HORRIBLE DEATH WEDNESDAY 2: WITH CALLUM MCKELVIE

SO TODAY is of course our new theme, ‘Horrible Death Wednesday’, where we highlight some of our favourite dispatches for a multitude of memorable characters in Cushing’s film. It’s a pretty good line-up if I say so myself, featuring one film I’ve regularly mentioned as a personal best, another that featured in my ‘Choicest Cushing’ article and one that I haven’t as of yet praised- but will shortly. 

FIRST UP is the aftermath of the titular creature’s death from ‘Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell’. During the final moments, the creature (having of course been on the rampage) is set upon by the inmates of the asylum and quite literally ripped apart. A particularly gruesome moment, it’s one of a number of gory sequences that feel at odds in what is essentially a throwback film. None the less, it feels right in what is an exceptionally dark film (even for the Hammer Frankenstein series) and a fitting end to one of the more sympathetic creatures in the series.

NEXT UP is a sequence from a film I’ve regularly mentioned to be a personal favourite, though haven’t as of yet written anything substantial on it. Christopher Lee’s death in The Skull has long been one of my favourites and I think it’s down to the very subtle elements of black comedy in the scene. Bar one sequence at the opening, Lee and Cushing only ever appear playing Billiards together, so it’s little surprise when Cushing batters Lee over the head with a ball. Unlike the above sequence, there’s very little on-screen gore but it’s the context that makes this particularly gruesome. Subotsky had a particular flare for introducing gruesome elements into his films, but somehow instructing directors to keep the high levels of violence off screen (the ‘Blind Man’ sequence in Tales from the Crypt springs to mind). This is a prime example. 

FINALLY we have a sequence from The Mummy. The Mummy is full of a number of great death sequences, Daddy Banning’s and Mehemet Bay’s spring to mind, but today’s is the death of Cushing’s uncle played by Raymond Huntley. Huntley is a familiar British character actor and he’s such a friendly and likable character that his death, strangled as Lee’s titular walking cadaver crashes through a door, proves to have something of a resonance to it.

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  . 

CRAZY AS A FOX AND PUSHED TO THE 'MAX' : ASYLUM (1972)

#GRABTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING... Here is the second of our SUNDAY posts under our new theme looking at some of the most frightening scenes from Peter Cushing films.... This week it's a clip from Amicus's Asylum (1972) SPOILERS...… In which Dr. Martin (Robert Powell) learns the truth about 'Max' (Geoffrey Bayldon)…. Always found that laugh particularly chilling…. How DOES THIS scene rate in your FAV CUSHING terror scenes???

THE CLIP ABOVE has stirred up some child-hood memories and revisited nightmares over at our PCASUK FACEBOOK FAN PAGE! Here are a small selections of comments from visitors:

W.SLEET:'The climax of 'Blind Alleys' from TALES FROM THE CRYPT was one of my most vivid childhood scares. Many of the Amicus films scared me more so than any of the Hammer films ever did - the combination of the contemporary setting (as opposed to costumed dramatics), plumby acTORs and gleeful gallows humour can be very unsettling - but, even now, this chilly little tale still makes me shudder!'

J.THORLEY: 'This was especially shocking when I was little, I expected a traditional happy ending. See also the hammer house of horror episode The Silent Scream! Really disturbing'.

J.MORROW: 'That last scene with that creepy laugh chilled me to the bone. Geoffrey Bayldon gave an unforgettable performance' 

P.DUFFUS: 'A classic..great music too...Mussorgsky..the PC story my favourite on this one with the suit..' 

D.FULCE: 'Spent a day with Geoffrey a few years back and told him I thought his laugh was on par with Dwight Frys in ' Dracula ' as most chilling ever !!'

B.MAIDMENT: ' I love this film and can watch it again and again. I cant decide
which story I like the best . Herbert Lom with his scary dolls or could it be Brit Eckland as Lucy. Peter Cushing with the suit but I know Geoffrey Bayldon out shines them all in this film Great acting.

C.CARLEY: Love Geoffrey Bayldon, he was magic as Catweazle and I loved that small role he had in Dracula

MORE CLIPS TO GET YOUR PULSES PUMPING AND FINGERS CUSHION CLUTCHING NEXT SUNDAY! RIGHT HERE!

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#TOOCOOLTUESDAY MORE COSTUMES SCULPTS AND FIGURES OF PETER CUSHING AND MORE

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY NOW HOW SMART AND STYLISH IS THAT? Now imagine turning up to this year's HALLOWEEN BALL in this costume! VERY smart indeed. But then Cushing's costumes were always very classic and romantic. Problem with this costume though is, you would have to be only about 12 inches tall to get into these togs! These are a custom made costume, made to order by the very clever people at geewhizcustoms.com! Can you GUESS which Peter Cushing film this costume appeared in??? I'm sure you can  . . .

 
#TOOCOOLTUESDAY REQUESTED a large colour transparency, a behind the scenes shot of Peter Cushing during the making of #STARWARS at Elstree studios, UK in 1976. Later we'll announce the winners of our latest competition, some more #toocoolstuff and hopefully a VERY interesting piece on Tarkin ..later....

I like this figure from STARACE of CHRISTOPHER LEE from Hammer films, THE SCARS OF DRACULA, I very much like they used our title design and feature banner too as their background...but I wish they had spent a little more maybe, on the likeness of Christopher Lee. The costume looks great, and i don't think i have ever come across a figure of DRACULA that SITS before either! Funny isn't it? Even sitting down, he still looks TERRIFYING!

BUT AS FOR RESIN FIGURES, this beautiful figure set from #JEFFYAGER gets my vote! VERY MUCH A #TOOCOOLTUESDAY thing!

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#MONSTERMONDAY: CHRISTOPHER LEE AS THE MUMMY: KHARIS COMES CALLING!

THIS WEEK'S #MONSTERMONDAY GALLERY COMES AS A REQUEST FROM FOLLOWER WILLIAM STERRY. WILL NOMINATES THIS AS MAYBE HIS FAVOURITE' CUSHING / LEE STAND OFF, ONLY SECOND TO THE CLASSIC 'STAND OFF' IN HAMMER FILMS, ''DRACULA' 

'I REMEMBER WATCHING THE SCENE WHERE KHARIS STORMS THE HOME OF JOHN BANNING PLAY BY PETER CUSHING. THE TENSION, WAITING WITH CUSHING, FOR  THE MUMMY TO APPEAR WAS UNBEARABLE.' SAYS WILLIAM.'

'AS THE MUSIC BUILDS, YOU KNOW HE'S COMING! THE QUESTION IS, HOW IS HE GOING TO GET IN? AND WHEN HE DOES, THAT...COMES AS SUCH A SUPRISE!'

IT'S OUR 60TH ANNIVERSARY PCAS 1956 -2016!

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