BEHIND THE SCENES ON CLASSIC HAMMER VAMPIRE FILM ALMOST 50 THIS MONTH PLUS PHOTO CONTACT SHEETS!

 

THIS MONTH 'OCTOBER 2019' marks the 49th anniversary of a Peter Cushing Hammer film, that kind of shook up the 'adult' content of his future 'horror films', for Hammer. 'The Vampire Lovers' is a neat short clip of raw footage, unedited and very entertaining, from a BBC film programme that featured the making of the film in 1970. This was shared here quite a long time ago, so certainly worth a re-airing today! Peter is seen very relaxed, having a giggle about an actor he spotted on the train, who was quite the character... and liked... a glass, or two.. or three. Director Roy Ward Baker, ever the pro, arranges shots, lighting and motivation . . there is a charming shot of Ingrid Pitt too, in this her first leading role and third film. You can't help but notice the huge difference between Cushing's character voice and authority .. and that of the softest, sweetest gentleman, chatting while having his hair stylds by the lovely Pearl Tipaldi, the production hair-dresser. Enjoy!

'THE VAMPIRE LOVERS' was released in the UK on October 4th 1970, making a star of it's lead, #IngridPitt. For the future, she would always be known as a #ScreamQueen, playing a vampire in her next film for Amicus, 'The House That Dripped Blood' and 'vampire with a twist' in Hammer's #CountessDracula' also in 1971. The film did well at the box office. Cushing was almost supporting with actors Douglas Wilmer and George Cole along with love interests of Jon Finch and #MadelineSmith and #KateOMara, pulling together a script based on Sheridan Le Fanu's classic vampire tale, 'Carmilla'.

THE CENSOR LAWS lost their grip, man in macs queued in the rain to see botts and bosom's compete with #blood and #fangs . . there was no turning back after this one. It provided a much needed zap to the now, slightly predictable Hammer presentations . . #vampires for Hammer would never be the same again. So it's Happy Birthday The Vampire Lovers Where does #TheVampiresLovers sit on your TOP TEN of Cushing #Hammerfilms 😮 ..

INCLUDED in this photo selection, I have reposted SIX rare contact / proof sheets of stills from the film, that were posted a while ago. Some really like and collect these, and have told me you missed them when first posted, so here they are again, for your pleasure!

LAUREL AND HARDY CLASSIC 80 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR AND ONE EXTRA IS NO CHUMP!

THIS YEARS MARKS the 80TH year of the release of Laurel and Hardy's feature film, 'A Chump At Oxford' . . a great anniversary for Stan and Olly . . but also quite an amazing quirk of fortune for Peter Cushing back then. If ever Peter Cushing comes up in conversation, pop this little nugget of info into your chat...and people wont believe you! 😃I find it strange also that this film features a comedy fright scene with a 'ghost'! Ironic or what?? 😉

ABOVE IS A SHOT of Peter Cushing and the other scoundrel students of 'Oxford' getting their just deserves in the garden lake. He is one of the students singing 'Fee Fie Fo Fum' and appears in a couple of other scenes too. He was just 26 years old when this was made. When often asked about his time with Stan and Olly, Peter would fondly recall his experience as an extra on this film and said his outstanding memory was of how concerned Oliver Hardy was about the welfare of the extras in the film and demanded that the producers arrange for towels and fresh clothes be supplied for the extras who got soaked in the pond scene and personally brought in a large tray of doughnuts for the extras to enjoy during filming . . 

THE DRACULA SHOT THAT NEVER MADE IT : CUSHING THE MERCILESS AND GOOD SHOES, MAKETH THE MAN!

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY! My Granny always said, 'You can always judge man by the quality of his shoes..!' With Christopher Lee busily polishing his custom made Italian brogues here, Granny would have obviously rated him quite high on her crib sheet. That's a nice shine too. Lee obviously doesn't trust to leave his shoes outside his hotel room door...after that LAST episode, with one going missing.

The Prince of Darkness . . .. 'Dracula, Prince of Darkness'
 (Hammer films 1966)

ALL TOGETHER NOW: 'FLASH! AHH...AHHH!' What a song! What a movie! Think on this . . .what if GEORGE LUCAS has decided not to make #STARWARS back in 1977, but instead, waited until 1980...and made, FLASH GORDON instead???? . . .Cus-HING as MING would have been interest-ING though...maybe? No? Mark H and dear Carrie, would have been perfect, not sure about Karen Allen though . . 🙂 This stunn-ING mock up cinema poster is the work of El Ray Network, I believe.

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAYS! Can YOU spot the shot, with Marsha Hunt, that never made it to the final UK edit of #DRACULA AD 1972...starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, before the big bow out, in the Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)

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  . . 

BREAKING NEWS! HAMMER HOUSE OF HORRORS TRAILER AND EXTRAS RELEASED FROM NETWORK

NEWS: Network have just revealed a custom-made trailer for their upcoming blu-ray of 'Hammer House Of Horror' TV Series, and I must say it looks very nice indeed. There is a sneak BTS shot at the beginning. I hope that is a taste of maybe some more in the extras! The release Date: 23/10/2017.

'From the iconic British horror studio this star-studded anthology series contains 13 episodes of spine-chilling terror blending the supernatural with modern horror hauntings, demonic possession and cannibalism.  Marking a new direction for the studio under producer Roy Skeggs and with a cast including legendary British actor and Hammer icon Peter Cushing as well as Diana Dors, Denholm Elliott and Brian Cox, the series is featured here for the first time in stunning new High Definition....!'

ABOVE: THE SLIP CASE AND CASE OF THE BLU RAY.

 
Here are the full specs including the extras:
SPECIAL FEATURES
Guardian of the Abyss – Widescreen Version
Commercial Break Stings
Rude Awakening Opening Montage Raw Takes
Image Gallery
PDF Material

Specification:
New High Definition remasters made from the original film elements.
Number of Discs 3
Picture 1080p 1.33:1
Sound 5.1 / Mono
Subtitles English
Region B

OUR REVIEW  AND GALLERY CAN BE FOUND: HERE

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   

#MONSTERMONDAY: 'I AM ALWAYS OPEN' OFFERS YOU CAN'T REFUSE . . .

#MONSTERMONDAY: WE DO NOT KNOW HIS NAME, but we know his deeds and that is he one deadly tease! The Shop Proprietor of the Amicus film 'FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE' (1974) is perhaps one of the strangest roles that Peter Cushing ever played for Amicus films, not counting Dr Terror, of 'DR TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS' (1965) They both were in the business of dealing in fate and death, one predicting it, the other from the confines of his shop called 'Temptations Limited, doing just that...tempting'. Dr Terror just foretold what was in store, however, this little chap, does try to lead astray, some poor weak, unfortunates who are already walking a very narrow and slippery path. So, what do YOU think? Is he a MONSTER for tempting the weak ? OR is he just a kindly ol man, just trying to eke out a living in a junk shop? YOU DECIDE!

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CHRISTOPHER LEE : ON THE LOSS OF PETER CUSHING INTERVIEW PLUS CLIPS

The late Sir Christopher Lee on his close friend, Peter Cushing.

A NEW FEATURE FOR SUNDAY'S! GIFS, CLIPS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND 

ANALYSIS OF SOME OF THE MOST CLASSIC FRIGHTENING CLIPS FROM THE WORK OF PETER CUSHING

 

GET YOU TOP UP SEVERAL TIMES A DAY AT THE PETER CUSHING

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