#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING: HAMMER FILMS: THE DEATH OF DRACULA

#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING : One day, in another life, wearing another hat, I was in London, on the Thames embankment, yes the one where we see Cushing's Van Helsing pause for taking a breath in Dracula AD 1972. I was taking a large group of my students, on a field trip visit to MOMI, the Museum of the Moving Image. This was my first trip there. But, I had been told by many others, that it would be very worth-while and full of useful resources to film students. PLUS, some close friends who knew me and my hobbies very well, hinted that somewhere inside, was a little 'something', that I would really appreciate! How could resist? After getting 30 students through the box office, producing mutiple-prebooked tickets, each student was dispatched with worksheets and tasks, to keep the 'little darlings' busy for the best part of an afternoon, leaving me free to wander my way through the exhibits, interactions and displays. It was a vast building, and the museum was split into each 'Cinema Through A Decade' at a time. You walked into each decade area, through the door of a facade of a cinema of that era. In the early 1900's exhibit, you entered through a large opening in a tent, that represented, the traveling cinemas of the time.

I MADE MY WAY INTO the early 'glasshouse studios' of France, and the hand cranked cameras of the 1920's, until I walked through the box office and frontage of a London cinema of the 1930's. After twenty minutes, I came upon the 'something' my friends, had hinted about. Inside a glass case, was the actual Boris Karloff, lighting double dummy. Now looking a little tatty, but the genuine article. It was an impressive thing to see. I thought about my friends, and how they would have come upon it, when they visited, and how they probably all gave each other 'the nod', and chorused, 'Wow, you know who would like this! Ha!'. And, I did. It was certainly worth the price of the admission alone. I stood looking at it, for about twenty minutes, and made my way through the 1940's section. It was then I heard music in the distance. Faintly, just above the clashing voices, narrations and music from the other exhibits. It was a snare drum, and strings... 'diddle, diddle, dum. Diddle, diddle dum, ..dum..dum, dum, dum, dum, dum, DAH, DAH...!  I knew that rhythm! But, it couldn't be? I turned on my heals and rushed across the hallway, towards a corner ahead, around where, I thought that music was coming from. I turned the corner, and stopped in my tracks! Before me, I saw the huge facade of an Odeon 1950's cinema building, and outside the doors stood a very smart conseiage, above him and above the huge ODEON sign, a cinema screen, and on it . . . .

THE LAST THREE MINUTES OF HAMMER FILMS 1959, DRACULA! At that time, like many, I had seen the scene unfold hundreds of times on my TV, but NEVER had I seen it, on a cinema screen! I stood, peering up at the screen. Cushing running down the large refractory table, jumping at the curtains, Christopher Lee's scream and gasp of horror..and my gulp of emotion. I am not ashamed to admit it, I was profoundly moved. For me, it's probably the most iconic of all the scenes, from any and all the Hammer films. As a ten year old, I listened to it's soundtrack, on my battered reel to reel tape recorder, which was given to me by my uncle, because I wouldn't let up nagging him, until he gave it to me! Then, I transferred that recording onto an audio cassette. This was before the age of video, so a selection of images from the scene in a US magazine, would be poured over, while listening to the cassette! Then, VHS. 

DRACULA'S TUMBLE-WEED OF DEAD HAIR, drifted across the marble floor, as I looked to my right and left, I was surprised to see, a small crowd had gathered around me, all quietly watching the scene too. The titles were now moving up the screen. I sighed, and still looking up at the screen, took two steps back, before turning and almost colliding with a tall, thin face man, who had also been watching the scene up there too. 'Good, wasn't it?' he said smiling. Startled, I stepped back, catching my balance, I looked up one more time at the screen. 'Yes!' I said. 'It was VERY good' I watched the picture fade to black. 'Are you are a fan? A fan of.. Peter Cushing?' I turned to catch his answer. But he was gone! 

'Van Helsing pursues Dracula through the castle, accompanied by James Bernard's insistent chase theme. Dracula catches Van Helsing and tries to throttle him, Van Helsing tricks Dracula by playing dead. Then, in the nick of time, he leaps up. The vampire and the vampire hunter stand off like tigers. Then Van Helsing makes his final move. . . .

'As Dracula decays, Van Helsing's haunted expression conveys a mixture of exhaustion, revulsion, sadness and relief. Cushing later explained his own feelings about that shot : 'I was reading a review of the film, from a critic who said, '...at the end of Dracula, there is a look of sadness on Van Helsing's face. He has suddenly achieved his life's quest, and now what is he going to do? I can tell you that I didn't have that in my mind at all, when we were shooting the film. I stood there and run my hand through my hair and look down out of exhaustion. But the critic was absolutely right. Something in me was communicating that to the audience, and the audience fills in the rest!' 

 

 

PLEASE JOIN US AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE : 

UPDATED EVERY DAY: CLICK HERE

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: DE SADE, WANDERING HANDS AND ALTER EGOS

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: Here's are this week's selection of requested GIFS, sent in by you the followers and friends of the PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

THERE IS ALWAYS a good reaction to any posts we make that centre around the theme of Peter Cushing's 1965 Amicus film, THE SKULL. A tight and suspenseful drama, that poses a different kind of threat, namely the 200 year old skull of the Marquis de Sade, a French aristocrat, philosopher and writer of explicit sexual works, who was born in Paris in 1740! But, for Amicus films purposes, the naughty works and business is left for another day!   Again, producer Milton Subotsky came up with another excellent cast with which to furnish his latest horror on a budget flick. Lead Peter Cushing is supported not only by Christopher Lee, but also Patrick Wymark, Nigel Green, Michael Gough, Patrick Magee, Peter Woodthorpe and Jill Bennett. Actors who had been tried out by Amicus in previous outings, and had passed mustard in some Hammer films too. The film uses quick, basic and workable effects, via some strings, wires and some clever editing. Director Freddie Francis using his 'through-the eye sockets pov for the first time here.  A good example is the shot in the GIF above. Peter Cushing would have to be a tad-dab-hand with a dagger, to hit that eye socket the first, second ..even maybe fourth take, if he was lucky. However, placing the hand on the dagger handle, the blade in the eye socket, then pulling the dagger OUT, and cranking the motion BACKWARDS in post, would get you a hit every time! And, just like the movie itself, a HIT . . no matter how many times I have watched it! KEY MOMENTS: Cushing possessed by The Skull tries to commit murder. The nightmare abduction of Cushing and his on-the-edge-of-your-seat trial!

REQUESTED BY A. RANDELL

 

 

'AND NOW, THE SCREAMING STARTS' was Amicus films one and only step into the territory usually inhabited by Hammer films. Spooky castles, creepy graveyards, frilly cuffs and cloaks. Gothic ghost stories, was maybe something they tried, as a scene in a short story in their familiar portmanteau films, but as a full length movie, 'AND NOW, THE SCREAMING STARTS (1973)' was the only full length feature, and the result was patchy. Shot under the production title of 'Fengriffen', the name of the novel by David Case, Roger Marshall wrote a screenplay that at times manages to be, predictable, yet confusing and contrived. However, the cast are entertaining as, Cushing, Ian Ogilvy, Herbert Lom, Patrick Magee and Stephanie Beacham all go through the 'ghost story-by numbers' for what feels like forever. 'And Now . . ' also marks the debut of Peter Cushing's  wavey full head wig! In interviews Cushing compared his 'full mopped' appearance to that of actress Helen Hayes!. However, research has shown, it was Cushing himself who requested the wig and would go on to wear it in Hammer films, 'Frankenstein And The Monster from Hell' and as Count Gerard De Merret in LA GRANDE BRETECHE, an episode of Anglia Television's popular series 'Orson Welles Great Mysteries' in 1973. Fans hated the mop then, as they do now!

Probably the best scene in 'And Now . . . ' can be seen here, in our requested GIF. Desecrated tombs, smashed skeletal remains, a raving madman and face off with an axe, all played out in a lashing storm in a family cemetery, makes for high drama, as Cushing's Dr Pope tries to reason with a not too happy Ian Ogilvy. It's certainly worth a watch, for Cushing's Dr Pope. Although he doesn't get a whole lot to do, the film noticeably lifts, when he arrives and gives the story a high five...and no, I am not referring to the wandering severed hand, that pops up and clumps around either. Yes, the Amicus's clock-work, five fingered fiend makes an other appearance! Having already built up a following after it's debut in ''DR TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS' IN 1965, it turns up in Amicus future features  'SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN' and 'ASYLUM'

GIF REQUESTED BY K.BARNES

 

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDENESDAY: It's interesting that of all the requests we've received for GIFS since last week, and have shared over the last seven days on the PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE  , just under half were from the films that Peter Cushing made for Amicus films. Evidence that maybe Subotsky's and Rosenberg's efforts are getting their fair share of the recognition and a slice of the appreciation pie at last? However, no matter how that tide may turn, like Hammer films, Amicus also had their fair share of misfires. 'I.MONSTER' is not a failure by any standards. The short fall that can be seen and felt in the film, is the product of 'management mangling'. It's a film that frustratingly sits, through no fault of it's director and cast, somewhere between classic and clunky. Destructive meddling and tampering on a fools errand, with the laughable idea, of what was considered by it's producer, to be a cheap way of making a film, in 3D, caused much damage. The film that was ultimately released contained several scenes and shots that were filmed to accommodate that notion. Tracking camera shots from behind plants, obstructing test-tubes and pillars, to say nothing of 'objects being thrust' at the camera, that makes I, MONSTER at times, a very odd watch.

Stylish direction from a very young Stephen Weeks holds the story firmly together, and it's a version that many of the Jekyll and Hyde purists, seems to like*. Performances from Cushing and Lee are very good indeed. Lee owns his Mr Blake. Again, Cushing doesn't have a lot to do in the way of anything dynamic, but it's not that kind of role or film. And though the ending maybe quick, it's a good one, even though time constraints may have been the reason behind the obvious doubling of Lee's stand in, Eddie Powell, getting more than his fair share of the accidental close ups. The supporting cast does well, even with the weird appearance, of Radio DJ Mike Raven strolling through a late 1800's drawing room in full Victorian get-up! All play well and, look great.... the film indeed, DOES have a wonderful air and look of authenticity. Pinewood studio's still standing streets sets, from their mega budget musical 'OLIVER', do much to make the film look far more expensive than it really is. Sets were never Amicus's 'thing'. Many of their films were hurriedly shot at Shepperton and Pinewood, on the sets left behind from other productions, just DAYS before they would be struck or demolished.  For me personally, the problem is the score. A dreary string sawing quartet, pinches out the thinnest of tinny, depressing and mawkish sounds. When taking my annual viewing of this film, I SKIP the opening title roll, or I'd be 'hanging' from the rafters, by the last credit!

GIF REQUESTED BY PAULINE TANKERTON

* Producer Milton Subotsky, decided to rename the lead characters of this Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson  classic, Dr Marlowe and Mr Blake. It has been claimed that he changed the names on learning that Hammer films were  shooting their own variation on the theme, with Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde . When I interviewed Milton Subotsky for the camera in 1982, and asked him to explain his choice of changing names. Milton confidently told me, 'I thought it would be a fun thing to do!..I wanted to add, 'Like making a film in 3D???' but opted to keep my trap, shut tight!

 

WE ARE HERE ON FACEBOOK FAN PAGES