HE AIN'T TARKIN, HE'S ANOTHER! DESIGNER IVAN MANZELLA EXPLAINS

THE WHOLE 'IS SNOKE REALLY TARKIN?' question has been buzzing around for a few years now. Well, let's FACE it...pardon the pun.... if Cushing had another brother,  . . .with a wife MORE frightening and unreasonable than the one he DID have... sorry I jest 😉😃. .  IF Cushing had another brother, as well as David (the farmer!)... this guy could have easily have passed, as Cushing's  nightmare looking twin! But, a very recent statement during an interview yesterday, designer of the Supreme Leader Snoke make up Ivan Manzella, kinda put the 'is-he-isn't-he?' theory to sleep, with statements about the influences on his design that harken back to the earliest days of the saga. ....

“I actually based him on Peter Cushing, because there were always Snoke theories that he was Grand Moff Tarkin, which I always found quite amusing. You can see there are elements there. The maquette, there’s elements of Peter Cushing, just the cheekbone and the profile and stuff, but he wasn’t meant to be Peter Cushing. He was my Hammer reference, kind of thing.”

 

“He was quite graphic in that first iteration, in Force Awakens. You don’t really see much, he’s a hologram, I guess. What they did to him there is they got rid of some of his … they made his face a bit more friendlier, he went more to a flesh color and some of his face was softened up a bit so it wasn’t so graphic. He originally had that hole in the side of his face taken out, it was really kind of nasty stuff going on. I quite liked the idea of him having a marble skin type, all the veining like you get in marble, and these piercing, blue eyes. But he kind of evolved and got a little bit softer, I think.”

Well, Snoke maybe not be Tarkin back from the grave but, in my book he's at least 70% Peter Cushing! You think? - Marcus😉

All interview text the property of Force Material 

More artwork and designs at Ivan Manzella's website : HERE! 

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ABOVE: A RARE BLACK AND WHITE photograph of  Peter Cushing, as usual looking very dapper, at the John Player NFT lecture in London in 1973. It was a night of interview with Q and A from the packed audience, lots of questions. Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE I've posted this with a question too! Question? What would you have asked if you had been there? LOTS of interesting answer too!

SOMETHING that came my way a few months ago... the 'look' of #ChristopherLee's 'Dracula' back in the first Hammer films 'Dracula movie, was more than pivotal to the success and look of the film back in 1958. A tall, romantic and handsome noble-royal figure, with good English, manners.. no high camp collar, bat flapping .. and teeth and feral nature on display, only when survival or feasting was necessary.

FULL PCASUK REVIEW WITH SCREEN CAPS AND GIFS OF WARNER BROTHERS REMASTERED BLU RAY OF HAMMER'S 'DRACULA AD 1972' JUST CLICK RIGHT HERE!

IT WAS A 'LOOK' that stayed for the majority of the whole series of Lee's films. SO it's surprising who is responsible for the painting of this artwork, back in 1958 . . almost looking like comic back pre Hammer's 58 movie, with six fangs and eyes that could fry your bacon.. and that bat??? Hmmm.. who do you think painted this? You can find the answer on the post now at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE

ON SATURDAY... #CHRISTOPHERLEE Saturday! Here is a rare photograph... with TWO actors faces you might recognise 😉 ... I threw out the question, can anyone name them and the production year?? Suggestions were a little slow coming but one or two did solve the question. You'll find the answer HERE!

ANOTHER PAIR OF PHOTOGRAPHS, for #CHRISTOPHERLEE Saturday, was these two crackers! At the Fan Page the children's reading book held by Lee started the question of what kind of Captain Hook would have made? Several shared the quote from an interview Lee gave at the time Steven Spielberg was casting his production of 'HOOK'  and how much Lee was hoping he might have a 'look in' in playing the role. Of course, sadly it never happened . .
 

BACK AT THE WEEKEND I GAVE  a heads up to friends and followers at the page of the screening of 'ROGUE ONE' having only its second screening on UK television!  HEADS UP! #TODAY at 7pm if you are in the UK or able to receive the tv channel #ITV 😊 . . If you hated it and want to ignore it, loved it but don't own it... if you enjoyed it, and want another chance to see the CGI of Grand Moff Tarkin as played by #PeterCushing . . in a film that personally, I like very much indeed! . .. ITV screening #RogueOne : A #StarWars Story at 7pm tonight!

DURING THIS WEEK we also marked and remembered the birthday of SANDOR ELES who worked with Peter Cushing in Hammer films, 'THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN'  . . .HERE  

 . .  PETER CUSHING 'A CLOSE FRIEND, BARRY MORSE who worked with CUSHING during the early 40's on stage, appeared in the tv series 'SPACE 1999' and in Amicus films, 'ASYLUM' in 1972 . . . HERE

...AND ACTRESS SHELIA KEITH who worked with Peter Cushing, along with Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and John Carrandine, as sister Victoria Grisbane in 'HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS' (1983)

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IS IT BAD TO LOVE THE ROGUE ONE? THE RESURRECTION OF CGI TARKIN TWEAKED

#WATCHWITHCUSHING! 'Is it wrong to love THE Rogue One? Well, here's a confession, I am very fond of this film and have a lot of respect for what Industrial Light and Magic and Guy Henry achieved in the finished film. We've posted a feature about this today at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE . .. For those not up to speed with what happened four years ago...here we go! In the 2016 anthology film '#RogueOne', archive footage and a digital scan of Cushing's life mask made for the 1984 film Top Secret! were used to create a 3D CGI mask which was augmented and mapped to actor Guy Henry's face. Henry had studied Cushing's mannerisms many years previously for the lead role in British TV show 'Young Sherlock', but insisted on a screen test as he was not comfortable that his vocal imitation was accurate, stating he sounded more like "Peter O'Toole than #PeterCushing". 

THE ILM team searched through hours of footage to find suitable material of Cushing to build from, footage from 'A New Hope' was lit very differently to the lighting used in 'Rogue One' and had to be digitally changed. The more they manipulated the lighting to match the other actors in the scenes the less like Cushing the character model looked, which meant creating a balancing act between "a digital figure" and "one who looked precisely like Cushing". The owners of Cushing's estate were heavily involved with the creation and had input right down to "small, subtle adjustments".

ABOVE: THE PCASUK STORY ON APRIL FOOL'S DAY!

THE RESULT, which has been called "one of the most complex and costly CGI re-creations ever", received a mixed response. Recently, Derpfakes who is quite the dab hand at creating some quite stunning CGI creations and sharing them for critiques on YouTube. Here for your analysis, is his tweaking and nudging, of the ILM job on Tarkin's appearance in 'Rogue One' (2016) ... There are some interesting chances... for some I am sure, there will be little difference. Later, if you like me have always thought the ideas and concepts of 'Star Wars' were very original and new, join us later 😉 - Marcus

IT'S A BIRTHDAY WISH FOR BRAM AND IS HOLLYWOOD PUPPETEERING THE DEAD?

BORN TODAY November 8th 1847 in Clontarf, Dublin, Republic of #Ireland… we mark the BIRTHDAY of  #BRAMSTOKER, creator of #Dracula and a hundred thousand nightmares! #HappyBirthday, Mr Stoker!!!

BACK IN 2016, for some it was an act too hard to accept. #PeterCushing's Grand Moff Tarkin featured nearly 20 years since his passing, kind of live and kicking courtesy of mega bucks CGI, presented on the big screen in the #StarWars epic, Rogue One. In a cinematic series where the footing is firmly rooted on a fantasy and other worldly canvas, those who wanted to embrace could. This week #Hollywood has announced the arrival of another CGI resurrection, in #JamesDean. Dean will be recreated in an action drama entitled #FindingJack through a mixture of old footage and computer-generated creations projected over stand-ins, as a secondary character called Rogan. The producer Anton Ernst said he will try to keep Dean's “legacy firmly intact”.

AND AS IN  the case of Peter Cushing, the 'estate' or family are on board. “We feel very honoured that his family supports us,” he said. “The family views this as his fourth movie, a movie he never got to make. We do not intend to let his fans down.” says Antin Ernst. Zelda Williams, daughter of the late actor and comedian #RobinWilliams, accused the producers of “puppeteering the dead” while #LordoftheRings actor #ElijahWood tweeted a simple “NOPE” in response to the news, while #Avengers star #ChrisEvans wrote: “This is awful... the complete lack of understanding here is shameful.”

 

OVER AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we are asking what your opinion on this?! . .. Should the Cushing Tarkin CGI appearance be seen as an interesting 'one-off' and a good try, totally necessary to help embellish and tell the story of Rogue One . . Is this a CGI trick too far, bringing James Dean, once more to the big screen??

PRYDE VS TARKIN! TIN PIN TARKIN STILL STANDING AS PRYDE JOINS THE SAGA!

OF ALL the items in the PCAS collection, this is something I have a real soft spot for 🙂 It's a Peter Cushing Tarkin Pin / Badge! It was given to me by Gladys Fletcher, who started PCAS back in the 1950's. Seems it was given to her by a fan back in 1977, and she passed it on in 1978. I love the font and considering how old it is now, it's aged rather well. I don't collect pins and I have only worn it to a convention back in 1980. It's lived in a little box for safe keeping since then. There are now many pins, badges, fridge magnets and all sorts depicting Peter as 'the most evil man in the universe!' but as I have never seen this pin anywhere else, it's pretty special . . Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we've invited everyone to share images of any special or vintage Cushing, Tarkin or Star Wars pins, and the results are quite interesting!

THERE HAS BEEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY, of what is seen by some fans as an interesting addition to the army of #STARWARS characters of actor! British actor #RICHARDEGRANT is playing #GeneralPryde, a villain of similar #TARKIN proportions in #THERISEOFSKYWALKER, released this December, is most exciting! I wonder if we will be sharing vintage tin pins of Grant's Thrawn in 40 odd years time??? I do  hope, Grant is my top five favourite actors. We wait, with much anticipation and I don't think, we 'Over Estimate His Chances!' 😉😊😀

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#THROWBACKTHURSDAY! TARKIN TIME!

OPINIONS ON THE CGI TARKIN that appeared in the 2016 film 'ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY' will probably be forever divided. Some say, it ALMOST works. Others, that it's just not LIFE LIKE, let alone CUSHING as TARKIN. While some like myself believe, it DOES . ..  98% of the time. I have always seen each STAR WARS movie, as a separate movie...despite the continuity thread of the stories. 



EACH FILM IS NEW. Each film has it's own time to entertain and work. Despite whatever the prequel or any other releases signal or flag up, the job is to work. Many audiences today, judge the success and entertainment value, on what has happened before. If it is a remake, a sequel of prequel, it takes that test. It applies for completely NEW films too, with NO association to a series or similar theme.


WE SUSPECTED here at PCAS, like many others, that the CGI was coming. Just for a short time, CUSHING was BUZZING! When the release of the film arrived, newspapers, tv news, magazines and the net, carried opinions and images. For five months, CGI brought Peter Cushing BACK to world. I think ROGUE ONE is an amazing film and the appearance of a CGI Peter Cushing as Tarkin, is magic. For me, it always will be . . 

LITTLE DID PETER CUSHING  know back in 1976, when he was shooting STAR WARS, that one little decision he made, after feeling the PINCH of his leather TARKIN boots, talk about his performance would not only be about how he played such a tyrant . .  but the word SLIPPERS, would also be forever associated too.   

NEXT WEEK: CHRISTOPHER LEE'S TIME WITH STAR WARS AND DOOKU!

MARK HAMILL ON THE CUSHING CGI AND NO TO ITS USE FOR LATE CARRIE FISHER AND LEIA

MARK HAMILL doesn’t think re-casting late Carrie Fisher in Star Wars: Episode IX is a good idea. The actress who passed away on December 27, 2016, after going into cardiac arrest at the age of 60 has left a prominent role in question for both fans and the makers. In an interview with Collider, Hamill, who portrays Carrie Fisher’s on-screen sibling Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, said that Fisher as Princess Leia is irreplaceable.

”First of all, I don’t know what the specific plans were for that character but just the way Han Solo was more prominent in [Episode] VII, Luke more prominent in VIII, we assumed Leia would be more prominent in IX, especially since the dynamic of having Kylo Ren as her son,” Hamill said. “I think it would be tough recasting Carrie because she is so indelibly linked to that character.” SAYS MARK HAMILL

NOTABLY, the Last Jedi writer/director Rian Johnson has already confirmed that the makers don’t want to alter Fisher’s final performance, ultimately positioning her for a return in Episode IX. But the fact that Lucasfilm won’t attempt to digitally recreate the actress in any way, has left fans questioning about the character’s future.

“They’ve already ruled out of a computer-generated performance like they did with Peter Cushing [in Rogue One] so, gee, that’s gotta be a real, not insurmountable problem, but I know that the script had been in development so that when we lost her they had to go back to square one,” Hamill added. “But she is irreplaceable, you know, as far as I’m concerned.”

RECENTLY, some Star Wars fans came up with an online petition pleading the filmmakers to cast Meryl Streep to play the role of Leia in Star Wars: Episode IX But there is one person in particular who is not for the change: Mark Hamill.

HAMILL has posted about his devastation over losing his space sister on countless occasions. He also said in a previous interview he is not able to watch Luke and Leia's scene in Last Jedi. Kathleen Kennedy of Lucasfilm has gone on record saying Last Jedi would be Fisher's Star Wars film, meaning no CGI or repurposed material in following installments.

NOW, everything stands in the hands of co-writers J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio. It will be interesting to find out how they handle Leia’s character in Episode IX when the film lands in theaters on December 20, 2019

WATCH BASKERVILLES, THE BRAVEST WOMAN IN SALEM AND TARKINS EMPIRE NEEDS YOU!

#MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY! : YOUR EMPIRE NEEDS YOU! A terrific call to arms from RALF SCHMITT! It's interesting, even a year on from Cushing's TARKIN re-emergence in ROGUE ONE, there us hardly a day when, something about this, probably now, the most famous of all Cushing's performances, doesn't appear on the 'Cushing Scanner!'..... and that is always a good thing!

TODAY'S #MOMENTOFTERROR is a scene from 1959’s Hound of the Baskervilles, surely a firm favourite of many of our readers. Coming at the climax of the film, this is the moment where Christopher Lee’s Sir Henry Baskerville comes face to face with the Hound. Hammer’s version of the tale is easily one of the creepiest of the many filmed, preformed or staged over the many year’s and this scene is a prime example. Of course it’s well known now that the titular hound is a Great Dane in a rubber mask, but Fisher’s skill at keeping the beast off screen until this crucial moment is what makes it all the more shocking.

NOT ONLY this but it follows it up with one of the more disturbing sequences in the entire film. As Cecile Stapleton attempts to escape across the more Holmes, Watson and Henry Baskerville, unable to see her in the darkness, listen to her pitiful cries as she is sucked under the mire. It’s a shame that Hammer never thought to draw on any of Doyle’s other Holmes stories as another Gothic thriller in the same vein with a returning Cushing and Morell would have been a real pleasure. A truly chilling moment and a worthy climax to another great from Hammer’s early years.

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  .