REMEMBERING PETER CUSHING : MARKING THE ANNIVERSARY TODAY AUGUST 11TH 2020

TODAY marks the 26th year of Peter Cushing's passing... I wonder where you were, what you were doing when you heard the news...? The posting of this banner and text, at the  Facebook PCASUK Fan Page as our daily post, has of course prompted the annual huge response in comments, messages and shares. It is, as ever touching and clearing shows the love and affection, Peter still holds in peoples hearts and memories . .

Peter Cushing and his wife, Helen

 

Peter Cushing, at home in Whitstable where he and his wife, Helen lived from 1958, until their passing.

WHILE WE MAY still feel a tinge of sadness at the thought of it being this long, since Peter passed, take heart: he has never really left us . . and never will, so long as the many, many fans and admirers continue to revisit the much loved work and films in which he appeared . . and maybe today , mark in your own way and help celebrate his life and career 😉 Marcus Brooks

 

SCREAM FACTORY ANNOUNCES NEW BLU RAY 'BRIDES OF DRACULA' FOR RELEASE IN NOVEMBER 2020

NEWS: SCREAM FACTORY has announced a NEW Collector Edition Blu Ray for the US of Hammers Brides Of Dracula starring Peter Cushing, Yvonne Monlaur, David Peel, Martitia Hunt, Freda Jackson.. and a host of Hammer film regulars! Make up Roy Ashton. Directed by Terence Fisher!

 

 

 

OUR PCASUK REVIEW of 'BRIDES OF DRACULA'  with Gallery and GIFS written by  Callum McKelvie! RIGHT HERE!

The DETAILS we have from SCREAM currently are as follows:

• National street date for North America (Region A) is 11/10.

•This is being presented as a Collector’s Edition release and will come guaranteed with a slipcover in its first three months of release

•The newly commissioned artwork you see pictured comes to us from artist Mark Maddox (Dracula: Prince of Darkness, Frankenstein Created Woman). This art will be front-facing and the reverse side of the wrap will feature the original theatrical artwork.

•New extras are in progress and will be announced on a later date. We can confirm today though that we are proceeding with a new transfer of the film

 

Order from SHOUTFACTORY.COM and get an EXCLUSIVE 18" X 24" ROLLED POSTER featuring our brand new artwork, available while supplies last!

 

COME JOIN US at our FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE HERE! Post

CAST AND CREW ARRIVE TO START THE ROLLING OF 'THE SEVEN GOLEN VAMPIRES PLUS A FACE YOU'LL REMEMBER WITH AN ANNIVERSARY!

ABOVE: PETER CUSHING and movie mogul Run Run Shaw arriving to start work on Hammer films Kung Fu Vampire film, 'Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires'. Producer and CEO of Hammer Michael Careeras can be seen 'hiding' behind Cushing, with a look of a man stressed. It was a production where they knew it was going to be a challenge. But nothing could have prepared them, for what was to come. Director, Roy Ward Baker, in the background right...full of positivity, as you can see...can't wait to begin!😁😂 Personally, I LOVE the film. Hammer HAD to change the format of the Dracula film, it was becoming stale. Many complain about John Forbes-Robertson's Dracula, his make up and 'look'! But 'Legend' was produced with a style and concept, common to supernatural and Kung Fu films in Hong Kong. You don't go all the way from the UK to Hong Kong to make a Hammer film, that looks the same as, something that could have been made cheaper and easier at Elstree studio, just outside London!  Warner Bros was providing the backing for distribution, but insisted that the film also carry a character, like Dracula, someone well known  to the West, where the film would be seen. Hammer films, go to for the Count, Christopher Lee, wasn't up for the game, but Peter Cushing as Van Helsing was. Warner hated it and buried it. A real shame. So, there you have it... a Hammer Dracula Vampire film with Kung fu. If you get the chance, go along with it, for the ride... it IS different 😏😃 

HERE'S A FACE... if you are a Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Hammer film or indeed James Bond fan... you will certainly recognise... but his name?? Dudley Frederick Peter Butler-Madden, was born in Malaysia back in 1904. Became an actor and chopped the name to Peter Madden and went on to appear in many, many films and tv shows produced in the UK. 'Frankenstein Created Woman' in 1967, 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell' in 1973 both with Peter Cushing for Hammer films.  

PETER MADDEN'S Amicus film with Peter also in the cast was 'Dr Terror's House of Horrors in 1965. He held a bigger role for Hammer in 'Kiss of the Vampire' as the innkeeper Bruno in 1963. Madden also appeared in the UK cult television series 'The Prisoner' (1967) uncredited, he plays the sinister undertaker in the opening sequence! On television he was seen in 'Danger Man', 'Z-Cars', 'The Avengers', 'The Saint' and 'The Champions', 'Out of the Unknown', 'Steptoe and Son' in the episode 'Live Now P.A.Y.E. Later' and also played Inspector Lestrade opposite Douglas Wilmer’s 'Sherlock Holmes' in the 1965 BBC series. Madden even stepped into a role in 'From Russia With Love' the James Bond entry of 63 as Mac Adams. There is hardly a UK tv series of the 60's or 70's he did not appear in. A very busy and popular actor.. we always spot him.. even of we don;t recall his name. You are remembered on your birthday Peter! Happy Birthday to you! 😊

 

YOU'LL FIND DAILY POSTS and a whole lot of photographs, features including regular prize competitions, comments, opinions and conversation contributed from over 34 thousand followers and friends at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page , open to everyone, whoever, where you are.. COME JOIN US!

#CHRISTOPHERLEE SATURDAY : THE BEST TWO OF THE BUNCH AND TWO FIT TO TERRIFY !

THREE GREAT POSTS, with big responses for FRIDAY and #CHRISTOPHERLEE SATURDAY happening right now at FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE!  Here is the FIRST ABOVE: In all, Lee played Dracula ELEVEN times: seven films for Hammer Productions, once in a guest appearance in 'The Magic Christian' (1969)...once for Jesse Franco's Count Dracula (1970), uncredited in Jerry Lewis's One More Time (1970) and Édouard Molinaro's Dracula and Son (1976).... of Hammer films 'Dracula / Horror of Dracula' 'Dracula, Prince of Darkness' Dracula Has Risen From The Grave' 'Taste The Blood Of Dracula' Scars of Dracula' Dracula AD 1972' and finally, 'The Satanic Rites of Dracula' At the POST we are asking, if you can pick your TWO favourites????... AND WHAT a response!

OUR FIRST POST FOR #CHRISTOPHERLEE  SATURDAY is a request for a banner I made sometime ago, it promoted quite a few great comments from friends and followers back then, and hasn't failed today either!

FINALLY: HERE IS A DOUBLE IMAGE POST with BOTH Cushing and Lee, looking QUITE different from how we would usually see them and we are asking you to comment! To play a vampire hunter, Baron Frankenstein, Dr Who, Tarkin or Sherlock Holmes... or Count Dracula, A Bond villain, Count Dooku or the evil wizard Saruman... you certainly HAD to be... FIT .... ladies AND gentlemen, how do you rate them? 😏😁

UK PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY IS BACK LIVE ON BLOGGER! BIZ AS USUAL!

AFTER A WAIT OF SOME TWO WEEKS, little ol me and thousands of other regular BLOGGERS have been waiting to see WHAT the FINAL results of Blogger's revamp was going to look like...and if it would make the business of managing a blog, any more difficult, from what we have been very happy with for the last ten years!

WHILE WE WAITED, I read many features and comments on forums, from some VERT unhappy bloggers, who had spent ten years or more building a huge archive on their personal blogs. Photographs, artwork, features... it all takes time and in some cases, unless you make a 'copy' of your content... all the work and effort could be lost or untransferable to another site. It looked like for a few days like everything had changed, buttons were missing, hard to find and all kinds of worrying developments and angry bloggers, who were ready to up-camped and move elsewhere. For us, I am happy to say that right now... it looks like things have settled and the dashboard and outcomes DO look pretty much the same pre the Blogger change. It's changes that maybe most visitors wont be away of maybe, but for the Bloggers who spend MANY hours creating posts, it doe make a difference... especially if you are not that computer or tech savvy! It is one of the REAL positives of Blogger... it is easy to use. Features can be for some a little basic, but for us.. that's fine. For me, the creation is in the making of the banner and the writing.. NOT my lay out. It's one of the many things that I think has kept our PCASUK Blog popular... easy to find, read, explore and navigate! So THANK YOU Blogger for making the changes I hope, effective and simple for us simple Bloggers and not changing too much. So it's back to posting and sharing the contents of the FACEBOOK PCAS FAN PAGE   AND here's to ANOTHER TEN YEARS! - Marcus

YOU COULD ALWAYS READ HIS MIND, THROUGH HIS EYES!' GIANCARLO ESPOSITO TAPS INTO CUSHING'S TARKIN VIBE

ACTOR GIANCARLO ESPOSITO'S performance as #MoffGideon on Disney+’s Star Wars Spin Off ‘The Mandalorian’ was memorable enough to land him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama. He only appeared in two episodes of the first season, but expect to see a lot more of him in Season 2 when it debuts later this year. Gideon was a pretty impressive and sinister enough threat on his own, but by the end of the season finale, he revealed to viewers and fans, an even greater danger– one that raised a lot of questions– the Darksaber! But for me... it was his performance, that had me totally gripped. Having watched Esposito's performances in Netflix 'The Get Down' 'Breaking Bad, 'Better Call Saul', I could see he was an actor, I thought, of substance..and now he has joined the Disney, The Mandalorian' show... you can see, he's going to get a worth watching rep for that too..

IT'S ALSO INTERESTING and encouraging to see in an interview this week, he gave credit to #PeterCushing. Back in the day, director George Lucas chose Cushing to play Grand Moff Tarkin in the first of the Star Wars movies, 'Star Wars : A New Hope', reasons being, Cushing was such an artist at playing villains, and Tarkin was a villain of some substance! It appears ESPOSITO'S thinks so too...

"You could always read his mind through his eyes. I took a look at the imagery of this supreme chancellor, which really helped me. He is a supreme being in a sense. He knows it, but not everyone in the universe knows it. What we don’t know is how extra special he is yet."

IT'S GREAT THAT #GiancarloEspositos takes the time to share his methods of playing his role and that Peter Cushing still holds a reputation and is respected by others, to have had a skill in playing roles, that has left a lasting impression! Good luck to Espositos too! 😀 - Marcus 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ACTOR DAVID WARNER : THE OMEN : STRAW DOGS : TIME BANDITS AND FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE

PLEASE JOIN US in wishing DAVID WARNER a Very Happy Birthday Today! Warner's Cushing connection is the role of Edward Charlton (segment 1 "The Gate Crasher") in Amicus films 'From Beyond The Grave' in 1974. A great story, a fine performance...particularly enjoyed his play with Cushing in the Temptations Ltd store... but what a sticky end!

Andrew Coupe who writes at the Fan Page ' A really nice guy. He told me he wasn’t a fan of horror films as he finds them too scary!'

Steven Christina who says of his meeting with David Warner 'I was lucky enough to meet 2 years ago. Had a lovely chat with him. Really friendly guy.

WARNER'S breakthrough role on screen was his lead performance in the Karel Reisz film Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment, for which he was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

'I KNOW SOME ACTORS TAKE ACTING TERRIBLY SERIOUSLY. I TAKE IT SERIOUSLY IN THAT, IF SOMEONE PAYS ME TO DO IT, I KNOW I HAVE TO DELIVER! : David Warner

There were certain young actors I had trained with at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art who had always got the big parts and I was always the spear-carrier. Suddenly the roles were reversed and I couldn't understand why, and nor could they. David Warner
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/david-warner-quotes

WARNER HAS ALWAYS BEEN QUITE A DIVERSE actor, who has portrayed both romantic leads and villainous characters across a range of films, including The Ballad of Cable Hogue, Straw Dogs, Cross of Iron, The Omen, Holocaust, The Thirty Nine Steps, Time After Time, Time Bandits, Tron, A Christmas Carol, Portrait in Evil.

Andy McNeill meets David Warner at a signing!

WARNER HAS ALSO DRAWN quite the following for his performances in 'Star Trek The Final Frontier', then as Gorkon the chancellor of the Klingon High Council in 'Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country' and as Gul Madred in the 'Star Trek The Next Generation' episodes "Chain of Command Pt. I & Pt. II"

'IF PEOPLE ARE GIVEN GOOD QUALITY STUFF TO WATCH... THEY

WATCH IT! David Warner

Tricia Hayes with David Warnerwho says on the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page 'Happy birthday, such a lovely man and fantastic actor!'

TODAY THE ANNOUNCEMENT of David Warner's Birthday, has brought quite a crowd, sharing their appreciation of roles and his very friendly and approachable attitude to fans who meet him at signings and conventions. Here's to many more years and superb entertainment, from quite a gentleman who always brings very interesting and entertaining work to the screen... Happy Birthday David Warner!

COME JOIN US AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE,where everyone is welcome, to celebrate the life and career of Peter Cushing, with features, rare photographs, prize competitions and much more.... JUST CLICK HERE!

THE AMAZING WORK OF CREATURE FX ARTIST RUSS LUKICH AND THE SUPERB PETER CUSHING LIFE-SIZE ARTHUR GRIMSDYKE FIGURE!

HERE'S A FRIGHTENING AND VERY ACCURATE  life size figure recreation by artist RUSS LUKICH of Peter Cushing's vengeful character Arthur Grimsdyke from the British 1972 horror film 'TALES FROM THE CRYPT'. Yesterday, over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE I set the question 'was Peter Cushing's Grimsdyke, Amicus films most frightening movie character creation?' And you've replied, shared and commented in style, with over 40 comments and opinions, 23 shares and almost 450 LIKES! 

ONE THING IS QUITE CLEAR, there is still great affection for Peter's portrayal of poor ol Arthur, though many of you remember watching the film for the first time as a child or adolescent, and the memory of his 'rising and revenge', still fills you with nightmares! Grimsdyke has a firm position as one of Amicus films most popular frightening characters!

BACK IN FEBRUARY 2015, we reported on  Comicbook.com  covering AMC series, 'THE WALKING DEAD' tribute to Cushing's 'Grimsdyke': On tonight's episode of AMC's 'Talking Dead', host Chris Hardwick and special effects guru Greg Nicotero revealed that the walker pictured above and at right was, in fact, an homage to the classic 1972 Amicus films 'Tales From the Crypt' ghoul known as Grimsdyke. Here's a interesting feature carried by UK newspaper 'The Guardian' on his art of making the  Monsters and the Dead ..look great!  HERE!

COME JOIN US  and almost 35 thousand followers and freinds and the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! There are daily posts, features, rare photographs and PRIZE competitions, all celebrating and sharing the LIFE and CAREER of the gentleman of British Fantasy Cinema.. and more! PCASUK is open to everyone, whoever, wherever YOU are!  Join Us : HERE!

HE AIN'T TARKIN, HE'S ANOTHER! DESIGNER IVAN MANZELLA EXPLAINS

THE WHOLE 'IS SNOKE REALLY TARKIN?' question has been buzzing around for a few years now. Well, let's FACE it...pardon the pun.... if Cushing had another brother,  . . .with a wife MORE frightening and unreasonable than the one he DID have... sorry I jest 😉😃. .  IF Cushing had another brother, as well as David (the farmer!)... this guy could have easily have passed, as Cushing's  nightmare looking twin! But, a very recent statement during an interview yesterday, designer of the Supreme Leader Snoke make up Ivan Manzella, kinda put the 'is-he-isn't-he?' theory to sleep, with statements about the influences on his design that harken back to the earliest days of the saga. ....

“I actually based him on Peter Cushing, because there were always Snoke theories that he was Grand Moff Tarkin, which I always found quite amusing. You can see there are elements there. The maquette, there’s elements of Peter Cushing, just the cheekbone and the profile and stuff, but he wasn’t meant to be Peter Cushing. He was my Hammer reference, kind of thing.”

 

“He was quite graphic in that first iteration, in Force Awakens. You don’t really see much, he’s a hologram, I guess. What they did to him there is they got rid of some of his … they made his face a bit more friendlier, he went more to a flesh color and some of his face was softened up a bit so it wasn’t so graphic. He originally had that hole in the side of his face taken out, it was really kind of nasty stuff going on. I quite liked the idea of him having a marble skin type, all the veining like you get in marble, and these piercing, blue eyes. But he kind of evolved and got a little bit softer, I think.”

Well, Snoke maybe not be Tarkin back from the grave but, in my book he's at least 70% Peter Cushing! You think? - Marcus😉

All interview text the property of Force Material 

More artwork and designs at Ivan Manzella's website : HERE! 

COME JOIN US AT our FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE which like ALL our PCASUK media platforms is open to everyone.. whoever, wherever you are! 😃😊 

AND FROM SHERLOCK HOLMES TOO! RARE BBC SHERLOCK VINTAGE AUTOGRAPHS!

#PETERCUSHING #AUTOGRAPHS : The 'going rate' for Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee autographs has always been quite heathy, for those who trade in such memorabilia. After BOTH Cushing's and Lee's passing, as one would expect, the value of their signed notes and 'best wishes' certainly went UP in value. For the past 20 years a signed photograph of Cushing has remained steady, with prices from £150 to £250. Many would include, after the passing of his wife, Helen in 1971 to include the sentiment of 'May God's Blessing Be With You Always, In All Sincerity,  Peter Cushing' That's NOT Force but God's Blessing' 😉 IF the signature also included a dedication of, for example 'To Fred' or 'To Aunty Mary', it would carry a value of  LESS than a autograph WITHOUT a dedication! All autographs, without the 'May God's Blessing' inscription, pre-1971 always carry more value, even if the autograph is JUST his signature, on a piece of paper or a photograph!

THE AUTOGRAPH that most are seeking these days of course is Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin from 'Star Wars' ... most desirable, with a dedication. These have sold for between £2,500 and £3,000.. again, in all these 'market-places' something is only worth, what I guess what they WILL actually pay for it.. unless either person sadly gets duped..and there are many, like THIS example of a .... FAKE!

ABOVE ANOTHER SHADY FAKE!... If you have a Peter Cushing autograph, enjoy it, look after it and keep it safe 😉A Tale of Caution : A few years ago, a very dedicated Hammer film and Cushing fan got in touch wanting some advice, on what I thought MAYBE the value of his EIGHT signed photographs of Peter Cushing... 'Well, I am no expert but I can take a look' says I 😊 So, I asked him how did he come across them, 'I bought them years ago from collectors!' he said. 'Are they in good condition' I asked. 'Oh yes...!' said he, 'I will take a photograph of them all now, laid out on the table, for you too see them' he replied. After twenty minutes, an email arrived of a grand display of all eight colour 10x8 photographs, laid out and all catching the light, from the living room window, upon their... plastic lamented SEALED covering!!! Eight colour photographs : Signed amazing! Sealed in plastic, every one of them : worthless.... 😮☹️😖 😢- Marcus

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PLEASE COME JOIN US at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE now with almost 34 thousand friends and followers. Daily posts, rare photographs, features, prize competitions and friends! Anyone and everyone welcome, wherever you are, whoever you are! JUST click here to FIND us : WELCOME!

THE ART OF JOYCE : AMAZING PRINTS OF CUSHING'S BARON AND MORE AVAILABLE NOW!

'The SUPERB artwork of Daryl Joyce'... PICK your favourite! I love this mans work and without it, so many blu ray covers and magazine pages would look a TRUE nightmare.. for all the wrong reasons. Here are ALL his covers and artwork connected with #PeterCushing, a few new ones in there..and they are available ... VERY reasonably priced.. for order NOW! The Cushing/Hammer Frankenstein's are FAB.. the' Brides of Dracula' along with the 'Island of Terror' blu ray cover are amazing.. which makes Daryl my cover artist and art of choice, without doubt! - Marcus. All these prints are A4, (210mm x 297 mm) printed on 250 GSM silk paper.

ABOVE JUST A FEW of Daryl's #PeterCushing prints, but there are more to be found at his gallery at his website and his FACEBOOK PAGE HERE!

ALL OF THE PRINTS are A4, (210mm x 297 mm) and printed on 250 GSM silk paper. If you are OVERSEAS, that's no problem. Daryl will post to wherever YOU are 😊 A Bargain and Beautiful AND ON FACEBOOK HERE! 

PLEASE COME AND JOIN US AT OUR FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE where you can find huge galleries, features, daily posts and ...Super PRIZE COMPETITIONS too. We are almost 34 thousand followers and friends strong, the society is managed as a fan club hobby and has been around since 1956! Whoever you are, wherever you are, as a fan of Peter Cushing's life and work...you will be most welcome! - Marcus