WE JABBER on and on about these two Peter Cushing / Christopher Lee
Hammer films . . . just type the titles into google images, and you'll
discover a virtual digital archive, masses of our posts from the last
six years! Why? Well, despite both of these late Hammer films, being
out of favor and fashion for the best part of 40 odd years . . . I have a
great fondness for the idea of Van Helsing and Dracula locked into a
modern day dramatic ding dong, on my doorstep... rather than,
some Gothic castle , in fictional Olde Worlde Karlsbad? Even though
it's chosen location of London, is long gone, along with the loon and
flapping flared denims and bat winged shirt collars . . . that era too,
is now something locked into the past. Both would make an excellent
package for Cushing, Lee and Hammer fans alike.
YOU WANT EXTRAS??? There is a MASS of material available... even if the
likes of the cheapest cheapskates of distributors, there are several
cast members who are still breathing, for use in those, oh so lazy
talking head interviews. The bottom line for any distributor, even the
cheapest is, will it SELL? Warner Brothers proved a point, last year
when they released probably the smartest looking Hammer film box set
ever! . . . .Clean, remastered, region free, Hammer films starring
their two biggest stars SELL...even without extra features. The Warner
box set, set a standard and fans purchased the lot! So how about it? . .
. Would you BUY??
#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY:
Herbert Lom in Amicus films, ASYLUM (1972) as Dr. Byron in the story
"Mannikins of Horror" . .. it's a neat story, and the 'mini Lom' was a
nice touch too. Cushing's story 'The Weird Tailor', was based on a
Robert Bloch's story from Karloff's 'Thriller' TV series (1961) . . .
these are probably the strongest stories of the bunch maybe? Not
counting Cushing's 'Poetic Justice' in 'Tales from the Crypt' . .. of
all the portmanteau stories in the Amicus films...do you have TWO
FAVORITES??? Tell us why
#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY!: I LOVE THIS SHOT from DRACULA AD 1972 . . . not unlike the 1934 Lon Chaney Jr Universal film, 'SON OF DRACULA', where Dracula turning up under a 'non de plume' as something so ridiculously obvious as ALUCARD, hits every member of the cinema audience . . . but no one ON the screen. Here our learned Professor, burning the night oil pours over this anagram . . .and BANG, the LIGHT BULB moment! Cushing just about manages to carry this one off, thanks to that chilling look into the eyes of his ancestor . . .Well, come on. It would have been a very short film, had Van Helsing cottoned-on in the first reel . . .
#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY! . . .AND FINALLY, a request from PAM D.D of this knock out shot from Cushing's performance ad Dr Robert Knox in 'FLESH AND THE FIENDS' (1960). A little girl in the street begs alms from Dr. Knox (Peter Cushing). tells her that he doesn't have any money with him, but if she will step over to his house he will give her some. The little girl politely declines the offer, saying, "Oh, no, you might be Dr. Knox." The unspoken response is a wonderful of example of Peter Cushing's acting skill saying so much with just a look, no words needed.
OUR FEATURE AND RARE STILLS GALLERY CAN BE
FOUND AT OUR WEBSITE: HERE!
A FILM WITH A STELLAR cast with actors Donald Pleasence & George Rose as Buke and Hare, Billie Whitelaw & Hammer regular George Woodbridge. As per our last post, this is another film crying out of a blu-ray release as it considered by many to be the one of the finest films made about Dr. Robert Knox.
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