RICHARD E GRANT THE INSPIRATION FOR GENERAL PRYDE AND A SELECTION OF CHOICE BLU RAY AND DVD CASES

A VERY POPULAR POST AT the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! right now. I wonder if any of you missed this message from actor Richard E Grant last year too? How wonderful for Peter Cushing to still be inspiring others, '..in his moment of triumph' 😉 The 'HEAD in the BOX' here is the amazing bust figure of Cushing's Tarkin, by Californian based sculptor Jordu Schell. It still stands as an amazing work of art!

AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE TODAY, I asked our friends and followers, how many of them have a collection of #PeterCushing DVD's or Blu Rays. The answers of YES or No, came flooding, which paved the way for our next post today, 'Can You Tell Us YOUR favourite TOP THREE covers to your Cushing Blu Rays, DVD's or even VHS or BETA  releases'. Everyone was asked to maybe send in selfies of the covers, so everyone could enjoy and identify their choices too! It's a post that is slowly growing, right now. The choices have been interesting, with everything from the Final Cut blu ray 'Captain Clegg and the dvd 'The Abominable Snowman' to the Second Sight twin release of 'The House That Dripped Blood' and  'Asylum' limited editions to covers featured on the front of lesser known European releases! This is how the feature was kick-started . . .

"I KNOW MOST OF YOU out there have told me today, you are the proud owners of several gems of #PeterCushing dvd's, #blurays and even #VHS films. Some of you have just started collecting, others have been adding 'case by case' to that series of sagging shelves or book cases for decades. . ." 

WELL, THIS ISN'T ABOUT the quality of the film INSIDE, this is all about and focusing on that little extra value you expect these days, when you purchase the release. The COVER DESIGN! It's no longer enough for distributors to just slap a 30 - 50 year old #cinema poster on the front of the case. We want something that looks amazing! So, from your private collection, be it blu ray, dvd or indeed VHS or Beta box, show us your THREE favourite Cushing film cases designs. It's your choices, for whatever reason, but I would love to know why you made those choices? 😊Take a #selfie or pic or even use ads or promo posts of the cases covers, it's your choice. #JUSTTHREE!"
 

ABOVE : A SECTION FROM THE FEATURE ON THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE 'I do not know the other cases of releases. I am guessing both are collections and compilations. Someone did send me scans of the sleeves though a while ago now. I do like the gamble of lesser known distributors releases though. They take more risks with their case sleeve designs, usually working with limited resource visuals. The one on the far left looks like they didn't have the resource to check what they had to work with, so flipped the lovely colour photograph of Peter. A habit some of the tabloid UK newspapers and magazines still have a annoying knack of doing, based on the weird rule of things looking into the spine of the pages!! So buttons on coats along with breast pockets, facial moles and hair partings are the wrong way around!' 

FINALLY ABOVE! I'll throw this one in, just because it's quite rare that a vintage #PeterCushing film gets the whole 'triple treat-treament' : blu ray extras, restoration and #STEELBOOK package with #GrahamHumphries artwork cover! This was the work of Screenbound Films in #2016, who very generously donated TWO of these beauties for me to offer up as prizes in a promotional PCASUK #competition. I cried and waved goodbye, when they were packed and dropped into the sack at the post office, for our two very lucky winners!

PART ONE OF 'BASKERVILLES' AND VINCENT PRICE INTERVIEW 1973

#WATCHWITHCUSHING! . . 'Can you hear GROWLING' ? For your weekend, and continuing our Peter Cushing Sherlock Holmes posts, over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE is Part One of a classic. Said by many to be the best of the BBC Cushing series. You think? We all know the ending, but it's a LOT of fun getting there 😃I'll be posting and sharing Part Two tomorrow!

HERE'S AN INTERVIEW shot back in 1973, when both #PeterCushing and #VincentPrice were busy making the AIP Amicus films, 'Madhouse'. This section of the interview, was shot by the #BBC tv show 'Film Night 74' also contained a longer section with both #PeterCushing and Price. This is a separate piece with just Vincent. Always good value for the lolly, VP starts with self-depreciation, slips in about six jokes and even ends with gallows humour! 😆 I have never seen a dull interview with Vincent Price..and you can catch this one today, at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE take care and stay safe, 😉- Marcus

CLICK HERE  TO FIND TWO GREAT RARE PHOTO GALLERIES of behind the sceneson the VINCENT PRICE and PETER CUSHING AIP Amicus films 'MADHOUSE'. Below TWO PCASUK promo banners during the launch of the galleries on our socila media platforms . .

ROY ASHTON MAKE UP ARTIST REMEMBERED

REMEMBERING Master Make Up Artist, Roy Ashton, who was born today 17th April 1909! There is so much you could say about Roy, but his work kind of says it all! So many amazing creations in what was the golden era of Hammer films, Amicus and Tyburn too! I was very humbled to spend time with him at his home and while he was working, and during these times saw at first hand what a true gentleman he was and quite the perfectionist, with a lovely dry wit and friendly character. Roy sadly left us in 1995, but left behind for us, a wonderful and original body of work, that still entertains and frightens us today! Personally, his letters I still treasure, his work I still very much am in awe of, for sure

OVER AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE I have asked everyone to tell us and share their favourite 'Ashton Creation' in the comments below. BELOW is an impressive filmography of Roy's work. A #HappyBirthday, Roy Ashton a true magician and creator of things of nightmares and dreams too 

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
The Horror Dracula (1958)
The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959)
The Mummy (1959)
The Stranglers of Bombay (1959)
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)
The Curse of the Werewolf (1960)
The Terror of the Tongs (1961)
These Are the Damned (1962)
The Phantom of the Opera (1962)
Night Creatures (1962) Captain Clegg
The Pirates of Blood River (1962)
 

ABOVE: A WHILE AGO in one of our weekly PCASUK TUESDAY TOUGHY questions, we celebrated ROY ASHTON'S work with PETER CUSHING in 'Tales from the Crypt' (1972)

Paranoiac (1963)
The Old Dark House (1963)
The Crimson Blade (1963)
Nightmare (1964)
The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)
The Kiss of the Vampire (1964)
The Gorgon (1964)
 

Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1964)
The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb (1964)
The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964)
The Skull (1965)
She (1965)
The Plague of the Zombies (1966)
The Reptile (1966)
The Devil Rides Out (1968)
The House That Dripped Blood (1970)
Hands of the Ripper (1971)
The Devils (1971)
Tales from the Crypt (1972)
The Creeping Flesh (1972)
Asylum (1972)
The Vault of Horror (1973)
The Ghoul (1975)

SEE OUR POSTS every day at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE HERE! and the EXPANDED version here!! EXTRA IMAGES and FEATURES every day here at our WEBSITE!

STRIPPING, POETRY AND POE : WITCHFINDER VINCENT PRICE ENTERTAINS!

#WATCHWITHCUSHING! FOLLOWING SOME REQUESTS I have received for suggestions of posts that you would like to see shared here.. This one is for Shelia P, Dale J, Michelle J and Matt K 😃They have requested this interview with Peter Cushing's good friend and twice screen buddy, #VincentPrice, having seen it on the PCASUK YouTube Channel 😉My pleasure. It's a fine and VERY amusing interview, where Vincent certainly entertains 😄

#WATCHWITHCUSHING! AND SO... our last clip of the day at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page and a suggestion from Stuart H, Audrey K, Rob Sadler, Barbara C, Emma Teile, M Aldrich and Tori F . . if you are ready to sleep, what better way than a sweet lullaby from Vincent Price from the end credit sequence of the 1974 'Madhouse' starring Vincent, Peter Cushing, Robert Quarry, Adrienne Corri and Linda Hayden. Despite the gnashing of teeth it got from the critics and even some fans who today, see it as a waste of the talents of Price and Cushing,  it still stands as one of my personal favs. YOU can hear this clip at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! HERE! This one is for you too, #JimMorrow 😉 Sweet dreams, sleep tight, sleep well, stay safe 😉 - Marcus 😴😴 💤💤

NOT THAT LONG AGO IN A GALAXY NOT THAT FAR AWAY : NOTHING IS ORIGINAL

IF YOU WRITE, BE IT FOR a blog, facebook page or even for your own amusement, do you ever feel like all the great ideas have already been taken by the ‘real’ writers out there?  Do you ever think that maybe you’re not capable of an original idea? Me? I fight with it daily! Pablo Picasso once said, 'Nothing is truly original; we all build on the work, knowledge, wisdom and accomplishments of others'. In the inspiring book, 'Steal Like an Artist, 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative - by Austin Kleon, he states, 'Nobody is born with a style or a voice. We don’t come out of the womb knowing who we are. In the beginning, we learn by pretending to be our heroes.  We learn by copying' and 'We’re talking about practice here, not plagiarism – plagiarism is trying to pass someone else’s work off as your own.  Copying is about reverse engineering.  It’s like a mechanic taking apart a car to see how it works!' With these gems of wisdom already in mind, I recently came across a quite startling feature, that has appeared at the tvandmovienews.com site. 

ABOVE : Even without the photograph of Peter Cushing provided on the right. I think most film buffs would identify the illustration on the left to have more than a shadow of a resemblance to Cushing's appearance as Grand Moff Tarkin in 'Star Wars' (1977)? When you find that the character is also of ranking and an Ambassador in the 1975 Valérian volume 'Ambassador of the Shadows', it clicks?

ABOVE : In the 1971's Empire of a Thousand Planets, the figure on the left appears as a member of a strange group known as the 'Enlightened'. When he is unmasked, he reveals a  face that is damaged, scarred and burned, similarly to Darth Vader's on the right in the 1983 'The Return of the Jedi'

THE FEATURE and writing appears uncredited and explores a story that seems to have been quite common knowledge in the 'Star Wars' community for quite sometime, but for me, not being a reader of comic sci fi fiction, it's all news! It's such a startling theory and reveal, that I had to go look it up further. As it's base is grounded on the idea of plagiarism and theft, I was somewhat taken aback to see WHOLE slabs of this feature, reproduced typo errors and all, on other websites and blogs! Ironic or what? So, in presenting and writing my own take on this story.. I have to tread carefully. 😉😀 All the comic frames, are indeed not mine, I have 'borrowed them' from www.core77.com and http://www.tvandmovienews.com. Here goes . . 

ABOVE : The Millennium Falcon maybe one of the most loved and respected space craft in sci fi cinema history. Can we say after all the work, the multiple design stages and planning that the Millennium Falcon went through, that this was also a lift from the 1971's The Empire of a Thousand Planets comic? I am not sure . .

IF YOU WERE one of the fortunates, who is old enough to remember when the FIRST 'Star Wars' movie was released back in May 25th 1977... just one day before Peter Cushing's 64th birthday, two days before Christopher Lee's and Vincent Price's birthdays... then undoubtedly you'll also remember leaving the cinema with total glee and wonder at the whole amazing package, you had just witnessed! For many, myself included I was stunned by the scale of the special effects, the sounds, the music, the 'other universe' creatures, the whole emotional ride and the fact my favourite actor, Peter Cushing who up until this film, had been taking a bit of a back-seat as far as 'amazing movies' were concerned was now also on that big screen and part of this mind blowing, fresh, new and exciting film! As far as movie experiences were concerned, as a teenager I seriously asked myself how could I ever be THIS excited over a new movie ever again!

ABOVE : The two outfits here do bear a striking similarity to each other, although Industrial Light & Magic costume designer Aggie Rodgers, cited the work of fantasy artist Frank Frazetta as her main inspiration. The Empire Strikes Back, Leia Organa is enslaved by a morbidly obese ruler (Jabba the Hutt), and forced to wear a revealing slave-girl outfit. Believe it or not, almost the exact same thing happens to Laureline in the 1972 Valérian volume World Without Stars; although, in this case, the overweight monarch is Emperor Alzafar, who rules the city of Valsennar and has pioneered a system where women are basically responsible for everything, including fighting in wars.

ABOVE : In the 1971 'Valérian and Laureline' compilation 'Empire of a Thousand Planets', Valérian is frozen is a substance that bears an uncanny resemblance to Carbonite, the substance Han Solo was frozen in nearly a decade later in 1980's 'The Empire Strikes Back'. As pointed out, by The Film Theorists, Valérian's memory loss while frozen matches up a known symptom of Carbonite sickness.

MY NEXT QUESTION WAS, who was responsible for all this? What super gifted writer, put together such a thrilling concept, impressive script and very likeable and fascinating characters? The answer was quickly discovered, by me on the TV news that evening, a quite shy, quietly spoken bearded guy, from the US called George Lucas, who had been nursing the whole concept for years. It was his baby, his creation that he had been touting around the studios for quite some time. Wow! What I would have given to have just a few grains of his imaginative brain cells back then!

ABOVE : The 'Moss Eisley Cantina' is one of the Star Wars universe's key locations, as well as one of its most popular. While its overall layout was most likely based on real-life cantinas, there's no denying the fact that an 'alien bar' with a certain semblance of sameness appears on the pages of Valérian.

NOW? I AM NOT SOOOO SURE 😲😗😃 This weekend, reaching my fifth week of self isolation, during this very weird and frightening time, as well as weighing up the pros and cons of IF I should start decorating the hall and  living room, I have been chewing over, the starling evidence of WHERE did George source those Star Wars characters, concepts and ideas? Taking into account of ol Pablo's point, I am not sure what I think or where Lucas lies in the whole scheme of things. Certainly, illustrator and artist, Jean-Claude Mezieres knows EXACTLY where his thoughts lie. It seems that George, for all three original Star Wars films had 'borrowed' quite liberally from the 'ideas and concepts' pantry of a French comic series called 'Valerian and Laureline' and had done so, without making reference or credit to its creators. This very popular sci fi comic was amazingly illustrated by one Jean- Claude Mezieres and written by Pierre Christin.

AT THE TIME, of the release of 'Star Wars' and the following two other movies, Mezieres was said to be, quite understandably, incensed. Now with both gentlemen in late seventies, they have simmered a little helped by their work finally getting some well deserved credit and influencing the 2017 film, 'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets', directed by a major fan, Luc Beeson! 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE to share your thoughts on this feature, it is also being posted and shared on the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE TODAY! Your comments and input would be most welcome! 

PCASUK WATCH PARTY TIGON CUSHING CLASSIC NOW LIVE!

#WATCHWITHCUSHING! 'The Blood Beast Terror' (1968) NOW LIVE at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FANPAGE WATCH PARTY! This is a film that for a long time had the sad reputation of being known as '#PeterCushing's least favourite film'! A rep that was probably misunderstood, as time has gone on to inform us, it was Cushing's 'on set' experience that scored the 'no brownie points'. Like with a lot of tight budget movies from this time, today we watch them with an 'understanding' maybe. Yup the effects could be better, but I've seen much worse in films that were produced with monster budgets, and no excuse! No one looks good in a costume that is supposed to represent a 'real creature' that is actually an inch to two inches in size, and every director should have a note to themselves that reminds them, 'save some money for the big finish' 😉Director, Vernon Sewell sadly did not. 

BUT HE DID invest in a good cast, Robert Flemyng, replacing an ill #BasilRathbone gives a great turn, Wanda Ventham is quite convincing and committed, but I bet you she drew the line about wearing that costume, and Peter Cushing as ever, gives good value with a cracking performance, relaxed, charming and with some nice 'business' as Inspector Quennell. There's a nod to #Frankenstein and body-snatches '#BukeandHare' and the late Roy Hudd gets to make his first movie, with some well timed black humour as the morgue attendant showing a knack that even both #DonaldPleasence's Dr Seward in 'Dracula' and Cushing's Catflangue, in Legend of the Werewolf, would have been proud of!

 

THE PHANTOM IS BLOWING THE CITY WHILE THE ISLAND IS SUCKED DRY!

NO THIS ISN'T A LONG LOST  #PeterCushing film 😄 . . but the touches of Cushing, Hammer and Tigon films are all over it! Think, 'The Blood Beast Terror' 😉 I've love this series since I was a child... and yes, my children love too! I have a son who's middle name is borrowed from it's writer, Spike Milligan, who originally wrote this for his mate, Peter Sellers. Eventually it found it's way into Ronnie Barker's tv series, 'Six Dates with Barker' (ITV 71) , then being re-written for Barker and Ronnie Corbett's 'The Two Ronnie's BBC tv series in 1976, as a weekly instalment. It's silly, maybe rude (?) some of the other episodes are a little un-pc now, but then Spike always was a rule unto himself, which is why I love him still. The episode you'll find on the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE is episode one, where Peter kind of gets a mention as does Vincent too 😊 Trivia: Spike worked with Cushing in the 1960 film, 'SUSPECT' aka 'THE RISK' Spike also provided the 'raspberries' SFX himself!

OUR SECOND #WATCHWITHCUSHING! today is, a CLASSIC and a huge favourite among followers and Cushing fans alike, 'ISLAND OF TERROR' made in 1966 and directed by Terence Fisher. If ever there was a film that proves you should never trust your vacuum cleaner... THIS is it! Peter gets to do some 'fight the monster' in this one! And what a MONSTER! For years the Silocates, have been up there with other first class cinematic 'creatures from another world' creations like the brain things from ' Fiend Without A Face'. They been available and stocks sold out, when made into figures and models for collectors... even as fridge magnets! 

THERE'S LOTS TO LIKE about this film, great monster, a very good cast with Edward Judd beefed up, Cushing providing the investigative brains, so when asked giving the right answers to anyone in the audience who can't keep up and Carole Gray does very well and offers much more than a 'helpless female, who is permanently set on 'scream'! Fisher's directing is tight and it all clicks. Granted NO living creature who looks like he has sat in on too many McDonald's 'all you can eat' early bird offers, should be able to climb a tree... and if he did and fell on some some guy, THAT guy should be one very FLAT pancake! I hope you enjoy the contents of our PCASUK Watch Party uploads today! Come join in, pull up a chair, bring some snacks and we will have fun 😉😊 Please take care everyone! - Marcus

NEED A PICK ME UP? THIS MIGHT JUST DO THE TRICK!

I NEEDED A PICK-ME-UP this morning 😐 ...and this really did the trick! Maybe you do too? You are right, it's NOT Peter Cushing's Birthday today . . Here is something we posted on #PeterCushing's anniversary of his birthday here last year. I am posting it again today here and at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page, to maybe help maybe take you to another place for half an hour? It's part of a series of #PCASUK edited clips of Peter Cushing and #ChristopherLee, candidly chatting that was amazingly not planned and caught on amateur video during the preparation of the last time Peter and Christopher worked together on the narration of Ted Newsome's #Hammerfim documentary 'Flesh and Blood' released in 1994. There are some gems here, when posted last year, seen for the first time. Both Cushing and Lee were big fans of entertainer and actor Jimmy 'Snozzle' Durante, loved #WarnerBrothers cartoon esp Yosemite Sam, Sylvester the Cat etc.. you'll see Peter prompt Lee to 'do' his impressions of them. As you all know, both Peter and Christopher Lee were very close and long time friends. They had a short hand of communication and knew instinctively what made each other laugh and stories they loved to tell each other. Peter was just a short time away from leaving us here, was quite weak, but wouldn't have missed this meeting for the world... you shouldn't either. Enjoy Safe Safe, stay well, INDOORS and look after each other 😉- Marcus

 

 

 

 

YOU WILL FIND all 11 other clips from this day and further chats and laughs with Peter and Christopher Lee HERE at our PCASUK YOUTUBE CHANNEL : HERE!