AND FROM SHERLOCK HOLMES TOO! RARE BBC SHERLOCK VINTAGE AUTOGRAPHS!

#PETERCUSHING #AUTOGRAPHS : The 'going rate' for Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee autographs has always been quite heathy, for those who trade in such memorabilia. After BOTH Cushing's and Lee's passing, as one would expect, the value of their signed notes and 'best wishes' certainly went UP in value. For the past 20 years a signed photograph of Cushing has remained steady, with prices from £150 to £250. Many would include, after the passing of his wife, Helen in 1971 to include the sentiment of 'May God's Blessing Be With You Always, In All Sincerity,  Peter Cushing' That's NOT Force but God's Blessing' 😉 IF the signature also included a dedication of, for example 'To Fred' or 'To Aunty Mary', it would carry a value of  LESS than a autograph WITHOUT a dedication! All autographs, without the 'May God's Blessing' inscription, pre-1971 always carry more value, even if the autograph is JUST his signature, on a piece of paper or a photograph!

THE AUTOGRAPH that most are seeking these days of course is Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin from 'Star Wars' ... most desirable, with a dedication. These have sold for between £2,500 and £3,000.. again, in all these 'market-places' something is only worth, what I guess what they WILL actually pay for it.. unless either person sadly gets duped..and there are many, like THIS example of a .... FAKE!

ABOVE ANOTHER SHADY FAKE!... If you have a Peter Cushing autograph, enjoy it, look after it and keep it safe 😉A Tale of Caution : A few years ago, a very dedicated Hammer film and Cushing fan got in touch wanting some advice, on what I thought MAYBE the value of his EIGHT signed photographs of Peter Cushing... 'Well, I am no expert but I can take a look' says I 😊 So, I asked him how did he come across them, 'I bought them years ago from collectors!' he said. 'Are they in good condition' I asked. 'Oh yes...!' said he, 'I will take a photograph of them all now, laid out on the table, for you too see them' he replied. After twenty minutes, an email arrived of a grand display of all eight colour 10x8 photographs, laid out and all catching the light, from the living room window, upon their... plastic lamented SEALED covering!!! Eight colour photographs : Signed amazing! Sealed in plastic, every one of them : worthless.... 😮☹️😖 😢- Marcus

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#ROGUEONE TRENDS ON TWITTER!

#VERYHAPPY to see 'Rogue One : A Star Wars Story' trending on Twitter today 😲I can't help thinking that Peter Cushing would have very much loved the film too. Personally, I think #ROGUEONE  is THE most beautiful cinematic #StarWars film of the whole series!

 

The #Sideshowtoys figure of #PeterCushing as Grand Moff Tarkin 'Star Wars' (1977) Quite an impressive figure. Apparently, #ForbiddenPlanet in Shaftesbury Avenue, #London has one in their figure display cabinet opposite the checkouts!

 

 

QUOTES OF VALUE : CUSHING AND LEE : RARE DARTH AND TARKIN PHOTOGRAPH

A RARE SHOT and pose of #PeterCushing and #DaveProwse in #STARWARS ..that you won't see in the film, this was taken by the production stills photographer. What a terrifying duo!

PETER CUSHING'S  Golden Rule . . . Over at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page we are asking if our friends and followers have one too?

 . . . AND SO AFTER PETER CUSHING'S ADVICE  . .  #ChristopherLee's. . .

IF YOU HAVE MISSED IT . .  there are still a few days to get YOUR answer in at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page 😊 Good Luck and .. have fun! - Marcus 

WHAT MAKES A GREAT SHERLOCK HOLMES : VINTAGE TRAILER : NAME THE MUSCLE MAN!

TWO FILMS and 16 Television Episodes! Over at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page, I have asked : What Do You Think, Made Peter Cushing such a popular Sherlock Holmes? From 1959 and the Hammer film adaption of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' the role of probably the world's most famous detective 'Sherlock Holmes', became quite permanently welded to Peter Cushing as one of his most entertaining roles... from a filmography containing over 90 motion pictures! From the many actors who portrayed Holmes, what was it in Cushing's performances that made him so popular?? . . . And as you wouks expect, there are some interesting theories and strong opinions... HERE!

A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940) was the penultimate Laurel and Hardy film made at the Hal Roach studios. Stan Laurel played Stan / Lord Paddington, Oliver Hardy is Ollie! The film is of particular note to us, because Peter Cushing also featured in the cast.
 

#STANLAUREL was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson on the 16th June 1890, at 3, Argyle Street, Ulverston, Cumbria, England. He travelled to the US with the Karno trope, and after a long period eventually Laurel signed with the Hal Roach studio, so did Oliver Hardy, who was a member of the Hal Roach Studios Comedy All Star players...and the rest is history! If I were to pick anyone from this era of cinema history, Stan and Olly get my vote every time.

IF YOU HAVE NOT seen A Chump At Oxford, I highly recommend it, I have added the the theatrical trailer above! It's not just for an opportunity to see a young Peter Cushing at work, but also the joy of watching the skill and talent of the two 'boys'. It never got better. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Stan, you still remain head and shoulders above the rest!

#RichardBurton and Claire Bloom's 1956 production of 'Alexander the Great' might have been seen as 'not so great' at the box office, but #PeterCushing turned in a very good performance, even with such a damp squid of a script.. it also gave us a fabulous colour image like this this one, just months before Cushing's career would take such a dramatic turn!

ABOVE : HERE IS A GOOD FRIEND friend to Peter Cushing, who played more than one villain alongside him.. a STRONG character too! Over at the Facebook Fan Page, I have posted this and  asked if you name him and the two films in which he appeared with Peter Cushing? It's funny how some have complained that the question is too easy, while quite few.. are miles off and have ID the guy, incorrectly! 😀😉  

SIR CHRISTOPHER LEE REMEMBERED TODAY : FIVE YEARS ON . . .

SIR #CHRISTOPHERLEE remembered today. It is five years since the passing of Christopher Lee... but his huge legacy of work and life, reminds us all here very often, of how lucky we all were to have had such an impressive and talent individual with us then . . and who still continues to entertain and influence so many even today!

BACK IN 2015 when Christopher Lee passed, Bryan Adams posted this comment about his time with Lee, during their photo session :

 

'Singer Bryan Adams has paid tribute to veteran actor Sir Christopher Lee, who died aged 93 on Sunday. The Canadian rocker met Lee - famous for his chilling portrayals of screen villains from Dracula to the wizard Saruman in Lord of the Rings - when he took photographs of him for a book.The pair hit it off and Adams told how the actor used to leave funny phone messages for him.

"One I can sort of recall was sort of like...'Hello Bryan, I see you cut a swathe through Paris. Many people have called me to say they have seen you in various states of debauchery, and quite right too'... It was brilliant," he said.

Adams added Sir Christopher Lee was a "great character" who would be "greatly missed".

Back last year, I was sent a photograph of Christopher Lee, which I thought was really something! I loved the pose, the lighting and the attitude that the photographer had managed to get from Lee . . Little did I know that, the photograph was one of a collection of portraits in 2018 at exhibition called 'EXPOSE', by none other than singer Bryan Adams! His exhibition contains many really interesting portraits from Sir Ben Kingsley, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson, Louise Bourgeois, Lindsay Lohan and Dame Judi Dench. . . an impressive list, which also included 'Her Majesty The Queen', no less! I still think this is one of my most favourite portraits of Christopher Lee . . Lee would have loved the position of his frame in the gallery too 😉😊 - Marcus Brooks 

AS YOU HAVE no doubt spotted, I try to share something related to his work with Peter often, plus we do have a Christopher Lee theme EVERY Saturday here too!

RECENTLY FOUND interviews, clips and banner features...these posts, thanks to you are always well received and supported. I always take time to read the many comments and text messages from followers and members, who still miss his him and regularly watch his many many roles on TV and film!

ABOVE : OUR RECENT PCASUK FEATURE on the CONTENTS of THREE personal SCRAPBOOKS that belonged to #CHRISTOPHERLEE : CLICK HERE! 



AND IT IS HIS WORK, a great deal of it, that he would probably be most proud of and I think, want to be remembered for.. We can always enjoy that . . . in memory of one of the greatest!

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KINO STUDIO CLASSIC BLU RAY : 'ARABIAN ADVENTURE' : FIRST TIME ON BLU RAY!

IT'S LAMP RUBBING : CARPETS FLYING : GENIES THREATENING AND VILLAINS PLOTTING WITH A CAST THAT'S MAGIC IN OL' DOWN-TOWN BAGDAD-VILLE ! 

Kino Lorber Studio Classics has just rolled out the global debut on Blu-ray of the 1979 movie, 'Arabian Adventure' : this film was previously only available in the U.K. as a dire DVD video transfer released in 2007. Kino Lorber's new blu-ray, licensed from Studio Canal, is good news and especially welcomed by collectors of the genre and Cushing / Lee fans alike. With FOUR MILLION budget, that was never going to stretch to the needs, Alan Hume's cinematography is never less than beautiful to look at, as you would expect!

VISUALLY MANY OF THE SCENES look great, very colourful, bright and quite new, even though the advance and progress in cinema visual effects does date some of what may have already been 'from another era' even at the time of its release, you aren't fooled by what you see. Special effects chief, George Gibbs, gives you a lot to look at and knows the market had changed, but cuts the cloth with what he has. Back in the day of Saturday family and kids matinees, that really didn't matter. 'There is something of a charm to watching some effects here that really do go back to the art of silent movies, smoke mirrors, forced perspectives and strings!' You don't feel cheated, you get the feeling of 'you along with the characters, are along for the ride, on those magic carpets and all' 😉😊 

PRODUCTION DESIGNER, Elliot Scott dressers the film beautifully and uses lots of tricks and techniques he would later go on to use in classics like 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' (1988), Labyrinth (1986) and two of the Indiana movies, 'Tempe of Doom' and 'Last Crusade' (84 and 89), but with more than the share he got from this four million budget. It is perhaps worth mentioning and keeping in mind that much like Connor's Amicus film 'At The Earth's Core' and some of his 'Edgar Rice Burroughs' films, 'The Land That Time Forgot' (1975) 'The People That Time Forgot' (1977)... THIS is for the KIDS and there is much in the style and look of this film that reminds one of 'Jabberwocky' (1977) and 'The Adventures of Baron Munchausen' (1988)... but made with pennies rather than mega-bucks!  

EVEN THOUGH this was post 1977 'Star Wars', it was I am sure, when produced neither chasing that newly hatched sci-fi audience or hoping to compete. Maybe the producers should have told the publicity and press office that point though . .

VISUALLY:
THE WHOLE FILM  has been opened up to 1.78:1 from its native 1.85:1. Many of the street scenes and in the market really do shine, so much so there is a little sign of bits and dots in the motion, but not distracting. Scenes shot in a semi light in caves and at night, fare much better, as the texture and grain of the visuals can be a little different scene to scene. As I mentioned about this film using traditional cinematic visual effects, the use of matts. Very much like the blu rays of Cushing's 'Dr Who and the Daleks' (1965) and sequel 'Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 AD' strings are visible and matts that would have passed in the theatrical release don't hold out in their blending with live footage, once cleaned and presented on what can be at times a double edge and 'reveal all' of blu ray presentation.

AUDIO:

Kino supplies a DTS-HD Master Audio Dual Mono (1557 kbps, 16-bit) as THE sound track, without frills. The pitch levels do vary from one scene to another. If you too are a headphone wearer, you will notice. Mixing seems to have been a problem, any scene with dialogue and background crowds, sees that dialogue buried. Composer Ken Thorne's quite fab score is a great accompaniment to the action scenes, and while it's there everything sounds impressive.

• A NEW Audio Commentary by Director Kevin Connor, Moderated by Screenwriter and Novelist C. Courtney Joyner - If there is one thing you can say about director's Kevin Connor's pride in this film, is his comments on the design and look of the film. I get the feeling that Joyner maybe hasn't sat and watched the film in sometime. Many of his questions, give Connor little to work with in his answers, which is a real shame. For an 82 year old Connor is still very sharp, but the questions sometimes leaves him sounding as if he doesn't know the answer or can't remember! Experience should have told Joyner, you need to prompt and connect with your subject, it's been a LONG time!
• Theatrical Trailer (2:54, 480i) - Not restored, but a window-boxed and slightly cropped original trailer for EMI's Arabian Adventure.

SO TO SUM UP:
IF YOU SAW THIS FILM  when it was first released, like all of Connor's similar films, it can only bring back memories of simpler times. It should also bring with it some warm smiles when cast members like Christopher Lee, Milo O'Shea, Milton Reid and Peter Cushing appear. Emma Samms and Oliver Tobias
are a good match and a young and talented Puneet Sira, is very entertaining and unknowingly well set for his future as a major Bollywood director in the years to come. 

MICKEY ROONEY still stands as a bit of surprise casting! As a family adventure film, this one has ALL the ingredients, severed up as the complete package of a great and sparky adventure tale, produced ten years before this one was made. Now decades later, there is no shame in that. This is an above average transfer, even if in it's audio it would have benefited a little more care. A negative mind you, that will go quite unnoticed by the majority of those who have come along for the ride... on a carpet of course!

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU : WEBBED TOES : HOT TOYS : BLOPPERS : CGI : IT'S BEEN A BUSY TARKIN YEAR! . .

#MAYTHEFOURTH BE WITH YOU!

JUST A FEW OF THE POST FROM THE LAST FEW MONTHS THEMED BY 

PETER CUSHING  AND THE ROLE OF TARKIN!

ABOVE:  WE COULDN'T LET TODAY go by without seeing this one more time! SEE IT HERE!

AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW with actor GUY HENRY who played Tarkin in the film 'ROGUE ONE' his methods on playing the role and the technical expertise behind creating TARKIN for the film : RIGHT HERE!

AND FINALLY.. my appalling post and banner for APRIL FOOL'S DAY this year. Surprisingly, it DID actually net a few 😃😊😉 HAVE GREAT MAY FOURTH!