Showing posts with label beheading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beheading. Show all posts

Saturday 8 July 2017

RADIO PROMO SPOTS AND EURO LOBBY CARDS



#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: I've had some requests for quite a few radio spots that were made for Peter Cushing's Hammer films...this is one of the effective ones! Used in the US to coax the paying punters through the door, radio spots for Hammer films were not usual, in this time before the net. We have added some great visuals to the audio, to enhance your enjoyment.












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Monday 3 April 2017

#MONSTERMONDAY : THE TERRIBLE TWINS!


#MONSTERMONDAY, The age ol story of 'good twin, bad twin' worked very nicely in #hammerfilms 'Twins of Evil' and Cushing a rare opportunity to tackle a female 'monster' for a change. Yes, there had been plenty of female vampires, but the cunning 'deadly beauty' and the is she or isn't the evil twin, added another string to plot. Also Maria and Frieda, were the nieces of 'man of God on a mission' Gustav Weil played with much pathos by Cushing.






IT'S A SHAME that the Collinson twins didn't get more opportunities with Hammer, but like the character in the film, come the end...they got the CHOP!



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Monday 30 January 2017

MONSTERMONDAY EXTRA: BEHIND SCENES COLLINSON VAMPIRE GIRL


#MONSTERMONDAY: Here's a rare behind pic taken on the set of Hammer films, 'Twins of Evil' with Peter Cushing taking that fatal swing with his 'Vampire-Slaying-Sythe' and thus destroying not only a vampire but also his niece Frieda (Madeleine Collinson) ... but hey, the 'brotherhood' were very happy. All Gustav had to do now, was kill off Count Karnstein...and most of us know, how THAT one turned out…







AN INTERESTING POINT, Madeleine Collinson who played the vampire twin Frieda, was in fact the less extrovert, calmer Collinson sister... maybe so, but come the closing scenes, it was she who 'lost her head'TING POINT, Madeleine Collinson who played the vampire twin Frieda, was in fact the less extrovert, calmer Collinson sister... maybe so, but come the closing scenes, it was she who 'lost her head' . . .😉




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Sunday 11 September 2016

YOU REVIEW: MILL CREEK THE GORGON : SCOTT JONES


The YOU REVIEW feature: All YOU REVIEW features are complete and unedited  written reviews  independently submitted by followers of the Peter Cushing Appreciation Society , it's website and Facebook Fan Page. The opinions here in, are solely the authors and are shared here with the purpose and intent of providing a guide to dvd's and blu rays recently released featuring the work of Peter Cushing.  All viewing equipment used for the reviews is domestic and typical of the range of players and tv monitors used in a domestic viewing environment.


Mill Creek Entertainment's Hammer Films Double Feature: The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll and The Gorgon : Theatrical Release: 1964 : Blu Ray Release Date: 09/06/16 Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen Duration: 84 Minutes Featuring: Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee Directed By: Terence Fisher

"The only thing wrong with "The Gorgon" is the gorgon!" Sir Christopher Lee

While Sir Christopher Lee's humorous quote above isn't 100% accurate, he does make a very valid point in regards to this film. The Gorgon is a 1964 Hammer release and by all accounts it is a top tier Hammer film. Gloriously shot and directed by Terence Fisher, A Hammer stalwart, it has a  vibrant color palate, beautifully rendered matte paintings and the workman like professionalism of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee's performances are, as always, standouts. However, in saying that the special effects budget could have been given a significant boost to make The Gorgon a perfect Hammer film. The reveal of Megeara at the conclusion of the third act is almost laughable. Cheaply designed wigs and rubber snakes on wires can only go so far to terrorize a viewer. Up to that point the film is fantastically creepy and it maintains it's pace at a steady rate. If only it wasn't for that reveal. I am laughing whilst typing this.I believe this is one of the few, if only in fact, of Hammer's films steeped in Greek mythology. Overall, it works and is a nice departure from the two 'bigs' of the Hammer world Dracula and Frankenstein.


Enough about the quality of the film itself and story. This is a review of the Mill Creek Entertainment Blu Ray release for Hammer Films Double Features. This particular collection contains The Gorgon and The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll. I must admit I have yet to watch The Two Faces of Dr. Jeckyll, but will remedy that soon enough. I would like to preface this review by reminding the reader that this film was released in 1964 on a budget of approximately 150,000 English pounds. A preposterously low budget even for the times.  This release is in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio so the entire screen of your television will be taken up by the film, no black bars. I don't know if a better aspect ratio would have assisted the film in it's tightness but to my eyes I felt it looked marvelous. The colors pop, detail is incredible and for being recorded in Mono the music is frightening and beautiful while the dialogue is easily heard and not muddled.


One problem I had was the obvious difference in film quality between the set shots (which are vibrant and clear) to the "day for night" shots which are grainy and hard to see. However, I have only ever seen this film previously on television from horrible prints and bad resolution so Mill Creek, in my mind, did a bang up job of cleaning this film up as best they could. Again, for a 52 year old low budget horror film, it really comes to life on blu ray. I believe if Mill Creek would have gone for a higher bit rate, say 50m as opposed to 25m and made the disc a dual layer it may have  made some difference but I am not technologically inclined enough o make that a 100% true statement. There are no bonus features or subtitles but for the cost, less than $10 for two classic horror films on a budget release blu ray, I see no problem with this in any way.


Peter Cushing (Dr. Namaroff) is amazing in this film, as usual, his professionalism overcomes the quality and or price tag for any film he appears in. Funnily enough, I found Christopher Lee's character (Prof. Karl Meister) to be the comic relief! "Ill? You must have been in your grave and dug your way out!" Don't use long words, Inspector; they don't suit you." The supporting characters are all well played and I was never distracted by any kind of overacting. My problems with the gorgon herself (a very scary looking Prudence Hyman) are merely aesthetic. When she appears in long shots or in reflection she is certifiably frightful. If only if it wasn't for the final reveal. $1,000 more dollars and they could have fixed it, but I have heard that the production had literally run out of money by that point and boy does it show.


So, overall, well done Mill Creek! I have been waiting for years for a decent quality release of The Gorgon and now I have one. We should count ourselves lucky that we as fans have access to these films at all, let alone released on blu ray.



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Monday 11 July 2016

#MONSTERMONDAY : GUSTAV WEIL : TWINS OF EVIL


#monstermonday ON A MISSION FROM GOD or Monster? Peter Cushing's Gustav Weil and his merry band of Vampire Hunters from Hammer's #twinsofevil, always gets a reaction, when we make post about them... This week, Gustav is open for debate. Was his mission really the safety of his village and it's people or was he a merciless monster driven by his own ends..whatever they may have been...?What do you think... A Man on a mission from God or Monster??? You decide. . .


THIS YEAR, 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of PCAS, help us celebrate Peter Cushing life and career, by sharing our post on any of our sites.


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#petercushing #twinsofevil #hammerfilms

Monday 18 April 2016

DON'T LOOSE YOUR HEAD! MONSTERMONDAY : PITT AND THE VAMPIRE!


In todays #MonsterMonday we feature Carmilla from Hammer's The Vampire Lovers (1970) played by the lovely Ingrid Pitt in what many considered to be her finest role… A fine cast supports her in the film, Peter Cushing, George Cole, Maddie Smith and Douglas Wilmer who we sadly lost last month. Ingrid's performance made Carmilla one of Hammer's most successful female vampires, How do you rate her performance?



Ingrid and the gals get together for a publicity shot on
 The Vampire Lovers 1970


BTS: Peter Cushing, ever the gentleman...happy to come to the aid of Ingrid Pitt, to ensure she doesn't slip or hurt herself...before he hacks her head off! Peter Cushing and Ingrid Pitt in The Vampire Lovers (1970)

 


 FIND MORE on INGRID PITT and BEHIND THE SCENES
on THE VAMPIRE LOVER AT OUR RARE STILLS
FEATURE: RIGHT HERE! 


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Monday 19 May 2014

INGRID PITT AND THE THEATRE ROYAL CUSHING BUST : OCTOBER 1998


OCTOBER 1998: Ingrid Pitt Unveils Bust Of Peter Cushing 
At Chatham Theatre:

Ingrid said on her website at the time: 'One of the best `do's' I've been to recently was down in Chatham. A group of theatre lovers have got together to try and save The Theatre Royal. It was a project dear to the heart of Peter Cushing and it now looks as if, with the council backing it, there maybe a future for the derelict theatre. I was there to open an exhibition of Peter's water colours and unveil a bust of his head.'


She goes on to say, 'Sheila Gray, secretary of the restoration group, rang me a couple of days after my visit and told me that at last the local council have decided to help out with a welcome £50,000. Now I don't want to claim that my visit had anything to do with the councils belated magnanimity but..... whatever the reason, I was asked back in October and presented with a life-size head of Peter Cushing. Tit for tat! In Vampire Lovers he decapitated me - now I've got my own back. I wish Peter had been there to see it, it would have suited his sense of humour!'

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