FRANCIS MATTHEWS REMEMBERED : FRANKENSTEINS LITTLE HELPER!

TODAY WE REMEMBER Francis Matthews a very talented actor, known for playing Paul Temple in the BBC series of the same name, as well as voicing Captain Scarlet… But he is best known here for his roles in 3 Hammer films Dracula Prince Of Darkness (1966) Rasputin The Mad Monk (1966) both co-starring Christopher Lee and The Revenge Of Frankenstein (1958) with Peter Cushing, with whom he remained close friends ..

TWO OF THE GREAT ROLES that Francis Matthews played for Hammer Films in DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS  and  THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN

BACK IN 2001, Francis Matthews, joined Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelly and Suzan Farmer for a RE-UNITE of the cast of Dracula Prince of Darkness, for a narration on the DVD release.

FRANCIS MATTHEWS was the voice of a HERO to many growing up in the 1960's as puppet INDESTRUCTIBLE CAPTAIN SCARLETT!

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY! REMEMBERING FRANCIS MATTHEWS

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY! Today we remember Francis Matthews a very talented actor, known for playing Paul Temple in the BBC series of the same name, as well as voicing Captain Scarlet… But he is best known here for his roles in 3 Hammer films Dracula Prince Of Darkness (1966) Rasputin The Mad Monk (1966) both co-starring Christopher Lee and The Revenge Of Frankenstein (1958) with Peter Cushing, with whom he remained close friends .. 

IT'S A 'SLAPPY BIRTHDAY' from Peter Cushing to Francis Matthews in 'The Revenge of Frankenstein'

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY:Here's a GREAT #GIF from Hammer Films 'Dracula: Prince of Darkness' (1966) with Dracula (Christopher Lee) frighteningly displaying his supernatural-strength and attacking poor ol Charles Kent (Francis Matthews). Hammer, produced this film at Bray Studios, back to back with 'Rasputin The Mad Monk (1966) which also starred Francis Matthews, Barbara Shelley Susan Farmer and Christopher Lee . . .

MATTHEWS AND LEE IN 'DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS' (1966)

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  

REMEMBERING: SANDOR ELES : BORN TODAY

REMEMBERED: TODAY WE REMEMBER Hungarian born actor SANDOR ELES…. Known for a lot of work on TV he guest starred in shows such as The Saint, One Step Beyond, The Avengers, Danger Man and a regular role in the UK Soap 'Crossroads'.... 

IT HAS ALWAYS surprised me why Hammer films didn't use Eles more often in their features. If Cushing and Lee signed up for every film that Hammer offered them, Hammer would have very pleased, they were bankable, they didn't pay well, but they were always on the wish list of Hammer casting. IF they passed, then it appears that often Hammer liked to cast actors of similar skill set, style and appearance, like John Carson, Francis Matthews, sometimes having a air of nobility, aquiline features... Eles certainly fitted this bill...

COULD ELES HAVE PLAYED THE ROLES THAT MATTHEWS AND CARSON PLAYED FRO HAMMER FILMS? . .  NOT SAYING BETTER, BUT AS GOOD AS?

IF YOU TAKE a quick look at the casting and budgets of the films, he did appear in with Peter and Hammer, it looks like it comes down to the age old problem with Hammer.... money. Which, is a shame and leaves behind it a whole raft of missed opportunities...Eles did a lot of good and interesting work, given the chance. He made appearances in The Avengers, The Professionals Strange Report and Upstairs, Downstairs. One of his most memorable film roles was as the mysterious Paul in the Brian Clemens thriller 'And Soon the Darkness' in 1970. The screenplay was written by Brian Clemens and Terry Nation, both of whom had contributed to The Avengers, as well as to several ITC crime series made in Britain. The film was directed by Robert Fuest.

Even though his accent was good, casting agents often pigeon holed him in generic 'foreigner' roles (diplomats, waiters, desk clerks), he most often played Frenchmen. Éles became a British citizen on 10 January 1977.

FOR MANY, signing up for long term contract in a television soap opera, is thought of the final hole on the leaking ship of a once buoyant career. Eles joined the cast the UK long running tv series, Crossroads in 1982. The series was still popular and Eles seemed to cultivating a new interest. He left the series in 1985 and followed a trail of opportunities propping up the plot in several tv movies and mini series.

IN 1996, Elès returned to his cultural roots, appearing as the narrator in the Bartók opera, Bluebeard's Castle. The concert performances, were given by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Bernard Haitink, and were recorded for CD release. His last movie appearance would be in 1996  playing 'party guest' in Anthony Hopkins' 'Surviving Picasso'. Small theatre roles followed in provincial tours. Sadly Eles would be dead from a fatal heart failure just six years later. He was just 66.... 

HIS LAST PRESS NOTICE was in classified and public notices section in the newspaper of the London Borough of Brent, seeking to notify family members and parties who may have an interest in 'unclaimed estates'  'Jozsef Sandor Eles was born in Tatabanya Hungary on Monday 15 June 1936. He died in Kilburn London NW6, on Tuesday 10 September 2002 at the age of 66. He was unmarried at the time of his death. Information on file states that the deceased's parents are deceased and buried in the family grave. His sister is also deceased and buried with her parents. There are suggestions of a niece in Hungary but her wherebaouts are unknown.Deceased was a retired actor and was found dead on 10 September and was last seen alive on 4 September'. 

#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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#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: A FISTFUL OF GIFS!

A FABULOUS SELECTION OF #FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY GIFS from Peter Cushing SECOND #FRANKENSTEIN film for #Hammerfilms, 'THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN'. For me personally, this is the one Hammer/Frankenstein that looks so handsome. Set design and art direction is once again is taken care of by Bernard Robinson, the man who along with Scott MacGregor, made that 'Hammer Look'. Most of the interiors seen in 'Revenge' are recycled props and sets used in Hammer's 1958 'Dracula' / 'Horror of Dracula'. It all has that stamp of quality, and Jack Asher's cinematography frames it all so well. Hammer had a crew of craftsmen, many of whom were never credited, or even graced that credit role during the films closing titles...SO with an eye to just some of the people, who were responsible for that special Hammer style in 'Revenge', that we now enjoy in these GIFS, here are those UNCREDITED technicians :  ART DEPARTMENT: Arthur Banks : Master Plasterer. Charles Davis : Master Carpenter. Eric Hillier : Props Buyer. Mick Lyons : Construction Manager. Don Mingaye : Assistant Art Direction. Tom Money : Property Master. Lawrence Wren : Master Painter. SOUND DEPARTMENT: Alex Carver-Hill: Assistant Boom Operator. Alfred Cox : Sound Editor. Jim Perry : Boom Operator. CAMERA and ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT: Albert Cowlar : Camera Grip. Jack Curtis : Chief Electrician. Tom Edwards : Still Photographer. Harry Oakes : Focus Puller. Anthony Powell : Clapper Loader.

Thank YOU!

"Come unto Me and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down, Thy head upon My breast."! Here's one of the good doctor's more needy clients, who manages to get his attention with a false 'pitter-patter' of her 'be still my beating heart'! ..is that enough quotes for ya?? Peter Cushing and actress Anna Walmsley as Vera Barscynska in a gif requested by Moonloo (??) from 'The Revenge of Frankenstein' a classic from Hammer films...

 FULL FEATURE WITH VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS FOLLOW THIS HERE

 

 

 

 

BEHIND THE SCENES AT BRAY STUDIOS IN 1966 : HAMMER FILMS

Behind The Scenes: Archive footage from Hammer films production of Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) - The SECOND of the series featuring Christopher Lee and with a prologue sequence revisiting the closing moments of the first Hammer / Dracula from 1958, starring Peter Cushing as Van Helsing.

#FRANKENSTEIN FRIDAY : CREATION MEETS CREATOR

#frankensteinfriday Peter Cushing and Michael Gwynn: Creation meets Creator! Michael Gwynn's fine performance as the pitiful Karl Immelmann tends to get over looked in the long list of #hammerfilm Frankenstein creations. He one of my personal favorites. How do you rate Gwynn's performance?

CAST:

Peter Cushing (Dr Victor Frankenstein/Stein), Francis Matthews (Hans Kleve), Michael Gwynn (Karl), Eunice Gayson (Margaret Conrad), Oscar Quitak (Dwarf Karl)

PRODUCTION:
Director – Terence Fisher, Screenplay – Jimmy Sangster, Additional Dialogue – H. Hurford Janes, Producer – Anthony Hinds, Photography – Jack Asher, Music – Leonard Salzedo, Makeup – Phil Leakey, Production Design – Bernard Robinson. Production Company – Hammer Films UK. 1958.

SYNOPSIS:

With the help of Karl, the crippled dwarf hangman, whom he promises a new body, Frankenstein escapes the gallows and they hang the officiating priest instead. Under the name Stein, Frankenstein sets up practice in the town of Karlsbruck, alternating between volunteer work at the poor hospital, which is a goldmine of parts to build up Karl’s new body, and private practice where his courtly charms draw him the devotion of the upper-classes. He is recognised by eager young Hans Kleve who forces Frankenstein to take him on as an assistant. Together they transplant Karl’s brain into the new patchwork body. The operation is successful but soon the body’s limbs return to their old crippled positions. Karl escapes and brings shame down on Frankenstein when he bursts in on a society function, crying “Frankenstein help me.”.