PETER VAN HELSING! REMEMBERING MELISSA STRIBLING AND DAVID OXLEY!

'TO CHRISTINE. Amazing stuff. Thank you so much from Peter Van Helsing, Best Peter Capaldi'

NO, THIS IS INTERESTING! YES?. . Here is a very neat 'multiplicated' photograph of what was a screen grab of Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, from the closing moments of #hammerflms 'Dracula' aka 'Horror of #Dracula' (1958), slaying Christopher Lee's first appearance as 'The Count'. A very talented 'Peter's Capaldi and Cushing' fan, who I believe is called Christine, skilfully pasted Mr Capaldi's head onto the image, providing us with amazing and insightful snap of...what could have been, gracing the BBCUK and Netflix international screens next year. What a TREAT it would have been to have seen PC as Van Helsing, he fits the roles so well, as did... PC 😉 A missed opportunity, me thinks. Never mind, we'll get to see an actress play the Vampire Hunter instead. Seriously, I hope this all works out for them 😊 What do you think? 

MEANWHILE HERE is Christine's text that accompanied her post of this photograph 😀

"MANY THANKS to #PeterCapaldi who signed one of my Dracpaldi manips during the autograph session at the #Supanova Gold Coast last weekend! . . .I made the Van Helsing/ Dracula 'manips' some months ago; some time later the PeterCushingAppreciationSociety.com blog posted two of them. The Peter Capaldi autograph was a birthday present for me from my daughter."

HERE IS HER story about meeting Peter Capaldi - he is such a nice man!“Met the amazing Peter Capaldi today at the Supernova Gold Coast to sign two pictures for my little brother and Mum as a birthday present. But I couldn’t afford another Autograph for myself, already had a picture with him, which was such a lovely moment standing next to this kind man.
 

HE DID MAKE personalised Autographs that day so I told him that this were birthday presents for two other huge fans back home. As I explained him the fanart my mum made, showing him as Peter Cushing ( PC, he was/is a huge fan ), he suddenly had a third picture in front of him and asked for my name. It was so overwhelming and unexpected, I asked him if it’s okay if I could hug him while I tried to handle my tears.Thank you so much PC , it was an unforgeable moment and it still feels unreal.
 

PETER CAPALDI, for me he is the kindest, gentlest actor and of course my favourite Doctor, always will be.nThank you so much! ~ “Many thanks to Peter Van Capaldi!

REMEMBERING: Melissa Stribling who was born today November 7th 1927. Stribling appeared in just the one film with Peter Cushing...but boy did she pick the right one! She also got to play in one of Hammer films most iconic scenes in their 1958 'Dracula', where Christopher Lee's Count, in the dead of night, visits her home and..without a word.. seduces her. The scene is so super charged with sexual tension, it almost crackles off the screen and as a result got the scissors treatment from the censors at the time. In 2013, in Hammer's restored print the exorcised footage was replaced, giving us the full picture of what Director Terence Fisher, Stribling and Lee had originally intended and created.

I'VE READ SEVERAL reviews of 'Dracula' both from the time of the films' release in 58 and in more recent times, that Stribling was a curious choice for the role of Mina Holmwood, that compared to the likes of Valerie Gaunt and other Hammer actresses, even though she was only in early 30's when she appeared in Dracula, many thought her slightly ordinary and plain. I totally disagree...but if that was the case, I can't help thinking that, director Fisher's choice in Stribling was intentional. That subtext in the story of Arthur Holmwood's wife being frustrated and bored, suddenly being charmed and seduced by the exotic and erotic Count, Stribling was...the perfect choice.

REMEMBERING DAVID OXLEY. ( November 7th 1920 - October 30th 1985 ) Was there ever a more terrifying, evil, rip snorting, bag of fury than Oxley's portrayal of Sir Hugo Baskerville in the 1959 #Hammerfilms production of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' starring #PeterCushing as #SherlockHolmes and Christopher Lee as Sir Henry? I must be honest, I actually find him more frightening than the hound! 😃

FIRST LOOK TRAILER FOR BBC 'DRACULA' PLUS HALLOWEEN 019 AT PCASUK!

FIRST TRAILER released today from the BBC supporting their eagerly anticipated new version of the classic Bram Stoker horror 'Dracula'. This series has been developed by #MarkGatiss and #StevenMoffat, the team behind the BBC series #Sherlock. Much of the filming for this three part series took place at Orava Castle in Slovakia and ... the iconic Bray Studios in England, home to #Hammerfilms and the location of many of #PeterCushing's and #ChristopherLee's classic Dracula and #Frankenstein films in the 50's and 60's.

PRODUCER #MarkGattiss has recently said, : “It’s seriously delightful that our new Dracula is being shot at #BrayStudios – the former home of Hammer Films! This wonderfully atmospheric and legendary studio gave birth to so many famous monsters and stars – most memorably Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. As we watch #Transylvania once again rise on the sound stages of Bray, it’s amazing to be able to say that Count Dracula has finally come home.” The cast includes Claes Bang as #Dracula . . John Heffernan, Dolly Wells, Mark Gatiss...and #DoctorWho, #Space1999 and Bond girl, #CatherineSchell. The series will be shown on the BBC first in the UK and on Netflix outside of the UK. It’s not yet been revealed when it will be screened on #BBC1 – however the festive period looks a fair bet. It's an interesting trailer.. what do you think?

THIS YEAR 019, we are going to mark our Halloween on Thursday Oct 31st, with a celebration of Peter Cushing's portrayal of THE fearless vampire hunter VAN HELSING! Some great pics, some very rare and never seen before archive photographs from the files of Hammer films, set designer Bernard Robinson, from Hammer's Dracula, Brides of Dracula, chat, facts and banners . . and if the support is there... TWO PCAS Competitions! 24 hours of a grand nod to one of Peter Cushing's most popular characters, who appeared in FIVE Hammer classic Horror movies! It will be fun. Come on IN or Miss Out! 😉 - Marcus

MARKING AND CELEBRATING THE ANNIVERSAY OF PETER CUSHING'S BIRTHDAY TODAY!

TODAY IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY... Peter Wilton Cushing was born today, May 26th 1913.... Please join us in celebrating, leaving your comments and sharing our posts, to mark this very special day and help us to . . . keep the memory alive! 

ABOVE Look out for the NEW clip of 'Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee: The Last Meeting' here at the website, the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page and the PCASUK YouTube Channel. . . 

ABOVE: OUR Peter Cushing Birthday Celebration Competition, will be shared here and at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page TODAY!

HERE AT THE WEBSITE and over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we will be sharing some pretty special posts today, a BRAND NEW TEN minute clip of the last time Peter Cushing and and Christopher Lee met 1994, which I think you will love, and a competition to win five pairs of Hammer and Amicus films documentary dvd's... it's going to be a busy day, with more than our ONE standard daily post here at the website . . . all will continue into tomorrow and then into the shared birthday's of Christopher Lee and Vincent Price too . . so, let's begin, HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETER CUSHING!

BY THE WAY, TODAY is INTERNATIONAL DRACULA DAY! Missing Christopher Lee's BIRTHDAY tomorrow, by HOURS! I wonder, what he would have thought of THAT? 😉😃

REMEMBERING JON PERTWEE : A RARE COLOUR TRANSPARANCEY PLUS STUNNING RESIN CRYPT MODEL KIT PICS!

REQUESTED from Phil Randell
ANOTHER dip into the colour images from rare contract sheets of Christopher Lee and Veronica Carlson in 'Dracula Has Risen From The Grave', the last for while, this is a request, so here we go.... an interesting shot from the studio's publicity photographer, with the intention of trimming the pic later, to remove those lighting cables on the floor out of the shot. I think, this was between poses too, both seem to be listening to the photographer. . .

TODAY WE REMEMBER Jon Pertwee who we sadly lost on this day in May 1996. Pertwee became best known for spending 18 years (1959–1977) playing Chief petty officer Pertwee in the popular series The Navy Lark on BBC Radio. But achieved world wide recognition from playing the Third Doctor in Dr Who whom he played from 1970 to 1974.

AFTER DOCTOR WHO He had continued success in TV playing the title character in the television series Worzel Gummidge from 1979 to 1981 (reprising the role from 1987 to 1989). Judging by the response, to this post at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE it is wonderful to see, Pertwee's admirers and following is just as strong as ever. He is still very much, appreciated and remembered!  

DOES THIS 'THE MUMMY' kit figure grab you? I get sent quite a lot of photographs of figures and model kits, but this one is very good , I think. Resin Crypt's "Deadly Intruder" sculpted by Robert Price and.artist Nick DeAngelo has done an very good job painting and building the piece.

YOU SEE IT PRESENTED here, before the paint and after. The kit consists of 16 pieces and is 1/6th scale, which features include both figures of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing along with a highly detailed elaborate base including, globe, rifle and nameplate . . 

THIS IS ALL reproduced from the stunning action scene, that takes part in the Hammer film of 1959, The Mummy, directed by Terence Fisher...and make up by the amazing Roy Ashton! Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE, we have asked for YOUR opinion on the figure, and the feed-back has been MOST postive!

CATCH UP with our FEATURE and GALLERY on Hammer films 'THE MUMMY' starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Yvonne Furneaux : JUST CLICK HERE!

JUST WHO IS BEHIND THAT EAGLE COMIC?

I LOVE this figure of Peter Cushing as Dr Who from his first Dalek movie in 1965, 'Dr Who and the Daleks' 🙂 It's playful and I think captures the intention of Cushing and the film producer Milton Subotsky all those years ago. This is the fabulous work of sculpture Robert Price, who we have featured here before. These photo's don't belong to me, neither does the figure, as much as I wish it did, it's one of Robert's many private commissions.

ROBERT SAYS AT HIS TUMBLR ACCOUNT, 'A great challenge to make and certainly one of the more intricate and fiddly pieces I’ve ever made. Never made a comfy chair before!t was very interesting working with different media- if you count paper as a different media. The Eagle comic came together beautifully. Many frustrations and dark-nights of the soul- fretting it would never be finished or good enough when it was complete. I’m very happy with it now and will be sad to let it go!'

WELL, YOU ARE A VERY TALENTED ARTIST and very well done, Robert! I certainly look forward to see and sharing more of your work in the future here! MORE please 😉😊 - Marcus 

WARNING: TARKIN CUSHING GOES VERY BUFF AND VERY NASTY!

WARNING! For those of you who were miffed, not happy, annoyed and horrified at the CGI Cushing / Tarkin in the movie, 'Rogue One' . . you might want to turn... look away from your monitor, tablet or phone, right now......

I AM NOT A COMIC READER, except for the stray Beano or Dandy that drifts my way😊 So it's a shock, to see that for some time, the Star Wars comics have been busy revealing just how dark, brutal, and vicious Grand Moff Tarkin really could be. Ripped and half naked, the Moff looks quite something 😮😯 Cushing too, until the early 1970's was quite the athlete, muscles and the works from playing rugby, swimming and sports! But here in Cushing's likeness, the comic Tarkin is more than a little 'fit' he's ... vicious! But for all that, I don't think anyone was prepared for...... this! These frames of comic art are just a sneak at what you can expect if you flick the pages of 'Star Wars: Age of Rebellion - Grand Moff Tarkin #1', one of several one-shot comics intended to tell previously untold stories in the lives of some of the most iconic characters from the galaxy far, far away. Behind this is writer Greg Pak, and artist Marc Laming who have been hard at work, crafting this unbelievable chapter of Tarkin's life. Revealing a man whose 'cup of tea', you certainly would NOT want to nudge and spill....! Over at FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we are asking, 'What do you think?' ..and getting some interesting answers . . 

I AM VERY grateful for the four issue covers images sent by Greg Anderson to us recently. Greg tells me the art work inside, is quite exceptional! Do YOU have any of these issues too?
 

THIS OF COURSE, isn't the first time Peter Cushing has been featured in comic art. There is a whole history... and you can find out more in a feature I put together some time ago . . . JUST CLICK HERE! 😉

 

THE BEST OF THE BEST AND A WEBSITE SHUFFLE!

WHICH PETER CUSHING Blu Ray release has presented the BEST items in it's EXTRAS and BONUS features and what were those personal stand out items for you?

OVER AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE followers are weighing up the best and most disappointing of DVD and BLU RAY EXTRA features of the last ten years of Peter Cushing releases. For many, that added attraction of also having interviews, short documentaries or galleries can sometimes be the make or break factor in IF they would purchase the release, often when perhaps they already own a copy of a film. These days it's not always given that a blu ray will contain any extras features. Some of the best remastered blu rays, seem to have maybe blown their budgets in making the remaster possible, that little if any lolly is left for a short documentary or interview. The finding of material and making of documentaries can be a costly buisiness. As the 'vaults' seem to have been well and truly emptied of free material, the making and presenting of new resources is sometimes well out of the reach of some distributors, it's always a very welcomed plus, to find new unseen features and  faces on documentaries and bonuses. The ground is getting thin though. The kick off period of crammed extra menu's for Hammer, Amicus and Cushing films, maybe now over. However, we have been treated to some excellent goodies in the past . . .  

R.WARREN: 'UK Blu-ray release of Dr Who and the Daleks has some lovely, behind the scenes, black and white footage, showing a small clip of Cushing and Roy Castle joking around on set, sadly it has no sound but still lovely.'

F.SAINSBURY: 'Mine has to be The Curse of Frankenstein bonus extras are superb especially and documentary called Life with Sir which is about Peter Cushing's secretary she takes about the death of Peter's wife and how he coped with his wife's death and working with Peter she talks about Peter's death its truly emotional.'

I GULYAS: 'Well I don't have the Bluray of house that dripped blood, but the DVD has a nice discussion of amicus and making of.'

AND IN CHATTING  about EXTRAS on dvd and blu rays... here is a heads up to a re-shuffle and layout to come this week at our website! For those of you who enjoyed or missed the huge selection of Peter Cushing reviews and features by Callum McKelvie here and at the website, we are making the library and galleries easier to find, by providing a great menu of all of Callum's features, including the rare stills and extras! Meanwhile, Here are links to TWO features that Callum wrote on the contentious issue of Cushing and Dr Who. HERE and HERE!  The 'Who' films on both DVD and Blu Ray, contained one of the best examples of EXTRA features on a release and still for some, takes some beating!

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