SLAYING DRAGONS DRACULA AND SAINT GEORGE

#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING! TODAY, for those who are patriotic, in the UK it is ST GEORGE'S DAY! St George is the patron saint of England and has become famous from stories that he slayed a dragon and saved a distressed maiden.... Peter Cushing made reference to St George when he was awarded with his Order Of the British Empire medal (OBE) back in 1989. TRIVIA: St George is also mentioned in Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula ' In the first chapter, the ill-fated Jonathan Harker is on his way to Count Dracula’s home, and has arrived in Romania on a very auspicious day. “Do you know what day it is?” asks the landlady at Bistritz. “It is the eve of St George’s Day. Tonight, when the clock strikes midnight, all evil things in the world will have full sway.” She does not help make him feel any better, needless to say. Happy St George's Day!

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NEWS CUSHING HOME RELOCATING TO ROMANIA!

NEWS: Peter Cushing's former home in Whitstable, Kent is to be moved 'brick-by brick' to a Dracula theme park in Transylvania, Romania later this year. The beautiful beach front home in Sea-Salter, Whitstable was home to the actor Peter Cushing and his wife, Helen from the late 1950's. The house attracts many visitors through-out the year, who want to take a snap of the 'blue-plaque' home that was once residence to the actor who is famous for having played the Dracula's nemesis and vampire hunter, Van Helsing in FIVE Hammer horror films.

Spokesperson for the Romanian Tourist Board, Ivan Youon said in a press release today, 'We are very excited and honored to soon have what was Peter Cushing's home in our theme park. We know it draws hundreds of tourists who want to see it every year in Whitstable. We have been in secret talks with the town council for many, many months, and now I can't believe, it is really about to happen. This summer we will under-take a huge exercise in moving the house to the site at our Dracula Theme Park, here in Transylvania, brick by brick. It is a very long, expensive and complicated process, but we were very successful in moving a summer house and garden shed from the one of Bram Stoker's homes a few years ago. Bram Stoker was the author of the novel Dracula and our museum at the park holds many rare items from Stoker's life, his writing desk, his bed and his beard grooming comb. The museum also holds many items and props that were used in the Hammer Dracula films: Dracula's cloak, used in the 1958 classic 'The Horror of Dracula', Christopher Lee's tooth brush,and a rare cinema poster from the film, thought to be worth £30,000. 'Cushing's home will be the perfect addition to the other Dracula themed attractions we have at the park' said Ivan.'I think it will be very popular'  

Work is expected to start on the site next month. Whitstable Town Council were unavailable for comment when this went item to post. - Marcus

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DRACS BACK ON BBC TWO AT 2AM SUNDAY!

HEADS UP! Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough and Melissa Stribling star in the classic 1958 Hammer film, 'DRACULA' BBC TWO at 2.10 AM SUNDAY AUGUST 7TH. The last time Dracula was broadcast on BBC TWO was Friday December 27th 2013, before that Friday February 7th 1987, and before that.... Friday December 27th 1984... now he's back!

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THE DRACULA BUSINESS: FROM CULT CLASSIC TO ICE LOLLY : DOCUMENTARY

From Cultural icon to Ice Lolly! A rare 1974 documentary that takes a long hard piecing stare at BRAM STOKER'S creation. The programme includes a rare interview with Hammer films CEO Michael Carreras, who at the time had just released THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA  Christopher Lee's last stand as the Count, for the company.

This and many other rare uploads can be found at the PCAS YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

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BEHIND THE SCENES AT BRAY STUDIOS IN 1966 : HAMMER FILMS

Behind The Scenes: Archive footage from Hammer films production of Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) - The SECOND of the series featuring Christopher Lee and with a prologue sequence revisiting the closing moments of the first Hammer / Dracula from 1958, starring Peter Cushing as Van Helsing.

FIGHTING THE TYPE CAST UNTIL THE END : CHRISTOPHER LEE

Christopher Lee hard at work at a book signing in London.....is asked some interesting questions. As well as the the most obvious one! Ten out of ten for his first answer!

QUESTION: So what is it like being the worlds most famous vampire?

CHRISTOPHER LEE'S ANSWER: I wouldn't know! Perhaps you should ask Gary Oldman?

The Oldman / Francis Ford Coppola release of DRACULA had hit the screen a short time before this interview......

 Credit to kinolibrary

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GOING BACK 42 AGO YEARS THIS MONTH! THROWBACKTHURSDAYS!

During the month of SEPTEMBER we'll be celebrating #hammerfilms 'DRACULA AD 1972' with a series of galleries, featuring images, artwork and behind the scenes photographs, many in hi res and colour. It's over 42 years ago this month, that production started at Elstree film studios on the film that would bring Christopher Lee's Dracula and Cushing's Van Helsing back to the screen... together for the first time since they starred together in the box office breaking 'Dracula' in 1958.

Here are some samples of images and galleries that are also being shared with other images, at our uk Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan page... more next Thursday!

Director, Alan Gibson rehearses Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing during filming of the coach top - fight to the death, prologue. A behind-the-scenes image from Dracula A.D. 1972. ( #hammerfilms, 1972.)

MAYBE THE MOST CELEBRATED CHASE SCENE IN HAMMER FILMS' HISTORY

Maybe the most celebrated chase scene in Hammer film history... Peter Cushing as Van Helsing and Christopher Lee as Count Dracula in 'Dracula' / 'Horror of Dracula' (1958 Director Terence Fisher)

Chase to the death!

Dracula (1958)

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW 'DRACULA' COMPETITION: SCRIPT, BLU RAY AND FANZINE PRIZES!

 

Along with 'The Curse of Frankenstein' in 1957, Hammer films 'DRACULA' made Peter Cushing and Christopher international stars. There have been many miles of print dedicated to this the first and maybe the best of Christopher Lee's performances of the Count. Here playing Dracula with a very powerful, almost feral energy, a terrifying portrayal of the undead monster. 'Dracula' also introduced Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, for the first time. Not as the dotty old Dutch professor of Stoker's book, but a 'Vampire Hunter'. Cushing brings a great deal of charm, grace, and incredible engery the role.

Here is the first of a series of 'So You Think You Know..' competitions, we'll be posting over the next few weeks. Peter Cushing's performnaces as Dr Who, Sherlock Holmes, Moff Tarkin and Baron Frankenstein, will all get the treatment!

The prizes featured in this competition will be awarded to TWO lucky winners. ALL question MUST be answered correctly.

THE PRIZES: ALL correct entries will be placed in a hat, ten minutes after the closing time. TWO Lucky winners, drawn out of the hat, will each win: 

ONE printed and bound COPY of the script of Hammer films 'DRACULA'. The script's index page is signed by Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee. Michael Gough has signed the page which contains his line 'It's Horrible'!. As this is a privately printed and bound copy, the signatures are the printed copies from the original privately printed book.

ONE Blu Ray / DVD combo release from 2013 of Hammer films 'DRACULA' .

ONE Vintage copy of Fandom's Film Gallery 'DRACULA' edition book from 1975.

Please send us your competition entries to the following email only: theblackboxclub@gmail.com.

So, let's test YOUR  knowledge... Good Luck!

THE QUESTIONS:

1: At the begining of Hammer films 1958 'DRACULA' the coach bringing Jonathan Harker to Castle Dracula, also contains other passengers, one of whom is a PREIST. NAME the actor who played the PRIEST.

2: When playing Count Dracula in Hammer films 1958 'DRACULA' Christopher Lee wears a ring. How many other Hammer DRACULA  films, did Lee wear this particular ring?

3: Apart from Jonathan Harker, how many people does Count Dracula actually speak to in Hammer films 1958 'DRACULA'?

4: According to Christopher Lee's autobiography, 'Lord of Misrule', how much was Christopher Lee actually paid for his role in 'DRACULA' 1958?

5: For it's U.S release, Hammer films 'DRACULA' was given a title change. What was the title and why was the title changed?

6: Hammer films 'DRACULA' commenced it's principal photography on what date?

7: At which UK London cinema did 'DRACULA' (1958) premier and on what date?

8: In the climax scene of 'DRACULA' (1958), Van Helsing takes a leap from a table top, to pull down the curtains, and destroy Dracula. A stuntman was used for the actual leap and run. TRUE OR FALSE?

9: Peter Cushing signed his contract to play Van Helsing in DRACULA (1958) on 9th October 1957. How much was Peter Cushing contractually paid to play Van Helsing?

10: Peter Cushing used his own personal fur collared coat when he played Van Helsing in  Hammer films 1958 'DRACULA'. TRUE or FALSE?

11: The crossing of the two candle sticks by Van Helsing, when killing Dracula was Peter Cushing's own suggestion. Cushing admits this idea was suggested by a film he had seen many years before. What is the title of that film?

COMPETITION CLOSES SUNDAY 15TH JUNE 2014 8PM GMT
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!