MILK SHERLOCK AND LOTS OF SCREAMING AND HONG KONG! IT HAS TO BE GIFS WEDNESDAY!

IF I HAD A DOLLAR BILL or  a pound coin for everytime that PETER CUSHING looked through a MAGNIFYING GLASS in a film or TV drama, I would be a wealthy man! This one is from the BBC SHERLOCK HOLMES series that Cushing starred in the late 1960's. I wonder if you could guess, which classic DOYLE SHERLOCK story this is? REQUESTED by ANNA MILES NY USA.

THE AMICUS FILMS, 'AND NOW, THE SCREAMING STARTS' to be quite frank, is one of my least favorite AMICUS / CUSHING films. To me, the script seems to wander, the horror ellements too, I find a little bad taste, and CUSHING sadly has little to do. If there is a moment, that does anything, it's that pretty dramatic scene with Peter and IAN OLGIVY in the cemetery, during a terrible storm. This was the only time AMICUS produced a GHOST story and also a period film. They certainly got the LOOK right, but the story, aint my kinda of thing. Here STEPHANIE (DRACULA AD 1972 ) BEACHAM as the newly married Catherine Fengriffen, looses her cool on the portrait of Henry Fengriffen played by HERBERT LOM. REQUESTED by AMANDA POOLE, Leeds, UK.

PART FIVE of our AMICUS FILMS OF PETER CUSHING has a great selection of rare stills from AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS : You will find it HERE!

SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN, WAS NOT AMICUS films, first venture into the world of SCI-FI CINEMA. Though this film, is never really sure, in WHICH genre it's sitting. I think that is one of the reasons why, many enjoy the film so much. It's reputation and following has really climbed in the last ten years, with a super dooper BLU RAY from TWLIGHT TIME back in 2013, giving it the treament and good extras. VINCENT PRICE and CHRISTOPHER LEE are great, Mr P having more screen time, and a wonderful exit! CUSHING'S role is brief as this film also stands as a very good example of how producer SUBOTSKY used his, 'stack those stars in the film and hire them for a limited time!' . .  it all paid off when their names were on the bills and the marquees!  REQUESTED by MIDGE ILLINOIS USA.

OUR FULL FEATURE AND RARE GALLERY on SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN can be found at this website BY SIMPLY CLICKING HERE!

IF I AM LOOKING FOR A FUN PETER CUSHING FILM with a BIT OF BITE, on for a late night view, this is the one that nearly always hits the player! Personally, I think JOHN FORBES-ROBERTSON did a good job as DRACULA, considering what he was dealing with. LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES despite being made by HAMMER FILMS, has very little in common with other films from the company. The film was a joint two film venture with, Shaw Brothers of Hong Kong. Their Horror and Supernatural films were presented in quite a highly stylised fashion, quite unique to the cinema of the country and culture. Many criticise the appearance and make up of Forbes-Robertson's DRACULA, unware that the almost 'phantom-demon' look to his face, is very much in keeping with what most vamps looked like in Hong Kong Horror Cinema of the 60's and 70's. Same too for the crumbling effects of the vampires, when they were killed. It ALL was in the flavour, of ASIAN CINEMA. The second film which Shaw made with Hammer films, also starred Cushing, was called CALL HIM MR SHATTER with STUART WHITMAN, as the star. BOTH are pretty neat films, entertaining too. A great pity Hammer never went on to make the other films, they had planned with Shaw Brothers...BELOW a lovely UK MILK MARKETING BOARD film, pushing the use of MILK on the set of the film, in a style only the 1970's cinema adverts, could do! REQUESTED by PAUL BARTON SURREY UK.

YOU WILL FIND POSTS LIKE THIS EVERY DAY AT OUR PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE! UPDATED EVERY DAY! NOW WITH OVER 33,000 FOLLOWERS: COME JOIN CLICK HERE AND CLICK LIKE THERE!

CALLUM MCKELVIE ON 'NIGHT OF BIG HEAT' PLUS EXCLUSIVE COMPETITON TO WIN THE CUSHING /LEE ISLAND DOUBLE BILL!

FOLLOWING ON from my look at Island of Terror, in PART ONE, this week I’m tackling its spiritual successor, NIGHT OF THE BIG HEAT. As discussed last week, these two films represent a section of only a small number of Science Fiction films that Cushing lent his talents too and it’s hard to discuss one without the other. Both were made by the short-lived Planet films and Night, featuring the same director (Terrence Fisher), Composer (Malcolm Lockyer) and of course Cushing again, does feel in many ways like a natural successor to the previous film.

PLANET FILMS EVEN SEEM to have gone a little further this time, with Cushing only having a small role and Christopher Lee taking the lead, having those two names on the poster would mean box office dynamite, surely? Unfortunately, I must confess to being somewhat ‘cold’ when it comes to Night of the Big Heat. Whilst not a bad film, in many ways it pales in comparison to Island of Terror.

FOR A START there’s the story. Night, is a fairly basic alien invasion story utilising elements from an earlier (and much better) British Science Fiction film, The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961), by having the temperature slowly rise. Christopher Lee plays Godfrey Hanson, a scientist staying in a small hotel owned by Patrick Allen’s Jeff Callum on the isolated island of Fara, somewhere off the English coast. Jane Merrow shows up as an old flame of Cullum’s with whom he had an affair and who seems determined to cause trouble for him and his marriage. However they all have bigger fish to fry when Hanson reveals that the rising heat is actually being caused by an alien invasion…..and it’s only going to get hotter.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS with Night, is that at points it actually strays a little too close to Island. For example, the opening scene in which the radar equipment is destroyed and we have a freeze frame into titles, exactly like Island, really isn’t necessary. In Island, this was effective as it still didn’t spoil the mystery of the plot- we knew there was an explosion in a lab, but we don’t know yet what that lab is and Islands superior script is far too intelligent to reveal anything to its viewers off the bat. 

IN 'NIGHT' A SIGNIFICANT amount of time is devoted to the characters attempting to get to the radar station (indeed Cushing dies for it) but we as an audience know that there’s no point because we saw it destroyed in the opening 2 seconds. Then there’s also the end, whilst the trick of having it all seems hopeless and then having an almost surprise revelation. Again, in Island, that revelation felt a great deal more intelligent than it does here and the sudden rain storm saving the day, is faintly ridiculous. 

OF COURSE I’m not ignoring the fact that Island was an original story whilst Night is based on a novel by John Lyminton. Having not read that book I can’t comment if these problems are inherent within it, or whether they are unique to this adaptation. However its literary heritage in 50’s British Sci-Fi does lead to one of the strengths of Night, and that is of course it’s wonderfully John Wyndham-esque atmosphere. The old trope of the heroes spending much of the end of the world in a pub is seen here and it’s as effective now as in any other British Sci-Fi flick (such as another of Fishers sci-fi films, The Earth Dies Screaming from 1964).  

ABOVE OUR EXCLUSIVE PCAS COMPETITION : WIN THE MOVIES FROM THIS PCAS FEATURE! : ENTER NOW : GOOD LUCK!

THERE ARE SOME POSITIVE things that this film manages to duplicate from Island. That being the sense of danger. Lee’s character of Hanson makes it through most of the film, then dies minutes before the end. Killing off essentially your biggest name and one of the two leads minutes before the resolution is a brave move and again makes the viewer think that there really is no hope. Lee plays the part of Hanson as well as he plays any role, though unfortunately he’s not really given anything new to do and so it’s hardly a standout role in his career. 

PATRICK ALLEN IS A GOOD leading man- though he struggles with a character that for the most part comes across as inherently unlikeable. This is due mostly to the ‘affair’ subplot which, whilst actually being one of the most enjoyable parts of the film, doesn’t really set his character up as the most likeable of individuals and really should have been revealed later. As stated in my review of Island, Cushing has a small but enjoyable role- though it’s really too dismissible to really stand out in his filmography. His death lingers due to a wonderfully charming performance, his easily the most likeable character in the entire film. However special mention has to be made of Jane Merrow, who plays the role of Angela Roberts with such a maliciousness that she is utterly watchable the entire time.

IN SOME WAYS I feel I have been way to negative towards Night, and perhaps it will be a film that I’ll revisit in my column again someday because for the most part- it’s bloody good fun. This isn’t like Incense for the Damned (1970) or Tender Dracula (1974) where there really is little to no joy to be had, in fact I feel ashamed even mentioning those movies in this review because Night of the Big Heat isn’t even a bad film. It’s a perfectly well made science fiction horror film, let down by a few small elements that don’t allow it the originality that made Island of Terror, so damn good.

WRITTEN BY CALLUM MCKELVIE: If you would like to share YOUR THOUGHTS with CALLUM about the film or the feature you can contact him HERE: spookycallum58@gmail.com 

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 reach all lovers of Peter Cushing's work AND Help Keep The Memory Alive!

CALLUM MCKELVIE: PART ONE OF DOUBLE FEATURE ON SCI FI AND HORROR : ISLANDS OF TERROR AND HEAT!

WHEN ONE THINKS OF PETER CUSHING'S  Science Fiction output, what usually springs to mind? Star Wars and the two Dr Who movies are the most obvious candidates. Aside from that the choices are somewhat limited. Horror Express (1973) and Biggles (1986) contain ostensibly science fiction elements (the monster being an alien in Express and the time travel plot in Biggles) but their feet are firmly rooted in other genres. Scream and Scream Again (1969) is another obvious candidate but sadly it has to be the film in which Cushing is the MOST wasted, barely appearing at all. 

THAT LEAVE JUST The Abominable Snowman (1957) and the films involved in this two-part feature; Island of Terror and Night of the Big Heat. This last pair are not only a sample of Cushing’s relatively small science-fiction output, their also two of famed Hammer Director, Terrence Fisher's four contributions to the genre (along with Four Sided Triangle (1953) and The Earth Dies Screaming (1964).

BOTH FILMS WERE MADE by the short-lived ‘Planet Films’ and share many of the same cast and crew. Both also belong to that curious, somewhat forgotten form of British sci-fi, pioneered by the likes of John Wyndham and Nigel Kneale. Namely, they feature small isolated intrinsically ‘British’ communities menaced by mysterious creatures. Night in particular sees much of its action take place in the local pub, a well-worn trend in British Science-Fiction films. However they’ll be more on that film next week, this time I’m tackling it’s predecessor- Island of Terror.

THE PLOT INVOLVES a cancer research establishment off the coast of Ireland where the locals are turning up dead. With the local Doctor having very little idea as to what is causing the mysterious deaths, enter Dr Brian Stanley (Peter Cushing), Dr David West (Edward Judd) and the wealthy jet-setter Toni Maerill (Carole Gray). The Scientists soon discover that creatures they dub ‘Silicates’ are loose on the island, created accidentally by the experiments. Bone sucking creatures, they multiply at an alarming rate and soon endanger the entirety of the Islands population…

OF COURSE THERE IS ONE MAJOR difference between the two films. Namely Cushing’s role. In Island of Terror, he’s an integral part of the film and one of the three main characters. Not only that but his character is given some genuinely interesting moments, for example a hero loosing his hand (or receiving any other sort of lasting damage) isn’t something we really see in a Cushing film. However, it defiantly works here and manages to ramp the tension up significantly, after all if one of our three leads can have his hand chopped off, why can’t one (or all of them) die? It’s an interesting tactic and Fisher doesn’t shy away from showing the whole thing. The effect might be a little cheesy, but the intent is there and it still works as a shocking moment. 

IN HEAT, CUSHING is given a substantially smaller role and essentially plays a victim- an interesting position to see him in at this point in his career. His character is friendly and affable, but that’s all. Cushing lays on the charm HARD and it certainly works when he reaches his demise, a scene which is easily the highlight of the film and one that is thick with tension throughout. However it’s clear which role is superior and it’s a shame the Planet Films team didn’t consider a direct follow up, re-using the character of Dr Stanley.

 

THE SILICATES THEMSELVES ARE . . . oddly effective. For the first portion of the film Fisher decides, wisely, to keep them off the screen. This builds the feeling of a menace that can be anywhere and strike at any time. Wonderfully, this isn’t just atmosphere for atmosphere’s sake and is actually used to provide genuine shocks (for example the aforementioned sequence involving Cushing's hand) when one appears out of nowhere. 

WHEN THEY ARE EVENTUALLY REVEALED When they are eventually revealed, the design is one that despite it’s cheapness, works wonderfully to compliment the films visual style and has a unique charm about it. One has to give the team credit as well for avoiding the tired cliché of a man in a suit and attempting something that’s a little more unusual, resulting in a striking (if admittedly not always convincing) design. 

THE CREATURE'S SLOWNESS doesn’t make them any less threatening and indeed helps in the slow menace that makes the film so effective. One rather spectacular sequence with the creatures features one on a glass skylight, as it smashes through and drops onto a hapless victim below.
 

ONE TRULY WONDERFUL SEQUENCE, occurs in the films climax (spoilers ahead be warned) in which, trapped with the creatures advancing, Edward Judd prepares to shoot Toni in order to save her from death by silicate. It’s a surprisingly dark moment for a film of this nature, all the more so given the nature of her character and how she came to be on the island. For a character that’s so innocent and outgoing, this fate seems incredibly troubling.

TO SHOOT TERI OR NOT???

INDEED ONE OF the enduring appeals of Island of Terror, is that what starts as an enjoyable 60’s sci-fi adventure- becomes progressively darker. The opening sequences in which we meet our characters, then see them journey to the island are far lighter in the tone, than the latter half of the film. Fisher allows his audience to let their guard down and then strikes when their at their most vulnerable.

ISLAND OF TERROR, really is something of a gem in Cushing’s output and for my money stands as his best Sci-Fi feature alongside The Abominable Snowman. This film may not have the intelligence of that earlier classic, but it has genuinely shocking moments and an atmosphere that oozes dread and menace. The question is, does Night of the Big Heat match it’s predecessor?

 

I’ll be finding out next week, so PLEASE JOIN US!
If you have any comments, suggestions or feedback about this or ANY of my features here at PCAS you can contact me HERE at spookycallum58@gmail.com

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

LATE GEOFFREY BAYLDON INTERVIEW STARTS VINTAGE SERIES!

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: THOSE OF YOU WHO are old enough to remember the BLACK BOX CLUB AUDIO MAGAZINES of the 1980's, will no doubt also remember the great line up of interviews on audio tape and video that made up the series. Many of the guests were actors, directors, make up artists and producers who had worked with Peter Cushing, who were still working, sharp as a tack, and had great stories and anecdotes to share.

Some FORTY interviews were recorded for The Black Box Show over the ten years it was operational. Now all of the interviews, the raw tape, outtakes, jingles, sketches and are in the process of being remixed and digitized. We are shaking off the dust and cobwebs, and re-releasing the shows for a new audience, as well as those who were with us, the first time round!  The FIRST program will include an interview we recorded with the late Geoffrey Bayldon, recorded at his home, way back in 1988. Our second program will feature a UNRELEASED interview with Peter Cushing from 1980. You can also look forward to interviews with, actors Jeremy Brett, Edward Hardwicke, Michael Ripper, Vincent Price, Michael Gough, Ralph Bates, Judy Geeson, John Carradine, David Rintoul, actor-writer Terry Jones, Ingrid Pitt, director Terry Gilliam, Colin Baker, Tom Baker, Sophie Aldred, make up artist Roy Ashton, writers Brian Hayles and Gary Hopkins plus many, many others. The uploading of our first program as a POD CAST and YOUTUBE upload is scheduled for just a few weeks time. So, check out our PCAS sites for news and details!

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.