VINCENT, KATY, EDDIE AND PETER ARE SHOCKED! GIFS! GIFS!

#SILENTBUTDEADLY! Here's #VINCENTPRICE as 'Sinister Man' in probably one of his sharpest put-downs on film in 'Blood Bath At The House Of Death' (1984), an interesting little black comedy staring Kenny Everett . . he is SHOCKED, and the line he delivers, is sadly unrepeatable here . .  our silent disposition serves us well!  I thought his jibbing before the delivery, was well worth posting . . .

#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY!: KATY WILD IS SHOCKED! But sadly her character, BEGGER GIRL, is MUTE! Hey, thought Anthony Hinds, she can't speak, she doesn't NEED a name! But Cushing gets it. There's nothing like a 7foot tall ex wrestling champion, in mashed-up make up, wearing diving boots and a mean look . . . carrying a wrought iron spear, to sharpen the senses. This leads into one of those scenes, that you can see, Cushing REALLY enjoyed. A right royal scuffle, with crushing grips, heroics, floppy fringe flying and Cushing's Baron comes out looking hair ruffled, but still sharp and smart! It's a pity the girls didn't get to play though... I just love the way, Cushing flings our poor 'Begger Girl' out...of..frame....! 'The Evil of Frankenstein' (1964), certainly is from the good ol days, when monsters were mean and big, and girls screamed, until a CHAP stepped in...!

#SILENTBUTDEADLY!: In #STARTREK lore, there's a there's a theory. If a cast member in the 1960's tv series was wear a red top as part of their uniform, they were for the chop. After they had set down on the planet, while checking out the sandy desert terrain, you could count the seconds before a scream went up, and the red top guy, had bought it! Dead. Not so the case with the 1966 Cushing film, 'Island of Terror'. Actor Eddie Byrne was the go to guy in the late 50's early 60's, if you wanted a strong, straight talking, serious detective, police office or doctor. Here he plays Dr. Reginald Landers, strong, straight talking, serious and tentacled silicate, tea time snack! You can see the shock in his eyes. Who could have known? In Hammer films, 1959 The Mummy, Bryne had played the SSS Detective Inspector Mulrooney. For him it was double added value, playing to his strengths Police AND IRISH! He played it very well, feeding Cushing's British archaeologist all the right questions, that lead us through a complicated flash back story about how, Christopher Lee's High Priest Kharis had ended up minus his tongue and wrapped in enough bandage, to stretch to Tut's tomb and back! So, that he should die, for me was a surprise and sad. I am not one of these cinema goers who spends their time wasting my ten bucks, trying to find the clues to end of the film, when I have paid good lolly, for them to tell me. I also happen to be a fan of Eddie's work. so, for him to leave film three quarters in, was a downer. Still, he died well. Convincing audiences you are being SUCKED to death, could be a tall order for some actors. Not Eddie. He's a strong, straight talking, serious doctor here. He was never going to suck in this role.....

#SILENTBUTDEADLY! 'Corruption' (1968) is a motion picture that is full of SHOCKS, and that's even without the CENSORED shock shots! Here Cushing shockingly bites the dust. It's interesting, despite how carefully director Robert Hartford Davies set up this clever shot, so that we get the full impact of the Laser Zap on PC, my dear ol Mum, when she saw this many years ago was distracted. 'Hasn't Peter Cushing got really BLUE eyes!', she exclaimed. And yes, he DOES. The weird thing is, if you look at at Cushing's death pose as Gustav Weil in Hammer films, 'Twins of Evil' (1971) and the last death shot of Cushing's Sir John Rowan . . .they are uncannily similar!

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 . . 

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: A NEW TARKIN BUST TO SET THE STANDARD?

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: BACK A YEAR OR TWO, it seemed we were seeing a new Peter Cushing bust every few weeks! Then along came Jordu Schell's Tarkin bust, and that certainly set the standard, and a time for pause... This weekend I came across the excellent work of Phillip Thomas Johnson. He has a Tarkin/Cushing bust work in progress right now, that i thought you'd like to see, because it looks . . .  outstanding and may have set a new standard.

I WOULD GO AS FAR to say, this is the best Cushing bust, I have seen yet. Granted, it's not complete yet, and I figure that the blue photograph included here, where his bust has hair, maybe a hair applied by photoshop, to give some idea what the finished bust would look like with a full barnet! 

THE SCHEL bust  has realistic skin tones, not a marble or stone effect, the eyes too are glass, and that is the one problem I have always had with this bust. It's a problem that even the most skilled artist, with mountains of cash behind them, have experienced...you'll remember the 'slightly off eyes' of the CGI Tarkin in Rogue One? This, for me, has always been present in the Schel bust too. Maybe there is something about the 'stone' gaze of a statue, with no colour, that makes the eye line more forgiving? I am not an expert, but that's how it looks to me. I can't wait for Robinson's finished results. What do you think? How do you think it compares to other Tarkin busts and figures?

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS of the Phillip Thomas Robinson Tarkin Bust are the property of the owner. You can find out more about Phillip's work: HERE!

ABOVE: THE CGI TARKIN FROM 'ROGUE ONE' (2016)

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 and posts are made from both countries and
cross several time zones. 

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: HUMAN MUNCHIES AT HAMMER

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: Hammer films first step into their Frankenstein franchise was The Curse of Frankenstein in 1957. This was quickly followed, after it's huge commercial success by The Revenge of Frankenstein the following year. As with Curse, it's success is no small part because of Cushing's stellar return and performance, as the Baron who cheated death. But for me, there has always been more than one act of cheating in this particular return. . . . 

FRANCIS MATTHEWS is terrific and believable as the good doctor's assistant, Hans. Eunice Gayson as Margret, struggles but does well with what she has been given by scriptwriter Jimmy Sangster, who had an annoying habit of giving his female characters a one dimensional, very shallow filed to plough, when it came to any of his written women. And the supporting cast were top too. I love Michael Gwynn's work, but not in this one. This is not because he was weak, like with Gayson's lot. No, Gwynn was working with a very weak concept...a man who turns Cannibal! Sangster went on record as saying, he did struggle with coming up with an angle, a 'thing' ..part of what that latest Frankenstein abomination did, that was above murder and creating chaos. This creation should repulse and make audiences shriek with terror once again. He thought long and hard, and eventually came up with, cannibalism. Well, I don't buy it. I never have, never will. 

YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ON THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN PLUS EYE OUR LOVELY GALLERY OF RARE PICS AT OUR FEATURE : HERE! 

THE WHOLE PREMISE that supports the reason why poor ol Karl has the human munchies, in the framework of this Gothic horror, sticks out as desperate, ill conceived, heavy handed and over the top. I would have been quite happy with another round of, just murder, unhappy monster and leave it at that. The Hammer Frankenstein's were most entertaining when they focused on 'The Baron'.. how bad, how manipulative, cruel and relentless HE could be. It's interesting that the most popular and financially successful films of the series, Curse and Destroyed, had Baron Frankenstein at the center of the story. On the whole, I think the Frankenstein audience went to see Peter Cushing, and were quite informed about how they liked their Gothic horror menu served up...intelligent, imaginative and with some class and taste. To me, if you throw cannibalism into the recipe, it's just too rich, one spice too many. Cannibalism...In other words, just doesn't taste that good... 😉 What do you think? Agree? disagree? - Marcus

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EUREKA THE SKULL BLU RAY AND DVD COMPETITION PLUS FULL REVIEW

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. HERE ARE THE WINNERS!

EUREKA AND THE PETERAPPRECIATIONSOCIETY.COM BRINGS YOU THE CHANCE TO WIN A PETER CUSHING AMICUS HORROR CLASSIC 

ON DUAL BLU RAY AND DVD RELEASE

EVENT

OCTOBER 26th sees the BLU RAY and DVD release from EUREKA of Amicus films classic THE SKULL starring the two grand masters of terror, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. This is the first time that THE SKULL has been available on BLU RAY in the UK and to celebrate this, EUREKA have sponsored our competition by providing THREE copies of the DUAL FORMAT release for you to WIN! This edition contains both the BLU RAY and DVD.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO

To enter the competition and be in with a chance of winning EUREKA's EXCLUSIVELY RESTORED release of THE SKULL is correctly ANSWER the question below. Once you have your answer, just simply send it in an email to us at: theblackboxclub@gmail.com

QUESTION:

Amicus script writer and producer, Milton Subotsky had a favorite SURNAME he used for his characters in over half a dozen of his films. WHAT WAS THAT SURNAME?

This competition CLOSES on FRIDAY 23rd OCTOBER 2015 at MIDNIGHT GMT. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

You can place a PREORDER for EUREKA's 'THE SKULL' Dual Blu Ray and DVD release at Amazon.co.uk : QUICK LINK: HERE 

OVER VIEW:

This is for many the quintessential Amicus film. Adapted for the screen by ‘Mr. Amicus’ himself, Milton Subotsky, it adheres pretty closely to Robert 'Psycho' Bloch's short story 'The Skull of the Marquis De Sade' and it is one of Bloch's best. It’s pity that for many he is still remembered for 'that' novel alone.

SYNOPSIS:

CONTAINS SPOILERS! After the 6-min pre-credit set in the early 19th century, phrenologist Pierre (Maurice Good) robs the grave of the notorious Marquis de Sade and steals his skull. Soon after, he pays the dire consequences…Forward to the present 1965 and we’re at an auction (Michael Gough appears briefly as the auctioneer). In attendance are two collectors of objects d’art. It won't be too difficult for you to work out who they are: Peter Cushing as ‘Dr. Christopher Maitland’ and Christopher Lee as ‘Sir Matthew Phillips’. Both are keen to acquire a collection of satanic statuettes. Phillips has more money and outbids Maitland by offering an absurdly high price for the figures in question. Maitland’s seedy and snuff taking oppo Marco (Patrick Wymark) also advises him to hold back, “he's got more money than you have". Perhaps it should be pointed out that Wymark's ploy with the snuff is tantamount to what McQueen did with his hat in The Magnificent Seven.

Shortly afterwards Marco arrives at Maitland's period London home and sells him a book (the life of that debauched libertine, the said Marquis) bound in human skin! Marco is a supplier of such curiosa and Maitland is a fevered collector and is “none too fussy” as regards the provenance of said items. The next day, Marco arrives with a skull claiming it to be that of de Sade. For this he asks a very high price but then agrees to accept a much lower offer, hence Maitland suspects it is a fake. Marco claims he wants to get rid of it as it gives him the jitters. Pretty soon after, our seedy supplier makes his appointment with the grim reaper. Maitland visits his old acquaintance Sir Phillips who, over a game of snooker, informs his colleague that the skull is genuine enough: “My dear fellow, that skull was stolen from me! And I advise you to keep well away from it!” Does Maitland heed the warning? Don't be daft! We all know that no good will come of it. He then steals the skull from Marco's Soho flat, accidentally killing dodgy landlord Bert Travers (Peter Woodthorpe) in the process. And now Maitland’s nightmare is just about to begin, including a beautifully done dream sequence.

THE CASTING:

Cushing (who after this was never again billed above Lee) is at his best as the fevered and tortured occult collector Maitland. A similar role for him came later in The Creeping Flesh. Second billed Patrick Wymark has all the best lines including a tasty monologue giving a brief yet somewhat exaggerated account of the man “whose name has become a byword for sadism”. And a succulent performance it is too from the revered stage actor. The late Christopher Lee adds his usual cold and austere pomposity to the proceedings, who else could get away with it. Peter Woodthorpe is hilarious as landlord Bert. Stalwarts Nigel Green and Amicus fave Patrick Magee are on hand as the law, though stage actress Jill Bennett is somewhat wasted as Maitland's wife.

SUMMING UP:
Director Freddie Francis has done a sterling job here, and the action seen through the eyes of the skull adds a particularly effective and chilling touch. For these scenes a huge, presumably polystyrene skull was used. John Wilcox's photography did the job amply. You really can feel Cushing's panic through those close-ups! As is usual with the dialogue-hating Subotsky, it is kept to a minimum. Indeed, there is hardly any for the last third of the film. Which must have been a welcome opportunity for the then in-house classical composer Elizabeth Lutyens who very much has to be praised for her score… an integral part of the film's success. The Skull is drenched in atmosphere and its claustrophobic feel (practically no location work or day shots here) only enhances the splendidly spooky vibe throughout. A classic of the genre!

You can place a PREORDER for EUREKA's 'THE SKULL' Dual Blu Ray and DVD release at Amazon.co.uk : QUICK LINK: HERE 

This Dual Format Edition offers the following EXTRAS:
• Exclusively restored 1080p presentation of the film on Blu-ray
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• New video interview with film scholar Jonathan Rigby
• New video interview with critic and author Kim Newman
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and new artwork
• Limited Edition Collector's Booklet, featuring an essay by Vic Pratt

Review Source: HERE

Images and Design: Marcus Brooks

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EUREKA AND THE PETERAPPRECIATIONSOCIETY.COM BRINGS YOU THE CHANCE TO WIN A PETER CUSHING AMICUS HORROR CLASSIC 

ON DUAL BLU RAY AND DVD RELEASE!

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