BACK IN THE EARLY1970's mankind made some very interesting and
surprising break throughs, technical and domestic... In 1972,
interactive games with vastly more primitive graphics only existed in
laboratories, until the invention of PONG! Remember that? 1970 brought
pocket calculators to students, engineers, and scientists the world
over! 1971 brought us something that was huge in terms of its impact,
the Intel 4004 Microprocessor! 1973 gave us the first cell phone, the
XEROX ALTO, also TCP, Ethernet and fibre optics!
ALL THIS . . but for some reason Hammer films just couldn't NAIL a new and
entertaining idea, that worked on the big screen. My opinion, but
something I never understood! But that was until... John Hough's 'Twins
of Evil' which cast not only Peter Cushing in a new spin on the Vampire
Killer, but also someone who wasn't even trying to copy or replace
Christopher Lee as a the head and evil 'toothful-one', Damien Thomas
made a great Count Karnstein. Denis Price added some casting clout
briefly and two sweet, though not innocent Maltese actresses / models
Mary and Madeleine Collinson shapely slipped into the shoes of the title
twins with ease. It was director John Hough, who brought the whole lot
together in a very refreshing way. With Tudor Gates twist on some
Sheridan Le Fanu influences, Harry Robertson's outstanding music score
and Dick Bush and his beautiful cinematography, Hammer had an original
tale that looked great, sounded wonderful and still impresses.
#PETERCUSHING Moment of Terror Monday. School teachers have quite a hard job to do
these days, but had they been around back in the day, and worked in the
school where Gustav Weil's nieces attended, today would seem like
working in Disneyland! This weeks Moment of Terror clip, features one of
Peter Cushing best villains.
HE RARELY EVER PLAYED what would be
thought of a visual 'monster', fangs or face of fright, but characters
like his BARON FRANKENSTEIN were outstanding, and 'UNCLE' Gustav comes
very close to passing the Baron's line. Gustav doesn't kill to create,
far from it, he murders to SAVE! TWINS OF EVIL is one of Hammer films
better films of the 1970's. It ticks the box for so many who would have
seen it back in the day, moments of terror, vampires, a head male vamp,
the dreaded Hammer Karnstein's, Hammer's trick of providing eye candy
for the dirty mac brigade . . they are still with us... and executions!
By BURNING THEM!
THE PCAS 'TWINS OF EVIL' FEATURE AND GALLERY CAN BE FOUND RIGHT HERE!
LOTS TO LIKE about this films, if you have not seen it.
Beautiful cinematography, lighting, musical score, direction, 80% of
the performances are very good and Peter Cushing roaringly evil, on a
race and crusade to stamp out vampirism, where not even his family are
safe! In this clip Gustav provides what could have been the greatest
moment in a biology lesson. A bit off key for a music lesson though . .
#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY!: TIS BUT A FLESH WOUND! Not in this case, me thinks. Peter Cushing as Dr. Christopher Lundgren, isn't that a great name, reacts to Calvin Lockheart's giveaway injury. That's no dog. And the set up has kick started the plot, that will take us on one of Amicus films, most inventive outings, 'THE BEAST MUST DIE' (1974). Most Cushing fans know of the legendary 'WEREWOLF BREAK', but you'll get no more from me. Other than, it's 'Ten Little Soldiers' meet 'Big Game Hunting', and a twisty CLUEDO, once the howling cues in, the hairy one. Thanks to Margaret Manley, for her request for, '..Anything from the film, with Peter and the Wolf'... I DO hope she means, THIS film...!
#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY! FOR MANY, it's the Hammer Dracula film, that runs a very close second, to Hammer first, 'HORROR OF DRACULA' / 'DRACULA' (1958) even though, it contained neither Christopher Lee nor Dracula! But, it did have, Cushing returning as Van Helsing, the beautiful and vulnerable Yvonne Monlaur, the spectacularly ghoulish Andre Melly, creepy Martitia Hunt, really frightening Freda Jackson . . . and David Peel, as not Count, but BARON Meinster. Often in a classic vampire flick, the 'ladies of the night' NO not those, but THESE of the nocturnal fanged variety, are relegated to the we'll see you again, maybe, later plot props. Not so in Hammer films, The Brides of Dracula, and certainly not in the case of young Gina. But, hey I am jumping ahead of myself. All that comes later. Here we see her shocked to the core. No, it isn't Christopher Lee, it's David Peel, as the dastardly Meinster, who by now, is making his mark on the young snacks, of the attendees of the local Transylvania, girls prep school. Meinster picked his ladies well. Melly's performance is sexy, powerful and a game changer. Semi see though clothing, check! Deathly pallor, check! Fangs, indeed! A presence that could stop a clock, much so! It would sometime, before a young, Polish-British actress named Ingoushka Petrov, would carry the female vampire, to the next level. . . . Many thanks to Matthew Bryan, for the suggested #GIF!
EVER WONDERED THE VALUE OF A HAMMER FILMS DRACULA /HORROR OF DRACULA CROWN QUAD CINEMA POSTER? YOU MAY WANT TO START SAVING THOSE PENNIES NOW. PRESS PLAY ABOVE!
#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY! You have to give Peter Cushing's GUSTAV credit, he is pretty efficient, and nothing phases him. Here poor ol Judy Matheson, sobs and screams, begs for mercy, but Gustav doesn't falter. 'TWINS OF EVIL' (1971) the first film, that Peter Cushing had on the slate, when returning to work, a mere three months, after his wife, Helen passed away. He needed he said, to busy. To fill time. Not to be distracted, but to be of use.
CONFUSED? TWINS WENT THROUGH THREE CHANGES OF TITLE!
Hammer's third dip into the Karnstein pot, TWINS presented Peter with exactly that. A role that took a great deal of concentration, as few roles could be further away, from the character of the mild, mannered Peter Cushing. His efforts and energies resulted him appearing in a staggering NINE films from June 1972 to December 1973. Not all gold standard films, but you can be sure, Cushing's efforts, were never less than reliably highly entertaining, and often the highlight of the movie. Not seen TWINS OF EVIL? Below is a link to a feature to temp...! Thank you to MARVIN 'StrangeOne' VALDEZ, Chicago, IL for the requested #GIF
Remembering EDWARD JUDD, who was born on this day 4th October 1932. Judd
achieved his biggest successes with a series of science fiction films
The Day The Earth Caught Fire (1961) ,First Men In The Moon (1964) and
co-starring with Peter Cushing in Island Of Terror (1966) fighting the
silicates…..
ABOVE: EDWARD JUDD: THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE (1961)
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coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA
#MONSTERMONDAY: Here's a rare behind pic taken on the set of Hammer films, 'Twins of Evil' with Peter Cushing taking that fatal swing with his 'Vampire-Slaying-Sythe' and thus destroying not only a vampire but also his niece Frieda (Madeleine Collinson) ... but hey, the 'brotherhood' were very happy. All Gustav had to do now, was kill off Count Karnstein...and most of us know, how THAT one turned out…
AN INTERESTING POINT, Madeleine Collinson who played the vampire twin Frieda, was in fact the less extrovert, calmer Collinson sister... maybe so, but come the closing scenes, it was she who 'lost her head'TING POINT, Madeleine Collinson who played the vampire twin Frieda, was in fact the less extrovert, calmer Collinson sister... maybe so, but come the closing scenes, it was she who 'lost her head' . . .😉
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THIS WEEKS' #MONSTERMONDAY features COUNT KARNSTEIN here at the website AND at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE . KARNSTEIN excellently played by Damien Thomas, in his one and only Hammer appearance, is a character from the long family line that features in LUST FOR A VAMPIRE (1971)THE VAMPIRE LOVERS (1970) and TWINS OF EVIL (1971). Damien really pulled out the stops to give Hammer another 'vampire Count' to add to their catalogue. And the producers, Harry Fine and Michael Style cast Peter Cushing as a worthy vampire hunter, to balance the mix.
