#MONSTERMONDAY: COUNT DRACULA : MONSTER OR VICTIM?

#MONSTERMONDAY: It's kinda fitting that today, of all days, we debate and chew over probably the most deadly of ALL the creatures and phantoms, Peter Cushing ever had to face in a movie, THIS chap, gave him the most problems! #COUNT DRACULA.

MEETING FACE TO FACE in a total of FOUR films, all made by HAMMER FILMS, and all starring #CHRISTOPHERLEE as the Count, except one. So good was Christopher Lee in the role of Dracula, when Hammer films made, THE BRIDES OF DRACULA in 1960, his absence from the film, was something you just could not ignore. However, Lee did leave us quite a legacy of Dracula performances to enjoy, seven feature film for Hammer, and few other interpretations for others studios too. They may not all be to ones liking, but for many, he set the bar, which will probably never bettered or equaled.

So, for an actor Dracula is maybe the Hamlet of the Fantasy/horror roles, certainly a character you could...wait for it..get your teeth into. BUT, is the character . . .  a MONSTER or a VICTIM? Lee always hinted that the Count was cursed, a victim, forever doomed to roam the earth in search of blood and victims, maybe a romantic notion? Or was he a MONSTER spreading his plague of vampirism, draining his virgin victims of their lives and life blood?? MONSTER or VICTIM? YOU Decide! 

NOW WITH OVER 26,000 LIKES AND FOLLOWERS : COME JOIN US AT

OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE CLICK HERE!

#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING : FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE

#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING: The final moments of the Amicus film 'FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE perhaps represent the neatest of endings of any Amicus film. Nothing works better than a series of scenes involving a character that we just can't wait to get his or her 'just deserts'.  The climax of the last scene, does just that, and even leads us into a just as neat wrap to the end of the film, 'Drop in anytime, I am always open . . .' An invitation to come again. Sadly, as an idea of a sequel or television series, that invitation was never followed up. The wind had finally gone out of the sails of the UK film industry, and finding finance for any project, was getting tough, even though 'FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE' was one of Amicus films top money earners. We've sang the praises of  it's tight stories, not fat on the bone of this one, the performances, the whole package. With the exception of Amicus films first portmanteau film, DR TERRORS HOUSE OF HORRORS, and 'TORTURE GARDEN' 'FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE' is one of the series, that didn't take it's title or source material from the comic books that inspired Amicus films, ' TALES FROM THE CRYPT AND VAULT OF HORROR.

WITH EACH STORY in 'FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE' we see the bad guys come unstuck. The liars, the cheats, the unsavory. A sticky end brought about the kindly old man in the that shop!

NOW WITH OVER 26,000 LIKES AND FOLLOWERS CLICK : HERE

HALLOWEEN AND OUR 60TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY COMPETITION TOMORROW!

HALLOWEEN TOMORROW! SO TOMORROW WILL BE A BUSY DAY. PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR CELEBRATORY COMPETITION!!

OPEN TO EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE!

LOOK FOR THIS BANNER AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

AND COME JOIN OVER 26,000 OTHER FOLLOWERS AND FRIENDS! 

NEW LANDMARK FOR PCAS: 26,000 LIKES!

AMAZING! Our Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page hit 26,000 LIKES yesterday! That's a LOT of people and a LOT of Peter Cushing fans! It's great that in our 60th year Peter Cushing's is still as popular as ever! Many thanks to everyone who supports the page and this website . . .  only through you are we able to keep the memory of Peter Cushing, his work and life a live!

Here is the post that was posted up on our facebook page yesterday!

 

A MILLION THANK YOUS!!!! Well this was a pretty amazing thing to wake up to this morning!! Our total of followers / likes for this page is an amazing 26,000.. actually it has now exceeded that total.. between seeing the figure and making this banner, it has tripped into almost 26,200, which is quite something!

I SAY THIS EVERYTIME, we reach another landmark total, but it's very true. I think Mr C, would have been very pleased indeed. Your continuing support and interest for this page, is very much appreciated. Making the posts and the work that goes into that, is always a real pleasure, and I get a big kick when reading your comments and interactions on the threads. It seems this Halloween, Peter Cushing is everywhere! Websites, blogs, newspapers, on tv... the interest in Peter has certainly increased in the last six months, and that is a wonderful thing to see.

IN OUR SIXTH YEAR that interest is bigger than ever., and it's in some part part, because of YOU. Your sharing our posts, makes the BIG difference, it brings people here, which prompts more interest, which makes the totals rise, that puts Peter Cushing, where he belongs, right out there. Let's all work to keep him there. It's all about keeping the memory of Peter Cushing alive and relevant. Here's to the next 1,000, and the remainder of our anniversary year..

WHY NOT COME JOIN US AND JOIN IN THE COMMENTS AND DEBATE AT

OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE? JUST CLICK RIGHT HERE!

GIFS: THE VAMPIRE GIRLS FROM HAMMER FILMS 1#

WE ARE RESTING #FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY for the next TWO WEEKS to bring you a series of GIFS of Vampires from Cushing films...TODAY it's the Cushing Hammer Vampires and we kick off with Hammer's Twins Of Evil (1972) with Madeleine Collinson as Frieda, taking a bite, before Cushing as Uncle Gustav gives her the fright and fight of her life!

DON'T FORGET TOMORROW IS #ONSETSATURDAY! RIGHT HERE AND AT OUR PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

ACTRESS JULIE EGE as Ms Vanessa Buren in Hammer films, 'The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires' (1974) stands as Hammer films fastest transformation of vamp, from BIT to BITING! No sooner is she bitten, than... TARRAH..she is a vampire. Still, everything thing I suppose, whips along in that particular movie at a fair ol speed!

AND TOMORROW WE ARE WATCHING THIS CLASSIC! WATCHING TOMORROW! Here's an idea we started THREE WEEKS ago, that you might want to be a part of. Nothing new, but an experience worth sharing... the opportunity to watch a film, on the same day, as US and many others here! It doesn't matter what time, but be sure to share your thoughts and views on the film, we'll all watch tomorrow. TOMORROW WILL BE...Hammer films DRACULA /HORROR OF DRACULA (1958)..How fitting for HALLOWEEN....and you can pop in anytime, and share you thoughts....

AND HERE IS OUR LAST gif for this Friday, and it ties in quite nicely with tomorrow's Cushing movie we'll be sharing together, DRACULA / HORROR OF DRACULA. Maybe, Valerie Gaunt wasn't only Hammer's FIRST vampire, but the BEST too??  What do you think?

 

JOIN US AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE CLICK HERE 

THE VAN HELSING MYSTERIES : THE TV SHOW THAT NEVER WAS!

IT'S ALMOST GONE VIRAL! It's a REAL treat! The television series, that never was. And that's a REAL shame. Edited for fun by Ed Glaser, this short trailer tribute, has gone almost viral! What a great tv series this would have made. All it needs is the familiar voice over and graphic that says, 'A Quinn Martin Production'! Great job, Ed. Thank you.

HOW THIS CAME ABOUT, Glaser says this: 'My wife and I have been watching Hammer horror movies all month. We got to “Dracula A.D. 1972,” the first of their two “Dracula in modern day” films, and both of us realized that despite all the groovy youth generation stuff, the film was _all about_ Peter Cushing, in his immaculate wardrobe, solving the mystery of Dracula’s resurrection. Eventually he teams up with a police inspector and both my wife and I thought “this is practically a pilot for a ’70s occult cop show! It’s ‘The Van Helsing Mysteries!'” And the incredible ’70s soundtrack just reinforces it.

The sequel, “The Satanic Rites of Dracula,” follows the same characters, which gave it even more of a TV series feel. So, just to amuse my wife, I cut a silly fake intro to “The Van Helsing Mysteries” using footage and music from “1972.” All it needed was the NBC Mystery Movie font (Folio Bold Extended) in “awful ’70s yellow” and voila! Honestly I never expected more than a few people would find it amusing. Incidentally, somewhere among the Facebook comments was a compliment from the director of Kolchak: The Night Stalker. I about had a heart attack.

EVERY SATURDAY HERE AND AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE 

EVERY SUNDAY HERE AND AT OUR PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE 

 

EVERY MONDAY HERE AND AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE NOW HAS ALMOST 26,000 FOLLOWERS

WHY NOT COME AND JOIN IN THE FUN AND JOIN US POST DAILY: COMPETITIONS, FEATURES, RARE VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS : JUST CLICK HERE 

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: TERRIFYING VAMPIRES, SINISTER MR SMITH AND CREEPY OL DONALD

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: Timmy Jenkins requested this superb gif of Andre Melly as Gina in Hammer films, THE BRIDES OF DRACULA (1960) Melly tops many Favorite Hammer Vampire lists. I have to admit, for a film made 56 years ago, it's a Peter Cushing film, that STILL gives chills . . .

You have a favorite shot, sequence, moment from a Peter Cushing film? Message us on our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE  or email us at petercushingappreciationsociety@gmail.com and gives us the details, and we'll post it here and our facebook page!

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY : REQUESTED BY MORGAN PEMBERRY:  BEWARE the smartly dressed gentlemen, with the gold ring and solemn presence. Peter Cushing as the mysterious Mr Smith in Amicus films, ASYLUM . Maybe he isn't all he seems to be. All he wants is a new suit...but NOT for himself.....! 

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: Tyler Henson thought the best story in the Amicus film, FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE  was without doubt story two, 'An Act of Kindness' with Donald and Angela Pleasence, and requested this amusing entrance of their characters, from the film. Creepy . . . 

MORE ON CUSHING'S APPEARANCE IN FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE AND OTHER AMICUS FILMS FROM THAT ERA : CLICK RIGHT HERE!

PLEASE KEEP THOSE REQUESTS COMING: remember the clips that make the BEST gifs are ones without dialogue or music, all gifs are silent!

JOIN US HERE FOR #THROWBACKTHURSDAY TOMORROW!

NEWS: EDWARDS LET SLIP ON TARKIN RETURN USA TODAY

IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, HAS DIRECTOR GARETH EDWARDS LET SLIP, THAT VADER ISN'T GOING TO BE THE ONLY ONE RETURNING IN DECEMBER'S 'ROGUE ONE : STAR WARS STORY?‘

The British director may have revealed some interesting details of  a surprising return in an interview with USA Today, while discussing the film’s main antagonist, Orson Krennic. He revealed that Krennic, the head of Empire’s advanced weapons research wing, played by actor Ben Mendelsohn, will it seems, clash with the upper echelon’s of the Galactic Empire. “It feels like if the Empire ever have a job vacancy, they go to the Royal Shakespeare Company to headhunt people,” Edwards joked. He’s is of course,referring to the upper-class authority of actors such as, our very own Peter Cushing, who played Grand Moff Tarkin in the original movie.

WHEN EDWARDS WAS ASKED, whether he wanted Mendelsohn to adopt a similarly posh accent, Edwards said: “I like the idea that Ben’s character was much more working-class,” adding that he ascended through the Imperial hierarchy “through sheer force of personality and ideas.”

IT WAS THEN that Edwards potentially, reveals the return of a younger Grand Moff Tarkin . . . .“[Krennic] hits a brick wall in the hierarchy, where they won’t let him in the club and it’s going to turn into a them-or-us situation: either Krennic or Tarkin and the others,“ Edwards says.

REPORTS DATING BACK TO August last year have suggested Tarkin’s return, but no official word has come from the filmmakers or the film’s marketing. Some believe the figure seen from behind in 'Rogue One’s trailer (below) could be Tarkin. The hair and head shape certainly appear to be a match, if it were to be a younger Tarkin, maybe . . . A Mail Online UK newspaper feature back last year, reported that the Cushing - who sadly passed in 1994 - would be brought back to life digitally.

 

SUNDAY IS WATCHING CUSHING WITH A CUSHION DAY

JOIN US AT OUR PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE CLICK HERE!