Showing posts with label mr hyde. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mr hyde. Show all posts

Monday 30 July 2018

I MONSTER : RARE PHOTOGRAPH GALLERY : PART ONE




EVEN AS THE CAMERA first began turning on 10th of October 1970,  it was felt that the Amicus film 1971 film,  'I MONSTER' was not going to have an easy time either during production or after it. What should have been a subtle dream-like and different gear, for the well worn telling of the JEKYLL and HYDE story, it was instead rapidly turning into a nightmare, just days into production. Amicus films producer, Milton Subotsky was, compared to his business partner, Max Rosenberg, quite a shy and reserved fellow. He left the contracting and book work to Max in the USA, while Milton managed the more creative side of production, at the studios in the UK. Milton though calm and reserved, could be quite passionate and stubborn, when he thought he had discovered something that would improve and enhance any of their film projects. He was known for dabble editing and probing into areas, where crews and managers, reacted in REAL horror. 


IN THE CASE OF 'I MONSTER', Milton thought he had discovered, a cheap and effective way of making the classic Jekyll and Hyde tale, a 3D masterpiece and CHEAPLY! His vision was discovered one day, when playing with his young son at home, looking through plastic candy sweet wrappers, colours blue and red. What Milton had come across was the school boy chemistry set, hit and miss theory of 'The Pulfrich Effect', so named after Carl Pulfrich its founder. It was a system that depending on your vision, could not be relied upon, and certainly not thought good enough, to stand as a 3D effect, to enhance an entire movie. The crew was instructed to suddenly rehash the many weeks spent blocking and plotting camera direction set ups. All of that went out of the window. On top of that, director Stephen Weeks felt rumblings of resistance and the beginnings of a sour working relationship with the crew, who resented an unknown 'young guy' being chief. The industry at this time,  was strongly union, tight and fighting cuts and lack of work. The  shrinking of what was once a major industry in the country, was dying a slow death and Weeks felt that his 'boyish looks and early twenty's age', was going against him. Even though he was more than experienced and competent, the crew made problems. All these factors, made for shaky foundations on what was, a tight budget, short schedule, that now appeared to have changed direction, with a ham fisted idea of 3D, that hardly anyone could see! You can read MORE about this in a NEW feature arriving here at the PCASUK website this week 



I MONSTER, has been ignored and kept out of any chance of revival, that many other fantasy films made in the 60's and 70's, have enjoyed of late. No remastering, no DVD or blu ray repackage and that is shame. The film does have some issues, but it has three things in it's favor. The direction is very good, the performances of both CUSHING and LEE are as we would expect, excellent. Lee pulls off something quite different, compared to the many of his known characters roles, over those years, DRACULA, FU MANCHU and a VAST array of villains. Lee's Mr Blake is like a brain fractured child, with a sledge-hammer approach to anything he doesn't understand. 


IT REALLY IS SOMETHING quite different for Lee, and is wonderfully enhanced by make up artist Harry Frampton's touch, as Dr Marlowe's face and body, slides into a horrifying vision of  hate and evil! CUSHING did best with what he was presented, playing the 'good-guy' who will save the day. What is different in his role of Frederick Utterson, is how he applies his rules of inquisitiveness and doubt. Unlike with Vampier Hunter, Van Helsing there is no chasing and dramatic crosses and stakes. Here he is trying to rescue his friend and colleague, Marlowe from an unwelcome visitor called Mr Blake. Not knowing, they are one...and the same.  



THE PACE OF EDITING ACCOMPANIED by a beautiful musical score from composer CARL DAVIS, from the beginning flags up, this wasn't going to be anything like the tried and tested, familiar sights and sounds,  of market leader, Hammer films, who were Amicus films only genre competitor in the UK at this time. What we are given is a almost dream-like flip of a well known story. All sets look authentic for the time, as do the costumes. The language and reserved quality of communication among professional men, plays out well. All guys are emotionally tongue tied, stiff as their starchy collars and wrought in the game of upper class frigidness and good manners. 


IT'S BLEAK, and all wrapped up in soup like fog, which Blake LOVES and uses as cover, as he stalks, like some man-child-rabid rat. When the end comes, it's sad to see him go. Like a naughty child, who has no concept or understanding of what he has done wrong, the climax of his violent collapse plays like, the waking up from a personal bad dream. He fades away. But like those nightmares, the visions and echo's of what one has been experienced and seen, stay with you long after the lights have come up, and a new day begins . . .  'I MONSTER' deserves a better and a patience audience, who appreciates, not all tales are told with screaming sound and busty vampire bites!





PART TWO of our I MONSTER GALLEY will be posted here MONDAY 6th AUGUST. Some of the rare pics from this and part one gallery are also posted at our FACEBOOK PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY UK FAN PAGE where followers of the page and lovers of Peter Cushing work, can discuss and debate the film, 'I MONSTER' and Cushing's role in this and other films for Amicus. Wherever you are in the world, you are invited to join us at our PCASUK FACEBOOK FAN PAGE along with over 33 thousand other friends and fans. Just CLICK HERE  and CLICK LIKE THERE! We would love top have you along!  

Monday 23 April 2018

CHRISTOPHER LEE IS MR BLAKE AND PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE REOPENS!



INDEED, MR BLAKE and very nasty with it! Amicus films, I MONSTER was a big disappointment, for just about everyone all round...including Christopher Lee and Director Stephen Weeks... they BOTH did their very best! The story of producer Subotsky's drive, for the film to be shoot in a weird and hopeless cheapo version of 3D failed...Weeks did shoot a little to keep the producer happy, but soon carried on production, dropping the useless 3D idea. What you get is a very good film, it's pace is slow...but spot on. Christopher Lee makes a very good Mr Blake and Dr Marlowe. YUP, IT IS Jekyll and Hyde.





PETER CUSHING does as expected , as Utterson Mr Marlow's friend. The sets look very good, on set work was shot at Shepperton on what was left of the musical OLIVER. But when it was released, it didn't do very well..in the UK. Europe MUCH better though! It would be very nice if this film one day did get a remaster and blu ray release. Extras including an opportunity for director Stephen Weeks to at last finally tell HIS story, on the making of something that could have been so much better, and his time with Cushing and Lee. Here also are some stills taken behind the scenes, rare pics of all three Cushing, Lee and Weeks obviously working well together on the set . .





LET US KNOW YOUR OPINION of this film. All the interesting emails of your comments will be added to THIS FEATURE! OUR EMAIL is  as usual petercushingpcas@gmail.com


ALSO ON SATURDAY The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page REOPENED after an absence of six weeks from our Fan Page. There was no big announcement , no fanfare or fuss. Issues that were causing problems with the page, that has over THIRTY THREE THOUSAND followers, have now been fixed and sorted, along with a change in the style of posting. Had it not been for a over a month of emails and messages to this website and my personal facebook account, the page might never have reopen. Just a visit to the page and the mass of Messages and Comments from very pleased members of the page, truly displays not only a HUGE love and affection still for Peter Cushing and his work, but also for the work and role of our PCAS facebook fan page...   


PCASUK FACEBOOK REOPENED AND LIVE, BUT NOW MINUS OVER SEVEN YEARS OF ARCHIVED RARE PHOTOGRAPHS AND POSTS . .  

WITH FACEBOOK having issues and losses over the last year, some of the rules and opportunities that made the PCAS FACEBOOK such a success, have changed in the past six months, making the chance of seeing our non profit, unfunded or facebook boosted posts, very difficult even if you were a member. The opportunities taken by some other facebook pages, reposted our rare images, and removed the guide watermark from the still. Several rare hi res images were also copied and sold on ebay. For us this was the final straw, we give away stills and images, on which many we own copyright, with the understanding the watermark is there, to tell anyone who sees the photograph' were they can find us and join..it photographs are not posted for anyone's financial,  it's for helping keep the page and memory of Peter Cushing alive! ALL these issues have now been resolved. Sadly, over seven years of posts and their photographic content have now been deleted and removed from the reopened facebook page. It's a sad cost, for the people who have supported the page since it's launch, and a smack in the wallet from those who have no care for the memory of Peter Cushing. The PCAS Facebook Fan Page is now live . . . . 


Saturday 8 October 2016

#ONSETSATURDAY : RARE CREATURE AND ARM CHAIR CAT BEHIND THE SCENES


#ONSETSATURDAY: A RARE on set shot during the making of  The Curse Of Frankenstein, at Hammer films Bray studios. Christopher Lee as The Monster here, a role that came just before his career took off into the roles that would make him a house hold name. While Valerie Gaunt would appear in Hammer's #DRACULA and literally one or two theatre production in the UK, before quitting. I guess, unlike what the song says, An actors life, was NOT for her!




#ONSETSATURDAY It's a film always gets a mixed reaction here. Whatever you think of the film, I MONSTER certainly has a collection beautiful and interesting on set and behind the scenes photographs. Here is Peter Cushing posing on set for a promo shot. This particular shot is one of a series of shots of Peter with and without a cat. This is the same cat who appears in a scene with Christopher Lee in the movie..and comes to particularly nasty end. Oh btw... no animals were hurt or mistreated during the film of... etc etc..



JOIN US AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE : RIGHT HERE

Monday 3 October 2016

#MONSTERMONDAY: THE CHEMICAL BROTHER: TERROR IN A TOP HAT

 
#MONSTERMONDAY : Here's a particularly nasty fellow. Not even slipping under the pseudonym of Mr Blake, can HIDE this particular monster . . . Christopher Lee as Mr Blake in 'I, Monster' Amicus films 1971.


PETER CUSHING IN A ON SET PHOTOGRAPH FROM 'I, MONSTER' 
 

JOIN US AT OUR VERY OWN FACEBOOK FAN PAGE : WITH OVER 25,000 FOLLOWERS AND FRIENDS : UPDATED EVERY DAY : HERE 

Wednesday 18 February 2015

JACK PALANCE REMEMBERED ON HIS BIRTHDAY TODAY 1919


Today we remember JACK PALANCE, born on this day in 1919....everyone has a favourite Palance movie and there's many crackers to choose from..Shane, Batman, Hawk the Slayer, City Slickers...or even his performances as Dracula in 74 or Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in 1968.



The Cushing connection would his be crackling performance as Ronald Wyatt in 'The Man Who Collected Poe' story in 'Torture Garden' (Amicus films 1967) A man of few words off the set, he owned his own cattle ranch and displayed other creative sides as a exhibited painter and published poet.


Read our review of 'The Man Who Collected Poe' - 'Torture Garden' : HERE 

Monday 15 April 2013

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