#ThrowbackThursday:
A rare peep onto the set of Hammer films, 'Frankenstein Created Woman'
at Bray studios, with Peter Cushing and Peter Madden all set for the
camera to roll. Those you who know the film, will also know this scene
is one of Cushing's Hammer Frankenstein vocal repore highlights, where
his dialogue in the dock, shows how the Baron could, if needed, reduce
authority figures into a bumbling half-wits. We would see it again,to
jaw drop and marvelous effect in Cushimg and Hammer's next Frankenstein
film, 'Must Be Destroyed', where his sharp tongue would 'slap the pomp
and stupid' out of a party of toffs and top hatters 😉
Peter Madden would also appear, sadly briefly, in the last Hammer
Cushing Frankenstein film, 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell' in
1974.
#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: January 11th 1971. An on set, off camera rare photograph of Peter Cushing as Professor Julian Fuchs and Valerie Leon as daughter Margaret Fuchs , during Peter Cushing's one day of shooting on the Hammer films, 'Blood From The Mummy's Tomb'. Sadly, it was a set and role to which Cushing would never return, Helen Cushing, Peter's wife was taken ill on this day and died shortly after, on January 14th 1971. Actor Andrew Keir would step into the role, just three days later. Cushing would return to work and Hammer films two months later, with the role of Gustav Weil in 'TWINS OF EVIL'.
FULL FEATURE AND STILLS GALLERY FROM 'TWINS OF EVIL' : The Collinson PUT THE BITE into HAMMER : CLICK HERE!
WHY WAS VERONICA CARLSON so good when working with both PETER CUSHING and CHRISTOPHER LEE? FIND OUT in PART FIVE of Bruce G Hallenbeck's PCAS series, WOMEN IN GOTHIC,
DID YOU MISS our TUESDAY TOUGHYthis week? THIS MYSTERY ACTOR also worked with PETER CUSHING too! THINK you know the ANSWER? DROP us a email to our usual PCAS WEBSITE address, and tell us! petercushingpcas@gmail.com
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF different things to be found in Hammer films SCARS OF DRACULA, that make it not only quite different from any of the other Hammer DRACULA's that had come before, but also THE COUNT and all his supporters, don't just BITE, they stab, burn and torture too....IRONICALLY, in this feature CHRISTOPHER LEE actually speaks as DRACULA and despite some of his more monstrous habits, appears MORE romantic. In this scene, he grooms JENNY HANLEY'S attractive SARAH . . .
THE DIRECTOR of SCARS OF DRACULA Roy Ward Baker, managed to produce a Hammer DRACULA feature that stands without doubt, a totally different field to the others that had come before it. The budget was limited, the sets are time bare, but there are MOMENTS. Baker decided that what he was going to produced was a REAL horror film. Scenes that present shots and situations, that are at times... horrible!
DENNIS WATERMAN'S Simon, discovers the murdered body of his friend, Paul played by Christopher Matthews, skewered on a wall. Graphic make up, presented something that we had no seen a DRACULA Hammer before... and it wasn't to stop there. ALL scenes that presented a death or murder, left little to the imagination. AND torture was also added to the block..!
THE SET DESIGN of Hammer films SCARS OF DRACULA was managed by SCOTT MACGREGOR. He went to a lot of trouble to make the of what he could bring to the screen, with such a limited budget. For most parts, the sets look good, but some, such a the castle rooftop, look little more than a theatre set, with a LOT of space . .
THE HAMMER PRESS OFFICE, were also pulling out the stops. The graphic make up and the fate of Paul was added to the images in the US LOBBY CARD set too! While personally, I am not a fan of gore, I do like the lead up to Waterman's SIMON, eventually finding DRACULA here. This scene is one of many that, come as a mixed bag, over the top in places, but some of the film's best moments in places . .
THE BRINGING BACK a character called KLOVE was a nice touch! BUT we met another servant called KLOVE back in Hammer films, DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS. He too helped the COUNT with spring cleaning, guests and . . .slaughter. There is no mention in the story, if THIS is the same KLOVE, before or after the DARKNESS story . .TROGHTON is as always, terrific and not a million miles away from his Rat Catcher in Hammer's 'PHANTOM OF THE OPERA' and Grave Robber in Peter Cushing's last Frankenstein, 'FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL'.
WE ALL LOOK FORWARD to to major things, that are part of ever HAMMER DRACULA film. DRACULA'S Resurrection and the death! ALL depending on the BUDGET and the imagination of the script writer, AND the special effects... often these scenes could be a little weak and disappointing. Without giving too much away, about DRACULA return in SCARS . . it too is a little GORY and well...weird! BUT for some it would be another MOMENT, so we include elements of it here . .
AGAIN HERE is another rare look at a set design plan by SCOTT MACGREGOR for the final moments of SCARS OF DRACULA and the death of KLOVE played by PATRICK TROUGHTON and DRACULA. The area in the sketch design looks smaller, than it actually appears on the big screen. But what makes this scene so special is, it gives us another DRAMATIC end and death for Christopher Lee's DRACULA . .
WE'LL BE PRESENTING MORE hi res photographs, contact sheets and GIFS from ANOTHER CHRISTOPHER LEE Hammer films DRACULA NEXT SATURDAY! Join us THEN!
