STAR WARS WITH MAGIC CARPETS ALONG WITH CHRISTOPHER LEE, EMMA SAMMS AND PC!

PETER CUSHING as the brief but interesting WAZIR AL WAZARA in ARABIAN ADVENTURE in 1979. Often see as another AMICUS film, the film was in fact produced in April 1978 EMI Films announced they would make the film as part of a series of films they wanted to produce with the newly formed Orion Pictures. Granted both the partnership of the Amicus Kevin Francis and John Dark were on board, and both Christopher Lee and Cushing were starring and almost, guest starring, but Amicus it aint. The budget was much more than what Dark and Connor ever had to tackle their Land that Time Forgot, At The Earth's Core or Warlords of Atlantis, but it wasn't as successful. The promo strap line of 'Star Wars with Magic Carpets!' promised much, but fell well short of anything close to the new benchmark of children and family entertainment on the big screen. 

OUR PCASUK FEATURE AND GALLERY ON ARABIAN ADVENTURE HERE!

WHEN CUSHING does finally arrive, his appearance as the cell trapped Wuzara, it is a bit of shock. Sporting what looks like 15 years over growth on the handle-bar moustache he wore as Dr Naramrov in Hammer films, The Gorgon, his character is dusty, grubby and broken. Cushing gave the role, however short, his full attention and commitment and the facial hair he grew and wore, for the role of  Commissioner Potts in the truly weird and way off, A Touch Of The Sun with Oliver Reed, remained. Work on TOUCH on location in Zamiba had only wrapped two weeks, so what little of Cushing's face we could see was, certainly sun kissed for the Arabian climate!

THE REASON WHY this film is being included in our usual COMIC TURNS and MAGAZINE themed WEDNESDAY, is because the press office for the movie managed to pull two quite interesting stunts in the drive for publicity. ONE was the fabulous FULL COLOUR photo that graced the cover of an EARLY issue of blood splat and gore effects screamarama, that is now FANGORIA magazine. Granted this was only issue three, and the magazine would soon being making off in a completely different direction, but brownie points to the press office. SECOND was the wave of alternative cinema and press design posters that were drawn up and produced on the release of the film. One poster carried a selection of COMIC STRIP panels on a full colour cinema quad poster. Rarely does this kind of artwork feature on a cinema poster, but the well intended move to capture the attention of the target audience kiddies, was still much more impressed and still dizzy from the hi tech visuals, of 'A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY'. Magic carpets were for this crowd, were seen as thread bare and dated. It would be a long time far far in the distance, before those impressive visuals would stop tinting any fantasy adventure on the big screen. . .

A FACE YOU WILL SURELY KNOW! Ever wondered whatever happened to ACTOR MILTON REID. FIND OUT : RIGHT HERE!

FIND MORE and DAILY with LOTS of opportunity to comment and share your opinions and thoughts at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE!

REMEMBERING JON PERTWEE AND VAN HELSING'S TERROR TALES NOW AVAILABLE IN HARDBACK WHILE STOCKS LAST!

IN THE USA, for decades there was never a shortage of comics and magazines, with a Hammer film or Cushing and Lee angle, along with the usual Universal Monsters focus too, when the 70's arrived, the UK started some very interesting comics and magazines too.  One of which was House of Hammer, a magazine edited by Dez Skinn and published by Top Sellers / Warners. Launched in 1976, the format of the mag was to lead with a comic strip adaptation of a Hammer movie, run several articles and interviews pertaining to Hammer horror films, and end with a short, complete twist-in-the-tail comic strip entitled Van Helsing's Terror Tales.

THE VAN HELSING monthly strip, was maybe one of the most popular strips in the magazine. It featured artwork by some of the UK's top creators such as Brian Lewis, John Bolton, Angus McKie, Trevor Goring, Martin Asbury, Jim Baikie, Patrick White, and more. 

NOW, DEZ SKINN has unearthed those horror classics from the vault and is publishing them in one 80 page limited edition hardback book. (The signed edition is limited to just 100 copies.) The hardback features some of the best, and there are some great pieces that I personally remember from that time. The comic strips were always really well presented . . 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE to order your very own, HARDBACK COPY, just follow the details and the order email adress on the panel above, while stocks last . .  

TODAY WE REMEMBER Jon Pertwee who we sadly lost on this day in May 1996. Pertwee became best known for spending 18 years (1959–1977) playing Chief petty officer Pertwee in the popular series The Navy Lark on BBC Radio. But achieved world wide recognition from playing the Third Doctor in Dr Who whom he played from 1970 to 1974.

WITH Geoffrey Bayldon his co-star in Wurzel Gummidge in 'The House That Dripped Blood' (1970)

WITH Ingrid Pitt In The House That Dripped Blood

AFTER DOCTOR WHO He had continued success in TV playing the title character in the television series Worzel Gummidge from 1979 to 1981 (reprising the role from 1987 to 1989). What are some of your favourite Pertwee performances?

. . . AND With A Broken Tardis! From Spearhead from Space 

IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us reach all lovers of Peter Cushing's work AND Help Keep The Memory Alive!

ANOTHER TARKIN SENIOR MOMENT AND PROMOTION HAMMER DRACULA POSTER ART!

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY! There are several artists on the net that I follow regularly, especially if they are in the habit of producing a Cushing or Fantasy genre actor or character now and then. These TWO amazing poster portraits of Cushing and Lee from their last two Hammer Dracula's, are very good indeed. It seems a simple thing to do, take a great publicity photograph from a popular film, and put a spin on the image, add some subtle and stylish text and fonts... FAB... a contemporary presentation, that would look great on any fans wall! I know next to nothing about this artist, except their, I guessing their name...FRANKLYN. There is a gallery of fine examples of Franklyn's work on ebay. Some great Lee, Cushing and Hammer film LIMITED EDITION PRINTS and reasonably priced too.😉 Go on spoil yourself, for Christmas . . . EBAY LINK HERE! I suspect they are going fast 😉 - Marcus

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY!! With the arrival of the latest installment of the STAR WARS series now at cinemas . . . here's a reminder of a where it all began . . . now, if Tarkin could just remember, what he's going to do with that battle station Ha! 🙂 - Marcus

 

IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA  .

WINNERS AND DOCTOR WHO POSTER ART TOO COOL!

#TOOCOOLTUESDAYQUOTE! Christopher Lee and his VILLAINS! 

Do you agree?

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY! ABOVE some very cool examples of CUSHING DOCTOR POSTER ART from the very talented DAVE BURGESS. My apologies for my ignorance on some of the subject matter, I am not really that familiar with who the ICE MEN and the MECHONS might be, the grand scheme of all things DOCTOR WHO.... However, with impressive presentation like this, it certainly makes you wish some of these concepts, had been given the 'green-light' back in the day. These posters are actually for sale and you can find out MORE and place an ORDER by going to Dave's site: HERE!

IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA  . 

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY! REPACKAGING THE CLASSICS : HANDS AND FANGS!

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY! REPACKAGING Cushing and Hammer films classic films for new sales and audiences, sometimes throws up the most interesting box designs . . . what do we think of the covers of these two #HAMMERFILM classics: #bridesofdracula and #eviloffrankenstein ???

UPDATE: AN INTERESTING comment on our PCASFACEBOOK FAN PAGE
from ZAK PEARSON who says, :  'I don't know why these companies don't just use the original posters, gorgeous lush hand painted posters already in existence, rather than these very clinical designs?'.

WE ANSWERED: ' . . .Some of the films the media rights, posters, stills actually are not included in the license of having rights to distribute the film. Although many dvd and blu ray distributors flaunt this fact when they include the stills and posters in the extras... in the case of many of Hammers films films, the media rights are owned by a completely different company, to who owns the rights of the actual film . .. and some differ from country and territory . .to use the poster on the cover, would mean an paying extra lolly, so easier and cheaper, to have a new and bespoke design for the release . .'   

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: WHAT AN INTERESTING, unusual painting and study for artists Sharon Wong to have painted...? I had to share it with you today . . .I have added quote by Peter's late wife, Helen Cushing on her observations about Peter, from the very first time she met him...and fell in love. . . taken from Peter's autobiography, it may have provided the inspiration for the painting perhaps? What do you make this? - Marcus

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY! AND FINALLY, here's a smashing photograph of actress KATE O'MARA, standing outside the WATFORD ODEON CINEMA back in October 1970, posing with  poster of  Hammer films, 'THE VAMPIRE LOVERS', in which she starred with Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing and Douglas Wilmer. Good for her!

IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA  . .

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY! THE ART OF DARYL JOYCE

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY! TWO great pieces from artist, Daryl Joyce! Want to see MORE? We have a The Art of Daryl Joyce feature and gallery coming up of his #PeterCushing work, THIS Friday HERE!

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY!: THE EAGLE-EYED among you will recognise the above artwork from the #SCREENBOUND Entertainment / #ODEON blu-ray release of Cushing's 'ISLAND OF TERROR' (1966)

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY!: One of Peter Cushing's last theatrical released films, 'A Tales Of Two Cities' (1980) Cushing's plays Dr. Alexander Manette and really doesn't disappoint... it's a pretty amazing performance. A Charles Dickens classic with a very impressive cast, makes this one not to miss... Coming Soon!

IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA