THE LUCKY THIRTEEN! CAN YOU PICK YOUR FIVE ON THIS BIRTHDAY?

TODAY WE ARE MARKING THE BIRTHDAY of director TERENCE FISHER. He was a director who still, certainly needs no introduction to anyone who regularly visits this page. But when looking down the list of some of Cushing best Hammer films, it's Fisher's name that is usually attached to the finest. Fiher also believed that you should give audiences, opportunities to see beyond, what could be happening on the screen. His trade mark blend of fairy-tale, myth and sexuality, gave us some of Cushing's and Hammer films greatest hits. 'The Curse of Frankenstein', 'Dracula', 'The Mummy', 'The Gorgon', 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed'..... and many, many others. All absolute gems. 

HERE IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY, to try and pull from the list of THIRTEEN TITLES that Fisher made with Cushing, a 'must watch' FIVE. The idea of this task cmae from a personal experience during the holidays last Christmas, to treat myself to an indulgent  weekend, of movie watching. It wasn't easy, but it was very enjoyable! Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE visitors and friends have started compiling and posting their TOP FIVE. Please feel free to join them, and help us mark the Birthday, of probably Hammer films, most popular director . . . 

Terence Fisher at home, with his wife, Morag!

Old Friends... Terence Fisher and Peter Cushing at the

Festival du Film Fantastique de Paris in 1974

PETER CUSHING and Martita Hunt in Terence Fisher's THE BRIDES OF DRACULA

TERENCE FISHER'S first film, for Hammer with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN

CUSHING AND THORLEY WALTERS in Fisher's THIRD Frankenstein for Hammer, FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN 

PRUDENCE HYMAN AND PETER CUSHING in Hammer films THE GORGON

THE HEAT IS ON with Peter Cushing in Terence Fisher's  NIGHT OF THE BIG HEAT

WHAT THE DIRECTOR SAW! THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY AND 'BRRR' LAST WEEKS ANSWER!

THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY: This is a very true and funny one, for sure . . . and gives some background, to what a strange and rather eccentric lady, actress Martita Hunt could be . . if the need took her 😃 Please feel free to join the post over at the  OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PCAS FAN PAGE and share your thoughts with others on the thread 😏. Btw, the source of the answer, is from Hugh Harlow himself...who shared the story with Peter Cushing on the day!!! ANSWER next week!

ABOVE the answer of LAST WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY!

PCAS FEATURE AND GALLERY : HERE! 

NEWS! WARNER BROTHERS RELEASED 'HORROR OF DRACULA' ON REMASTERED AND TWEAKED BLU RAY!

SOME REALLY GREAT NEWS for US 'Horror of Dracula' fans! The US gets a blu ray release at last, courtesy of Warner Brothers 🙂

HORROR OF DRACULA (1958) NEW 2018 1080p PRESENTATION SOURCED FROM THE HAMMER/BFI RESTORATION Run Time 82:00 Subtitles English SDH Sound Quality DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English Aspect Ratio ORIGINAL ASPECT RATIO - 1.66:1, 16 X 9 WIDESCREEN Product Color COLOR Disc Configuration BD 25 includes Original UK Theatrical Trailer (HD)

CHRISTOPHER LEE AND PETER CUSHING, Britain’s premier masters of the macabre, bring the Horror of Dracula to vivid, full-color death in this retelling of Bram Stoker’s spellbinding vampire tale. Dracula (Lee), a centuries-old Transylvanian nobleman damned to an eternal half-life, regularly finds new victims. He also finds Dr. Van Helsing (Cushing), a scientist who becomes the Count’s implacable foe in a deadly game of bat-and-mouse. This is the UK version titled “DRACULA”, and featuring footage previously restored by the British Film Institute and Hammer Films. Warner Archive’s new release restores the original color palette of the film, using dye-transfer Technicolor prints as reference, and has been meticulously cleaned of film-related damage for a superior presentation.

HANDS AND ARMS UP FOR DRACULA RITES PLUS ANTHONY HINDS REMEMBERED TODAY

WHEN THE JOB first came in, for artist Tom Chantrell for the Hammer film, 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' he was probably, as in the case with most of Hammer's... 'design a cinema poster to show the money men first' tried and tested plans.... given the most basic outline plot details of the film. He knew, as well as Dracula, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and girls... a black magic type of ritual was also on the cards;) So, he started designing, as he had done with so many of the Hammer Dracula's cinema posters before, using his camera, and snapped a few shots of himself, in dramatic poses. These would act as visual references, for the pose he had in mind for Dracula on the poster. As there was a rooster / cockerel sacrifice mentioned in the opening moments of the film plot notes, THIS gave him an idea! What better, than an amazing central illustration of Dracula, with a blood dripping dagger...and slain cockerel?! Bird in one hand and dagger in the other, both held up high in a nightmare offering?

ALL WENT WELL, until the quite impressive finished art work was presented to Hammer films! Sadly, even as amazing as it looked, it was deemed visually, a little too harsh, and it's hints of voodoo and demonic going on's, may caused problems with censorship, especially when the poster was pinned to the billboards and foyers of the local Odeon, next to a poster of 'The Artistocats' or 'Digby The Biggest Dog In The World'...! So, Tom was told to take the dagger and the cockerel off.

AND THAT is why, we have an empty hands, arms held high, vision of the Prince of Darkness, in the UK cinema quad poster! It's interesting to see that Warner have opted for the Japanese cut and paste style cinema poster, when the film was released and distributed on DVD. Chantrell was an amazing artist, and designed many of the posters and trade art for some Peter Cushing's best films . .. including one called, Star Wars. . . .

ABOVE: ACTRESS CHIN YANG AND MIA MARTIN during the BLACK MAGIC RITUAL of THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA (1973)

(Still photograph copyright : Tom Chantrell) You can purchase some of Tom's fabulous work and read about his life and career HERE and HERE! 

OUR NEWS ON THE DAY THE RELEASE OF DRACULA AD AND THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA WAS ANNOUNCED BY WARNER BROTHERS CLICK HERE!  

TODAY, the nineteenth of September we remember the late ANTHONY HINDS, today he would have been his 97th birthday. For many Hammer film fans, Hinds represents the 'GOLDEN YEARS' of the studios output and production. Producer and script writer, he was responsible for some of Peter Cushing's most revered work in the fantasy genre. When asked about Peter and his workinng relationship, with one of Hammer films leading actors, Hinds shared, even though Cushing could be quite exacting, 'A fuss pot'.. every detail that he paid such close attention too, always paid off. The process of film making and shooting in studio or on location, is an expensive business, but Peter would not be happy for the camera to start rolling, until everything was just right. Hinds, has a good point, it is that focus, no matter how frustrating, that helped both he and Cushing present such wonderful films and tv drama's that are still popular today . . 

 MORE ON ANTHONY HINDS CAREER IN OUR PCASUK FEATURE HERE!

IN HAMMER'S EARLY YEARS, it was Hinds idea to hire country houses and to based the production and shooting in the rooms and grounds of the locations, which saved the the studio huge production costs. His script writing skills, have been picked over by many, but few could doubt his skill in managing tight budgets, and building impressive productions, with very limited resources and finance...and for this, he was indeed, the 'Master Builder and Architect of Hammer films'...and for that, we are very grateful.....

THIS SUNDAY CALLUM MCKELVIE returns with the FIRST of a THREE PART series, on the roles that created the career of PETER CUSHING. PART ONE is HERE THIS SUNDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER!

JOIN US ON THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE HERE! 

WHO IS THAT MAN? THE TUESDAY TOUGHY

HERE IS THIS WEEK'S TUESDAY TOUGHY plus the answer the to LAST WEEK'S TOUGHY, which appeared to be a little hard on the FACEBOOK PCASUK UK FAN PAGE! Maybe this week's may be a little kinder? The ANSWER will appear here and at our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE on FRIDAY! 

BELOW IS THE ANSWER TO LAST WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY!

ANSWER: THE STUDIO IN THE PHOTOGRAPH was BRAY STUDIOS, THE FILM Terence Fisher was working on was THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES for Hammer Films. The TRICYCLE was the CLUE. It is the TRICYCLE that actor MILES MALLESON rides when playing BISHOP FRANKLAND in the film . .

EVERY POST YOU SEE HERE, is also posted at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE . THERE you can feel free to comment, debate and join in the chat! OVER THIRTY TWO THOUSAND followers are part of the PCASUK crowd on FACEBOOK. Come join us and be part of the OLDEST CUSHING FAN CLUB  still working to keep the memory of PETER CUSHING alive ...and for free!

NEWS ON HAMMER FILMS BRAY STUDIOS AND TWO SPECIAL BIRTHDAYS!

NEWS! THE CAMERAS are ROLLING ONCE AGAIN at the ICONIC BRAY FILM STUDIOS . . FOUR years after it's last tenant moved out!

A NEW PROJECT is already underway at the former home of Hammer Horror, with an Elton John biopic called Rocketman currently being filmed.The studio will be opened on a temporary basis, expected to be around nine months. Council leader Simon Dudley (Con, Riverside), said: “It’s incredibly exciting, there are a number of projects that are being filmed. They are really exciting projects and there’s a possibility that there will be some investment.”

ROCKETMAN will star Taron Egerton, who stars in the Kingsman films, as Elton John.Cllr Dudley said the reopening of the studios makes the borough stand out even more. He said: “I think it’s something where the Royal Borough now has a real unique selling point. It’s very exciting because there are a lot of people here who are involved in the arts, media and entertainment.” Bray Film Studios is of course, as we know most famous for the work done there in the 1950s and 1960s. The original Hammer Horror films, The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy. with Peter and Christopher Lee were all filmed in Bray in the 1950s. 

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW was filmed there in the 1970s, as well as parts of Ridley Scott’s Alien. The fate of the studios have hung in the balance after it was purchased by developer Farmglade Limited in 2013, which made plans to convert the site and surrounding areas into housing. According to Cllr David Coppinger (Con, Bray), the developer decided to reopen the site due to the high demand. In a video on the Maidenhead Conservatives website, he said: “The demand for filming, mainly because of companies like Netflix, is increasing and there is not enough studio capacity, so the owner of the land has reinstated the studio. We will see yet again Hollywood film stars in Bray which has to be good for our local economy.”

TERRY ADLAM, who worked on the Gerry Anderson production Terrahawks, filmed at the studios in the 1980s, said: “It’s brilliant news, I’m really pleased. “It’s a huge part of the history of British films, and to have an iconic studio opening in Bray is great. It’s great for the new generations of filmmakers, who will now have this to enjoy.” Ian Pankhurst, of Farmglade, said: “The studio is opening for a particular production and we are allowing them to film here. There is planning consent that is currently shelved because of the housing market not supporting it.”

WE ALSO ARE WISHING YVONNE FURNEAUX a happy birthday today, she was born 11th May 1928. As you would have read in the above piece on BRAY, Yvonne starred with Peter in THE MUMMY which was shot at the studio. 'VERY mixed and elective' is probably the best qualificative that defines the career of Yvonne Furneaux, even though she always gave believable and superb performances, her name and magical presence on screen, has sadly never earned her a more memorable place in the public memory.

YVONNE was born in Roubaix, in the North of France in 1928. She was immediately placed under the sign of bilingualism, her father being English and her mother French. As a result, once this alluring brunette had become an actress, she could as easily play in an English or a French film, which did not prevent her from being a regular in Italy and in West Germany, with a foray into Spain.

FURNEAUX has appeared in films noirs.... (Enough Rope (1963), The Champagne Murders (1967), sword & sandal movies (Slave Queen of Babylon (1963), The Lion of Thebes (1964) comedies (Temptation in the Summer Wind (1972) to chillers (Repulsion (1965)). The quality of her films, ranging from bombs (Frankenstein's Great Aunt Tillie (1984), mediocre run-of-the mill products (The Death Ray of Dr. Mabuse (1964) . . . and has sadly always read as an actor, who in every sense of the word was 'a working actor, an actor for hire.....but a very adaptable one! 

 

MY NAME IS DOUG MCCLURE... and you may now me from films like....' TODAY we also celebrate the birthday of McClure, born and educated in Los Angeles, had small parts in the local film industry, starting with a submarine drama, The Enemy Below (1957) Soon, television stardom beckoned in The Overland Trail, as William Bendix's sidekick, and in a private eye series, Checkmate, and John Huston made him Burt Lancaster's younger brother in his western The Unforgiven (1960). He was a natural man of the West, enlivening The Virginian, the first television western series to have 90-minute episodes. In The Virginian, which ran from 1962 to 1970, McClure played Trampas, friend of the ranch foreman of the title, played by James Drury.

IN 1975 McClure came to Britain to star in The Land That Time Forgot, based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' 1918 science fiction novel. It was strictly double-bill fare, and he appeared in three follow-ups: At the Earth's Core (1976) with Peter Cushing as Abner Perry, The People That Time Forgot (1977) and Warlords of Atlantis (1978).

AMICUS PRODUCTIONS did the producing duties, with co-operation on the last two from American International Pictures, temporarily deserting teenagers on motor-bikes. Fighting dinosaurs and such, McClure was energetic, especially as he looked as if he had had a heavy night. Later movie appearances included Cannonball Run II (1983) and Omega Syndrome (1986). McClure has been regularly parodied as Troy McClure, an ageing star of the 1950s, in the television series The Simpsons. David Shipman Doug McClure, actor: born Glendale, California 11 May 1934; married three times; died Los Angeles 5 February 1995. Remembered and Missed.....

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