NEWS: SCREAM FACTORY ANNOUNCES ANOTHER CLASSIC HAMMER FILM FOR USA BLU RAY RELEASE

NEWS: Scream Factory have announced they are putting out Hammer's Frankenstein And The Monster From Hell on blu-ray details below

SCREAM FACTORY PRESS RELEASE BELOW:

**NEW TITLE ANNOUNCEMENT**

YESTERDAY, we announced an upcoming Hammer Films Blu-ray In May with Frankenstein and with Peter Cushing. Well, today we have yet another one! 1973's FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL makes its Blu-ray debut in North America on May 19th 2020. YOU can PRE-ORDER HERE!

'Is Baron Frankenstein truly dead? That's precisely what he wants the world to think. He's had it up to here with a public that doesn't appreciate the trouble a mad scientist goes through to snatch good body parts. To carry on his work, he holes up in a place where the possibilities are utterly maddening: a home for the criminally insane! A hand here. A brain there … true to form, the Baron (Cushing) keeps his gruesome creation (David Prowse, known for his portrayal of Darth Vader) in stitches in this sixth and final fright fest in Hammer Films' Frankenstein cycle.'

EXTRAS are in process and will be announced on a later date.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK HAMILL : VIDEO 'WHEN SKYWALKER MET TARKIN!'

IT'S A VERY Happy Birthday to actor Mark Hamill we post today 😃 Hamill who is probably best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars Films and the role of providing the voice behind the animated BATMAN series of The Joker .

HAMILL co-starred with Peter Cushing in the first Star Wars film 'A New Hope' (1977) However, Hamill was disappointed to learn that he had no scenes with Peter's character Grand Moff Tarkin, so he took the time to visit the set on the days Peter was working, to meet with him.

PACKED WITH CLIPS interviews, rare behind the scenes footage, films and EXCLUSIVE features. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society YOUTUBE CHANNEL is now OPEN and FOR YOU! Just CLICK HERE!

NEW MARK HAMILL TALKS PETER CUSHING

MARK HAMILL SHARES the story of the day, he met Peter Cushing. Now, for some out there, you maybe asking yourself, why would actor MARK HAMILL want to meet actor Peter Cushing, even going into the studio on his day off? Hamill knew his chances of meeting Cushing were slim, as he didn't actually share any scenes with him in the film STAR WARS. The fact is, HAMILL was and still is a FAN. He LOVES Peter Cushing's work, grew up watching his Hammer films, and is very knowledgeable not only about Peter's work, but also about the man and his life too. SO, here was his golden opportunity. WATCH MARK HAMILL share his memories of the day, he met PETER CUSHING. . . 

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  

SHE BEHIND THE SCENES FILM : COMPETITION NEWS : HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHANE!

 

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY! It's the beginning of 1965 and early publicity photographs are being sent out to editors of newspapers and magazines to drum up interest for the arrival of #UrsulaAndress in #Hammefilms most expensive feature film to date '#SHE' ...BUT they are keeping the actual appearance of the actress who was once called 'the most beautiful woman in the world', under wraps . . . SO instead here is co star John Richardson and Rosenda Monteros, a top of that always 1960's iconic photo-popper..an open top sports car. #PeterCushng has been busy doing dubbing for the completion of Amicus films, 'Dr Terrors House of Horrors' having started shooting for SHE and Hammer in the sweltering Israel's Negev Desert from 24 August 1964. This shot was snapped at Elstree studios . . . .

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY : The audio is BAD in this cinema short about the making of, what was a the time, #Hammerfilms most expensive feature, #SHE'. Any vintage behind the scenes footage of #PeterCushing is a plus, even when it sounds as awful as this. I am posting this today as pointer to our NEXT PCAS Competition, which will be launch THIS SUNDAY 20th AUGUST 2017. It's a chance to win a SIGNED / AUTOGRAPHED photo of Peter Cushing in the role of Major Holly, the role he played in Hammer's 'SHE' back in 1965. Watch our YOUTUBE Channel, this website, twitter and our Facebook Fan Page for details...in the meantime, turn down the volume and enjoy!

PLEASE JOIN US in wishing SHANE BRIANT a very Happy Birthday Today! Shane's Cushing connection is of course his role as the young Dr. Simon Helder in Hammer film's, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974), with Peter Cushing, Madleine Smith and Dave Prowse. Cushing's last Frankenstein and director Terence Fishers last film, he also appeared in several other Hammer films Straight On Til Morning, Demons Of The Mind, and Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter.

 

 

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      

#SILENTBUTDEADLY : A COUPLE OF CRACKING GIFS REQUESTED BY COUPLES!

#SILENTBUTDEADLY: WELCOME TO OUR WEEKLY WEDNESDAY REQUESTED GALLERY:  GIFS HAVE NO AUDIO. ARE SILENT, THEY HAVE BEEN SELECTED FROM MOMENTS OF HIGH DRAMA AND HORROR IN THE WORK OF PETER CUSHING . . . . 

THIS WEEK'S GIF GALLERY has been requested by partners and couples who are fans of the work of Peter Cushing and follow our facebook fan page and website! 

#SILENTBUTDEADLY: IF CHRISTOPHER LEE IS in the cast of a movie, and he is going to die, you know, you are going to get value for your money! Lee died a thousand deaths in movies, and his death scenes total over 20 or more, ...a fact that wasn't lost on the late Sir Christopher himself...he devoted an entire chapter to the subject in his autobiography, 'Tall, Dark and Gruesome: Lord of Misrule'. I have intend over the years, to actually draw up a list of my favourite top ten Christopher Lee Deaths, but as yet, I can't settle on the titles, as there is SO MUCH to choose from! That wasn't a problem for Fang Girl and Fang Boy who sent us a message this week, and voted, Lee meeting his sticky end in Planet films, 'Night Of The Big Heat' (1966) their all time fav. Death by sucking! Next time you are in your local McDonald's treating yourself to one of their tasty THICK SHAKES, and you can't get the thing started, just call 011-666-SILICATE-SUCK-MY-SHAKE, and one will be around in a jiffy, and will get that sucker up the straw and pumping, in a jiffy!

YOU CAN SEND US YOUR REQUESTS FOR OUR WEEKLY GIF GALLERY BY EITHER MESSAGING US  AT OUR PETER CUSHING FACEBOOK FAN PAGE OR BY EMAILING YOUR REQUEST  BY EMAIL: PETERCUSHINGPCAS@GMAIL.COM

A DREADFUL RECOGNITION : PETER CUSHING as Prof Mayback Von Klaus in the New Avengers episode, 'The Eagle's Nest' (1976). Von Klaus was kidnapped and set to work resurrecting a deceased individual from the world's past. It is here that the identity of who he brought back from the dead, is revealed. A very good story, and perfect for the rebooting of The Avengers television series. That Cushing should be chosen to star in that first episode, is a nice touch. Cushing had played Paul Beresford in the 1967 'Return of the Cybernauts' episode, a popular, stand out story in the series. Mrs and Mr Peel of Doncaster, England (!!) Have asked for anything from the 'Eagle's Nest' episode. I thought, this was a would do the trick!

THE RESURRECTED: DIGGING UP THE DEAD is the stuff of nightmares, and so it is in Hammer films, 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell' (1974). The Baron's latest creation, goes on the rampage in the grounds of the asylum, where he is held captive, on escaping into the grounds, he goes in search of some answers, and hopes one of those answers is to be found in the asylum cemetery. 

WATCHING THIS film recently with friends, we touched on how the creature is shown in a light of great sympathy in his scenes. Much time is given to the exploring of the impact suffered by the resurrected character, who becomes the Baron's latest project. Dave Prowse has never got recognition for the role he played as the Creature in this film. It's one thing to try and emote pathos for such a pathetic creature, it's another trying to do some with a couple of pounds of latex rubber on your face an body. Many on watching can't get passed the somewhat clumsy arrangement of the make up and costume, and for them, that completely distracts and spoils the film. Personally, I forgave the short coming of the budget and make up years ago, and take much pleasure from the performances of Cushing, Shane Briant, Madeline Smith, Prowse and the assembled 'top draw' cameos, seen by many as the weakest in the series, in my humble, it ranks with the all-time best. Mr Robin and Terry Maggs, hold this opinion too, and requested this shot specifically....Yesterday was the anniversary of the LONDON OPENING of this film, May 2nd 1972, even though the film was made TWO YEARS PREVIOUSLY in 1974! Sadly, it didn't perform well. Do you think the years have been kinder to this film??

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 reach our 30K following total for Peter Cushing BIRTHDAY on MAY 26th 2017 AND Help Keep The Memory Alive!

#MONSTERMONDAY: DARTH VADER

#MONSTERMONDAY: He's been called the ultimate baddie, the bad guy's, bad guy! The most evil force in the Star wars universe! He is probably all those things... plus for us, he is another character from the dark-side of the Peter Cushing filmography... Cushing having appeared with him in #STARWARS as the other black-hat, Grand Moff Tarkin. Together they made quite the team, making knees tremble, planets explode and giving audiences down the years, much to boo at... even if he did receive redemption at the end...and that is why today we celebrate, and bestow our #monstermonday crown, to #DARTHVADER, a FORCE to be reckoned with indeed!

COME JOIN US AT OUR OFFICIAL PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE ALONG WITH ALMOST 30,000 OTHER CUSHING FANS : JUST CLICK : HERE

SAD NEWS DAVE PROWSE VIA HIS TWITTER ACCOUNT!

#DAVEPROWSE It's so sad that Dave is having to make his convention and event appearances to just the UK now. There are I am sure many who still haven't had the chance to meet him. He is such a kind and friendly guy. We all wish him well and to rest up some!

COME JOIN US AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE : CLICK HERE

THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN : MINUS CUSHING AND D.O.A.

While not a Peter Cushing  film, the Horror of Frankenstein is included here because it is part of the Hammer films Frankenstein series and while Cushing didn't appear in the film, it's of interest as an example of how Hammer tried to experiment with a winning formula . . .  and failed.

CAST:

Ralph Bates (Victor Frankenstein), Dave Prowse (The Monster), Kate O’Mara (Alys), Veronica Carlson (Elizabeth Heiss), Graham James (Wilhelm Kastner), Dennis Price (Grave Robber), Bernard Archer (Professor Heiss), Jon Finch (Lieutenant Henry Becker)

PRODUCTION: 

Director/Producer – Jimmy Sangster, Screenplay – Jimmy Sangster & Jeremy Burnham, Photography – Moray Grant, Music – Malcolm Williamson, Make up – Tom Smith, Art Direction – Scott MacGregor. Production Company – Hammer/EMI.

SYNOPSIS:

VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN, a cold, arrogant and womanising genius, is angry when his father forbids him to continue his anatomical experiments. He sabotages his father’s shotgun, causing him to be killed. Inheriting the family fortune, Victor uses this to enter med school in Vienna but is forced to return home when he gets the dean’s daughter pregnant. There he sets up laboratory, starting a series of experiments into the revivification of the dead. Eventually, he builds up a composite body from human parts, which he brings to life.

COMMENTARY:

THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN was the fifth film in Hammer’s Frankenstein series. By 1970, Hammer had regurgitated most of their monster themes several times over. The Horror of Frankenstein came at the point Hammer were starting to inject new blood into their product. The influence of the younger generation was making itself felt and Hammer were casting younger stars, recruiting young directors, not to mention placing an open emphasis on sexuality in films.

WITH THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN, screenwriter Jimmy Sangster was brought back to rewrite his script for The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), which started the series and Hammer’s reputation as a horror industry leader off thirteen years before, while he was also allowed to make his début as director. The role of Frankenstein was given a facelift and Peter Cushing was unceremoniously dumped from the role in favour of Ralph Bates whom Hammer were grooming as a new horror star at the time.

PUBLICITY STILLS were shot on the set with Ralph Bates and Peter Cushing shaking hands to announce the change. The future of the Frankenstein series seemed to be heading in a new direction ... only The Horror of Frankenstein was a disaster and the Hammer Frankenstein series failed to go in any new directions.

THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN starts in with a promising sense of black humour. However, the opening tapers off and Jimmy Sangster thereafter seems uncertain whether he is delivering parody or straight melodrama. The effort turns out dismally where all that Sangster ends up doing is weakly echoing The Curse of Frankenstein in a plot that seems more interested in Frankenstein’s sexual dalliances than his medical obsessions. The sets seem flatly lit. Dave Prowse, the bodybuilder who later played Darth Vader in Star Wars (1977) and sequels, turns the monster into a mindless brute. The best thing about the film is Ralph Bates’s cold and arrogant Frankenstein but the rest of the show is dreary and dull.

THE SADDEST THING about The Horror of Frankenstein is that it comes from Jimmy Sangster who did such a fine job in tuning the script for Hammer’s The Curse of Frankenstein. There is such a gulf between The Curse of Frankenstein and the loose remake here in terms of quality with Sangster seeming to understand so little about what made the original work that the success of Curse can only be placed down to director Terence Fisher.

The other Hammer Frankenstein films are:– The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), The Evil of Frankenstein (1964), Frankenstein Created Woman (1967), Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969) and Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1973).
REVIEW: Richard Scheib
IMAGES: Marcus Brooks

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY EVERY FRIDAY HERE AT OUR WEBSITE AND AT

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RALPH BATES AND CUSHING: PASSING ON THE BATTON?

 

PETER CUSHING and Ralph Bates on the set during the making of Hammer's REBOOTING of their Frankenstein franchise. 'THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN' seemed to be the answer the thought, to putting a little 'new blood' in the profitable series. They were wrong. The message came through loud and clear. They had TWICE tried to shoe horn another actor to play their most profitable characters. The 'hoodwinked' the cinema public with 'The Brides of Dracula', with David Peel playing Baron Meinster. The name was on the billboard and the screen...but there was no Dracula, and more to the point, no Christopher Lee. With 'The Horror of Frankenstein' there was no double cross. Hammer even allowed BBC television cameras onto the set of the film,they even went to the trouble of staging a photo-op of Bates shaking hands with Cushing, and had them chatting together on set! But, with 'Horror of..' director, Jimmy Sangster appearing to change track during production and presenting the revamped story of as a kind-of 'Curse of Frankenstein' black comedy... it spectacularly flopped. It was neither a true Frankenstein film nor a comedy.. sadly, it wasn't even a very well produced film.

 FEATURE COMING UP LATER TODAY

 

DURING ONE OF TIMES we met and interviewed Ralph Bates, the subject of 'Horror of Frankenstein came up. Bates had no doubt in his mind about his casting as the Baron. 'I don't think that was ever the real intention. I certainly didn't see it that way. It was a job, one I was happy to take, but to me it was another Hammer film, I didn't honestly think I was stepping into Peter's shoes. I mean, how could you? How could anyone? Peter has been very, very kind and helpful to me . He was extremely kind and went out of his way to help, at I time when I really needed it'. Ralph also had his own opinions about Hammer films, and two production in particular, 'The Horror of Frankenstein' and 'Lust For a Vampire'...but more that, in our next feature . . . 

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY EVERY FRIDAY HERE 

and at our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

GENTLE GIANT HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE PROWSE

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the One and Only, DAVE PROWSE aka DARTH VADER, born today July 1st 1935. For many years, Dave has been a very familiar face on the convention circuits all over the world and friend to millions. Many of us first became aware of Prowse when he played the 'monster' of the title of Hammer films last Frankenstein film with Peter Cushing, 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell' in 1974 with Shane Briant and Madeline Smith.

IN 1977 he would be chosen by director, George Lucus to play, a heroic Jedi Knight, Darth Vader in 'Star Wars: A New Hope' but ultimately seduced by the dark side of the Force and became a Sith Lord..... who along with Peter Cushing's, Grand Moff Tarkin would become the films' most fearsome characters.

PROWSE HAS held a whole career of playing roles where his stature has given him the edge, not all baddies, thugs, monsters and heavies... for many thousands of children, he was the face of the UK Children's road Safety campaign.

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