FLASHBAK SADDEST FEATURE : STUNTMAN SUPREME EDDIE POWELL AND OSCAR QUITAK BIRTHDAYS!

A HEADS UP! Thank you to the several friends out there who sent me a link to a feature that has turned up on the nostalgia site FlashBak . . on Peter Cushing 😉 Here is a link to the feature HERE!

IT'S LOVELY HERE to see all the past clubs mentioned and a hand written letter from our founder and friend, the amazing Gladys Fletcher 😊 Also I've had a quite a few messages asking how to become a 'member' of PCASUK? Gosh, 'members' . . those were the days🌝 Sadly those days have also long gone, we do though have a this fab Facebook Fan Page fan page and super website 😉 ... and very lucky to have the support and interest of over 30K very friendly followers 😃😉Here below in the comments thread, for those of you who asked for info is the PCASUK promo trailer  HERE!... four years old now! Time for a new one? - Marcus

REMEMBERING EDDIE POWELL TODAY 😃 Here is a guy who who appeared in many many Hammer films...was Christopher Lee's favorite stuntman and stand in for the majority of his horror films. Dracula Prince of Darkness, The Mummy's Shroud, he appeared in several BOND films, Cushing's Dr Who, Daleks Invasion Earth. Later, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Batman in 1989... and not many of the fans of Ridley Scott's ALIEN, realise it was Eddie in the costume during many of the scenes and stunts!  

BLESS YOU EDDIE, you were a master and genius! PLEASE help us celebrate his birthday today, he sadly left us in August 11th in 2000. He has left behind a real archive of work and many friends and people who still miss him 😊 HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDDIE!

PLEASE JOIN US in wishing actor, 94 years young Oscar Quitak today! Quitak has a huge CV of performances and work which started in 1946, in As You Like It, to 1993 in the BBC TV series 'Every Silver Lining'! His Cushing connection was playing Karl in Hammer's sequel to 'The Curse of Frankenstein', The REVENGE of Frankenstein in 1958. In quite limited screen time, he successfully squeezed every last drop of pathos for a man who wanted to be cured. Thereafter follows a carrer that saw him appear in some classic television dramas and british movies. From the BBC Colditz serial, ITC's Man In Suitcase, Doomwatch, Ace of Wands in the 1970's, BBC's Z Cars series, and in 1976, 'The Last of The Cybernauts' New Avengers episode, picking up where Peter Cushing's Paul Beresford left off in 1967 with 'Return of the Cybernauts'.   

QUITAK also appeared in Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil', the Hammer return TV series, Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense episode, 'Black Carion' in 1984. The same year, he appeared as 'a doctor' in Kenny Everett's 'Bloodbath In The House of Death' black comedy, which also starred Vincent Price! Over four years, he turned up in various roles in Everett's BBC TV series and a total of eight shows!

OSCAR was married to actress Andree Melly (who is probably most famous for her role as Gina in Cushing's 'The Brides of Dracula' (1960) she sadly passed away on 31st January 2020.

FROM US ALL, a VERY Happy Birthday Oscar Quitak . . and many more to come😊

 

WE GOT WINNERS! HAVE YOU GOT THE PRIZES?? INDICATOR / POWERHOUSE BOX SET PRIZE!

CONGRATULATIONS STEWART and DAN! Stewart has bagged a copy of the #Indicator / #Powerhousefilms #Hammerfilms box set, 'Hammer Volume Four : Faces of Evil' ... which in it's four remastered Hammer films blu rays includes a superb remaster of #PeterCushing's 'The Revenge of Frankenstein' with some great extras PLUS a copy of Indicator's remastered blu ray of 'Time Without Pity' starring Michael Redgrave and Peter Cushing. Our 'runner up' Dan Evans has won a copy of 'Time Without Pity' too! Well done chaps! In the last of our FIVE #PCAS Cushing Christmas #Competitions, I trust you will feel that these goodies as a post Christmas bonus? 😉

MANY THANKS to everyone who took part in this all our other competitions this Christmas and all our other many PCAS Competitions throughout 2019! Thank too to our very generous sponsor Indicator / Powerhouse. You ca now purchase your own copies of Hammer Volume Four : Faces of Evil and 'Time without Pity' DIRECTLY from Powerhouse HERE and HERE! 

OUR PCASUK review feature and gallery  on INDICATOR's blu ray remastered release of 'TINE WITHOUT PITY' HERE!Our review of Hammer Volume FOUR : Taste of Fear, is on it's way! 

MANY THANKS ALSO to all our sponsors last year for supporting and providing some superb prizes and giveaways, these include Warner Brothers, Second Light Films, Twilight Time and many many others!

HERE'S TO #2020 and a whole year of exciting opportunities and PCAS Competitions! 

WIN HAMMER FILMS BOX SET! THE FIRST OF THE PCAS XMAS COMPETITIONS NOW LIVE!

HERE WE GO! The first of many PCAS Competitions this week, is NOW POSTED at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE HERE 😃This competition like ALL our competitions is open to anyone, everyone, wherever you are 😉 Have fun. Good Luck and many thanks to Indicator for their support with this and our competitions this week! This competition ENDS and CLOSES on Wednesday 1st January 2020 MIDNIGHT GMT. WINNING ENTRY REVEALED Thursday 2nd January 2020 

YOU CAN ORDER YOUR COPY OF INDICATOR'S 'HAMMER VOLUME FOUR : FACES OF FEAR from POWERHOUSE : HERE! 

PS: THE BLACK envelope, with the PH 'Powerhouse' distributor initials on it in black and red here.. is a large size repro cinema poster of 'The Revenge of Frankenstein' which comes with the box set 😃A NICE addition to your prize and any Hammer / Cushing collection.. it will also be on offer with the next box set in one of other competitions this week 😉 - Marcus

BE A WINNER IN OUR PCAS CHRISTMAS COMPETITIONS 2019 : JUST SOME CUSHING PRIZES UP FOR GRABS OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS!

HO! HO! HO! Yeah, you know how it goes 😉 . . For the last EIGHT years I've launched a series of PCAS Christmas competitions with some CRACKER prizes and this year, thanks to our very generous sponsors, it's a such bumper sack of goodies this year, that any #Santa would have probs cramming his sack down your chimney, Missus 😉 Just a few of the selection in this banner photo, but LOTS of prizes, lots of chances in many #PeterCushing #Competitions over the #Christmas holidays, starting here and at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE THIS Wednesday. As ever, these competitions are FREE and open to everyone, wherever you are, so keep your eyes, like your Christmas dinner potatoes... PEELED! 😉 Have yourself a Jolly CUSHING CHRISTMAS right HERE 😉 Feel free to share and comment below, it's appreciated by our sponsors and yours truly 😉 - Marcus

INDICATORS EXCELLENT REMASTERED BLU RAY RELEASE OF 'TIME WITHOUT PITY' REVIEWED AND CAN BE DIRECTLY ORDERED HERE! 

WE WILL ALSO BE OFFERING UP PRIZES of Second  Sight Films  BLU RAY release of the LIMITED EDITION 1972 'ASYLUM'. We gave away prizes of the Second Sight Films Special Limited Release of 'Asylum' a few weeks ago... now here is ANOTHER chance to bag YOUR COPY! or PRE-ORDER the standard blu ray release  DIRECT HERE! 

TWO GREAT COMPETITIONS TO WIN INDICATOR BOX SETS AND BLU RAY CUSHING CLASSIC!

TWO GREAT PCAS competitions, with MANY thanks to #Indicator and #Powerhouse .. COPIES to be WON! You can read the PCAS review feature on Indicator's blu ray release of 'Time Without Pity' Starring Michael Redgrave and #PeterCushing with Ann Todd  HERE!

THE FEATURE REVIEW AND GALLERY of Indicator's 'Hammer Volume Four : Faces of Fear' which includes a REMASTERED blu ray release of Hammer 'Cushing's 'Revenge of Frankenstein' . . and some amazing EXTRAS.. will be soon at the PCAS website! Meanwhile, look out for the REGION FREE blu ray competitions 😉 - Marcus

YOU CAN ORDER 'TIME WITHOUT PITY' DIRECT from POWERHOUSE : HERE! and the HAMMER VOLUME FOUR : FACES OF FEAR BOX SET DIRECT from POWERHOUSE : HERE!

INDICATOR ANNOUNCE HAMMER FILMS VOLUME FOUR : FACES OF EVIL BLU RAY BOX SET

NEWS: INDICATOR have announced Hammer Volume Four Face Of Fear Box set featuring THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL, TASTE OF FEAR, THE DAMNED. Release date: 18 November 2019
Limited Blu-ray Edition (UK premieres on Blu-ray) 

FOUR CLASSIC HAMMER FILM CHILLERS presented on Blu-ray for the very first time in the UK. Accompanied by a wealth of new and archival extras – including exclusive new documentaries, audio commentaries, alternative versions, new and archival cast and crew interviews, a series of appreciations of their female stars, analyses of their composers’ scores, and extensive booklets – this stunning limited edition box set is strictly 26,000 numbered units
All extras subject to change

REGION FREE

INDICATOR LIMITED BLU-RAY EDITION BOX SET SPECIAL FEATURES:

THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN

New 4K restoration : Original mono audio
New and exclusive documentary about the film, produced by Hammer expert Marcus Hearn (2019)
Audio commentary by celebrated horror and fantasy authors Stephen Jones and Kim Newman (2019)
A Frankenstein for the 20th Century (2019): video essay by film historian Kat Ellinger and Dima Ballin
Hammer's Women – Eunice Gayson (2019): profile of the Hammer star by critic and film historian Pamela Hutchinson
David Huckvale on Leonard Salzedo (2019): new appreciation of the renowned composer by the author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde
Super 8 version: original cut-down home cinema presentation
Original theatrical trailer
Trailer commentary (2013): short critical appreciation by filmmaker Joe Dante
Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition box set exclusive booklet with new essays by Marcus Hearn and Kieran Foster, archival interview materials, historical articles, contemporary reviews, and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray

THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL

High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
New and exclusive documentary about the film, produced by Hammer expert Marcus Hearn (2019)
Audio commentary by film historians Josephine Botting and Jonathan Rigby (2019)
Interview with Paul Massie (1967): rare archival audio interview with the film’s star
Hammer's Women – Dawn Addams (2019): British cinema expert Laura Mayne explores the life and career of the UK-born star
David Huckvale on Monty Norman (2019): new appreciation of the renowned composer
Original theatrical trailer
Trailer commentary (2013): short critical appreciation by Josh Olson
Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition box set exclusive booklet with a new essay by Kat Ellinger, archival interview materials, historical articles, contemporary reviews and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray

TASTE OF FEAR

High Definition remaster
Original mono audio
Alternative presentation with US Scream of Fear title sequence
New and exclusive documentary about the film, produced by Hammer expert Marcus Hearn (2019)
Audio commentary with Kevin Lyons, editor of The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television (2019)
The BFI Interview with Jimmy Sangster (2008): archival audio recording of the celebrated filmmaker and screenwriter in conversation with Marcus Hearn at London’s National Film Theatre
The BEHP Video interview with Jimmy Sangster (2008): archival video recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring Sangster in conversation with Jonathan Rigby
The BEHP Interview with Douglas Slocombe – Part Two (1988): archival audio recording, made as part of the British Entertainment History Project, featuring the renowned cinematographer in conversation with Sidney Cole
Fear Makers (2019): interviews with camera operator Desmond Davis, assistant editor John Crome and clapper loader Ray Andrew
Hammer's Women – Ann Todd (2019): Melanie Williams, author of Female Stars of British Cinema profiles the English star and producer
David Huckvale on Clifton Parker (2019): new appreciation of the renowned composer
Super 8 version of Scream of Fear: original cut-down home cinema presentation
Original theatrical trailer
Trailer commentary (2013): short critical appreciation by Sam Hamm
Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition box set exclusive booklet with an essay by Marcus Hearn, archival interview materials, historical articles, contemporary reviews and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray

THE DAMNED

New 2K restoration
Original mono audio
Two presentations of the film: The Damned, the original UK theatrical release version; and These Are the Damned, the complete and uncut restoration which first premiered in 2007
New and exclusive documentary about the film, produced by Hammer expert Marcus Hearn (2019)
Audio commentary by film historians Samm Deighan and Kat Ellinger (2019)
Beneath the Surface (2019): new interview with filmmaker Gavrik Losey, son of director Joseph Losey
Interview with actor Shirley Anne Field (2019)
Interview with screenwriter Evan Jones (2010)
Children of 'The Damned' (2019): new interviews with actors Kit Williams, David Palmer and Christopher Witty
Hammer's Women – Viveca Lindfors (2019): profile of the renowned actor by critic and film historian Lindsay Hallam
David Huckvale on James Bernard (2019): new appreciation of the celebrated composer
Beyond Black Leather (2019): appreciation by film expert I Q Hunter
No Future (2019): analysis by author and film historian Neil Sinyard
Original theatrical trailer
Trailer commentary (2013): short critical appreciation by filmmaker Joe Dante
Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Limited edition box set exclusive booklet with a new essay by Richard Combs, archival interview materials, historical articles, contemporary reviews and film credits
UK premiere on Blu-ray

Limited edition box set of 6,000 numbered units
All extras subject to change
REGION FREE

PREORDER CLICK HERE! 

FIRST BOND GIRL AND HAMMER FILM ACTRESS EUNICE GAYSON DIES AGED 90

VERY SAD NEWS released today, about the passing of wonderful actress and lady... Eunice Gayson. I am sure many of you will be aware of her connection to Hammer films and her playing of Margaret in Cushing's second Frankenstein film, The Revenge of Frankenstein in 1958. She not only was the FIRST official Bond girl, starring as Sylvia Trench in Dr No and From Russia With Love. Eunice also had quite the stage and theatre and TV career appearing in ITV's The Avengers and she played Frau Schrader (The Baroness) in the London production of The Sound Of Music at the Palace Theatre, actually singing two songs which were cut from the movie version of the story.

NEWS OF HER SAD passing has hit newspapers, TV and radio around the world. As her official Twitter account states this morning... she was an amazing lady who left a lasting impression on everyone she met. She will be very much missed . . . Eunice Gayson 17th March 1928 - June 8th 2018.

OUR FULL FEATURE AND GALLERY on EUNICE GAYSON's career and role in The Revenge of Frankenstein, large rare photo gallery can be found RIGHT HERE!

WE UPDATE EVERY DAY at our well support Peter Cushing Appreciation Society FACEBOOK FAN PAGE! With over 33,000 followers, and archives of rare images and gifs, you would be most welcome! PLEASE come join us! JUST CLICK HERE AND CLICK LIKE THERE!

THE SUNDAY DOUBLE BILL: CALLUM MCKELVIE TAKES TWO!

THE 'DOUBLE BILL' is something of a tradition within the film industry. Simply put it meant- ‘two for the price of one’. Originally used pre-cinema in Opera houses, it came into prominence in the 1930’s after the Great Depression. With the film industry suffering heavy losses, a number of cinemas chose to offer the two-for-one scheme, as a hope of luring punters back into the seats. 

SUFFICE TO SAY it worked and since then double bills were something of staple. However by the end of the 20th century, as the number of low-budget films being given theatrical releases lessened they began to go out of fashion and are now exceedingly rare. None the less the appeal to ciniphiles is still there and they can often be found at festivals, usually featuring two themed or related films.

THE 'THEMED DOUBLE BILL' is the subject of today’s piece (and of two following pieces), namely what is the perfect Cushing double bill? I’ll be discussing three trios of films that in my mind complement each other. They can be directly related, as are today’s or can simply be of thematic interest. However, they must of course both star Peter Cushing in some capacity. 

STATING WITH a somewhat obvious one, today I’ll be discussing 1957’s The Curse of Frankenstein and 1958’s The Revenge of Frankenstein, but more specifically, how they complement each other. Curse and Revenge are the first two instalments in Hammer’s Frankenstein series, one of course being the granddaddy of Hammer’s gothic output. Whilst the first is a truncated retelling of the Frankenstein story, putting emphasis on the Baron as more of a villain, the sequel brings events full circle. Together, they show the rise and fall of Baron Frankenstein with his eventual fate as his own creation.

TO BEGIN WITH, this probably makes the most obvious pairing simply as Revenge picks up exactly where Curse left off, meaning that watched back to back it feels like one consistent epic.  Furthermore, unlike some of the later incarnations of the character (for example the more softer version seen in The Evil of Frankenstein or vicious incarnation that features in Frankenstein Must be Destroyed) these are clearly supposed to be the same man.

MUCH OF THE SETS are recycled and  virtually identical and Hammer even got the same actor (Alex Gallier) who played the priest in Curse to reprise his role at the start of this film. This means that unlike other Hammer sequels, Revenge often feels like a natural progression of Curse. Terrance Fisher returns and the only notable admission is James Bernard, who is replaced by Leonard Salzedo. I for one adore Salzedo’s score and it’s certainly up there with my favourite Hammer soundtrack, fitting the atmosphere of Revenge perfectly. The final end credits fanfare is chillingly powerful.

WHAT REALLY MAKES these two films complement each other however, is the rich thematic nature in which one story reflects the other. I discussed briefly some of the varying levels in Revenge’s script during my tribute to Jimmy Sangster. However when watched back to back these two films have elements which show a great intelligence in Sangster’s work. The progression to brain transplants comes across as incredibly natural and the bravery in having the revenge as not a physical one (a slice and dice would have been so easy) but more of a philosophical one (he has to prove himself right), shows an incredible understanding of the character. With the Baron somewhat younger in the first film, he is the pupil to Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart) who through the course of the film becomes the more dominant figure. 


IN REVENGE that Baron seems to have aged tremendously due to his near death experience and this time it is he who has the pupil, in Francis Matthews’s Hanz. Throughout the course of this film we see Hanz grow and learn, until at the finale it is he who must perform the brain transplant upon the Baron. 

THE FACT THAT this then results in the only successful operation, the final shot being Hanz looking on proudly at the new Baron, presents a wonderful circularity to these films. We see the Baron first develop his concept of creating life and then further this into brain transplants. We see his two failed experiments but we also see him grow and develop as a character, from pupil to teacher.

OF COURSE MUCH of this is down to Cushing, who in the space of a year manages two performances of the same character but in entirely different mind-sets. Thanks to him, we believe that this is the same man and that he really has been through a horrific experience, which has just made him more determined to continue. Indeed the most horrifying thing in Revenge is Cushing’s uttering of the line ‘they will never be rid of me’. The determination is so powerful as to be utterly chilling.

WELL THAT'S IT for this weeks double bill, but join me again next Sunday as I’ll be discussing another perfect pair…
 

REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA