REMEMBERING AND SHINING THE LIGHT ON THE MAN WHO MADE HAMMER LOOK GREAT!

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY! Next time you sit down and watch your favourite early Peter Cushing Hammer film, and marvel at the beautiful gothic atmosphere, the rich colours, the frightening shadows... that 'Hammer Look and Style', remember this man, ace cinematographer Jack Asher BSC, a true magician! He did indeed paint with light! Best known for his work with Hammer, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Brides of Dracula, Hound of the Baskervilles, Dracula / Horror of Dracula, The Mummy and The Revenge of Frankenstein. Jack was born in London, on this very day in 1916. A REAL craftsman, who applied his skills along with Terence Fisher and the Hammer team, and gave us these rare feasts which live on, OUT SHINING many films and features today! Jack left us in April 1991, aged 74. Happy Birthday Jack!

ANOTHER OF JACK ASHER'S GREATEST: THE BRIDES OF DRACULA and below, another excellent documentary from DONALD FEARNEY on the making of this Peter Cushing and Hammer film classic . .

ABOVE: NEW SERIES STARTING FOR #CHRISTOPHERLEE SATURDAYS, 

THIS SATURDAY!

 

GIFS WEDNESDAY REMEMBER MILLAND AND THE DOCTOR PAYS A VISIT TOMORROW!

IT'S ENOUGH TO PUT you off chest freezers for life! What a wicked way to go though? Here is MICHAEL TODD, matinee idol of the 40's and 50's. appearing in AMICUS FILM 'ASYLUM' (1972) As ever, Milton Subotsky, pulled together a fine cast, with then likes of Peter Cushing, Barry Morse, Sylvia Syms, Charlotte Rampling, Patrick Magee, Herbert Lom, James Villiers, Geoffrey Bayldon and Britt Ekland. All fine actors with long careers and experience behind them . . part of the secret that made the Hammer films and Amicus movies so entertaining were the actors, who knew their trade, not only gave value in the billing, to get bottoms on seats, but were very good at their jobs! Amicus may have low budgets, and were often seen as a bit low brow . . .but how often did a mainstream entertainment film carry a cast like this one??

POOR OL ROBERT HELLER, his plan appeared to be going like clock-work in Hammer films 'FEAR IN THE NIGHT' (1972), the last thing he expected under that sheep was MOLLY! Me too. I have mentioned this before, but I must be one of the few, certainly in my group of friends, who watches a movie, I mean WATCHES the movie. I get so pulled in by the story, I am not distracted by trying to work out, what happens next. So, this film was very enjoyable for me! When we met and interviewed RALPH BATES and JUDY GEESON back in the early 1980's, the memory of making this film and working with Peter, was still very fresh in the minds. They LOVED it. But, I don't think Joany, did though.....! Pity.  

PROBABLY THE ONE FILM we get request for GIFS from, than any other from Peter Cushing's long career! This chase taken from Hammer films, 'DRACULA' (Horror of Dracula) is one of Hammer's most iconic scenes, it never git better. Fisher repeated a chase through the castle (below) in Hammer's next Van Helsing film, good as it was, it didn't reach the drama that this one created. Peter Cushing was a very athletic man and actor . . .he swam in the sea ever morning, at his beach-side home in Whistable!! Christopher Lee, not so much. In fact, I have spent some time while posting these gifs, thinking of I have ever seen Christopher RUN in any other films? I can't think of any. Cushing was graceful, Lee despite highly skilled at mime which he studied was, by his own admission quite a clumsy man! But, with the help of some technical twiddling, dubbing OUT Dracula footsteps, during this chase, he whips along like a hunted gazelle! 

PETER CUSHING AS VAN HELSING chases Baron Meinster, though the chateau in Hammer films, 'THE BRIDES OF DRACULA' (1960). Again, like the 1958 DRACULA, this scene was shot at Hammer's home studio at Bray. A small studio, with not very big stages at this time. But, if you look carefully, you can spot many props and furniture, that Van Helsing would have past, during his early chase scene with DRACULA in 1958!

WE CAN'T LET TODAY go by with remembering this chap! The much loved and  very talented actor Ray Milland, whose screen career lasted from the 30's all the way into the 80's… and covered multiple genres with his most notable films being The Lost Weekend (1945) (for which he won an Oscar) , Dial M For Murder (1954) and the horror classic's The Premature Burial (1962) X The Man with the X-ray eyes (1963) both for Roger Corman. He starred with Peter Cushing in The Uncanny (1977) and The Masks Of Death (1985) ….. Do you have a favorite Milland film?

LARGE PHOTOGRAPH SCAN: Here's a wonderful behind the scenes shot from Dalek Invasion Earth 2150 AD, one of many . . . . plus a few unseen pics from the film... I'll be sharing here tomorrow, for #Throwbackthursday. In the film, this scene really does look like an exterior location. Lighting camera men really knew there jobs back then, and the crews worked hard to archive great results like this one. LOOK carefully and you can spot one, way up in the lighting gantry, just over RAY BROOKS, who is standing on the set demolished building . . MORE TOMORROW! SEE BELOW!

THE FIRST of a TWO PART GALLERY featuring behind the scene rare images and photographs from BOTH Peter Cushing DOCTOR WHO DALEK movies from the 60s! PART ONE ARRIVES HERE TOMRROW #THROWBACKTHURSDAY!

REMEMBER! 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  

BREAKING NEWS! TCM HAS A CUSHING FEST LINE UP FOR HALLOWEEN 2017

NEWS: Coming up during October a selection of Peter Cushing films to be aired on TCM in the US.

15th - Horror of Dracula (1958) - 8pm eastern/5pm pacific

15th - The Brides of Dracula (1960) - 9:45pm eastern/6:45pm pacific

17th - The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) - 9:45pm eastern/6:45pm pacific

17th - The Mummy ( 1959) - 11:15pm eastern/8:15pm pacific

24th - From Beyond the Grave (1973) - 3:30am eastern/12:30am pacific

29th - Dracula A.D. 1972 ( 1972) - 10pm eastern/7pm pacific

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   

#MONSTERMONDAY: PAUL TOOMBES: MAD ABOUT MADHOUSE!

#MONSTERMONDAY: It's a film that is not universally  liked, in a way some of the other Cushing films are or is held in affection like some of the portmanteau films of Amicus, but Amicus films MADHOUSE does have some pretty cool action and scare scenes, presented in the classic scare fashion. It's true there is nothing new in the film, BUT it's the performances of Cushing and Price, and a few red herrings that seal the deal on the climax of the movie, and the ultimate pay-off of who is the Doctor??? PAUL TOOMBES played by Price is we are lead to believe is a sore, washed up loser film star one minute and killer the next... He DOES have some issues, and well he actually did bump off one or two of the ladies..OR DID HE??? #MONSTERMONDAY!

VINCENT PRICE AND PETER CUSHING served up some great set pieces, all with more than a wink to both Prices and and Cushing's past horror films, the chemistry worked a charm with Vinnie and Cushing . .

AS A LITTLE EXTRA, here's is something as a complete contrast, to today's #MONSTER the beautiful Yvonne Monlaur with Peter Cushing on the red carpet, at the premier of The Brides of Dracula on July 4th 1960 . . . 

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: DRACULA MINI SERIES FANCY DRESS AND TWO GREAT DIGITS!

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: I HAVE NEVER seen photographs of Peter Cushing judging a beauty competition, but he must have judged a few #FANCYDRESS comps in his time. This is a one that took place during the opening of #THREBRIDESOFDRACULA back in 1960. It's strange how the act of offering someone a cigarette just looks so alien these days....!

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY?: So, the guys behind the successful BBC Benedict Cumberbatch Sherlock series, are planning a whole series of gothic horrors, including DRACULA... It will be made by the BBC and syndicated to the US and others for sure. If you liked their spin on Sherlock...will you watch this? Good idea?

THE PRESS RELEASE . . 

THE SHERLOCK TEAM are reuniting on a new version of the classic horror story Dracula, RadioTimes can confirm. Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are due to begin work on a series of BBC specials based on the classic 1897 novel by Bram Stoker in which the bloodthirsty count moves from Transylvania to England. The Corporation is finalising talks with the pair and is poised to green-light the project which is likely to air in 2019. The new Dracula series has not yet been written and Gatiss and Moffat will begin working on the scripts once they have both completed their own solo projects – details of which have not been confirmed.“It’s early days and the BBC has not seen a script yet but they are close to signing a deal for a series of 90-minute films of Dracula,” said a senior production source.“It’s not yet been decided if it will be historical or modern day or if there will be a US co-producer but the BBC are keen on this and it will happen.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE decided is how many episodes – whether there are three or five or six or whatever but they will definitely be 90-minute films. "Production is at least a year away so it will probably be on screen in 2019 at the earliest.” Gatiss has often spoken of his fondness for the Dracula story – particularly the 1958 film starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing – and even played the title role himself in a recent audio drama, but it currently seems unlikely that he will take on the part of the Count in the new version, according to sources. “Casting is a long way off but the feeling is he probably won’t – but you never know,” said a BBC source.

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: NO NEED TO CAPTION  THIS ONE THEN? 

If you LIKE what you find posted here . . Please visit us at our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and help 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: WHEN LEE MET BOWIE AND RARE BRIDES OF DRACULA PUBLICITY

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: WHEN LEE MET BOWIE! The Slim Duke Meets The Count? Would you have loved to have been a fly on the wall here? Both loved music, performing...worked in the film industry they also shared something else in common... Do you know what??

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: FOR THE PAST FEW weeks we have had a lot of requests asking if we could also have a weekly theme post day for posts relating to Christopher Lee. We  thought that was a good idea too, so as of this weekend, Saturday's will now be . . . 

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY! WE'LL STILL CONTINUE to post occasional posts through out the week relating to the work that Peter Cushing and Lee did together, but Saturday's will now carry rare images, features banners and stuffs, as you requested 🙂  If you have requests for particular images, gifs or clips, you only have to ask 😉 Good idea? Let us know below....

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: DURING THE 40'S 50'S AND 60'S  Picture Show and several other cinema magazines held a lot of sway with the UK cinema going public.  The films of Peter Cushing appeared regularly between many film fan magazine covers. Interviews, features, photograph spreads were prepared by the press office and reporters and photographers were courted and invited to come and dish up some angle of publicity, for the latest offering. Hammer films were certainly one of the British film studios that kept the magazine very busy.  And sometimes gave editors and writers exclusives. But the one above, is quite rare for a Hammer film. Not just a quick chat with one of the stars and on your way with a handful of glossy head-shots and a flimsy two page synopsis! The Picture Show photographer was allowed to take his own photographs, using the two love interest in the film, Yvonne Monlaur and David Peel. To suit the story angle presented by the magazine, and not disclose any details that may spoil the Hammer feature, what we get is bizarre fantasy angle to the very familiar characters played by Monlaur and Peel!  His Baron gets to bite her and she in turn gets to bite him back!  Ok it's the kind of thing that scriptwriter Jimmy Sangster would probably have shuddered at, but  in the realm of publicity, the PICTURE says a thousand words! And these are a couple of excellent excellent smouldering pictures!

 

Please visit us at our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and help 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.