IT'S ALWAYS A TREAT to receive emails and messages about how some of you out there, build and care for your collections, let me know about new items of memorabilia you have recently purchased or found. For many, their dvd's, vhs cassettes, blu rays and box sets, are thing of eminence value, and not just monetarily. Many, many hours are spent collecting, filing, examining and researching. Collections and artifacts that go back many years, press books, posters, photographs. lobby sets, press cuttings. All items lovingly curated and often displayed, are the bricks and mortar of many fans, hobby. In recent times, there has developed an exciting and wildly imaginative extension to the arsenal for 'the lover of fantasy cinema, literature and comic art'... COSPLAY. And it is into this world, that I have recently dipped, to become aware of one young man, his love of all things Peter Cushing and Star Wars, who along with amazing support from his highly creative and talented mother, have designed a jaw dropping 'Alternative-Cosplay- Background' to a character called, GRAND MOFF TELSA.
Those emails, I mentioned at the opening of this feature? Well, one day I was busy trying to un-stick some press cuttings from an old scrapbook, when my lap top, announced the arrival of an email. The sticking power of 60 year old glue was trying my patience, so I needed a break, and opened up the mail. After I had read the first email, I KNEW I had to share its contents with everyone at PCAS. . . . and what I read, now forms this feature . . .
Dear Friends-
I came across your website doing research for my
son's cosplay. He is part of a group called Star Wars steampunk Empire.
Being a fan of Peter Cushing and old Hammer Horror movies we picked
Grand Moff Tarkin to cosplay as. His back story
is that he is Nicola Tesla's younger brother, fed up with all the
attention his brother got, he was driven to be the fastest ascending
officer in the force. He now commands the Death Star. He is the highest
ranking officer in the whole Star Wars series. My
son is now obsessed with Peter Cushing & so thrilled they are
bringing him back for the newest Star Wars movie.
I will soon have more professional photos available.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
In peace
Stori Nagel
Grand Moff Tesla is on Facebook, Twitter and instagram
Hi Stori,
My
very best wishes to you and your son! Thank you so much for getting in
touch and telling me about your son's interest and passion for Peter and
his work. It all sounds like enormous fun! The whole Cosplay world is
so diverse, and it's wonderful that your son, has made Peter part of
that world with role of Grand Moff Tarkin! That is a pretty AMAZING
costume by the way. I have a friend who works in the industry, that... I
hope you don't mind... I shared your splendid photograph with. He was
really very impressed. We both agreed that Peter would have been
extremely happy with your attention to detail, as he too, I am sure you
know, had a passion for getting right and just so. . . .
I think the back story you have devised for your character is very
clever indeed, and shows again the careful consideration you have given.
Using Nicola Tesla, as a younger brother is a master stroke, that any
script writer at Hammer films, would have been very pleased with!
I wonder if you be happy for me to share some of the details and maybe
the photograph at our facebook fan page and website?? The demographics
of our society show we attract people of all ages, backgrounds and
cultures... Peter Cushing is still extremely popular. It really does make me
extremely happy when young people join us. Some of here, are really
getting up there in years now and the role of PCAS is really about nurturing younger people to join us too, hopefully the
'next generation of Peter Cushing and Hammer film fans'. We have been
here since 1956, so it's our 60th anniversary this year. I have been on
board since 1979, with a break for a few years until 2010, and it's a real joy meeting such a diverse collection of people from all around the world. Peter Cushing has always had such friendly fans.
Well please DO keep me informed about your cosplay outings, any
conventions you and your son are attending, and how it all goes for you. We have a
vast archive of Peter Cushing images and memorabilia, that you are more
than welcome to access. I have attached a few images to this email,
which I hope you'll enjoy looking at. Maybe you can print them off and 'nail them' to your bedroom wall??? lol I did just that when I was your age!
Again, thank you so much for getting in touch!
My very best wishes to you and your Mum,
Marcus
Marcus-
Boy, I was not expecting so much love from your end, I am completely honored.
Me, whom is writing, I'm Wyatt's mother, Stori.
Wyatt is Grand Moff Tesla. I made the story up as part of the biography
required to join The Star Wars Steampunk Empire. I have been obsessed
with Nicola Tesla for over 10 years. My kids all
admire him too. So when I went to write the backstory I just had to
include him, since Tesla is included in the Steampunk world. Thank you
for the compliment on my writing skills, I have a big imagination,
surely spurred on by the Hammer Horror I watched at
my Grandmother's house as a kid. The first time I saw him I was just 4,
my parents took me to see the first Star Wars movie and my imagination
blew up! Nothing real was good enough, I wanted vampires and werewolves
to be real! I think Hound of the Baskervilles
was my favorite, but I also loved Top Secret, Shock Waves, Creeping
Flesh and oh how I love Tales From the Crypt. My children have seen so
many old movies, they watch them when my husband and I have date nights.
When my son expressed interest in being in the
Star Wars steampunk society, I knew right away Tarkin was who we were
going to embody. We customized an old military dress uniform. I am a
seamstress and worked hard to make it an amalgamation of Tarkin and the
steampunk culture. Tarkin has no weapons, others
do his dirty work, he is that high in rank. So to add more flair we
added arm lanyards, a belt buckle featuring over 75 small watch gears.
My older son Garret helped us design a special amplifier for the music
box mechanism that plays "a new hope" from Grand
Moff Tesla's hip. We even got new prescription glasses with gold
filigrees with which we added gears. This weekend we are attending our
first big convention. I will have professional photos of Wyatt soon after this
convention to share with you.
I know exactly what you mean about needing to share movie
culture with youth. I was grateful that my uncle shared his old movies
with me and so I love sharing with whomever I can. My oldest son Garret
is 17 and his favorite all time actor
is Vincent Price, my daughter Ruby is 16 and loves Buzby Burkley dance
numbers and swoons over James Cagney, Wyatt is just 12( tho he looks
older) he loves anything with Kurt Russell and is educating himself on
all things Peter Cushing. We would be so honored
as a family to be featured on your website and social media.
Thank you so much for all these great photos. I will share some on my son's instagram. Thank you again, your graciousness has just blown us
away. I'm so excited to read your email to the family. I'll be in touch
soon.
In peace
Stori
Dear Marcus
. . . .Wyatt has not yet been accepted into the SWSPE just yet, but odds look good. He still has to do a few more events, some of them are Justice
Jog ( which raise funds for Foster Children
in Los Angeles County) September 25th, and Deaf Awareness Day in San
Diego on October 8th.
There are fun things like The Gas Light Gathering and Oxnard Steampunk
Fest not to mention conventions like Comikaze and The Long Beach
Comicon. . . .
. . . This photograph was taken at Nerd Con in Escondido. In the photo are (
from left to right) Captain Nathan Seekerman, Sabe Sprocket, Lando and
Lance Chronos, Steam 3-PO, Grand Moff Tarkin & Dude Vader. Photo by
Theresa Blackbird. . . .
All the family are busy right now, kids going back to school and my calendar is out at the publisher. Our family works together to photograph breast cancer survivors as sexy pinups to promote
positive body awareness not just with survivors but across the board. Check it out when you get a second! Here's the link: HERE
Dear Stori and Wyatt,
Thank you very much for sending all those amazing photographs.. oh and the gif of Truffles! It certainly looks like you have all had a very busy Summer. I have now built the feature about Wyatt and Grand Moff Tesla, including the background biography, which you kindly provided. I am sure there are many lovers of Cosplay and Star Wars, who will find Wyatt's superb costume quite something, and history of the character, very interesting! Plus Wyatt's quest to officially join the Star Wars Steampunk Empire (SWSE)! It's something I would be very interested in keeping in touch about and following. When he gets there, it will certainly be something to celebrate! Can I also thank you for bringing my attention to the really quite amazing work you do with the breast cancer survivors and positive body awareness , your calendar pics and the link. I have made sure to include the link in the feature, and will place it prominently at the end of the feature too. My wife and I spent quite some time, checking out the HOUS OF VOLTA WEBSITE, the photography is really, really excellent, terrific pin ups! The clothes are beautiful too. It's a truly very powerful message you are sending out. I applaud your efforts, and if there is anything I can do to help, promote, shout-out, you only have to say the word.
I have the feature on hold, for you to check it out first, before it goes live and posted. Anything you are not happy about, want to change, or if you have any suggestions to improve what I have done, don't be shy to let me know. I really do want to support Wyatt and your VOLTA WEBSITE too!
Well, settling in the US, is proving to be quite a jolly ride!, but all is good! It's HOT, very hot, much hotter than the UK. I think I have shrunk in the heat, and what is left of me has been attacked by the mosquitoes! What an adventure!
Love to you all!
Marcus
AND THERE THE FEATURE ENDS . . . What else is in store for Wyatt and the passionate charity and raising awareness work both he and his Mum, carry out through out the year, I hope to report on here at this website and our Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Page... SO STAY TUNED! Many thanks to Wyatt and his Mum for sharing their story and the many great images they have shared with us. I think Peter Cushing would have been amazed to have read this too!
A REMINDER OF STORI'S WEBSITE AGAIN: JUST CLICK HERE
