#MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY!
After, 'You may fire, when ready!' and 'Attack the Daleks!' 'The Devil
has sent me, Twins of Evil!' is probably one of the most quoted Peter
Cushing lines of dialogue. And with good reason. Peter Cushing here
playing the tyrannical, Gustav Weil...see what they did there?...
squeezes every drop of fear out of that line. If you've seen Hammer
films 'Twins of Evil' (1971) you would have witness, one of the tightest
performances, after his turn as Baron Frankenstein in Hammer's 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' (1969), Cushing ever committed to film.
TWINS OF EVIL was the first film that Cushing
appeared in, after traumatic passing of his wife, Helen. He spent just
three months away from work, the man who returned was a great deal
leaner, withdrawn and now sadly broken. What we see on the screen is
raw. Which makes the viewing of his playing of Weil, all the more sadder
and yet, compulsive . .
SPOILER! If there was ever a on the edge of your seat moment in a Hammer
film, featuring Peter Cushing, THIS would probably be it. Count
Karnstein and Gustav Weil go face to face, in the final moments of
Hammer films, 'Twins of Evil' (1971)
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#TOOLCOOLTUESDAY: Here is a colourized image from premiere 1960’s 'The Brides of Dracula', featuring Yvonne Monlaur and of course Peter Cushing. 'Brides', is one of those films that in my very humble opinion…manages to outdo the original in almost every way. Ok I will conceit that perhaps during the latter half of the film the script isn’t the strongest, but the opening sequences at Castle Meinster easily stand among the best of any Hammer Horror and again…perhaps somewhat controversially, far outdo those in the earlier picture. Cushing once again gets to play more of the action hero and the final sequences in the barn are incredibly thrilling, including the famous ‘branding’ sequence. David Peel makes a refreshing substitute for Christopher Lee and it’s nice to see the Hammer team taking a chance on a very different look for this vampire. Of course Yvonne Monlaur steals a great deal of the screen, being equally glamorous and, un-like a lot of early Hammer heroines, convincingly brave as she becomes determined to free the Baron. It’s a shame she only did one more picture for Hammer, 1961’s 'The Terror of the Tongs' though horror fans can also catch her in 1960’s 'Circus of Horrors' alongside another Hammer star, Anton Differing. Monlaur passed away earlier this year, it’s a tribute to her performance that 'The Brides of Dracula' succeeds at being as powerful as it is. - Callum McKelvie (pcas)
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coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA .
#MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY!
'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' The first of FOUR great fearsome clips
for this week's themed post Little did we know when this scene played out on the big screen, that
it would be the last time we would see Cushing's Van Helsing destroy
Christopher Lee's Dracula for Hammer films . . . some felt a little
cheated, by the method and staging of this symbolic scene. Dracula for
them it seemed, has been thwarted by getting tangled in a bramble bush
and poked by a piece of woodland fencing!!!!
I MAY BE in the minority . ..but I thought it was rather well
done, and the pace of the scene, was a master stroke. It's almost
graceful. Dracula is captured by his own thirst for revenge on the Van
Helsing family. It is his anger and frustration that sees him trapped by
the 'holy hawthorn' . ..the more he claws, the harder he pushes to
reach Van Helsing, on the other side of the bush...the more the thorns
hold him..until finally, he falls. Van Helsing doesn't even hurry to
deliver that stake.
AND THEN what appears to be a Crucifixion...and the pace changes
again, what started as snarling and gnashing ...all slowly winds down.
As time claws back the years, accompanied by the low musical score ,
flesh turns to bone, bone to ash...and finally dust. When compared to
the blood and thunder action of all the other Hammer Dracula exits...
this one is almost like a grotesque ballet. ....and the little nod to
the final shot of the first Hammer Dracula in 1958, when only his signet
ring remains . . . is a very good touch.
#MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY!
VAN HELSING'S (Peter Cushing)
granddaughter Jessica Van Helsing (Joanna Lumley) while investigating
what appears to be a secret base for 'creepy goings-on' stumbles upon a
cellar . ..with some unexpected creepies..and we don't mean spiders!
Look out for actress Valerie Van Ost, who appeared with Peter Cushing in
the pre slasher cult movie, 'Corruption' (1968) . .. Ost went on to
leave the acting profession and become a theatrical agent!
#MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY!A bit of a shocking experience (sorry...) for one of Dracula's henchmen.
In Hammer Dracula films of old school, he usually had one poor soul who
did his bidding... one KLOVE played by Patrick Troughton in 'Scars of
Dracula' (1970) and by Phillip Latham in the 1966, 'Dracula, Prince of
Darkness' . .. now, there is an army of funky waitse-coated motor cycle
ridding thugs, to protect him...complete with state of the art, CCTV!
Michael Coles Inspector Murray, has a bit of a rough up with one, in
this scene. Typical (see tv UK series 'The Sweeney') punch up, but with a
very satisfying ending! Take that, villain!
IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.
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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 . .
#THROWBACKTHURSDAY!
Hammer films, 'The Vampire Lovers' just uploaded at our YOUTUBE
Channel marked the first time that Peter Cushing met the lovely, Ingrid
Pitt. You'll find lots of features at the website about how he and his
wife, Helen became very good friends with Ingrid and how Peter
encouraged her on the set of this film. They were to be cast together
again later in the year in the Amicus production, 'The House that
Dripped Blood' . .. though sadly they did not share
screen time together...'The Vampire Lovers' marks a change in direction
for Hammer films. Times had changed and the suggestive gossamer gowns
and flirtatious nature of their female vampires would now appear minus
gowns and engage in much more than a nibble!
The upload at the website and this youtube account is uncut, and in
accordance with the sites regulations, our facebook fan page has
always been restricted only to followers OVER the age of 18..as is this Youtube channel, and website. So beware, there IS flesh ahead. Depending
on your sensibilities, the content of the film maybe very tame by
today's standards, but not everyone has the same...standards. Though
never asked at the time, I would have loved to have learned what Peter
though of it all! For many, it was a step in a direction, in which
Hammer could never return from . .. or recover. What do you think?
#THROWBACKTHURSDAY!
You know I mentioned, how much I look forward to your posts, and the
goodies you share and send in here? While watching Horror express (!!)
Follower Andy Isaacs shared this priceless framed tribute to Hammer
films, 'Dracula, Prince of Darkness' ...a beautiful press still of
Christopher Lee as Dracula, SIGNED by Lee, two lobby stills from
'Darkness' AND a great repro of the 'Darkness poster, signed by the late
Francis Matthews and actress Barbara Shelley who both starred along Lee
in the film also! I don't need to tell you about Lee's aversion to
signing any stills depicting 'The Count' . . so this is outstanding on
many counts..pardon the pun! Thank you Andy for sending this pic in and
sharing it with us for today's theme! What do you think of this framed,
signed tribute????
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
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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
#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY:THE CONFUSION OF FU MANCHU!
#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY!SOME INTERESTING opinions and advice from Christopher Lee in an interview recorded in 2001.
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
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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
#SILENTBUTDEADLY:TO RESIST the 'THE DEAD DROP IN' pun, is easy. To try and explain WHAT exactly is going on here, with out giving anything away about the twisty-wobbly-plot of #HOUSEOFTHELONGSHADOWS is some-what harder! All I will say is, if you still haven't had the opportunity to watch the ONE FILM where #PeterCushing #ChristopherLee and #VincentPrice star TOGETHER for the first and ONLY time, you need to do so!
THE VERY GOOD NEWS IS if you feel your delicate disposition would collapse under the strain and terror of actually watching 'House of the Long Shadows' ..have no fear! Paper Dragon Productions have just this week launched the PAPERBACK RELEASE of the Michael Armstrong's #SCREENPLAY. Which you can order : HERE! . Hardback signed copies are also available for sale! Look out for our PCAS #COMPETITION soon, where you can #WIN your very OWN copy!
#SILENTBUTDEADLY:I SEEM TO BE getting a lot of interest in requested #GIFS featuring Donald Pleasence at the mo! We have posted several rare pics and bits over the past two weeks, especially from his role in 'BEYOND THE GRAVE'. Here he is playing ham Hollywood film star, Valentine De'ath and cutting off a LARGE SLICE, in demonstrating 'How to play a death screen when you are about to be murdered in an iron maiden!' Hmm, I think we can all see where that's going?
THE UNCANNY is Milton Subotsky's distant relative of product from his beloved Amicus films. Sadly the film gets next to little love, despite having some truly frightening moments. Cushing as ever plays it straight as link man, Wilbur Gray and his disabling fear of milk lapping felines. While Pleasence in his story 'Hollywood 1936', melts the celluloid with fiery spite, ego, and cruelty, it's divine to watch! Donald PLEASENCE worked along side Peter Cushing in several productions. Can you name them? and WHICH IS YOUR FAV? #GIF requested by Marsha Matthews UK
#SILENTBUTDEADLY: IN 1967 THE #HAMMERFILMS Frankenstein series took an interesting turn. After three adventures on film where the Baron rustle-up not the prettiest of creations from the charnel houses and graveyards, his next adventure and focus of attention was something very much easier on the eye. And if that wasn't enough, he accomplishes something that moves his work beyond the stitches, the unpredictable brains and behavior of his reactivated dead, because the Baron captures, THE SOUL!
AS USUAL, Cushing doesn't flinch at these lofty goings-on, and I feel the film 'Frankenstein Created Woman' owes much of it's cult status not just to super siren Susan Denberg, the created Woman of the title, but as ever to Peter Cushing, whose conviction and performance is the real life and SOUL of the film! #GIF requested by Marty Kaiser, US.
#SILENTBUTDEADLY: The world of #DOCTORWHO is experiencing a 'tear in the fan continuum'...! But #PETERCUSHING's Doctor Who say, 'It will all turn out fine'...Agreed? Peter Cushing as Dr Who in film, Dr Who and the Daleks' (1965) ...Requested by Big Red Dalek in the UK.
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
TODAY MARKS THE BIRTHDAY of a very special B'day girl, Joanna Lumley!
She appeared as Peter Cushing's granddaughter, in quick bit of recasting
for Hammer in The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) and also appeared
with Cushing in The Eagle's Nest the first of the new series 'The New
Avengers in 1976. The first episode established the new team, Gareth Hunt as Mike Gambit, Joanna Lumley as Purdey and Patrick Macnee as John
Steed.
LUMLEY'S SECTION OF 'THE NEW AVENGERS' TITLE SEQUENCE!
Peter Cushing, Derek Farr, Joanna Lumley and Gareth Hunt in 'The Eagle's Nest' episode one of 'The New Avengers' 1976
ABOVE: An
interesting and rare peep at both Peter Cushing and Joanna Lumley on
set, during the making of 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' !
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Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help
us reach our 30K following total for Peter Cushing BIRTHDAY on MAY 26th
2017 AND Help Keep The Memory Alive!
