COMPETITION WINNERS AND MARKING DIRECTOR FREDDIE FRANCIS FILMS WITH PETER CUSHING ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF FREDDIE'S BIRTHDAY

 

TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE, the winners of the PCASUK Competition to win a copy of our#ScreamFactory blu ray prizes of #Hammerfilms Peter Cushing and Ingrid Pitt Vampire classic, 'THE VAMPIRE LOVERS' have been announced over at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page along with the ANSWERS to the competition! Just CLICK HERE! 

 

WANT TO HAVE A PEEP onto the set of Hammer's 'The Vampire Lovers' and some candid stills of Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing and cast? Just click HERE!

 

TODAY WE REMEMBER the wonderful director and cinematographer Freddie Francis born on this day in 1917.

 

WATCH PARTY: Directed by FREDDIE FRANCIS and starring PETER CUSHING, DAVID RINTOUL, RON MOODY and LYNN DALBY  'The Legend of the Werewolf'   only at the Facebook PCASUK Fan Page

 

AS A CINEMATOGRAPHER his greatest successes include winning two Academy Awards, for Sons and Lovers (1960) and Glory (1989) the horror film The Innocents (1961), which he regarded as one of the best films he shot and The Elephant Man (1980), directed by David Lynch, for which Francis found himself gaining new-found industry and critical respect as a cinematographer. 

 

FULL PCASUK FEATURE AND STILLS GALLERY ON #FREDDIEFRANCIS 'THE SKULL' JUST CLICK HERE!

AS A DIRECTOR FRANCIS worked regularly for both Hammer and Amicus films throughout the 60's and 70's starting with The Evil Of Frankenstein (1964) for Hammer and Dr Terror's House of Horror's (1965) for Amicus both which starred Peter Cushing who he directed in a total of 8 films.

 

PART THREE of 'A TALENT TO TERRIFY' featuring 'Dr Terror's House of Horror's', starring Cushing and Lee, directed by FREDDIE FRANCIS, can be found, RIGHT HERE! 

 

FREDDIE FRANCIS 'The Evil of Frankenstein' Hammer films THIRD Frankenstein film and starring Peter Cushing, can be found in this PCASuk feature, with rare stills gallery too!  Just CLICK RIGHT HERE!

 

OF THE 22 films that Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee appeared in together, EIGHT of these titles were directed by FREDDIE FRANCIS. Find out MORE about these films, their stories, the casts, reviews along with RARE STILLS and media, in the PCASUK feature series  A TALENT TO TERRIFY, here at the website! PART STARTS HERE!

 

FREDDIE FRANCIS stands at the back behind the camera, directing Peter Cushing in Amicus films 'THE SKULL' in 1965

 

OUT OF ALL THE FILMS THAT he directed, Francis often said that his favourite was 'Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly' (1970)  a black comedy about an isolated upper class family whose relationships and behaviours came equipped with deadly consequences, while the film was not very well received by mainstream critics, it has gone on to become a cult favourite. On his apparent typecasting as a director of these types of film, Francis said, "Horror films have liked me more than I have liked horror films". Sadly we lost Freddie in 2007 Aged 89 .

 

OVER AT THE FACEBOOK PCASuk FAN PAGE, we have 'slipped into our alternative pcasuk universe' and asked you to give us some suggestions to . . #PeterCushing and #ChristopherLee appeared in 19 fantasy films together... Again, in our 'perfect world' PCASuk alternative universe... if you could choose just ONE of those titles, where a sequel film could have been produced and released with Cushing and Lee repeating their roles, WHICH FILM would you choose? - Marcus

 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features and prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE     

#CHRISTOPHERLEE ON FAIRY TALES AND ENCHANTERS : CUSHING ON THE COMMITMENT TO BELIEVE AND PRICE STANDARDS!

#CHRISTOPHERLEE on Smoke and Mirrors, Fairy Tales and Enchanters.

Through out his entire career, #PeterCushing also supported the 'believe' theory. #VincentPrice, also had amoral standard too... - Marcus 

 

FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE  HERE  TWITTER HERE 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features and prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE    

THE MAN WHO FINALLY DIED GETS BLU RAY NETWORK RELEASE FOR FEBRUARY 2022

NEWS: NETWORK kicks off the New Year with a release of the #PeterCushing 1962 drama 'The Man Who Finally Died' in February 2022. 

 

NETWORK PRESS RELEASE

British cinema legend Stanley Baker's intense persona and rugged charm are brought to the fore in this gripping tale of Cold War espionage, where he plays a son in search of his missing father. Co-starring Peter Cushing, Mai Zetterling and Eric Portman, 'The Man Who Finally Died' is featured here as a brand-new High Definition remaster from original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio.

 

PLOT SYNOPSIS

In London, jazz musician Joe Newman receives a startling telephone call from his German father, a man he believed long dead. At the same time, a funeral is taking place in a quiet Bavarian town - and the coffin bears the name of his father! Joe's search for the truth proves more disturbing than he could ever have imagined.

 

 

 

'Of all the many non fantasy genre films that Peter appeared in during his career, THIS one is probably my favourite. Again supported by Stanley Baker, who worked with Cushing in 'Violent Playground', 'Alexander the Great' and the 1955 BBC adaptation of 'The Abominable Snowman', 'The Man Who Finally Died' has a very entertaining story with some twists which is all steered very well by director, Quentin Lawrence who directed Peter in that Hammer film 'fan-favourite-Christmas-gem', 'Cash On Demand' with Andre (Hound of the Baskervilles) Morell.

 

NETWORK are taking Pre Orders now. This will certainly be my 'after Christmas-Extra'  😏 Over at the , we are asking, 'Who else LIKES this movie and who has YET to see this film?' - Marcus

 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features and prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE   

#MARKHAMILL REMEMBERS PETER CUSHING ON #INSTAGRAM AND #TWITTER

'#StarWars lead #MarkHamill posted a behind-the-scenes picture from 'A New Hope' in remembrance of Grand Moff Tarkin / Peter Cushing this weekend on his Instagram account, with a quite touching message. Full credit to Hamill, who still has fond memories of working with Peter, all those years ago! 

 

When #GeorgeLucas produced his passion project in the late 1970s, he was met with many obstacles along the way, including getting anyone in Hollywood to take his idea seriously. In an effort to lend the film some credibility among a cast of unknowns, Lucas opted to hire some name actors in supporting roles. This took the form of Sir #AlecGuinness in the role of Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi and Cushing as one of the film's primary antagonists, Grand #MoffTarkin. Unlike Alec Guinness, a prestige stage- and screen actor who seemed to treat Star Wars as beneath him, Cushing was no stranger to genre film making. The actor had made major appearances in several #HammerFilms between the '50s and '70s, often opposite Christopher Lee, that embraced high-concept storylines typical of the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genres. In Star Wars, Cushing plays Tarkin with restraint and dignity while performing often ruthless acts, making him one of the franchise's most memorable characters despite only appearing once in the #Skywalker saga. 

 

In remembrance of #PeterCushing, Hamill takes to social media and shares a photo of them together on the set of the original Star Wars. The image is a black-and-white snapshot of Cushing in full costume, while Hamill is dressed in more casual attire. He also writes a caption paying tribute to the actor’s gentlemanly nature and how it so starkly contrasted with the dastardly character he brought to life. 

 

From their clothing, it can be assumed that Hamill was visiting the set of his own accord, as, along with his not being in costume, Luke and Tarkin do not share any scenes together in the film. Indeed, Hamill has confirmed in interviews that he was a fan of Cushing’s body of work before being cast in Star Wars and made sure to visit on one of two days he worked on the film to speak with the silver-screen veteran. From his caption, it seems Cushing was game to engage with his co-star on that level of fandom.

 

Cushing’s impact on Star Wars cannot be understated, with Grand Moff Tarkin being one of the franchise's most iconic characters more than 40 years since his debut. He has since been featured in many other forms of Star Wars media, such as books, video games, and cartoon series like Star Wars: Rebels. One reappearance which attracted controversy came with the stand-alone feature #RogueOne, which included #Tarkin via a posthumous CGI recreation of Cushing. This effect has become a major landmark in the ongoing issue of whether it is appropriate to “resurrect” deceased actors via the means of visual effects in order to reprise their roles from beyond the grave. Regardless, the gesture from Hamill is a sweet one and shows just how large an impact the actor made on the series with such little screen time.

 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features and prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE  

#SCREAMFACTORY! VAMPIRE LOVERS BLU RAY PCASUK COMPETITION CLOSING DATE CLOCK TICKING!

THE CLOCK IS TICKING  as the PCASuk  Competition comes to an end. If you haven't entered yet, there is still time before all entries have to be in at the Facebook Fan Page, using ONLY the Facebook MESSAGE BUTTON! Just click THIS LINK ... and GOOD LUCK 😉 -Marcus

 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features and prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE 

NEWS: #NICHOLASCAGE PLAYING DRACULA AND #NICHOLASHOULT AS RENFIELD IN NEW UNIVERSAL FLICK!

IS THIS OFF TOPIC? I am not sure. But hey, it's Dracula, a character close to Peter Cushing's and Christopher Lee's heart... not sure what they would think or say about this though. I am surprised it has taken this long for them /Universal to get around to a film based on the 'Renfield' character. 

 

NEWS: Nicolas Cage has made a career of biting into his roles with seemingly reckless abandon, even as he strayed further and further from studio movie making and sunk his teeth into indie cinema. Now, in a deal sealed with a vampire’s kiss, Cage is returning to a big-studio movie and will play the meaty role of Dracula in Universal Pictures’ monster movie 'Renfield'. Nicholas Hoult is starring as the titular character, the vampire count’s infamous acolyte and henchman, in the feature directed by Chris McKay, the helmer behind Amazon’s The Tomorrow War and The Lego Batman Movie.

 

BELOW JUST THREE OF MY PERSONAL RENFIELD 'TOP THREE' 

 

#DWIGHTFRYE for some the definitive #RENFIELD in #LUGOSI's 'DRACULA' ... he was mad enough for sure. YOUR fav??

 

TONY HAYGARTH, one of my favourite Renfiled's who was an amazing balance for #FrankLangella's Dracula. Dracula with a 'black comedy bent, was quite an impressive movie, me thinks...Haygarth and his northern sway on the role, as did the film was a breath of fresh air...

 

 
#TOMWAITS had the voice, the hair and the 'mood' already half way there for the role. A superb singer and artist, brought a whole other madly obsession to the role. Where Hammer films, totally booted and chopped out the character of Renfield in ALL of the Dracula movies, they did go some way, by bringing in Thorley Walters as 'Ludwig' who ticked the box for madness, fly eating and severer attachment issues to #Dracula.. but his hygiene was far too daily and smacked of #Disney's Pinocchio's Dad, Geppetto to be a real frightener... still quite crazy though.... - marcus

 

 

ABOVE: AS EVER, the brilliant THORLEY WALTERS playing  in Hammer films, edited and diced Renfield-ques 'Ludwig' in the 1966 Terence Fisher directed DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS

 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN US and over 34,000 others Peter Cushing followers at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE! With posts every day, rare images and photographs, features and prize competitions.. all celebrating the LIFE and CAREER of Peter Cushing  OBE