REMEMBERING: SANDOR ELES : BORN TODAY

REMEMBERED: TODAY WE REMEMBER Hungarian born actor SANDOR ELES…. Known for a lot of work on TV he guest starred in shows such as The Saint, One Step Beyond, The Avengers, Danger Man and a regular role in the UK Soap 'Crossroads'.... 

IT HAS ALWAYS surprised me why Hammer films didn't use Eles more often in their features. If Cushing and Lee signed up for every film that Hammer offered them, Hammer would have very pleased, they were bankable, they didn't pay well, but they were always on the wish list of Hammer casting. IF they passed, then it appears that often Hammer liked to cast actors of similar skill set, style and appearance, like John Carson, Francis Matthews, sometimes having a air of nobility, aquiline features... Eles certainly fitted this bill...

COULD ELES HAVE PLAYED THE ROLES THAT MATTHEWS AND CARSON PLAYED FRO HAMMER FILMS? . .  NOT SAYING BETTER, BUT AS GOOD AS?

IF YOU TAKE a quick look at the casting and budgets of the films, he did appear in with Peter and Hammer, it looks like it comes down to the age old problem with Hammer.... money. Which, is a shame and leaves behind it a whole raft of missed opportunities...Eles did a lot of good and interesting work, given the chance. He made appearances in The Avengers, The Professionals Strange Report and Upstairs, Downstairs. One of his most memorable film roles was as the mysterious Paul in the Brian Clemens thriller 'And Soon the Darkness' in 1970. The screenplay was written by Brian Clemens and Terry Nation, both of whom had contributed to The Avengers, as well as to several ITC crime series made in Britain. The film was directed by Robert Fuest.

Even though his accent was good, casting agents often pigeon holed him in generic 'foreigner' roles (diplomats, waiters, desk clerks), he most often played Frenchmen. Éles became a British citizen on 10 January 1977.

FOR MANY, signing up for long term contract in a television soap opera, is thought of the final hole on the leaking ship of a once buoyant career. Eles joined the cast the UK long running tv series, Crossroads in 1982. The series was still popular and Eles seemed to cultivating a new interest. He left the series in 1985 and followed a trail of opportunities propping up the plot in several tv movies and mini series.

IN 1996, Elès returned to his cultural roots, appearing as the narrator in the Bartók opera, Bluebeard's Castle. The concert performances, were given by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Bernard Haitink, and were recorded for CD release. His last movie appearance would be in 1996  playing 'party guest' in Anthony Hopkins' 'Surviving Picasso'. Small theatre roles followed in provincial tours. Sadly Eles would be dead from a fatal heart failure just six years later. He was just 66.... 

HIS LAST PRESS NOTICE was in classified and public notices section in the newspaper of the London Borough of Brent, seeking to notify family members and parties who may have an interest in 'unclaimed estates'  'Jozsef Sandor Eles was born in Tatabanya Hungary on Monday 15 June 1936. He died in Kilburn London NW6, on Tuesday 10 September 2002 at the age of 66. He was unmarried at the time of his death. Information on file states that the deceased's parents are deceased and buried in the family grave. His sister is also deceased and buried with her parents. There are suggestions of a niece in Hungary but her wherebaouts are unknown.Deceased was a retired actor and was found dead on 10 September and was last seen alive on 4 September'. 

#SILENTBUTDEADLY: VAMPS FIRE SMOKE AND FIGHTS!

#SILENTBUTDEADLY: THE SCRIPT FOR HAMMER FILMS fifth Frankenstein film 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' afforded the 'creation' an opportunity to share his feelings and emotions, in a way that no other 'monster/creation' had before in any of the previous Cushing / Frankenstein's'. How fortunate than, to have cast the excellent Freddie Jones as the unfortunate Professor Richter / Doctor Brandt, who was able to do that dialogue justice. For once the one who had gone under the Baron's knife, had intelligence and cunning, and no more than in the scene where this clipped GIF comes from.  

WHILE DESPERATELY dashing from room to room, looking for those all important notes, a hidden Brandt stops Frankenstein in his tracks, 'I fancy that I AM the spider and YOU are the fly, Frankenstein'. Lit by the flames of a flickering rag,  Brandt stands at the top of the staircase, holding glass lanterns full of  combustible oil. Brandt invites Frankenstein to a deadly game of cat and mouse. If he wants get out out of the house alive, he will have to out fox Brandt, and his intention of burning down the house, with them inside! Giving us one the all-times best endings to a Hammer film.

FAST LINK TO LOADS OF RARE PIC AND FEATURE ABOVE AT OUR WEBSITE : HERE

#SILENTBUTDEADLY: Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) looks on in horror on discovering his friend, Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen) in Dracula's coffin, now transformed into a vampire! There is only one thing for it! Hammer films Dracula Horror of Dracula (1958) Requested by Junior Fleetwood.

OUR #MONSTERMONDAY TRIBUTE  TO THIS SCENE A FEW WEEKS GO!

#SILENTBUTDEADLY: VINNIE GOES PUFF! Paul Toombes sits in total boredom, during the junket party for his Dr Death movies, unfortunately it also brings together people and duds from his past, that he would rather forget . . . Weird coincidence, when I met with Vincent Price in 1980 and asked him about Madhouse, he said, 'I really would rather not talk about that one...!' He smiled and that made me laugh! Personally, it's a film I never get bored of...!
Request by Dan T

RANDOM RARE AND REALLY COOL POSTS: EVERY #TOOCOOLTUESDAY!

HERE AT THE WEBSITE AND OUR PCAS FACEBOK FAN PAGE! CLICK HERE!  

If you LIKE what you find posted here . . Please visit us at our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and help 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.

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: WHEN LEE MET BOWIE AND RARE BRIDES OF DRACULA PUBLICITY

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: WHEN LEE MET BOWIE! The Slim Duke Meets The Count? Would you have loved to have been a fly on the wall here? Both loved music, performing...worked in the film industry they also shared something else in common... Do you know what??

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: FOR THE PAST FEW weeks we have had a lot of requests asking if we could also have a weekly theme post day for posts relating to Christopher Lee. We  thought that was a good idea too, so as of this weekend, Saturday's will now be . . . 

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY! WE'LL STILL CONTINUE to post occasional posts through out the week relating to the work that Peter Cushing and Lee did together, but Saturday's will now carry rare images, features banners and stuffs, as you requested 🙂  If you have requests for particular images, gifs or clips, you only have to ask 😉 Good idea? Let us know below....

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: DURING THE 40'S 50'S AND 60'S  Picture Show and several other cinema magazines held a lot of sway with the UK cinema going public.  The films of Peter Cushing appeared regularly between many film fan magazine covers. Interviews, features, photograph spreads were prepared by the press office and reporters and photographers were courted and invited to come and dish up some angle of publicity, for the latest offering. Hammer films were certainly one of the British film studios that kept the magazine very busy.  And sometimes gave editors and writers exclusives. But the one above, is quite rare for a Hammer film. Not just a quick chat with one of the stars and on your way with a handful of glossy head-shots and a flimsy two page synopsis! The Picture Show photographer was allowed to take his own photographs, using the two love interest in the film, Yvonne Monlaur and David Peel. To suit the story angle presented by the magazine, and not disclose any details that may spoil the Hammer feature, what we get is bizarre fantasy angle to the very familiar characters played by Monlaur and Peel!  His Baron gets to bite her and she in turn gets to bite him back!  Ok it's the kind of thing that scriptwriter Jimmy Sangster would probably have shuddered at, but  in the realm of publicity, the PICTURE says a thousand words! And these are a couple of excellent excellent smouldering pictures!

 

Please visit us at our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and help 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.

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: HAMMER CINEMA PROMOTION FROM JAPAN!

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: This week we bring you, some excellent examples of cinema promotion for several Peter Cushing #HAMMERFILMS in Japan from the 1960's and 70's. Personally, I LOVE poster art from any countries, other than the main drag of the USA and UK market. Often the outer territories would be given basic press kits, that the press offices would customise, to suit their culture and audiences tastes. This often meant using rip and tear collages, sometimes including using images and artwork from films, that were not part of the official promotion campaign. This more often than not, resulted in some very exciting and resourceful posters.

AT THE TOP, we have a hand-bill for Hammer films 1969, 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed'. Look carefully at the images, and maybe you can spot at least three examples of the artists adding some extra effects to the official press kit photographs. One image addition, from another completely unconnected Hammer film! 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' was released in Japan with another Warner Brothers - Seven-Arts release, 'Valley of the Gwangi', making an interesting night at the cinema! 'Destroyed', the last Frankenstein Hammer film theatrically released in Japan, and audiences would have to wait until both 'Horror of Frankenstein' (1970) and 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell'  were released on domestic video cassettes, to see how the Hammer / Frankenstein / Cushing saga ended.

MUCH OF THE ASIAN CINEMA  artwork often came about because of the lack of materials, sent on by the distributors. Press kits more often than not were, incomplete and certainly in English language. Necessity being the mother of invention, cinema circuits in Japan set about making their own promotional material, using whatever was at hand, or could be added with a brush and paint. A little added blood here, an exposed breast there, with an extra long fang for good measure, resulted in many examples unregulated artwork doing the rounds, but that, as a kick back, added an extra dimension to the story of the film being exhibited...and give us more reason to ponder, today . . .  

Please visit us at our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and help 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.

#MONSTERMONDAY: WHEN CUSHING TOOK ON THE HAMMER PRESS OFFICE

#MONSTERMONDAY: 'Oh that's not on...' says Cushing. Here's how Peter Cushing got Hammer to change the script on #THEMUMMY in an ever so clever way, when the press office got a little carried away! Was Cushing right to do this, do you think???

Please visit us at our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and help 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.  

#MONSTERMONDAY: THE MUMMY 2017 VS THE MUMMY 1959

#MONSTERMONDAY: ...Ok I am playing devils advocate here, whole tomb of reasons why these films are different, but throw a dice here, and share your opinion. If you have had the chance to see the Tom Cruise The Mummy movie..and you have also seen the 1959 Cushing / Lee Hammer film too... which one do you prefer?

Please visit us at our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and help 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.

#GETTHECUSHION! THE MAKING AND BROADCAST OF 1984

#GETTHECUSHION: Where it all began for Peter Cushing and his career in fantasy and fear. Although many are not aware by this point in 1954, Cushing had already many years as an actor in the theatre both in the UK, and the USA and a period in film in Hollywood. . . . soon after the two live broadcasts of this drama, Cushing would come to the attention of Hammer films . . . .

Please visit us at our daily themed posts at our

PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and help 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.

#GETTHECUSHIONSUNDAY!: THE FELINE CANINE PRIMATE FEATHERED SCENE STEALERS!

#PETERCUSHINGWITHCATS!: So quick riff through the gray matter for Cushing-Cat connections, the obvious 'The Uncanny' from 1977 where the whole film was about cats, 'Silent Scream' the Hammer film tv series from the 1980's, with Peter playing the shop keeper of a 'pet shop' with rather large felines in the basement... You know your Cushing films? Maybe you can think of shots in films, where Cushing appeared with a cat too???

STICKY END for Peter Cushing's Wilbur Gray in 'The Uncanny' (1977)

#PETERCUSHINGWITHDOGS! ARTHUR GRIMSDYKE'S, little pooch, Jamie plays his scenes well, and manages to pull on the heart strings, to say nothing of the pack he has rescued. Like Arthur, PC was very fond of dogs, and though there was a canine in his parents home for much of his childhood, neither Cushing's late wife, Helen or he, craved the company of any house hold pets, in their home. He often said that the seabirds and wild-life outside of his kitchen window, gave him and Helen much pleasure . . . .

THE GENTLE BBC INTERVIEW FROM 1971, 'SOUNDS NATURAL'. A PETER CUSHING YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD BEFORE!

AOVE: JUDY GEESON AND HER PET DOG WHICH PETER CUSHING REQUESTED SHE BROUGHT ALONG TO THE SET OF 'FEAR IN THE NIGHT'. SEATED RIGHT: JUDY GEESON, DIRECTOR JIMMY SANGSTER, AND PETER CUSHING

#PETERCUSHINGWITHCHIMPANZEE

PETER CUSHING during the filming of Hammer films 'The Revenge of Frankenstein' (1958) with a member of the cast, Lucy the Chimpanzee! 

#PETERCUSHINGWITHSQUIRREL!

FINALLY, WITH VERONICA CARLSON, DURING THE MAKING OF 'FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED' (1969) WITH HER PET... SQUIRREL . . . WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE!

Please visit us at our daily themed posts at our 

PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and help 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.