REMEMBERING
Master Make Up Artist, Roy Ashton, who was born today 17th April 1909!
There is so much you could say about Roy, but his work kind of says it
all! So many amazing creations in what was the golden era of Hammer
films, Amicus and Tyburn too! I was very humbled to spend time with him
at his home and while he was working, and during these times saw at
first hand what a true gentleman he was
and quite the perfectionist, with a lovely dry wit and friendly
character. Roy sadly left us in 1995, but left behind for us, a
wonderful and original body of work, that still entertains and frightens
us today! Personally, his letters I still treasure, his work I still
very much am in awe of, for sure
OVER AT THEFACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE I have asked everyone to tell
us and share their favourite 'Ashton Creation' in the comments below. BELOW is an impressive filmography of Roy's work. A #HappyBirthday,
Roy Ashton a true magician and creator of things of nightmares and
dreams too
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) The Horror Dracula (1958) The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959) The Mummy (1959) The Stranglers of Bombay (1959) The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960) The Curse of the Werewolf (1960) The Terror of the Tongs (1961) These Are the Damned (1962) The Phantom of the Opera (1962) Night Creatures (1962) Captain Clegg The Pirates of Blood River (1962)
ABOVE: A WHILE AGOin one of our weekly PCASUK TUESDAY TOUGHY questions, we celebrated ROY ASHTON'S work with PETER CUSHING in 'Tales from the Crypt' (1972)
Paranoiac (1963) The Old Dark House (1963) The Crimson Blade (1963) Nightmare (1964) The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) The Kiss of the Vampire (1964) The Gorgon (1964)
Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1964) The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb (1964) The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964) The Skull (1965) She (1965) The Plague of the Zombies (1966) The Reptile (1966) The Devil Rides Out (1968) The House That Dripped Blood (1970) Hands of the Ripper (1971) The Devils (1971) Tales from the Crypt (1972) The Creeping Flesh (1972) Asylum (1972) The Vault of Horror (1973) The Ghoul (1975)
SEE OUR POSTS every day at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE HERE! and the EXPANDED version here!! EXTRA IMAGES and FEATURES every day here at our WEBSITE!
OVER AT THEFACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE#TOOCOOLTUESDAY! we are sharing some of the work and GENIUS of make up artist, Roy Ashton 😮 . . . and two pics from A LONG time ago and asking how many Ashton films can you name which are pictured on the above banner and WHICH are your THREE favs? 😉 Marcus
ABOVE: A letter from Peter Cushing to Roy Ashton, makes reference to the days that Peter remembers days spent in the make chair, listening to both Ashton and Christopher Lee and their impromptu singing!
LIKE MANY HAMMER FILM and Peter Cushing fans, for the last few years, I've both a mental and physical 'wish list' of movies, |I have hoped would some day, get the remastering blu ray treatment. I am very happy to now look at my shelves and see most of those titles have not only received a re-release and remaster, but also 98% of them have been blessed with a remastering, quite beyond my expectation! It's wonderful to see many Cushing features, that for years looked destined to never be seen again, the way I had once watched them in the cinema. It took quite a while, with the arrival of DVD's to weed out the duds, and not fall foul of a 'bootlegged home made burned copy of a years old TV recorded copy of a VHS recording' to a legit marketed commercial DVD copy to arrive. For quite sometime, we were very happy with DVD quality, and then the sometimes sparkling definition of a BLU RAY! Could it ever get any better. we asked? 'Oh, Yes . . .', said the distributors, 'Take a look a this!' The REMASTERED 1080p high definition Blu Ray.... can be at times, quite thing of beauty. Sometimes if the copy house gets it wrong though, it can also become a never ending chorus of lethal barbs, personal opinions and wrath, at forums and internet groups.
THANKFULLY, that has not happened too often with Cushing films. There will always be the wish and bucket list, of people who have high expectations and yet low funds and shallow pockets. The remastering process is an expensive business and in the current lolly-no-lolly climate, things tough. Though there will always be, the customer who also expects, a perk! Some of the better remasterings, have arrived without any extras. No new documentaries, no galleries of images and rare stills.. but the quality of what it offers on the label, is very, very high. The FILM is a knockout! And with that, I am happy to share that, SCREAM FACTORY has delivered a VERY nice release, that meets the standard we have come to expect and a much needed and very entertaining package of extras too, for a film that has been on THAT 'Wish List', for quite sometime . . .
I AM NOT GOING TO BORE YOU with the story, plot details and 'CHOP' of Hammer films and Shaw Brothers, THE LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES. If you are a Cushing, Hammer or Horror film fan, you WILL know the plot like the contents of Famous Monsters Of Filmland, Issue ONE or page six of Alan Franks excellent, 1976 edition of The Movie Treasury of 'Monsters and Vampires!' If seeing Cushing play Van Helsing in a more traditional sense, rather than in 70's swinging London, as in the outstanding remasters from Warner Brothers of both 'Dracula AD 1972' and 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' However, if you NEED the plot, you may find a PCAS feature, with that and a whole skip full of stills, RIGHT HERE and HERE!.
THE TEC SPEC! AND SO TO THE LINE, that is the divider or decider in such releases as this. A title now arrives on blu ray, that most parties or individuals will probably already own and may have in several formats, purchased and added to those creeking shelves, over the years. The question: Is THIS release an improvement and worth parting with your hard earned lolly? The ANSWER is certainly! I have found over the years, it is the past reputations of such companies as Shout / Scream Factory, that will define if fans are going to cry, 'Once Bitten, Twice Shy' having been stung with past purchases, where the excitement and anticipation of a blu ray release worth having, following lots of promotion and word of mouth, sinks faster, after the opening credits than a trout with belly full lead! Scream Factory has an excellent record and this release again puts the seal of approval on they give what they promise. This release is 2.35:1 anamorphic and SCREAM FACTORY'S transfer presents visually a real bonus, to anyone who has seen the film before, and experienced not too sharp an image, to put it bluntly! The 50GB disc is an AVC encoded 1080p high definition transfer. Having said that, some would consider the transfer to not quite be of reference quality.AT LAST we can now see, what is happening CLEARLY, CRISPLY! Nothing that I could see in my TWO viewings of this release, dropped from an excellent clarity, a viewing of this film, I had never seen before. Blurring, sudden softness of what two seconds ago was a sharp image, with solid contrast of a shot, filmed in shadow, can be a real distraction, if seen too often while enjoying your recent purchase.
WATCHING THIS RELEASE was full of visual surprises. Details in costumes, actors expressions and of course, the fight scenes, was a real treat! The transfer brings out so much detail compared to previous releases. The audio is DTS-HD MA Mono. The levels are clear and for some might hint at being TOO clear! All dialogue in Seven Golden Vampires, was created during ADR. It was very common practice in the industry in Hong Kong at this time, that little if anything that was recorded during production was used in the final theatrical release, everything was dubbed in post. So it's very fair to say, the levels are well balanced is
free of any obvious or noticeable hiss problems or distortion. James Bernard's excellent score has never sounded better! Optional subtitles are provided in English
only.
THE EXTRAS: REGULARS TO HERE AT THE PCAS website and the PCASUK FACEBOOK FAN PAGE will not be strangers to the work of BRUCE G HALLENBECK. As well, as writing and publishing several very good books on Hammer and Amicus films, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and many many others, Bruce has also contributed several exclusive features and series about Cushing, Hammer / Amicus and many of Cushing's supporting casts and characters for this website. You find links to many on the right column of this site! Bruce contributes and narrates a very entertaining feature on this SCREAM FACTORY release. Lots of new factoids and details about Hammer films, the history of why Hammer made a 'Vampire / Kung Fu' features at a time when Hammer had long left his Dracula role and how it almost didn't get made, as Warner Bros threatened to pull their money, unless Dracula was included in the film. Well done, Bruce!
A FEATURE WITH AUTHOR RICK BAKER, is also here if you have an interest in Kung Fu Cinema. 'KUNG FEAR' does a nice job of sharing the background of Hammer's partners in making 'Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires' The Shaw Brothers. Baker who is author of several books on Hong Kong cinema shares his knowledge while 'Golden Vampires' co star David Chiang gives a neat little interview, with memories on working on the film and Peter Cushing! Also included is the 75 min 'alternative' edit of the film, re-titled 'The 7 Brothers Meet Dracula'. It's minus much of Cushing's Van Helsing footage and anything that didn't have the minimum at least five chops or three foot sockings! Interesting! OVERALL Scream Factory's REMASTERED Blu Ray release of Hammer Films 'The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires' is a very nice and long awaited addition to my little collection. It's fabulous to watch Cushing in his last outing as Van Helsing, Julie Ege, Chiang and Robin Stewart are a great support also. John Forbes- Robertson is very entertaining to watch in a 'Hong Kong' swing of Dracula. Complete with THEIR nod to his make up and style, it answers the question of, what would a Dracula not played by Christopher Lee, in a Hammer film, look like! THIS release gets a BIG thumbs up and thank you from us all at PCAS!. .
SCREAM FACTORY REMASTER of LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES BLU RAY was REALASED TODAY APRIL 9th 2019 and is REGION A.
NEWS:
Scream Factory have announced they are putting out Hammer Films and Shaw Brothers THE LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES On Blu-ray starring Peter Cushing as Van
Helsing, with Julie Ede and Robin Stewart . . SCREAM RELEASED a press note today stating : Starting 2019 on a high note: THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES - a
highly-requested title from the Hammer Films catalog - kicks its way
onto Blu-ray April 9th! Extras are in progress and will be announced on a later date. The big
news to confirm today though is that we will be presenting two cuts of
the films -- Hammer's original uncut version and its edited US version
called The 7 Brothers Meet Dracula!'
MANY ARE ALREADYhoping for maybe a full version of the 'LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES' music soundtrack. An album was released by Hammer films of this, along with the story narrated by #PETERCUSHING back in 197. Also a cleaned up print of the MILK MARKETING BOARD short feature, that was shot on location with the cast and crew in Hong Kong, would be a winner too. Fingers Crossed! You can share your thoughts on this release at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE where the CHAT and opinions have already started on the thread and newsfeed!
#MOMENTSOFTERROR #MONDAY! Back in the day, 1959 to be exact, Peter Cushing as #SherlockHolmes
looms down from giant sized billboards in central London, promoting his
first performance as Sherlock in Hammer films, only Holmes movie, 'The
Hound of the Baskervilles'. Billboards were certainly impressive
displays back in those days, as were the cinema posters!
TODAY MARKS WHAT would have been the birthday of actor GEOFFREY BAYLDON. He would have been 95 years old! Geoffrey passed in 2017 and PCAS posted quite an extensive obituary at the time.
The PCASUK GEOFFREY BAYLDON OBITUARY FEATURE CLICK HERE!
HE WAS VERY MUCH ADMIRED, loved and respected actor and extremely popular with the army of fans and admirers of his work. Many films
and tv credits go way back to Hammer films first Dracula with Peter
Cushing, some of Amicus films finest like 'Asylum', 'Tales
from the Crypt', 'The House that Dripped Blood', Hammer's 'Frankenstein
Must Be Destroyed', 'The Risk' / 'Suspect with Cushing in 1969, his tv
series 'Catweazle'.
GEOFFREY appeared with Jon Pertwee in 'Worzel Gummidge as
The Crowman from 1979 until 1981, the BBC's Dr Who in 79 and 'The
Avengers tv series in the 60's. Geoffrey is still very much missed. A gentleman and such a Gentle Man 😉
RELEASE NEWS:
Arrow Films have announced they are putting out a band new remastered
blu-ray of Horror Express (1972) starring Peter Cushing and Christopher
Lee. This brings a REMASTERED blu ray to fan of the film in the UK for the first time!
RELEASE DATE: February 11th 2019 (UK) February 12th 2019 (US, CAN)
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS • Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation • Original Uncompressed mono audio • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing • Brand new audio commentary with Stephen Jones and Kim Newman • Introduction to the film by film journalist and Horror Express super-fan Chris Alexander • Murder on the Trans-Siberian Express – an interview with director Eugenio Martin • Notes from the Blacklist – Horror Express producer Bernard Gordon on working in Hollywood during the McCarthy Era • Telly and Me – an interview with composer John Cacavas • Original Theatrical Trailer • Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Fully-illustrated collector’s booklet with new writing by Adam Scovell
#TOOCOOLTUESDAY!AND SO, HERE WE are again! Seems like only a year since
the last one!!! HA! I am a SUCKER for Halloween, and this year, it's my
first time celebrating it in the US. It's different. Let's just say,
the front of the house looks like a Hammer House of Horror playground
for Wednesday
Addams, and I have spent most of this morning, filling little trick or
treat orange ghosty bags, with sweets (candy) Monster stickers and
rubber spiders! They tell me to expect . . . upwards of 50 visitors to
the front door, wearing various monster, ghosts and ghoulies. Nothing
new there then! I'm prepared! How about you? PLEASE share any pics here
of your GET ups, GET Together's and GET downs ...decent please...the
vicar and Aunty Mary is watching tonight
😉
After the fuss DIES down, I'll be kicking back with some phantom
punch, and watching our #PCAS HALLOWEEN DOUBLE BILL of Peter Cushing
movies, which you too can watch here at #PCAS #Facebook, the #PCAS #Youtube
Channel and the #PCAS website... See BELOW . .. Laters. Stay SAFE and
HAVE FUN! -Marcus
DRAGGED FROM THEPCASUK YOUTUBE CHANNEL screaming and howling, here's a tasty little 1975 offering from TYBURN FILMS starring Peter Cushing, David Rintoul, Ron Moody and Lynn Dalby, LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF . . . sure to chill your blood and have you screaming for more . . . .
AND IF IT'S MORE YOU WANT . . . a lethal dose of a VAMPIRE LEGEND from the FAR EAST, this just might be just enough, to send you off to bed, knowing all is well, while Cushing's Van Helsing will forever be around, to fight DRACULA and his Skipping and Hoping Vampire zombies, well that and the KUNG FU Clan. . ENJOY and a HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Til NEXT YEAR....
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,
the nineteenth of September we remember the late ANTHONY HINDS, today
he would have been his 96th birthday. And we are marking this day in style, a whole new PLAYLIST of vintage INTERVIEW CLIPS with Anthony Hinds, available to watch at our PCAS YOUTUBE CHANNEL and LINKED HERE TOO! There are also EXPANDED features on HINDS films for Hammer, accessible at our supplement website, THEBLACKBOXCLUB.COM For many Hammer film fans, Hinds
represents the 'Golden Years' of the studios output and production.
Producer and script writer, he was responsible for some of Peter
Cushing's most revered work in the fantasy genre.
In Hammer's early days, it was Hinds idea to hire country houses and
to based the production and shooting in the rooms and grounds of the
locations, which saved the the studio huge production costs. He was also the brains behind shooting productions 'back to back'. (See the CLIP ABOVE!) 'The Reptile' and 'The Plague of the Zombies', are two very good examples.
In his private life, Hinds lived in the stock-belt district of London. His family owned a large chain of jewellery stores through-out the UK. But to his friends, the details of Hinds day job was only shared outside of the family, on a 'need-to-know' basis. Hinds told neighbours and acquaintances he was the owner manager of a string of Hairdressing salons in the city, and that the E Type Jag in his drive, was the result of many shampoo and sets! It wasn't that he was embarrassed about his job, but as he explained many years later, he didn't think the daily doings of The Baron, body parts, Dracula and gore, wouldn't go down too well, with the chaps at the golf club . . .
ORIGINALLY POSTED IN 2013 ON HIS PASSING : OUR TRIBUTE
His script
writing skills, have been picked over by many, but few could doubt his
skill in managing tight budgets, and building impressive productions,
with very limited resources and finance...and for this, he was indeed,
the 'Master Builder and Architect of Hammer films'...and for that, we
are very grateful.....
ABOVE ANTHONY HINDS AND HOW HE STARTED AT HAMMER FILMS
ABOVE HINDS ON THE MAKING OF HAMMER FILMS 1958 DRACULA / HORROR OF DRACULA
OUR FEATURE AND GALLERY AT OUR SUPPLEMENT
WEBSITE CONTAINING RARE IMAGES AND FEATURE : HERE!
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HINDS 'BACK TO BACK' FEATURES 'THE REPTILE'.
READ OUR FEATURE, SUPPLEMENTED WITH VINTAGE STILLS AT THE BLACK BOX CLUB WEBSITE!
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
