SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA MOMENTS OF TERROR RARE BEHIND THE SCENES CONTACT SHEET PHOTOGRAPHS

#MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY! 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' The first of FOUR great fearsome clips for this week's themed post Little did we know when this scene played out on the big screen, that it would be the last time we would see Cushing's Van Helsing destroy Christopher Lee's Dracula for Hammer films . . . some felt a little cheated, by the method and staging of this symbolic scene. Dracula for them it seemed, has been thwarted by getting tangled in a bramble bush and poked by a piece of woodland fencing!!!!

I MAY BE in the minority . ..but I thought it was rather well done, and the pace of the scene, was a master stroke. It's almost graceful. Dracula is captured by his own thirst for revenge on the Van Helsing family. It is his anger and frustration that sees him trapped by the 'holy hawthorn' . ..the more he claws, the harder he pushes to reach Van Helsing, on the other side of the bush...the more the thorns hold him..until finally, he falls. Van Helsing doesn't even hurry to deliver that stake. 

AND THEN what appears to be a Crucifixion...and the pace changes again, what started as snarling and gnashing ...all slowly winds down. As time claws back the years, accompanied by the low musical score , flesh turns to bone, bone to ash...and finally dust. When compared to the blood and thunder action of all the other Hammer Dracula exits... this one is almost like a grotesque ballet. ....and the little nod to the final shot of the first Hammer Dracula in 1958, when only his signet ring remains . . . is a very good touch.

#MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY! VAN HELSING'S (Peter Cushing) granddaughter Jessica Van Helsing (Joanna Lumley) while investigating what appears to be a secret base for 'creepy goings-on' stumbles upon a cellar . ..with some unexpected creepies..and we don't mean spiders! Look out for actress Valerie Van Ost, who appeared with Peter Cushing in the pre slasher cult movie, 'Corruption' (1968) . .. Ost went on to leave the acting profession and become a theatrical agent!

#MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY!A bit of a shocking experience (sorry...) for one of Dracula's henchmen. In Hammer Dracula films of old school, he usually had one poor soul who did his bidding... one KLOVE played by Patrick Troughton in 'Scars of Dracula' (1970) and by Phillip Latham in the 1966, 'Dracula, Prince of Darkness' . .. now, there is an army of funky waitse-coated motor cycle ridding thugs, to protect him...complete with state of the art, CCTV! Michael Coles Inspector Murray, has a bit of a rough up with one, in this scene. Typical (see tv UK series 'The Sweeney') punch up, but with a very satisfying ending! Take that, villain!

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#SILENTBUTDEADLY: VAMPS FIRE SMOKE AND FIGHTS!

#SILENTBUTDEADLY: THE SCRIPT FOR HAMMER FILMS fifth Frankenstein film 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' afforded the 'creation' an opportunity to share his feelings and emotions, in a way that no other 'monster/creation' had before in any of the previous Cushing / Frankenstein's'. How fortunate than, to have cast the excellent Freddie Jones as the unfortunate Professor Richter / Doctor Brandt, who was able to do that dialogue justice. For once the one who had gone under the Baron's knife, had intelligence and cunning, and no more than in the scene where this clipped GIF comes from.  

WHILE DESPERATELY dashing from room to room, looking for those all important notes, a hidden Brandt stops Frankenstein in his tracks, 'I fancy that I AM the spider and YOU are the fly, Frankenstein'. Lit by the flames of a flickering rag,  Brandt stands at the top of the staircase, holding glass lanterns full of  combustible oil. Brandt invites Frankenstein to a deadly game of cat and mouse. If he wants get out out of the house alive, he will have to out fox Brandt, and his intention of burning down the house, with them inside! Giving us one the all-times best endings to a Hammer film.

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#SILENTBUTDEADLY: Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) looks on in horror on discovering his friend, Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen) in Dracula's coffin, now transformed into a vampire! There is only one thing for it! Hammer films Dracula Horror of Dracula (1958) Requested by Junior Fleetwood.

OUR #MONSTERMONDAY TRIBUTE  TO THIS SCENE A FEW WEEKS GO!

#SILENTBUTDEADLY: VINNIE GOES PUFF! Paul Toombes sits in total boredom, during the junket party for his Dr Death movies, unfortunately it also brings together people and duds from his past, that he would rather forget . . . Weird coincidence, when I met with Vincent Price in 1980 and asked him about Madhouse, he said, 'I really would rather not talk about that one...!' He smiled and that made me laugh! Personally, it's a film I never get bored of...!
Request by Dan T

RANDOM RARE AND REALLY COOL POSTS: EVERY #TOOCOOLTUESDAY!

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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.

#MONSTERMONDAY: CHRISTOPHER LEE'S BILAI FROM HAMMER FILMS SHE

#MONSTERMONDAY: Today our candidate for MM is Billali (Christopher Lee), from Hammer's adventure film She 1965, Ayesha's fanatical priest (Ursula Andress), who wants immortality for himself, believing it is his due after his years of selfless service.

#MONSTERMONDAY: Billai (Christopher Lee) attempts to enter the blue flames himself and become immortal from Hammer's She (1965)

 

Principal photography of She commenced in southern Israel's Negev Desert on 24 August 1964, with scenes also shot at MGM's Elstree Studios in London when Hammer's Bray Studios proved to be too small for the project. It was the most expensive film Hammer had made up until that time, but upon release it was a hit both in North America and in Europe. Somewhat different to the Gothic horrors Hammer were producing at the time, over the years it has mixed reviews from fans. Are you a fan of the film?

 

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY : TWO FROM TARKIN AND GIFS : ROGUE ONE

A DOUBLE ‪#‎toocooltuesday‬ TARKIN POST! First a great panoramic behind the scenes shot from STAR WARS (1977) featuring Cushing as Tarkin and Darth Vader...an interesting point here... IF there is any truth in the rumour that the makers of the ‪#‎starwars‬ film, ‪#‎rogueone‬ released this Christmas, are looking for UNUSED footage of Peter to use in the film...WELL...here is a WHOLE UNUSED SCENE! This scene, which I am sure all you #starwars fans recognise...was dropped from the edited release that made it to cinema's worldwide in 1977, lots of shots of Peter there I am sure AND he has his BOOTS on!

PLUS BELOW...the genuine hem of the trousers (USA PANTS) that Peter wore as Grand Moff Tarkin, in the same film, #STARWARS in 1977... made by BERMANS and Nathans Costumiers..take note Angels... that's BERMANS and Nathans!

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TOOCOOLTUESDAY : ROY ASHTON'S MONSTER MAKE UPS

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY Carry on from yesterday's post about make up artist's Roy Ashton's 'tailor's dummy'... here is a cool montague of Roy at work. Photograph A is me at Elstree watching Roy making some werewolf ears! Take a look at the other pics here and see if you can work out any of the films he is working on, or can you name any of those 'bits and pieces' of monsters??? ANSWERS LATER..

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WE WERE DEVOTEES OF SYLVESTER TWEETY PIE AND BUGS BUNNY : CHRISTOPHER LEE ON PETER CUSHING INTERVIEW

HERE IS A SPECIAL TREAT  we posted yesterday on the NEW PCAS YOU TUBE CHANNEL AND OUR A Great interview with Christopher Lee, talking about his special friend, Peter Cushing!

AND as today is our #onsetsaturday theme . . .

A RARE SET OF IMAGES of both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee rehearsing at Elstree studios, during the shooting of the final scenes of Hammer films, 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' ...final also in that this would be Lee's LAST appearance as Dracula for Hammer....

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A LAND LOOKING WEST : CUSHING DOWN UNDER

CUSHING IN OZ: Peter Cushing flew to Australia to make a documentary about the history of the permanent European settlement of Western Australia known as "The Swan River Colony". It was part of the 150th anniversary of this event. The documentary entitled, 'A Land Looking West' went into production, after Peter's work on shooting his role of Grand Moff Tarkin in 'Star Wars' at Elstree studios from May 8th -12th 1976 . The documentary was broadcast on Australian several TV stations. The filming took place in locations throughout the state of W.A. and throughout Australia. We'll be posting a feature about this rarely seen documentary soon!

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URSULA ANDRESS : HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY

Sharing a birthday with John Van Eyssen today. and still very much with is SHE herself...URSULA ANDRESS. 'SHE' (1965) was the first film from Hammer to be built around a female star. Tall and statuesque, Ursula Andress was a perfect choice to play Ayesha, though in retrospect she claims to have disliked the role. Andress has been criticized by reviewers for her icy demeanor and aloof detachment, but these characteristics proved beneficial for playing the steely-eyed Ayesha. Costumed in a selection of warm-colored, Grecian-styled gowns and gold jewelry, she glows onscreen, partly due to the flattering, high-key lighting of cinematographer Harry Waxman.

Born in Switzerland to German parents, the exotic-looking beauty spoke with an accent, which Hammer's producers found too distracting. Andress's entire role was then re-voiced and dubbed over by an actress named Monica Van Der Syl, who mimicked a slight Swiss accent so audiences did not suspect the truth. John Richardson's lines were also dubbed in post-production by the actor himself, perhaps to give his line readings an added emphasis, since he tended to be overshadowed by Cushing and Lee.

 

ONSET DURING THE MAKING OF SHE

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The large budget for She is apparent on screen in the effective location shooting. Instead of the original jungle setting of the novel, writer David T. Chantler opted for a Middle Eastern background. The production shot for two weeks in Israel's Negev desert and then returned to England to shoot the interiors. Hammer's modest Bray Studio proved too small for the scale of the lavish Kuma sets, so the production set up at Elstree Studios. The authentic desert scenes gave She an epic quality not associated with Hammer's stylish but intimate horror films.

The images in our Birthday Banner feature a photograph taken during the premier of 'SHE' with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee and a rare photograph of Andress, taken by photographer Terry O'Neill in her dressing during shooting... NOTE: O'Neill is credited with some capturing some of the most famous and iconic portraits and scenes from popular culture over the past 40 years. O'Neill photographed the wonderful portrait of Cushing, Price, Lee and Carradine from 'House of the Long Shadows' (1983)

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