JOAN COLLINS DISCOVERS SANTA HAS ARRIVED !

#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING: This week's classic clip is from 'And All Through the House' segment from Amicus's Tales From The Crypt (1972)

After Joanne Clayton (Joan Collins) kills her husband (Martin Boddey) on Christmas Eve, she prepares to hide his body but hears a radio announcement stating that a homicidal maniac (Oliver MacGreevy) is on the loose. She sees the killer (who is dressed in a Santa Claus costume) outside her house but cannot call the police without exposing her own crimes.

A WONDERFULLY SUSPENSEFUL story with Joan Collins really going all out with her performance and stylishly directed by Freddie Francis. The story was remade in 1989 as an episode of the TV series Tales From The Crypt (1988-96) directed by Robert Zemeckis.

How do you think the two versions compare?

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FIGURES WE LIKE VERY MUCH : FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING PART TWO

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: OK so, I am posting this on a #THURSDAY in our #THROWBACK spot, because this features serves as a SECOND look at models and figures of Peter Cushing. Some are self assemble kits, some are bespoke commissioned pieces and some are tableau's, depicting something in connection with Cushing. So, the strap says, 'That we Like Very Much'. You might ask yourself, well what's the criteria here? Is it points for likeness of Cushing The accuracy of the face, the costumes, the setting? Well, not necessarily. If it LOOKS like Cushing, that helps, but over the years I have seen some great 'HEADS', but the costume looks like a cross-between a sleeping bag and a fat suit! So, we are looking for, a good job. Attention to detail, and I don't mean that the figure has the right number of eyes, that are BOTH looking in ONE direction! If the figure is depicting Cushing as Tarkin from #STARWARS, then the correct colour of the uniform, the style and cut of the cloth, if it's a solid resin figure, that the figure have a 'life' about it, not a 'solid lump of dead resin look'. Paint jobs are well done . . .  basically, something I would be happy to give pride-of place on my study shelf, and part with my hard earned lolly for too. Some of these figures cost . . . !

THE BRIDES OF DRACULA TABLEAU

THIS CHARMING three figure piece above from #thebridesofdracula, has some handsome figures of Peter Cushing, David Peel and Andre Melly. I love the bits and pieces in miniature, the flagon, the bucket. Even Van Helsing's holy water flask on the ground, is very nicely done.

THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN TABLEAU

 

 

 

This a pretty neat tableau featuring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee from THAT shot in their frits Hammer films together, 'The Curse of Frankenstein' (1957) This I believe is a two figure set, but the lab, the flasks, jars and bottles with suspect contents, were all made later by the person who owns the figures and also did the paint jobs! This #Curseoffrankenstein also made part of a #TOOCOOLTUESDAY post we made earlier this year, along with the Christopher Lee #SCRAOFDRACULA figure below. . .

THIS PETER CUSHING bust by Paul Fay, looks very noble and has caught a great likeness too!

PETER CUSHING'S Arthur Grimsdyke, zombified is always popular with model makers, there are quite afew few kits out there, but this one is one of the best. I love the curled lip half smile... 

 

THAT VAN HELSING FIGURE again, but in isolation, still looks just as good!

MORE CUSHING VAN HELSING, this time from Hammer films 1958 Dracula  Horror Of Dracula. I like the stance and the base is very nice, though the likeness of Cushing is a little, just a touch, off.

HERE IS ONE THAT really hits the button! Peter Cushing as Baron Frankenstein from 'Frankenstein Created Woman'. This could be a full size figure, as in life -size. It was shown at the Monsterpalooza in 2010, but I have not seen this image until now. Superb!

ANOTHER MODEL OF GRIMSDYKE, and a very good one. I guess you can't under estimate the importance the paint job, on any model. It can often help to enhance, the figure, the textures of the resin, plastic or plaster. This Grimsdyke figure certainly has had the benefit of a very skilled application of paint.

HOWEVER FOR EVERY GREAT FIGURE, there are always some that just miss the mark . . . 

THE IS ONE ABOVE of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing from Hammer films, THE MUMMY, REALLY could have been super special, it's so close! The positioning of the figures is great, the clothing and textures look real, and it it is presented on a VERY nice base... Lee looks passable, but Cushing John Banning, needed just a little more work. It's a pity, because you don't get to see many figures from the Hammer Cushing class film . . .

AND FINALLY, in that category of 'almost but not quite', we present a Dr Terror, A Tarkin, A Baron Frankenstein from Hammer's '.....Destroyed; and '...Created Woman' a Christopher Lee from '....Curse Of' and A Dr Stein from '...Revenge' that are all good tries, but no cigar!

All photographs belong to the respected owners and makers of the models.

 

OUR HALLOWEEN 60TH YEAR COMPETITION!

HALLOWEEN IS ALSO A TIME FOR GIVING! Help us celebrate the Peter Cushing Appreciation Society SIXTY years since it's founding! We have a prize for EVERY year! Just watch the 45 second video clip below, follow the instructions, it's simple . . . but maybe a TEST of your Amicus skills?? GOOD LUCK!

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#ONSETSATURDAY: PERTWEE PITT AND GIFS

  

#ONSETSATURDAY: AT THE TOP:  Pertwee and Pitt camp it up with glee on the set of 'The Curse of the Bloodsuckers', the 'film within a film' within the story of 'The Cloak'... one of the four stories in the Amicus portmanteau film, The House that Dripped Blood' (1971) ...which also starred Peter Cushing in a tale called, 'Waxworks'!  TRIVIA: Among the photographs in the frame of Paul Henderson's mirror in his dressing room, is one of Jon Pertwee driving "Bessie," the car he drove as the Doctor in the BBC television series,Doctor Who. When Pertwee made THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD in 1971, he was still playing the Doctor. Interesting too, that VINCENT PRICE was first offered the part of Paul Henderson.

#ONSETSATURDAY : Director Freddie Francis during the shooting of the 'Wish You were Here' story from 'TALES FROM THE CRYPT' (1972)... actors on set are Roy Dotrice and Barbara Murray. 'Tales of course is the film in which Peter Cushing played Arthur Grimsdyke, in the story, 'Poetic Justice' TRIVIA: Peter Cushing was originally intended to play Ralph Jason, but after looking at the script he persuaded the producers that he would do more justice to the role of Mr. Grimsdyke. Robin Phillips who played Grimsdyke's nasty neighbor, was only cast as James because original choice Ralph Bates was not free.  

EVERY SUNDAY HERE AT THE WEBSITE AND OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE: THE BEST OF PETER CUSHING : A TERRIFYING CLASSIC SCENE : ANALYSIS, GIFS AND CLIPS

#ONSETSATURDAY Director Alan Gibson blocks out the action for the scene during the making of Dracula AD 1972 TRIVIA: Gibson was not the first choice of director for the film, Paul Annett, who later went on to direct Peter Cushing in Amicus films, THE BEAST MUST DIE was first offered the chance to direct this project. The character of Jessica Van Helsing has been played in each respective Hammer Dracula by an actress who'd portray a character romantically linked to Ken Barlow in the UK soap opera Coronation Street - Stephanie Beacham, in 2009, and Joanna Lumley, in 1973!  

 

 

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RICK BAKER CREATES A GREAT HALLOWEEN TRIBUTE TO PETER CUSHING!

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: It's a great tribute to the work of make up artist Roy Ashton and Peter Cushing, that Cushing's portrayal of Arthur Grimsdyke STILL gets as much attention that it does! Make Up genius RICK BAKER too to twitter today to show us his #Halloween make up for this year! It's terrific! ' “Tested my Halloween party makeup today....He tweeted.... #Grimsdyke Fabricated out of cotton & latex. Hard to shoot a selfie with black fabric on your eyes!” GREAT job!

THIS TRIBUTE TO ASHTON/CUSHING also reminds us of the 'cameo' that the make up did in #thewalkingdead TV show last year. Greg Nicotero did a great job also of recreating Cushing's nightmare-Grimsdyke, back from the dead!

 

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#MONSTERMONDAY RETURNS WITH REQUESTED VINTAGE IMAGES AND STILLS

First request for our REBOOT of #monstermonday comes from PAUL CHADWICK who has requested images from TWO Peter Cushing films, HORROR EXPRESS (1972) and THE CREEPING FLESH (1973). Hope you like the images, Paul!

A SIGNED promotion photograph from The Creeping Flesh. Spot Hammer film regular, Michael Ripper in the foreground here!

Christopher Lee plays  Peter Cushing's brother, James Hildren in The Creeping Flesh. Here we see him trying to piece how he can...well, that would be giving away the story....!

A terrified Peter Cushing in The Creeping Flesh...and if you had seen what he has seen, you would be terrified too!

A RARE PHOTOBUSTA from The Creeping Flesh (1973)

Christopher Lee takes on a zombie Cossack in HORROR EXPRESS. The excellent zombies in this film gave us our first new convincing undead frighteners, since Hammer films, 'PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES' .

Peter Cushing poses for a promotion photograph  on board the footplate of the train that was used in the film, Horror Express.

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