NEWS: DRACULA RESSURECTED AND LOOKING AMAZING ON WARNER BROTHERS REMASTERED BLU RAY

NEWS: TOMORROW IT ARRIVES! WARNER BROTHERS REMASTEDED BLU RAY RELEASE of Hammer films DRACULA AD 1972 is available FROM TOMORROW 16TH OCTOBER on AMAZON. If you are one of the few followers of Peter Cushing;s work or a fab of Hammer films and have never had the chance to see this film, and know little, brace yourself for opinions and reviews about the filma dnthis release, that will run the whole gumit from A to Z. Hammer Dracula fans tend to dislike like everything about it, while those of us, who maybe grew up in the 1970's see this as a nostalgic connection, to world and era that is usally based in the 18 or 19 hundreds! ASs a teenager in the 70's, I too wasn't a fan of the film. But then, I grew up and could then appreciate the humour and subtiies of the plot and the style of teh film. Now, it's one of my all time favs of Hammer films and the fantasy output of Cushing's and Lee's careers. For those who sadly wrestle and still have sleepless nights and can't recover or relate to the end title shot in DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, (Why is that castle blaconey so FAR WAY from the brass cross that Dracula fell onto? Why oh why oh why???) the REMASTERING and fine presentation, of this Warner Brothers Archive Collection release will offer little. But for those of us who love the film, EVERYTHING is there, and wonderfully prestine and sharp!

DESPITE WHAT MAYBE THOUGHT ABOUT THE STORY CONTENT of this 1972 release, you ceratinly can't criticise the REMASTERING. If you too loved and appreciated the quality of the 'Warner Brothers Hammer Horror Classics Collection', RESTORED FIVE Hammer film BLU RAY BOX SET two years ago, then you are in for a treat. DRACULA AD 1972 was previously released on a German Blu-Ray, this was based on the same transfer created for the 2005 DVD release for multiple regions. Word has it that, The Warner Archive Collection reviewed that particular transfer and rejected it as . . . unusable.

THIS WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray, has been made from a NEW 2K scan by Warner's MPI facility of a recently manufactured interpositive. Color correction was performed using Ektrachrome transparencies, and thousands of instances of dirt, scratches and age-related damage were REPAIRED BY HAND, frame by frame. There are sadly no extras except for DRACULA AD 1972 trailer on this release, but for those of us who have waited a long time for this particular film  . . AND The Satanic Rites of Dracula, to be released soon.. to be remastered and presented on Blu Ray, visuals and audio are an amazing bonus in themselves. 

DRACULA AD 1972 is available on the US AMAZON SITE AND is an REGION FREE Blu Ray. The release of The Satanic Rites of Dracula has been moved to NOVEMBER 13th 2018. We are celebrating the release of both of these fine Blu Rays, with a month of AD and SATANIC posts AND A PCAS COMPETITION where you can bag several AD and SATANIC prizes, including copies of BOTH Warner's remastered Blu Rays of DRACULA AD 1972 and the SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA! Look out for UPDATES of when the competitons will be posted!

ABOVE : COVER FROM MY VHS COPY. BOTH THIS AND MY DVD CAN NOW TAKE A HAPPY AND WELL DESERVED RETIREMENT!

 

SLASH AND SHOCK : PC'S ONLY BRUSH WITH MR NASTY OF CINEMA : OR WAS IT?

OVER AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we posed this question: It's Cushing film you either love or hate! When CORRUPTION was released on DVD by Sony Entertainment a while ago . . they certainly cranked up the violence factor, but using the Japanese poster. as it's DVD box cover. It's seen by many as Cushing's most gory and violent film. If so, is there a Cushing film you would personally put in second place??? Some interesting answers . .

FOR THE ABOVE FEATURE JUST CLICK HERE!

OUR REVIEW ON THE GRINDHOUSE BLU RAY REMASTERED

BLU RAY: CLICK HERE! 

COME JOIN US AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE: HERE! 

CAN YOU SOLVE THIS TOUGH QUESTION? PLUS 'THE BEAST MUST DIE' RARE PRESS STILLS

A REVAMP to our usual 'Cushing Tuesday Toughy' Banner.. but the questions are of course, just as tricky and maybe tough.DO have a go! Answer will be here on Friday. BUT if you want to join in the fun and think you have CRACKED IT, why not skip over to our FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE where this has just been posted too, and post your ANSWER in the post thread!? Good Luck!

'A PHOTOGRAPH FROM CUSHING'S 'THE BEAST MUST DIE' PLEASE!' is the request from ARTY FACE at the THE FACEBOOK PACS FAN PAGE! YUP! YOUR REQUEST AND WISH is granted, Arty! A RARELY seen press publicity photograph of Peter Cushing as Dr. Christopher Lundgren, in Amicus films, 'The Beast Must Die' from 1974. Interestingly, Around 1972, Robert (Jaws) Shaw expressed an interest in playing the lead role of Tom Newcliffe in this film. Shaw's career had turned a little quiet and the bills had not! Calvin Lockhart got the lead instead! Hammer films, Don (Kiss of the Vampire) Sharp was the first approached to be director. 

'THE BEAST MUST DIE' was eventually directed by Paul Annett, who seriously objected to producer Milton Subotsky's idea of the 'Werewolf Break' gimmick, where the audience were invited to guess 'who the werewolf is!' Subotsky actually hated the script and the film, and 'Beast' was the last horror film produced by Amicus, in which co-founder Subotsky had the involvement of producer...and it all went sadly pear shaped and sour. IS BEAST one of your FAV Cushing Amicus films? Me? I wish it was, but sadly not...

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THESE MYSTERY WOMEN : RARE PHOTOGRAH FROM 1989 : WITH A LEE CONNECTION?

PETER CUSHING POSES for the camera on the eve of his birthday in 1989. BUT who are the two ladies at his side? Don't forget our weekly Tuesday Toughy, makes his appearance here tomorrow!

ABOVE AND BELOW: A REMINDER of the glue that helped make two great actors stay friends and also provide us with TWENTY TWO amazing films! You can find out more about their friendship and those films, in our SERIES HERE!  A TALENT TO TERRIFY : The Twenty Two Films of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. 

CUSHING AND LEE: A TALENT TO TERRIFY :  JUST CLICK HERE!

OCTOBER IS PETER CUSHING DRACULA MONTH! OUR CELEBRATION COMPETITION, MARKING THE WARNER BROTHERS RELEASE OF THE REMASTERED BLU RAYS OF 'DRACULA AD 1972' AND 'THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA' THIS MONTH! WIN BLU RAYS, SIGNED AND RARE FRAMED CHRISTOPHER LEE AD 72 PORTRAIT , PLUS MORE! DON'T MISS IT AND MISS OUT!

HAPPY NATIONAL GRANDAD DAY: DALEK AND VAMPIRE FIGHTER!

IT'S SUNDAY and it's also NATIONAL GRANDAD DAY 🙂 Here are two examples of splendid Grandfather's that Peter Cushing played on the big screen, both quite loving and very brave! I have lost count of the many times, so many of you have written in, to tell me how much Peter LOOKS like your Grandad, or that you wish he HAD been! 🙂 😉 Help us celebrate National Grandad Day Today 🙂 Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we are asking followers, if they have a special Grandad memory or the best of times with your Grandad now! Feel free to join in!

PETER CUSHING played the Van Helsing GRANDAD, one more time to JOANNA LUMLEY'S Jessica Van Helsing, in the sequel to DRACULA AD 1972 'THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA'

ITALIAN HAMMER FILM PHOTOBUSTAS : REPAIRED LOOK AMAZING!

IT'S A SAD TRUTH that many press kits, photographs and beautifully produced cinema posters, from the films of Peter Cushing some produced over 50 years ago, often aren't in the best of condition, when they arrive at auction or are up for sale on ebay these days. Back in the day, many sets of stills, lobby cards and press stills were produced in their thousands, especially the cheaper black and white, sets. It wasn't unusual for the press office to use cheap photographic paper, thin paper stock for the cinema posters, as many films made on a tight budget, extended their limitations to the money used for the business of publicity, after the film had been finished. Often was the case, there was little to no funding left. Colour photographs were expensive, even when the capture list, was presented to the studio photographer on set, priority was given to stills taken in black and white. The film was cheap, the processing and printing too. So colour stills, were taken for magazines and publication. Also, no one at the time at Hammer, Amicus or any other 1950's or 60's studio press office, had any idea that the films, would go on to be classics, and the press material HIGHLY COLLECTABLE and command high prices!

SO THIS IS WHY, I have been busy at work and burning the night oil, repairing this fine set of Italian PHOTOBUSTA Lobby Stills, Hammer films DRACULA AD 1972. Many parts of Europe at that time, were included in the UK budget for press kits. Although they did get, a set of a few black and white stills, usually a set of eight. Many times, the publicity office in a country would then get them tinted with ink, to give them a little colour. Unfortunately, if the artist had not seen the film or any colour prints from the set, characters on the photographs would be wearing dresses, coats, cloaks and tie, of a completely different colour, to what they wore in the movie. Hence David Peel, appearing often in a dark blue, light blue and one time yellow cloak, in press stills in Europe during the theatrical release of Hammer films, 'The Brides Of Dracula' starring Peter Cushing . . not the grey cloak, he is seen wearing throughout the film.

GREAT CARE has been given in touching up the paint, ink and damage to this set of Italian Photobusta's. I have cleaned them, repaired tears, scratches, pin holes and dent, without comprising the style and vintage of the time. As we shared in a post earlier this week, the Italian press stills, were often quite something. Many were excellent cut and paste poster montages, like the one we see here and other times quite strange and weird. Take a look at last week's The Satanic Rites of Dracula cinema poster, that features a photograph of naked chubby man, behind a tinted photo of Christopher Lee and Joanna Lumley. The man, photograph taken at a very odd angle, was not featured in the film or indeed have anything connection to any of Hammer films!   

PHOTOBUSTERS were produced to enhance the best moments of a film, they were printed usually in colour, using tinted black and white photographs, sometimes managing to out do the drama and presentation of the more expensive and official press photographic promotional materials. Sadly, they were often, as in this case, printed on glossy and thin paper. Easy to bend, fold causing the print and ink to flake off over the years. But one imagines, as in this case, they must have been very eye catching and dramatic, when first released and pinned to the foyer or reception of a cinema. In most cases, they certainly impress me, with their size, colour and collection of images. Today even though, they come with the risk of having been folded and damaged, they still command high prices and are highly sort after by collectors.

 

SEE THIS GALLERY AND FEATURE AT OUR WEBSITE : CLICK HERE!

COMING SOON is our competition, MARKING THE RELEASE FROM WARNER BROTHERS the ALSO REMASTERED BLU RAYS of both DRACULA AD 1972 and THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA. We'll be offering you the chance to win copies of both films and other HIGHLY collectable AD and SATANIC prizes! MISS IT AND MISS OUT!

OCTOBER DRACULA MONTH : COMICS AND MAGAZINE WEDNESDAY PLUS CAN YOU IDENTIFY THIS?

HAJIME ISHIDA'S MONSTERZINE made a wonderful return in 2013. I know little about Ishidma, except that he edited a very popular and quite excellent magazine / fanzine for fans of the fantasy genre during the 1980's. Sadly, as with many such mags, it bowed out and looked never to return. But like, what appears to be his favorite Horror film character, it CAME BACK, from the GRAVE. And what a return! MONSTERZINE covered an array of monster movies, the classic Universal film catalogue and also the brilliant Godzillia flicks. But, it's the subject of #HAMMERFILMS that seems to hold Hajime's attention and passion. And in particular, their Dracula series of films

TO BE QUITE FRANK I am not not a lover of books on Hammer films, with ACRES of reviews of said films. I quite like to make my own mind up about a film and unless the opinions of the flick, are giving by people who were involved with the production of it, I glaze over. Now I know there are MANY who LOVE reviews, that's why I post them. But me? I am a visual chap. I still like to spend a Sunday afternoon, grazing through my children's picture books, minus the text and a story. A box of crayons, I am game! Simple? Yes, I am. AND YES, it STILL remains a mystery as to how, I EVER got my Degree's and Masters. So, when I first opened a Ishida magazine, I thought I had found the Ambrosia of Hammer Film books. MASSES OF PHOTOGRAPHS. 

YOU SEE, I am also a collector of stills and images. Ishida, edits and publishes the kind of books that present Hammer films, in the most of attractive ways, visually. During 2011 and 2013, MONSTERMAGAZINE also released TWO Photo Album Books. Volume one on the Hammer Dracula series and Volume Two dedicated to the Hammer Frankenstein's. Lovingly Lavish, Sensibly Presented and not shy on sharing a few rare photographs too. The regular MONSTERMAGAZINE also contains a news and features section, but there are still many many pages of images. The dedicated Photo Album's have very little text. Which is just as well, as what there is, is in Japanese. If you LIKE the experience of turning the page and going 'Ooooh!' at the content, The Hajime Ishida's Photo Album's are for you!

IT'S WORTH MENTIONING, that it was HAJIME ISHIDA who for many years, religiously pushed the idea that Hammer films 1958 DRACULA DID contain a shoot of the melting Christopher Lee's Count, in the films final moments. Hajime went along to see the film in the 1960's with a still camera, hidden away on his person and snap a blurred shot of the burning face of Dracula AND the passionate scene with Christopher Lee and Melissa Stribling. Many experts and fans, still refused to listen and insisted the scenes did not exitst, only as still publicity photographs, taken by the set photographer. ALL these amazing shots WERE finally included in the Lionsgate Blu Ray remaster of the film in 2103. They were all cleaned and remastered from a Japanese print, just like the one Hajime saw decades before . . . 

WHAT IS THAT THING???  Yes! It ain't pretty is it? In our continuing dip into Collectable Comic, Mags and Posters featuring the work of Peter Cushing, comes THIS very odd cinema poster for, 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula'. The film had a long tour and presence in cinemas around the globe after it's stunted release in 1973 and with it came weird posters, titles and press kits. In some cases like this one, posters were quickly and cheaply made up, with limited images and resources. I am not absolutely sure of the country where this 'art attack' was displayed and used.

THE STUCK ON WHITE FANGS are 'interesting', also Lee's glowing eyes, but personally, that isn't what has puzzled me most about the pasted up images, that were cobbled together and used to make this poster. Can ANYONE identify and tell me, what is THAT behind the photo of our frantic king vamp?? For years, I have blown up the image, studied it and have drawn a blank! Anyone??? IF you have a suggestion, please come join us at  our post on this NOW at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE!