone and he liked the script very much indeed, and he is extremely sorry that he will not be able to play it.'

WITH CUSHING'S decision to not engage with the BBC festive drama roll out, a chill descended on their relationship. A reluctance to invite Cushing into new productions on reflection, is quite evident, though there were several inquiries from his agent, and the idea to explore to reboot interest in a production of 'Cyano de Bergerac', Cushing would not appear in any major BBC production for at least another five years in 1963.

THERE SEEMS TO be no defiant answer to the question, 'Why didn't Peter Cushing appear in Hammer films, 'The Man Who Could Cheat Death' ..other than, if there were a reason, it probably had more to do with Peter feeling, after an intensive period of work, and production companies pulling him this way and that, he was due some me time...and a focus on his passion for painting. Just weeks after all the fuss calmed down with the BBC, on December 3rd 1958, Cushing unveiled 'Here and There: An Exhibition of Water-Colours by Peter Cushing, at the Fine Arts Society in Bond Street, London. The 'non Hammer film' that Angela Hepburn mentioned in her correspondence, that would have made Cushing's BBC appearance impossible, never happened...and there is no paper trail or evidence of what it could have been. Cushing did not start work at Bray with Hammer, until later than predicted, on February 25th 1959 when THE MUMMY started to roll. By this time, having spent time needed, the exhibition was launched and open to visitors.
 

IT'S DIFFICULT to prove now, years on, but maybe it wasn't just about Peter making time for his exhibition, maybe there was something about that TRILBY script, politics or health matters, that lead Cushing to opt-out. The invitation to play Svengali for Cushing, would have been a terrific opportunity. Did Cushing really do the right thing, and pass on this chance, for his love of painting? Whatever it was, I can't help feeling that Cushing did feel a loyalty to the BBC, and when he had time to think about it, knowing his exhibition had to take priority, both  projects 'The Man Who Could Cheat Death' AND 'Trilby' had to go. Maybe in dropping out of the unknown film and 'Cheat Death' Cushing hoped it would be seen as a 'walking on glass' gesture to appease Michael Barry, Christopher McMaster at the BBC. Maybe Cushing hoped it would sooth what would turn out to be a definite sting, and ultimately sour their working relationship.

A FULL COLOUR DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD IN THE KINEMATOGRAPH WEEKLY APPEARED ON APRIL 30TH 1959 ANNOUNCING THE RELEASE OF THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH WITH LEE BUT MINUS CUSHING.

WHATEVER HAPPENED, 'The Man Who Could Cheat Death' did middling business, even though it didn't lack drama and had very good production values, with it's  beautiful sets from the previous Hammer hits, Dracula / Horror of Dracula, Hound of the Baskervilles and the Revenge of Frankenstein. Diffring did a great job under Terence Fisher's direction. Hazel Court shines. But for all of this, I don't think that the inclusion of Cushing and Lee together in this film, would have made it a better film... Their casting would have certainly made it a, different film.  Another classic maybe? Another opportunity to mine that rich seam of chemistry, that both Cushing and Lee demonstrated with wonderful results in twenty two other films, together. You may think, well, twenty two is a good number. I would have to answer, any opportunity to cast, the two greatest exponents of British Fantasy cinema, that was lost.... should make us all feel, quite, CHEATED.

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#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: REMEMEBERED TODAY: ANTON DIFFRING

REMEMBERING: ANTON DIFFRING. Born today in 1918, Anton Diffring came from a family that boasted generations of actors. Cool and noble with a German accent, he was first in line when the casting call went out for German officers with a nasty streak. He quickly slipped into the role of Baron Frankenstein for the pilot episode of Hammer films and Columbia Pictures, 'Tales of Frankenstein' in 1958 and even quicker filled the role of Dr. Georges Bonnet in Hammer's 'The Man Who Could Cheat Death' in 1959, when the studio found themselves without Peter Cushing for the role.

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Diffring is probably best remembered for his roles in 'The Blue Max' in 1966, 'Where Eagles Dare' in 1968 and François Truffaut's Fahrenheit 451 (1966) He was also cast in several film alongside Peter Cushing, 'Shatter' for Hammer in 1974, 'The Beast Must Die' for Amicus also 74 and Tyburn's 'The Masks of Death' with Peter Cushing as an elderly Sherlock Holmes in 1984. Anton Diffring died in 1989 aged 70.

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#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: BEHIND SCENES ON AMICUS WEREWOLF FLICK AND THE BIG SHOCK!

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: 1974: The very first whispers I heard about a films called 'Confessions of a Blood Drinker aka The Big Shock aka La Grande Trouille . . .was in 1975, the word was, chaos. Rumbling, Shambolic, Rubbish. Then I received a set of beautiful colour mat finish press photographs..you can see them in out feature at the website...then House of Hammer magazine ran a black and white feature, made no sense. It wasn't until 1985 that I finally saw a print, with subtitles. It made no difference. It was still everything they said it was...and more. A delux car crash in movie making. Everything that you THOUGHT Cushing stood for in his art, this one flies in the face of! It wasn't the only time Cushing made a dead duck, where the best thing to come out of the venture, were the press photographs! And here is one now . . .

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: 1974 Director Paul Annett talks about directing the 1974 Amicus films, 'THE BEAST MUST DIE' starring Peter Cushing, Charles Gray, Anton Diffring, Calvin Lockhart, Marlene Clark and Michael Gambon. Behind the scenes stills and clips . .The story is, in essence, an intersting mix of Agatha Christie’s 'And Then There Were None' (aka, Ten Little Indians) and Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game, with elements of the werewolf mythos stirred in for good measure with .... The Werewolf Break, being the cherry on the top!

 

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: 1974 As usual some of posts here are also posted, a little earlier at our Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page , and after posting the one at the top of this thread first on facebook, about Peter Cushing's film, 'Tendre Dracula' . . I received a message from Andre Toutlinee, who suggests that, 'I can't believe that Tendre Dracula could be THAT bad a film! I mean how bad was it it for you to say that it was a car crash of a movie??' Well, Andre... How bad was it?? It was THIS bad, (see pics above) Peter looks interesting as a vampire...but the film's cinema poster??? What...were..they...thinking??? OR smoking???

 

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THE FINAL BOW: ROY WARD BAKER ON 'THE MASKS OF DEATH' CUSHING'S LAST SHERLOCK

Wonderful! Sherlock Holmes was to manifest himself once more. The producer, Kevin Francis, had conjured him up and this was to be a film by Holmes buffs, for Holmes buffs. Based on a story by John Elder (the pen name of Hammer films Anthony Hinds), the script by NJ Crips was packed with in-jokes. It also had a number of twists on the traditional style: Holmes is no longer infallible and makes several mistakes, which he admits; Irene Adler reappears, in the person of Anne Baxter, but this time she is a goodie.

Over recent years there have been several versions of the Sherlock saga, plus pitches, new stories, etcetera, etcetera, some very faniciful indeed. Peter Cushing, Sir John Mills and I met for a discussion of the relationship between Holmes and watson. Not surprisngly, we were all of one mind: we had re-read the books and out opinions were based on what we had read.

They were both bachelors of a certain social status. They were both looking for a modest and comforatble set of rooms in a respectable area not too far from the centre of london. They each had a small income which wouldn't run to a suitable place, but if they shared the expenses they would be able to rent such a set, together with a housekeeper, They scrupulously respected each other's territory, using the sitting room as a common ground. It was an exclusively male existance and they became fast friends. In the course of adventures they came to depend on each other. Contrary to the speculations of some latter-day commentators, they were never envinced the slightest in homosexuality. The period of 'The Adventures...' runs from 1881 to 1903, the present story 'The Masks of Death' is set in 1913, with Holmes being dragged out of retirement.

Peter Cushing was one of the best of many actors who played Sherlock Holmes. This was his seventeeth and final bow in the part; he knew the man and understood him perfectly. Johnnie Mills had never played Watson and to my mind, his was the best version ever. It is the devil of a character to convey as a real person. He is usually presented to us a thick-headed stooge to the great man, which of course makes one wonder how Holmes puts up with him - that can't be right. Holmes is the eccentric, imaginative figure, while Watson is down to earth, methodical, practical: after all, he is a doctor of medicine. The two men are complete oppersites but in thier different ways they are equals, or at any rate of equal value to each other. They respect each other. I guarentee that this picture is worth a look just to see this performance. I don't mean to belittle any of the othetr actors, who are all fine: Anne Baxter, Anton Diffing, Gordon Jackson and Ray Milland, all on great form.

The crew was largely a collection of old friends. Anthony Mendleson, the brilliant costume designer and three stalwarts from Hammer films: Make up artist Roy Ashton, editor Chris Barnes and guess who as sound editor - the 'other Roy Baker! Ray Sturgess was the camera operator. We had worked together several times before but this time he was presented with some special problems.

The ruling was that we must use camera equipment from the Pinewood camera dept[artment, which hadn't been used for years! Pinewood had been a wall-to-wall studios for ages. Therefore all visiting crews brought their own gear with them. Anyway the Pinewood stuff was cleaned up and tested but it was old fashioned, which didn't make life easy for Ray. It was due to his efforts that everything worked out well. Brendan Stafford was the lighting cameraman who, like Holmes, had to be  dragged protesting out of retirement to do the film. He enjoyed it , I am sure....

 

Taken from The Director's Cut

By Roy Ward Baker

Reynolds and Hearn 2000

Images and Design: Marcus Brooks