WHAT MAKES A GREAT SHERLOCK HOLMES : VINTAGE TRAILER : NAME THE MUSCLE MAN!

TWO FILMS and 16 Television Episodes! Over at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page, I have asked : What Do You Think, Made Peter Cushing such a popular Sherlock Holmes? From 1959 and the Hammer film adaption of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' the role of probably the world's most famous detective 'Sherlock Holmes', became quite permanently welded to Peter Cushing as one of his most entertaining roles... from a filmography containing over 90 motion pictures! From the many actors who portrayed Holmes, what was it in Cushing's performances that made him so popular?? . . . And as you wouks expect, there are some interesting theories and strong opinions... HERE!

A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940) was the penultimate Laurel and Hardy film made at the Hal Roach studios. Stan Laurel played Stan / Lord Paddington, Oliver Hardy is Ollie! The film is of particular note to us, because Peter Cushing also featured in the cast.
 

#STANLAUREL was born Arthur Stanley Jefferson on the 16th June 1890, at 3, Argyle Street, Ulverston, Cumbria, England. He travelled to the US with the Karno trope, and after a long period eventually Laurel signed with the Hal Roach studio, so did Oliver Hardy, who was a member of the Hal Roach Studios Comedy All Star players...and the rest is history! If I were to pick anyone from this era of cinema history, Stan and Olly get my vote every time.

IF YOU HAVE NOT seen A Chump At Oxford, I highly recommend it, I have added the the theatrical trailer above! It's not just for an opportunity to see a young Peter Cushing at work, but also the joy of watching the skill and talent of the two 'boys'. It never got better. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Stan, you still remain head and shoulders above the rest!

#RichardBurton and Claire Bloom's 1956 production of 'Alexander the Great' might have been seen as 'not so great' at the box office, but #PeterCushing turned in a very good performance, even with such a damp squid of a script.. it also gave us a fabulous colour image like this this one, just months before Cushing's career would take such a dramatic turn!

ABOVE : HERE IS A GOOD FRIEND friend to Peter Cushing, who played more than one villain alongside him.. a STRONG character too! Over at the Facebook Fan Page, I have posted this and  asked if you name him and the two films in which he appeared with Peter Cushing? It's funny how some have complained that the question is too easy, while quite few.. are miles off and have ID the guy, incorrectly! 😀😉  

CATCH UP WITH FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE : VINTAGE DRACUA MAKE UP PLAN : KARLOFF AND LEE BEFORE THE HAMMER FILMS TOUCH!

AN UPDATE ON THE LAST FEW DAYS AT FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE!

ABOVE: A RARE BLACK AND WHITE photograph of  Peter Cushing, as usual looking very dapper, at the John Player NFT lecture in London in 1973. It was a night of interview with Q and A from the packed audience, lots of questions. Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE I've posted this with a question too! Question? What would you have asked if you had been there? LOTS of interesting answer too!

SOMETHING that came my way a few months ago... the 'look' of #ChristopherLee's 'Dracula' back in the first Hammer films 'Dracula movie, was more than pivotal to the success and look of the film back in 1958. A tall, romantic and handsome noble-royal figure, with good English, manners.. no high camp collar, bat flapping .. and teeth and feral nature on display, only when survival or feasting was necessary.

FULL PCASUK REVIEW WITH SCREEN CAPS AND GIFS OF WARNER BROTHERS REMASTERED BLU RAY OF HAMMER'S 'DRACULA AD 1972' JUST CLICK RIGHT HERE!

IT WAS A 'LOOK' that stayed for the majority of the whole series of Lee's films. SO it's surprising who is responsible for the painting of this artwork, back in 1958 . . almost looking like comic back pre Hammer's 58 movie, with six fangs and eyes that could fry your bacon.. and that bat??? Hmmm.. who do you think painted this? You can find the answer on the post now at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE

ON SATURDAY... #CHRISTOPHERLEE Saturday! Here is a rare photograph... with TWO actors faces you might recognise 😉 ... I threw out the question, can anyone name them and the production year?? Suggestions were a little slow coming but one or two did solve the question. You'll find the answer HERE!

ANOTHER PAIR OF PHOTOGRAPHS, for #CHRISTOPHERLEE Saturday, was these two crackers! At the Fan Page the children's reading book held by Lee started the question of what kind of Captain Hook would have made? Several shared the quote from an interview Lee gave at the time Steven Spielberg was casting his production of 'HOOK'  and how much Lee was hoping he might have a 'look in' in playing the role. Of course, sadly it never happened . .
 

BACK AT THE WEEKEND I GAVE  a heads up to friends and followers at the page of the screening of 'ROGUE ONE' having only its second screening on UK television!  HEADS UP! #TODAY at 7pm if you are in the UK or able to receive the tv channel #ITV 😊 . . If you hated it and want to ignore it, loved it but don't own it... if you enjoyed it, and want another chance to see the CGI of Grand Moff Tarkin as played by #PeterCushing . . in a film that personally, I like very much indeed! . .. ITV screening #RogueOne : A #StarWars Story at 7pm tonight!

DURING THIS WEEK we also marked and remembered the birthday of SANDOR ELES who worked with Peter Cushing in Hammer films, 'THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN'  . . .HERE  

 . .  PETER CUSHING 'A CLOSE FRIEND, BARRY MORSE who worked with CUSHING during the early 40's on stage, appeared in the tv series 'SPACE 1999' and in Amicus films, 'ASYLUM' in 1972 . . . HERE

...AND ACTRESS SHELIA KEITH who worked with Peter Cushing, along with Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and John Carrandine, as sister Victoria Grisbane in 'HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS' (1983)

JOIN US AT OUR FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE our PCASUK INSTAGRAM SITE the  PCASUK TWITTER account and the PCASUK YOUTUBE CHANNEL! 

 

#WATCHPARTY 'DARK PLACES' 1974 CHRISTOPHER LEE JOAN COLLINS AND HERBERT LOM!

JUST POSTED AT FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE one of the last of our PCASUK #WATCHWITHCUSHING Facebook #WATCHPARTIES in our quest to entertain during the #LOCK-DOWN period of the last three months! 'DARK PLACES' is one of few lesser seen films of Christopher Lee. It's a ghost story, with a few twists and some nice little surprises. It's a film of time... when it was produced back in 1974, but a lot of fun.

 

SIR CHRISTOPHER LEE REMEMBERED TODAY : FIVE YEARS ON . . .

SIR #CHRISTOPHERLEE remembered today. It is five years since the passing of Christopher Lee... but his huge legacy of work and life, reminds us all here very often, of how lucky we all were to have had such an impressive and talent individual with us then . . and who still continues to entertain and influence so many even today!

BACK IN 2015 when Christopher Lee passed, Bryan Adams posted this comment about his time with Lee, during their photo session :

 

'Singer Bryan Adams has paid tribute to veteran actor Sir Christopher Lee, who died aged 93 on Sunday. The Canadian rocker met Lee - famous for his chilling portrayals of screen villains from Dracula to the wizard Saruman in Lord of the Rings - when he took photographs of him for a book.The pair hit it off and Adams told how the actor used to leave funny phone messages for him.

"One I can sort of recall was sort of like...'Hello Bryan, I see you cut a swathe through Paris. Many people have called me to say they have seen you in various states of debauchery, and quite right too'... It was brilliant," he said.

Adams added Sir Christopher Lee was a "great character" who would be "greatly missed".

Back last year, I was sent a photograph of Christopher Lee, which I thought was really something! I loved the pose, the lighting and the attitude that the photographer had managed to get from Lee . . Little did I know that, the photograph was one of a collection of portraits in 2018 at exhibition called 'EXPOSE', by none other than singer Bryan Adams! His exhibition contains many really interesting portraits from Sir Ben Kingsley, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson, Louise Bourgeois, Lindsay Lohan and Dame Judi Dench. . . an impressive list, which also included 'Her Majesty The Queen', no less! I still think this is one of my most favourite portraits of Christopher Lee . . Lee would have loved the position of his frame in the gallery too 😉😊 - Marcus Brooks 

AS YOU HAVE no doubt spotted, I try to share something related to his work with Peter often, plus we do have a Christopher Lee theme EVERY Saturday here too!

RECENTLY FOUND interviews, clips and banner features...these posts, thanks to you are always well received and supported. I always take time to read the many comments and text messages from followers and members, who still miss his him and regularly watch his many many roles on TV and film!

ABOVE : OUR RECENT PCASUK FEATURE on the CONTENTS of THREE personal SCRAPBOOKS that belonged to #CHRISTOPHERLEE : CLICK HERE! 



AND IT IS HIS WORK, a great deal of it, that he would probably be most proud of and I think, want to be remembered for.. We can always enjoy that . . . in memory of one of the greatest!

PLEASE COME JOIN US at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE .

A FACEBOOK PRESENCE for almost TEN YEARS and now with OVER 33,000 THOUSAND FOLLOWERS and FRIENDS 😊

CHRISTOPHER LEE AND THE BAND ON THE RUN : EXPLAINED!

#CHRISTOPHERLEE #SATURDAY! AS A WEE LAD... way back in 1973, I remember getting the Wings 'Band On The Run' album for Christmas, it was released in November and already knowing all about Lee and Cushing . . I loved the album BUT was more impressed and super curious about Lee appearing on the cover! Only in the last few years, have I finally found out HOW and WHY it all happened... what a sport he was! 

THE RED NOSE YOU DIDN'T SEE PLUS SIXTY YEARS OF BRIDES CELEBRATION COMING SOON!

#CHRISTOPHERLEE SATURDAY! Here is something you have probably never seen before! Not something you see everyday.. and I am pretty sure, after some deep research over the past two days.. this may not have been seen by anyone! 

CHRISTOPHER LEE wearing a RED NOSE! The reason? '#ComicRelief - #RedNoseDay 1989' I know that this started in the UK and that the US have also been doing this for some time now too 😊. Las t year, March 15 was Red Nose Day in the United Kingdom and May 23 was Red Nose Day in the United States. For those who are not aware... it's a charity day called Comic Relief / Red Nose Day. Comic Relief started Red Nose Day in 1985 in the U.K., where it's an every-other-year event and has raised $1.2 billion so far. Millions of pounds are raised for charities by the public and celebrities of film, music, and TV who put a hold on their plans for a day or two and help to raise money. The RED NOSE has been a motif I think since it began. In 1989, Christopher Lee also joined in. Weeks before the event, a whole new gang join in and a new band of promotional posters, photographs and tv campaign promos appear everywhere to get everyone ready to part with their lolly and join in! This was Christopher Lee's contribution in 1989.. 

THIS YEAR 2020 marks the 60th anniversary since the release of Hammer films classic 'The Brides of Dracula' with Peter Cushing making his return to the big screen as Van Helsing Vampire Slayer in July 1960. Despite the title, there was no Count Dracula to be seen . . but there was David Peel's Baron Meinster! He may not have been Christopher Lee but I think he too managed to pack quite the punch, in the scary stakes.. no pun intended... as this great rare colour transparency shows! 60 years, wow! I'll start prepping and baking the cake ready for our party?? Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE, I've asked you if 'Brides' one of your fav Hammer / Cushing classics? Feel free to join the chat! and comments! - Take care everyone : Marcus

VAMPIRE HUNTERS : HAMMER FILMS : VAN HELSING TO KRONOS WHEN IT WAS ALL CHANGE!

#HAMMERFILMS #VAMPIREHUNTERS : HAMMER were quite brave and sometimes successful, if a little too late when they moved with times . . a tweak and change with style was something they also tried with their vampires and vampire hunters. One of the best and most imaginative was '#CaptainKronos : Vampire Hunter'.. with very entertaining side kick Grost and charm and sassy attitude from #CarlineMunro, it looked like a game changer, but sadly not to be. A real loss, me thinks ☹️😕 Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE I am asking if everyone would rate this film and some of its qualities alongside #PeterCushing's #VanHelsing and a film like, 'The Brides of #Dracula' .. or no?? - Marcus