GIFS WEDNESDAY: WITH HAMMER FILMS DRACULA TAROT, MUMMY'S AND A SECRET FALSE TOOTH

CUSHING GIFS WEDNESDAY! ONE OF THE BEST pay off shots ever in a Peter Cushing Amicus movie! This one is from DR TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS (1965) The characters played by actors  Roy Castle, Christopher Lee, Alan Freeman, Donald Sutherland  and Neil McCallum, won't be travel on ANY train again, in the future for sure . . .

ABOVE: A RARE still of behind the scenes on the set at Shepperton studios, shooting THIS scene! EVEN DEATH gets a place in the group gathering!

OUR FIRST FULL FEATURE on the AMICUS FILMS of Peter Cushing Part One, which includes rare stills and gallery on DR TERRORS HOUSE OF HORRORS .. RIGHT HERE! TAKE A LOOK around GOOGLE and you will find links to all SIX PARTS of this feature series. ALL of Cushing Amicus films are covered, with as usual galleries of RARE images. Press, publicity and behind the scenes stills too!

A SHORT KIND OF CUT AWAY scene in HAMMER FILMS DRACULA / HORROR OF DRACULA 1958. THIS particular scene has caused quite a bit of unrest and divided opinions over the years between fans of the film. Film director, Terence Fisher always believed, in giving the audience, emotional space when watching one of his fantasy films. If they had just been frightened or caused great stress by a scene, he liked to let them recover, breathe a little! This slightly comic breather, involving the repeated breaking of the boarder control barrier, was included during the roaring race with Dracula, to do just that, BEFORE the hugely dramatic and frightening destruction of the Count. Some think it was a mistake, that sitting in the middle of the climatic closing of the film, does little more that upset the story and destroy the rhythm. It WAS Fisher's intention to disrupt the drama, to cut away to something else, and he succeeds. For some, a little too much.   I would LOVE to know what your opinion is! IF you don't know this scene, or haven't seen the movie, NOW is our opportunity! You are missing probably one of Hammer films finest! WRITE to petercushingpcas@gmail.com

THE ROLE OF the Boarder Official was played by GEORGE BENSON, nowhere near the age of his character. BUT he would be joining Cushing again on screen, when he WAS that age, playing his lab assistant Waterlow, in Tigon films wonderful feature frightener, THE CREEPING FLESH in 1973.

A MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM FOLLOWERS MARCIA LOISEL THE FOLLOWING DAY THURSDAY 29th MARCH
First, I knew that George Benson was in both Dracula and Creeping Flesh, but never once did I think that those characters were the same person! Learn something new every day! :) The comic bit doesn't really bother me. It was established earlier that he was a comic character so his second scene was in character. Of course, "Dracula" is one of my most favorite movies ever, so I love every minute of it and can't imagine it any different.

Happy Birthday to Jack Asher! He really did help to establish Hammer's 'look'. The still of Van Helsing on the stairs of Dracula's castle, before he goes into the library for the final scene is stunning. The light streaming in through the colored panes of the windows is just beautiful. "The Mummy" is also a favorite, everything about it is gorgeous.

Looking forward to Callum Mckelvie's "Brides of Dracula" article!

Kind regards.
Marcia Loisel

ABOVE: ONE OF OUR many features and galleries on HAMMER FILMS DRACULA / HORROR OF DRACULA (1958) HERE we share a WHOLE set of 1958 Front Of House CINEMA  USA LOBBY cards, from when the film was released in 1958.

CHRISTOPHER LEE'S pretty amazing portrayal of KHARIS in Hammer films THE MUMMY (1959)! Along with Cushing John Banning and a terrific cast, personally it's one of my most favourite Peter Cushing films, and it's in the top four best of Hammer's! BELOW here is an upload from our Peter Cushing Appreciation Society YOUTUBE CHANNEL of DONALD FEARNEY's excellent documentary on ALL MUMMY films, including UNIVERSAL films. Just CLICK on the BLUE LINK! 

WATCH DONALD FEARNEY'S LEGEND OF HAMMER MUMMIES! Just about EVERY Mummy film is covered. There's quite a number of interviews and some great rare supporting images too! JUST click HERE!

AND ABOVE HERE IS ANOTHER clip from Hammer films, THE MUMMY from our Peter Cushing Appreciation Society YOUTUBE CHANNEL

THE BBC PRODUCTION OF George Orwell's 1984, was not only a landmark for drama productions for the government broadcasting company, but also for PETER CUSHING himself. His performance influenced Hammer films, to cast Cushing in their FIRST Frankenstein, and his career was never the same again.  HERE we have Cushing's WINSTON SMITH, during the closing moments, where Cushing forever dedicated to doing his best to make his contribution, makes a gesture, that probably few with his romantic reputation at the time, would have entertained doing. 

YOU'LL NOTICE, Winston by this time, following months of torture and beatings, has lost a front tooth. THAT is not make up or a trick of the light. Cushing lost a front tooth during the late 1940's. In all publicity the loss of the tooth was blamed on a boot to his face, playing his favorite sports game, rugby. 

THIS WASN'T ACTUALLY the case, but for publicity, sounded more pleasant and heroic than the unpleasant dealings of smelly breath, pus filed wounds and cavities! While living in Somerset, UK with his wife, Helen Cushing fell victim to a horrible chest infection and an abscess to his FRONT tooth. Despite medication and nursing it, it was extracted. This caused much stress and insecurities for quite sometime. Just a few weeks after the removal, Cushing was cast in Olivier's film production of HAMLET.  During the shooting of a scene with Olivier, Cushung apologized to him if he accidentally dribbled or spat in to his face! Such were the problems of his still trying speak, with a tooth on a plate. After this time, it's noted that Cushing dictation became sharper than ever, and always during an interview or standard speaking role,  his speech was as sharp as a knife!



AND FINALLY FOR TODAY, a great shirt video interview extract of PETER CUSHING discussing playing HORROR FILM roles .... THIS clip is another posted here from our Peter Cushing Appreciation Society YOUTUBE CHANNEL It's easy to subscribe to, you'll never miss a NEW upload. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE and support us in keeping the memory of Peter Cushing his career and live ALIVE!

HAMMER'S LAST DRACULA AND VAN HELSING STAND OFF : MOMENTS OF TERROR MONDAY!

#MOMENTOFTERROR MONDAY! Hammer films 'Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires' is another one of Cushing's Hammer appearances, where despite HE going all out, something within the production values, fall short of the feature. . . If you ever get the chance to read the actual script, it ALL sounds amazing and what could have been a imaginative and impressive departure, from the standard set up, if only by location! 

THERE ARE MANY THINGS, that are seen as not up to that Hammer standard... but you have to remember, even as far as John Forbes Robertson's 'make up' as Dracula, that were produced in the STYLE of the values of fantasy film in the country in which Hammer had joined forces with Hong Kong's SHAW BROTHERS.... Take a look at many of the 'fairy-tale-ghost-stories' produced there, and everything clicks and matches for that culture and audience. Maybe it's not what is expected by the audience in the high street Odeon in Bradford UK, but in Hong Kong, certainly. It probably helped and went someway to pulling in quite a box office smash within that culture. Sadly, missing the Kung Fu craze in the rest of the world, Seven Golden Vampires arrived a little too late.

 

 

 

BUT WATCHING IT TODAY, there is much to appreciate. A cast that includes Chinese actor David Chiang, very popular with fans of other Sahw Bros karate fighting movies. Two UK TV popular's in Julie Ege, Robin Steward and the reputation of one of Hammer's leading actors, Peter Cushing, who plays Van Helsing for the fifth and last time, despite production problems felt by director Roy Ward Baker, the film is full of action, all 'horror visuals' have to be viewed with the understanding, this is really a film produced with supernatural and vampire antics, coming from a DIFFERENT culture. 

MONEY DOES look tight, but then at this time, productions filmed in Hong Kong by the Shaw's ALL looked like this. Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires was another brave attempt by Hammer's manager Michael Carreras, to try another and different angle. Personally, I am glad he tried. What do you think?

#MONDAYMOMENTSOFTERROR : INDICATOR HAMMER FILMS BOX SET WINNERS AND SHERLOCK RETURNS FOR A LIMITED TIME!

CONGRATULATIONS to our TWO Competition WINNERS DAVE PAYN and PETER DUNNE! Both have won the INDICATOR BOX SETS Hammer films 'Volume Two Criminal Intent' . . .which includes Cushing's Cash On Demand, along with some REALLY superb extras 🙂 THANK YOU to every one who entered and hopefully had fun too. BOTH DAVE and PETER must get in touch HERE ON or OUR PCAS FACEBOOK PAGE within 48 hours, or the prizes will be REDRAWN. Prizes arrive with 28 days, first class. MANY MANY thanks to Indicator for sponsoring all our com petitions over the past few weeks, excellent releases. VERY generous and provide SUPERB releases 🙂 Thank you again, everyone!

MOMENT OF TERROR MONDAY: TO HEAD UP ONCE MORE... that we are bringing some PC SHERLOCK HOLMES posts BACK to Sunday's for a short while, here is a great little clip of Peter Cushing as Sherlock and Nigel Bruce as Watson from his much loved series, that he made for the BBC back in the late 1960's. This was one of the better episodes, a traditional one, that's been made for the big screen and small many times..but this one, is quite cool too! BASKERVILLES! 🙂 Do you have a favorite episode from Cushing's BBC series, and how do RATE Cushing's BIG SCREEN Sherlock performances compared with this entire TV series?? Lots of the TV series eps to be found on our PCAS YOUTUBE Channel, by the way 🙂

STARTING NEXT SUNDAY for a LIMITED TIME ONLY . . . Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes. New features, clips, films and rare photographs. ONLY at the Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Website . .

REMEMBER! 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

NOT ALL THE PC VAMPIRE SUPPORT WAS NICE! CALLUM MCKELVIE LOOKS BEYOND ROLES THAT WERE VAN HELSING NICE TIMES!

WHEN ONE THINKS of Cushing and Vampires, inevitably are minds are drawn to his excellent portrayal of Van Helsing in several of Hammers Dracula films. For many fans it’s one of his best roles and (if we count the two generations as one) a part he would return to four times. However, as defining as his portrayal as Van Helsing is, it somewhat over shadows that fact that he was in roughly four other vampire films (excluding Dr Terrors House of Horrors and The House that Dripped Blood simply as he does not appear in the segments featuring bloodsuckers). 

THIS WEEK AND THE NEXT I’ll be examining these ‘Other Vampire films’, starting with his two entries into the Karstein trilogy 'The Vampire Lovers' and 'Twins of Evil'. I’ve joined these two together, not only because they book ending entries in a trilogy, but also because they both feature Cushing as a sort of Pseudo-Vampire Hunter. Both roles are worlds away from a Van Helsing stereotype and at least one is remembered amongst his finest work.

THE 'KARNSTEIN TRILIOGY'  stands as one of Hammers finest achievements simply for the fact that it marks one of the few occasions, as the studio moved into the 1970’s that one it’s attempts to try something bold and new with its formula worked. Now in terms of some of the attempts that would be made later (Kung-Fu vampires anyone?) the changes here are not that extreme and merely reflect the studios reaction to an allowance of more extreme content.

MOST OBVIOUSLY it is the films explicit portrayal of Lesbianism that gained it a certain level of attention. The film is stolen by Ingrid Pitt’s first performance for the studio and first major role in a horror movie (though she was in 1966’s Sound of Horror). Whilst not her greatest work for Hammer (that would come later in Countess Dracula) it’s a strong start and one can easily see why she became a horror icon and early scream queen.

ABOVE: PETER CUSHING and INGRID PITT together in HAMMER FILMS 'THE VAMPIRE LOVERS'. BOTH look comfortable in the roles. BOTH had also become great friends, along with Peter Cushing's wife, HELEN . . . 

PETER CUSHING'S ROLE in the film on the other hand is somewhat small, though integral and although he looks superb in his military uniform, it’s not usually counted amongst his best roles. None the less it’s an interesting take on the role of the Vampire hunter within a hammer film and the quest is made deeply personal to the General, whose niece is a victim of Carmilla. 

THUS THE GENERAL is the character who puts an end to Camilla’s bloodsucking ways and in perhaps the most famous scene in the film, decapitates her. It’s a great moment and Cushing imbues it with a sort of grim satisfaction, we may have seen the gentle side of the General to begin with but we now understand why he’s a war hero.

BELOW: JUST weeks after the tragic death of his wife, HELEN, PETER CUSHING plays a NEW HAMMER VAMPIRE FILM role. GUSTAV WEIL, the savior and helper? OR is he just as EVIL as the VAMPIRE COUNT? 

THE FINAL FILM in the Karstein series, 'Twins of Evil', sees Cushing in a role far removed from that in 'The Vampire Lovers'. Here he plays Gustav Weil, a vicious religious fanatic who prowls the local countryside in search of witches to burn. Clearly inspired by 1968’s Witchfinder General and many films that followed in its wake including 'Mark of the Devil' and 'Blood on Satan’s Claw', it’s a rare chance to see Cushing being genuinely terrifying.

EVEN IN FILMS where Cushing plays a villain, there’s usually an element of charm in his performance (his earliest portrayals of Baron Frankenstein) that have his character play out more as an anti-hero. Indeed only Hammer films, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed in 1969, shows him in a position where he plays a character so utterly ruthless as to be genuinely frightening.

OF COURSE as his two young nieces find themselves under the sway of the evil Count Karstein, like the General Weil finds himself turning to the Vampire Hunting trade. In this film’s final moments, Cushing finds himself once again decapitating a vampire and it’s equally spectacular.

PETER CUSHING'S TWO non-Dracula vampire films for Hammer stand among some of the studios most interesting work. Cushing gives great performances in both and though one is clearly superior to the other, are interesting portrayals of Vampire hunters not in the Van Helsing mode.

WRITTEN by CALLUM MCKELVIE
TECH DEVELOPMENT: JAMIE SUMERVILLE
EDITED: MARCUS BROOKS
THE VAMPIRE LOVERS TRAILER: UvaSEP  HERE!

REMINDER OF TUESDAYS TOUGHIE : ANSWER TUESDAY 6TH MARCH!

 

REMEMBER! 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

#PETERCUSHING MOMENT OF TERROR MONDAY! LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF : HUNT IN THE SEWERS OF PARIS!

#MOMENTOFTERRORMONDAY! Carrying on....from the werewolf themed  films featured in yesterday's Weekend Double Feature here at the website, I've pulled the final moments from 'Legend of the Werewolf' (1975) for this weeks, #CUSHINGMOMENTOFTERROR MONDAY!. As most of us here know, it's one half of a pair of films, that #PeterCushing made with Tyburn films in the mid 1970's... a nice little thriller / horror film made in the style of films that were made twenty years or so, BEFORE this one. At the time this film was made, the film industry in the UK was in pieces, despite CEO Kevin Francis making a few features with his company Tyburn, plans to produce other movies, were shelved and the two Tyburn terrors, both starring #PeterCushing, still awaiting a legit dvd or blu ray release, becoming maybe two of the 'most wanted' on most PC's fans film wish list.

 CATCH UP WITH THIS REVIEW AND GALLERY FROM 

THE PCAS ARCHIVES : HERE!

REMEMBER! 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