#GETTHECUSHIONSUNDAY!: THE FELINE CANINE PRIMATE FEATHERED SCENE STEALERS!

#PETERCUSHINGWITHCATS!: So quick riff through the gray matter for Cushing-Cat connections, the obvious 'The Uncanny' from 1977 where the whole film was about cats, 'Silent Scream' the Hammer film tv series from the 1980's, with Peter playing the shop keeper of a 'pet shop' with rather large felines in the basement... You know your Cushing films? Maybe you can think of shots in films, where Cushing appeared with a cat too???

STICKY END for Peter Cushing's Wilbur Gray in 'The Uncanny' (1977)

#PETERCUSHINGWITHDOGS! ARTHUR GRIMSDYKE'S, little pooch, Jamie plays his scenes well, and manages to pull on the heart strings, to say nothing of the pack he has rescued. Like Arthur, PC was very fond of dogs, and though there was a canine in his parents home for much of his childhood, neither Cushing's late wife, Helen or he, craved the company of any house hold pets, in their home. He often said that the seabirds and wild-life outside of his kitchen window, gave him and Helen much pleasure . . . .

THE GENTLE BBC INTERVIEW FROM 1971, 'SOUNDS NATURAL'. A PETER CUSHING YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD BEFORE!

AOVE: JUDY GEESON AND HER PET DOG WHICH PETER CUSHING REQUESTED SHE BROUGHT ALONG TO THE SET OF 'FEAR IN THE NIGHT'. SEATED RIGHT: JUDY GEESON, DIRECTOR JIMMY SANGSTER, AND PETER CUSHING

#PETERCUSHINGWITHCHIMPANZEE

PETER CUSHING during the filming of Hammer films 'The Revenge of Frankenstein' (1958) with a member of the cast, Lucy the Chimpanzee! 

#PETERCUSHINGWITHSQUIRREL!

FINALLY, WITH VERONICA CARLSON, DURING THE MAKING OF 'FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED' (1969) WITH HER PET... SQUIRREL . . . WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE!

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CUSHING AND PLEASENCE ON MOTHER'S DAY!

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#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING! As the strap lines says, Purrfect extracts for our Sunday theme, not only Peter Cushing bringing you a sting in his TAIL, but also Donald Pleasence's in one of Milton Subotsky's last outings, 'The Uncanny'. Subotsky often repeated some of his more popular threads and ideas from past Amicus films, and the camp OTT Horror film actor, was a motif he give us in 'The House That Dripped Blood'. with Jon Pertwee playing the meaty role of the waspish dandy, Paul Henderson. Here Pleasence plays it to the hilt, not so much the meaty dandy, but as 'Ham on a Shuskabab'! You'll see what we mean.

I HAVE ALWAYS enjoyed this film, and can't quite understand the mauling it received on it's release in 1977.. I think it's the cat's whiskers! 😉 What do you think? Is this a winner with you?

#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHION! TODAY here in the UK we are celebrating #MONTHERSDAY .... and we couldn't let that slip by without posting a pic of PC's Mother, Nellie Maria Cushing (1892-1961) To ALL Mothers, Mums, Ma's and Mummy's.... Happy Mothers Day! 

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: TERRIFYING PUSSIES DE SADE AND 3D!

#GIMMEGIFWEDNESDAY: Wilbur Gray, must have been an exhausting role for Peter Cushing to play. Reacting full of fright to fang furry felines, every few takes, must take it out of you! 'The Uncanny' had all the trappings of what we would expect from a Milton Subostky portmanteau film, the concept and model he and Max Rosenberg had successfully produced during the 19760's and 70's under the banner of their, Amicus films company. With funding and film production drying up in the UK during this time, Milton had to base the film in Canada... though with a largely British cast, you'd never know it. Amicus films always had that 'Meanwhile, somewhere..' look about them, pretty much like the US comic's strips that provided the plots and titles for the film.

THE UNCANNY was released by the UK distributor Rank and was given an X certificate . ..  some of the mutilations and pussy-left-overs, were quite graphic and unsettling. Mangled-bloodied-clawed and chewed leftovers of classical actress Joan Greenwood, anyone?? And that cast, like many of Subotsky's  productions, is unexpected, top drawer and inspired!

WHAT IS THE 1948 'ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN' CONNECTION TO THIS FILM??

FEATURE AND GALLERY : THE UNCANNY

NEVER HAS one persons head had so much screen time! Peter Cushing in the Amicus film THE SKULL 

In real life the Marquis de Sade's body was exhumed from its grave in the grounds of the lunatic asylum at Charenton, where he died in 1814, and his skull was removed for phrenological analysis. It was subsequently lost, and its fate remains unknown...

 

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: For Maria Wilson , Seattle. I am sure it would have looked very effective in 3D...but Amicus films I, MONSTER sure does look at a little weird at times... shots that were intended to be in the '3D process' now have that 'coming at you...sort of' flat feel about them. A good example of this, is this shot that Maria has requested here, of Christopher Lee, and his bunsen burner. A kind of... 'Can I LIGHT that cigar, for you?....!'

 

PETER CUSHING and CHRISTOPHER LEE'S performances in 'I MONSTER' are covered in THIS FEATURE at this website!

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#TBT #HAPPYBIRTHDAY AND GIF TO GINA VAMPIRE GIRL HAMMER ARTWORK AND UNCANNY CATS!

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY : Hammer films were very good at recycling things... costumes, film sets, music...and promotional artwork. Above, there is a teaser for you!

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY AND #Happybirthday to GINA the VAMPIRE GIRL, actress Andre Melly from Hammer films, 'The Brides of Dracula'. Melly, sister of the late jazz musician George, who was born this day in 1932. As the 'pretty' Gina in 'BRIDES' she terrified audiences with her ability to transform into Baron Meinster's vampire victim, all under the watchful eye and direction of Terence Fisher. Three years later she worked with Fisher again in 'The Horror Of It All' as Natalia Marley.

HERE IS A #THROWBACK to August 1977, and the release of the last film Peter Cushing was to make for Amicus producer, Milton Subotsky, 'THE UNCANNY'. The film was launched in a blaze of indifference at the Montréal Film Festival. It was produced in Canada, with a budget of some 800,000 CA Dollars. It's an odd film, a strange mix from the ol Amicus cookbook, that makes a recipe for something that should have been a whole lot tastier! I am still at a loss why the film was also released under the title of 'Brrrr!'? 'Puuuurrr' YES! 'Brrrr!' no. 

'THE UNCANNY' has a great cast, with Cushing acting as the linkage again, with Ray Milland. He plays a nervous wreck called Wilbur Gray. Cushing was not the original choice for casting, but fits the role very well. Is it possible to have a strength in playing the weak???? Donald Pleasence is on board with Cushing again, and even manages to get a photo of himself, as Blofeldt complete with white cat from the James Bond film 'you only live twice' in on the act. Much of the film is delivered in a black comedy style, which maybe confused audiences at the time. But I think it's a great film, with lots of variety and a very entertaining cast.

BORN TODAY: WE REMEMBER RAY MILLAND

Today we remember the 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 favourite Milland film?