#MONSTERMONDAY A MONSTER FROM HELL GIFS AND COLOUR PICS

And so, we start the week with our usual throwing a spotlight on a 'monster, creation, thing!' featured in a film of your choosing. This week's unthinkable, comes with it's reputation stamped firmly on the title of the film, in which it appeared... A Monster from Hell, the poster screamed. The monster, being the latest creation of Peter Cushing's Baron Frankenstein in his last outing as the Baron for Hammer films in 1974. As always, this feature is a request feature and also appears on our interactive thread on our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.. and Tim Johnson, has requested 'The Monster'...with the suggestion that we open this one also for a fair debate!

Tim feels Dave Prowse's role as the unfortunate creature, has been under valued, not given fair credit...so, that sounded good to me. So, I will post some cool pics of Dave as the 'Monster' in this thread, also share this post, as always on the website...and maybe you would like to share YOUR opinion... on this week's MONSTER? 'FEAR FILLED or FLOP?' A Trip to HELL? or A WALK in the Park? Did Dave Prose's MONSTER DO IT for you?

Many ask, 'Why the rubber mask and suit? Had Hammer not leaned from their mistakes with Kiwi Kingston in 'The Evil of Frankenstein'? Make up man, Eddie Knight, was faced with a dilemma. Knight also had make up duties on the previous Hammer / Cushing Frankenstein film, before this one, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed. A problem with full body monsters in limited budget films, is time. Make up artist, Roy Ashton kin his interviews with PCAS always pressed the point, that many make ups could have been so much better had they given him more time. Time to research, prepare and on the actual studio floor during shooting. When it came to shooting Monster From Hell, it was decided to opt for the mask and suit...just like in Evil of Frankenstein...that would take as little time as possible to put on, apply and maintain during the days shooting. It may not have been the best make up, but it was the best solution...

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DONALD FEARNEY'S 'PETER CUSHING: THE MAN WHO CREATED FRANKENSTEIN : TRAILER PROMO

I am very excited to let you see an EXCLUSIVE 'first peep' short promo on all our PCAS internet platforms today, for Donald Fearney's next documentary.  A documentary that, both Fearney and editor Jim Groom are working on and is in production right now! If you have had the opportunity to see Donald's Amicus : Vault of Horror Definitive history documentary dvd, you'll know that this Cushing / Hammer / Frankenstein documentary has the potential to be something very special indeed! 

We can't wait for the complete documentary to be released. Donald has promised us updates and scoops on the progress of the production, and no doubt we will be launching a promotion competition too, when the time comes. Meanwhile, sit back and watch the trailer that John Hough, director of Twins of Evil recently watched and said, 'Tremendous! I want to see the whole thing now!!' ...And so do we John, sooo do we!

PRESS AND WATCH TRAILER : PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY ENTERS IT'S 60TH YEAR : 1956 - 2016

This year the PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY enters it's 60th year. Founded by Gladys Fletcher in 1956 for Peter Cushing fans in the UK, it's presence on the internet and now at several social media sites, now makes it a truly international platform for fans and admirers, of the life and career of the late Peter Cushing. Updated daily with rare photographs, features, prize competitions, news and galleries. Regularly working with leading publications in providing visual materials, validating memorabilia and collectables at auction houses and assisting distributors like Warner Brothers and Hammer films, to give you the best prizes and the fastest news on any dvd and blu ray releases that feature the work of Peter Cushing.

 YOUTUBE VERSION: HERE

Please watch our trailer, it's also available at our youtube site. If you can, share it and help make 2016, our best year ever!

TRAILER HERE

Limited Edition Lobby Cards for the promotion of the release of Hammer films, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell Blu Ray....also incorporating our PCAS

Competition and exclusive interview with Shane Briant!

The Horror Channel has also supported our Peter Cushing promotions in conjunction with the planned releases of a Peter Cushing dvds or blu releases.

We are very proud of our relationship with dvd and blu ray distributors, major and limited releases. Warner Brothers chose the Peter Cushing Appreciation Society as one of only three outlets to sponsor with exclusive copies of their very successful recent release of HORROR CLASSIC, as prizes in our PCAS competition!

So please take a look at our short trailer and join us at our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE, our WEBSITE or follow us on OUR PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY TUMBLR ACCOUNT  or on TWITTER

MONSTER FROM HELL HITS 41ST ANNIVERSARY : LIMITED EDITION LOBBY CARDS COMPETITION

It's forty one years this year, since the US release of Hammer films last Frankenstein film. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell starring Peter Cushing, Shane Briant and Madeline Smith and superb cast of supporting character actors.

 

Before the release of HAMMER FILMS REMASTERED DUO BLU RAY / DVD of FRANKENSTEIN and the MONSTER from HELL in 2014 the Peter Cushing Appreciation Society UK were honoured to be  invited to take part in the pre release promotion campaign. We launched an exclusive competition in conjunction with HAMMER FILMS and THE HORROR CHANNEL and arranged an interview with Peter Cushing's co star, SHANE BRIANT. We arranged that the questions for this interview though, were to be set by the followers of this website and our Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page. 

From the many, many questions that were sent in along with Hammer films, Shane Briant and ourselves, we picked the best SEVEN. These questions and Shane Briant's answered were then released on a LIMITED EDITION of LOBBY CARDS. Published especially for the release of the film. Winners won a set of lobby cards, the lobby card containing the best question was also signed by Shane, the runner up winners as well as making it to the LIMITED LOBBY SET, also won a copy of the Blu Ray DUO DVD release of FRANKENSTEIN and the MONSTER from HELL. 

Presented below are some of the promotional materials, as well as ALL SEVEN of the Limited edition lobby cards and the winning questions.

This wonderfully remastered edition of Peter Cushing's LAST Frankenstein feature is still available to purchase and can be purchased HERE

JOIN US at our Pter Cushing Appreciation Society FACEBOOK FAN PAGE 

Updated Daily : Competitions : Features: Rare Stills and News HERE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU: SHANE BRIANT

Please join us in wishing SHANE BRIANT a very Happy Birthday Today! Shane's Cushing connection is of course his role as the young Dr. Simon Helder in Hammer film's, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974), with Peter Cushing, Madleine Smith and Dave Prowse. Cushing's last Frankenstein and director Terence Fishers last film, he also appeared in several other Hammer films Straight On Til Morning, Demons Of The Mind, and Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter.

Shane has been keeping busy recently filming in Indonesia for the tv series 'Serangoon Road' and 'Gallipoli'... plus there are his books, for which he has won much acclaim. He writes a good horror! Worth looking them up. Shane played one of Cushing's more interesting assistants in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell... not afraid to get his hands bloody! and had some very good scenes with Cushing...and I think, he helped the Frankenstein series go out with a lot of dignity! Happy Birthday, Shane!

 

MAID IN ENGLAND: MADELINE SMITH GALLERY

Hammer films 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell' is celebrating it's 40th anniversary this year since it's release in the US and we'll be marking that in style next month. The last of the Hammer / Cushing / Frankenstein series starring Peter Cushing, Shane Briant and.... Madeline Smith.

Madeline Smith was born on 2nd August 1949. She worked as a model in the 1960s, and appeared in many television series, Hammer horror and comedy films from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. Smith was born in Hartfield, Sussex. Her father owned an antiques shop near Kew Gardens, while she had a temporary job working at Biba's boutique, a fashion house in Kensington High Street, London. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Smith was frequently the subject of cartoons by J Edward Oliver, which made constant admiring reference to her disproportionately large bust. Smith first worked for Hammer films in Taste the Blood of Dracula (1969) as an East End prostitute, a non-speaking role. In 1973 she played the Bond girl Miss Caruso in the post-titles sequence of Live and Let Die, the first James Bond film starring Roger Moore, and The Angel Sarah, in Hammer Films  'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell  with Peter Cushing and Shane Briant in 1973.

Her television credits include Doctor at Large (1971), The Two Ronnies (appearance in the serial "Hampton Wick" 1971), Clochemerle (1972), His and Hers (1970) with Tim Brooke-Taylor, Casanova '73 (1973) with Leslie Phillips, and The Steam Video Company (1984). She was a member of the regular cast for the BBC2 series The End of the Pier Show (1974) and In The Looking Glass (1978), along with John Wells, John Fortune and Carl Davis. Smith made her last film, Eric Morecambe's final work, The Passionate Pilgrim with Tom Baker, in 1984.

MONSTER FROM HELL AND HAMMER HORROR SHOCK BOX SET WINNERS

We love to offer you great prizes in our competitions. We love it when you win. We love it even more when you message us to tell us how please you are with your prizes! Here are two pics and messages from recent PCASUK Competition I received this morning, that I thought you'd like to see...

JOHN COOPER (top pic) John was one of two winners of our PCASUK Halloween Competition..who bagged Shock Entertainment's 13 blu ray box set of Hammer Film Classics! Here's what he says, 'HAMMER TIME. A big thank you to Marcus and Shock Entertainment for this fantastic prize. Anyone who does not have these as individual titles should buy this as it is beautifully put together. You can just see behind my model of Cushing and Lee fighting to the death over who gets to watch the films with me !'

BENJAMIN ROSTANCE was first prize winner of our 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell' competition which we launched with the help of Hammer films, The Horror Channel and Fetch Publicity. Ben won an exclusive set of lobby cards personally signed to him from co star SHANE BRIANT and a copy of the Hammer film blu ray, starring Peter Cushing, Shane Briant and Madeline Smith.. Here's what Ben said this morning: ' MY PRIZES! THEY HAVE ARRIVED!!!!!! And they are AWESOME! Haha! I'm super chuffed with these lobby cards! Now I need to get some cool frames and have these on display amongst my film collection! THANK YOU!!!'

YOU TOO can be a winner! There is just over THREE HOURS to go before our 'ISLAND OF TERROR' competition closes. There are TWO copies of Odeon Entertainment's superb blu ray release up as prizes. So, get your entry in now! Good Luck!

UPDATE : OUR COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

SIX COPIES OF RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE: 'MONSTER FROM HELL' COVER AND FEATURE ISSUE TO BE WON!

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED: WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS AT 10PM TODAY.

Here's your chance to win one of the SIX copies of the 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell' cover and feature edition of RUE MORGUE magazine!

It's easy to enter our competitions and they are open to anyone, wherever in the world you may be! You just EMAIL YOUR ANSWER TO US AT THEBLACKBOXCLUB@GMAIL.COM. Couldn't be easier!

COMPETITION QUESTION:
During the duration of the shooting of #hammerfilms 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell' at Elstree studios in 1972, WHICH LONDON HOTEL did Peter Cushing stay at? 

(Chose ONE of the following options)

A) The Dorchester Hotel 

B) The Conaught Hotel 

D) Brown's Hotel

E) Lord Jim's Hotel 

F) The Grosvenor Hotel 

G)  The Langham Hotel

All you have to do is answer the question ABOVE and send us your answer by EMAIL, as described above.

The competition closes TOMORROW 9PM GMT. Winners names will be drawn and announced ONE HOUR LATER AT 10PM GMT AND POSTED HERE. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

REMEMBER: THERE IS AN EXCLUSIVE PETER CUSHING CELEBRATION THIS WEEK and We'll be marking it with a superb COMPETITION DURING THIS WEEK. So, keep checking the page for details!

MONSTER FROM HELL: CUSHING FRANKENSTEIN SWAN SONG: UK BLU RAY REVIEW

Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974) The gloriously gory swansong for Hammer’s Gothic horror series gets an uncut Blu-ray release His brain came from a genius. His body came from a killer. His soul came from Hell. Convicted of bodysnatching, Dr Simon Helder (Shane Briant) is sentenced to an insane asylum. On arrival, he recognises the resident surgeon as the infamous Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing), who has been hiding out there under the guise of Dr Carl Victor.

 

He also discovers that Frankenstein has been assembling a new creature using the body of an insane murderer (David Prowse), the brain of a musical and mathematical genius (Charles Lloyd Pack) and the hands of a sculptor (Bernard Lee). Unable to operate himself due to his hands having been burnt, Frankenstein has been relying on his mute assistant Sarah (Madeline Smith) to stitch the body parts together. Now he turns to Helder for help. The operation is a success, but the creature (Prowse) is torn between the conflicting aspects of itself – an intelligent, artistic person imprisoned in the body of a murderous hulk. Escaping from its cell, the creature then sets out to hunt down those who abused him – starting with the asylum’s corrupt director (John Stratton)… 

Filmed in September 1972, but not released until May 1974, this was the last of Hammer’s long-running series of Frankenstein films that had started with 1957’s The Curse of Frankenstein, and was 68-year-old director Terence Fisher’s final feature film. Fans and critics also consider it to be a gloriously gory swan song to the studios gothic era.

 

With the drama taking place entirely within the claustrophobic clinical confines of the asylum, this is the most downbeat of all the films in the series, and there’s a real sense that the end is nigh (the drab sets and laughable model used for the exterior shots emphasis this), but Fisher goes out on a high with a truly perverse idea (this time round Frankenstein is building his new creature only to mate with his mute assistant) and imbues his twisted tale with lashings of gore, including disembodied eyeballs, graphic transplants and stitching of limbs, and bloody body parts being flung about (when the lunatics take over the asylum).

Peter Cushing also gives his mad Baron (which he had played five times before) a suitably chilling send off. Now totally detached from the outside world, Frankenstein repeats his experiments almost out of habit than conviction. But it is Cushing’s conviction in the role that is the real draw here. No matter how depraved the premise or silly the wig he wears (which he said made him look like Helen Hayes), he gives his mad monster maker pathos and believability. Even when he’s using his teeth to hold an artery, which could have come off as comic relief, he makes it look like he’s man obsessed. Famously, Cushing and Prowse (who had also played the creature in Hammer’s 1970 spoof The Horror of Frankenstein) would re-unite four years later, playing two of the most iconic villains in the cinematic galaxy Grand Moff Tarkin and Darth Vader in Star Wars.

 

As a Hammer horror fan, I relish each new restoration from the studios horror archives. But the best thing is that these Blu-ray releases are also giving new audiences the opportunity to appreciate the class and care that went into these films. Plus, you can catch Cushing doing what he does best, making us believe in the unbelievable.

THE UK RELEASE
Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell is out on Blu-ray/DVD Double Play from 28 April 2014 in the UK from Icon Home Entertainment.

THE EXTRAS
• Taking of the Asylum: The Making of Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell featurette with contributing from Denis Meikle, Jonathan Rigby, David Miller, Shane Briant, Philip Voss, Janet Hargreaves, Madeline Smith and David Prowse.
• Charming Evil: Terence Fisher at Hammer featurette, with Mikey Harding (Fisher’s daughter) and Sue Cowie (Hammer convention organiser).
• Animated stills gallery.

Peter Fuller's Blog: HERE