WHEN SATANIC GOT A BAD AND MANIC RE EDIT!

HAMMER FILMS 'THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA', narrowly missed being landed with the crass title of ' Dracula is Dead...and Well and Living in London' when shootinmg began in November 1972. When the film was distributed in 1979 by Dynamite Films in a heavily edited version, the curse of having bad title came back to haunt it, when it was released as 'Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride' The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires, was also released and stamped in the US by Dynamite Films in 1979 in a heavily edited version as 'The 7 Brothers Meet Dracula', and was alternately known on the US trailer as The 7 Brothers and their One Sister Meet Dracula. Subtle? Hardly... Christopher Lee was never comforatble with the dragging of his rep and the Count into 1970's London, and 'jumping on a Number 21 red double decker bus, to Battersea' Thankfully, it never got to that point and did quite well. But these titles almost pushed it past that point...

INTERESTINGLY, Dynamite Films was owned by Max Rosenberg, the one time, one half of the Amicus films partnership, with Milton Subotsky. Throughout the 60's and 70's, Amicus were sometimes seen as Hammer's competition, though they never pulled the box office receipts that the Hammer House of Horror pulled. Although Tales from the Crypt did VERY well. How ironic, that Rosenberg would one day be distributing his own 'hack edit' job of Hammer's two final vampire films!

TWILIGHT TIME RELEASES SUPERB LIMITED EDITION HAMMER FILMS SWORD OF SHERWOOD : REMEMBERING SIMON WARD

NEWS: TWILIGHT TIME has announced the release date of OCTOBER 25TH 2018 for their limited edition of only 3,000 copies of Hammer Films’ 'Sword of Sherwood Forest' (1960) Probably the best of the Hammer Robin Hood series, this ofcourse is a big-screen adaptation of the popular television series, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-59); and stars the same dashing actor, Richard (Tales from the Crypt 1972) Greene, as the aristo man of the people. The film is directed by Terence Fisher, a Hammer favorite to many Hammer fans, who also helmed many of the series episodes too. TWILIGHT TIME has a very sound reputation for releasing  high quality blu rays and dvd's, managed by harden fans and enthusiasts of cinema, these guys KNOW what lovers of film want and expect. With several other Cushing releases they have worked hard to maintain that reputation, from the technical quality of the disc right through to interesting and original concept art work on their covers and case designs. Sword of Sherwood Forest, is another that ticks all those boxes.

AS IN SO MANY ADAPTIONS of the classic tale, we have the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham, played by a superb Peter Cushing, the lovely Maid Marian (a plush Sarah Branch), and a handful of terrific actors: Niall (Curse of the Demon) MacGinnis, Richard (The Gorgon) Pasco, Jack (Jason and the Argonauts) Gwillim, Nigel (The Skull) Green, and even – in a tiny role – Oliver (Night Creatures) Reed. Visuals :1080p High Definition / 2.35:1 / Color, Audio: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA, duration 80 mins. Region FREE. Special Features: Isolated Music & Effects Track / Original Theatrical Trailer. COMPETITION: LOOK OUT for your chance to bag a FREE copy of this Limited Edition in our PCASUK Competition shortly. MEANWHILE, place your ORDER HERE!

REMEMBERING: Born today, Simon Ward. If you take a look at the raft of obituaries for Simon Ward who sadly passed away in 2012, it's a common fault that they state that his career was kick started when he was 'plucked from obscurity' and appeared in Richard Richard Attenborough’s 'Young Winston' in 1972. Maybe that is how the press and publicity agents remember it....but for Ward, it was not so . . 

BRAIN SURGERY! CUSHING AND SIMON WARD MAKING 'THE POINT' IN HAMMER FILMS 'FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED' (1969)

SIMON WARD AS ARTHUR HOLMWOOD IN THE DAN CURTIS PRODUCTION OF 'DRACULA' STARRING JACK PALANCE IN 1974

WARD ACKNOWLEDGED Hammer films 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' made in 1969 as the film 'that started it all' and the generous help and assistance from his co star Peter Cushing, that made anything afterwards possible... In a interview with pcasuk in 1979, Ward acknowledges his debt to Cushing, who he said, '..had time and patience with me. I knew nothing of the technique needed for working with a camera or about the studio floor. Peter was extremely kind, taking time to explain the simple but very important rules of pace and nuance, so the editor can get in there. This and try to not fall over the cables. He did so much for me. Quite extraordinary. I mean, no one has the time to do that, everyone is busy. But he did it for me, many times through out the film. And it's something I've always remembered, and not come across since... a very kind, gentle, gracious man. He really did save my skin'.

SIMON WARD sadly left us in 2012

SIMON WARD WITH CUSHING, GIVING USUAL 'ALL' TO THE FIGHT SCENE IN 'FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED' (1969)

HAPPY 54TH ANNIVERSARY OF HAMMER FILMS 'THE GORGON' : JOSHUA KENNEDY AND HOUSE OF THE GORGON!

TODAY HERE and at our FACEBOOK PCAS FAN PAGE we are marking the anniversary of the release of #hammerfilms THE GORGON starring Peter Cushing and Christopher lee, with Barbara Shelley, Richard Pasco, and directed by Terence Fisher 🙂 At the Facebook Fan Page, the text went like this...'We've covered this film many times here and at the website, it's still one of the most atmospheric and beautifually photographed films that Hammer made. It's got an amazing cast and an amazing musical score by James Bernard. Patrick Troughton, Michael Goodliffe are great too. And according to some fans, It's probably also.... hang on I'll wait for Joshua Kennedy to make his annual annoucement on the thread below.... ANY time now . . ' 😉 AND at THAT POINT, he did! HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'THE GORGON' !

HOW WE MARKED the GORGON anniversary a few years ago. Josh's comment was there on the post as usual, but this year, so was JOSH!

FOR THOSE OF YOU who don't know JOSH and the remarkable films he has made over the years, he has just probably leaped a further few giant steps in the opinions of his fans and friends. Josh is a life long fan of Hammer films, 'THE GORGON' having first seen it when he was just NINE years old. For the past ten years, I have made a tradition of posting a celebration banner, marking the release of THE GORGON, and every year, without fail, Josh has posted the same comment, in the thread below onour Facebook PCAS Fan Page or here at the website, 'THE BEST FILM EVER MADE'  

DRACULA AD 2105 and the promotional poster for HOUSE OF THE GORGON designed by artist Graham Humphrey

AT FIRST, when it appeared, I thought it was just a highly supportive comment, from a Cushing / Hammer film fan, who  was probably on a high, having just seen the film. BUT, no THE GORGON is Josh's favourite Cushing Hammer film. So much so, he has just made his OWN Gorgon movie, as a tribute to the film, that was made back in 1964. Josh has made some impressive tribute films to various Hammer and fantasy genre movies over the years. My favourite being DRACULA AD 2105. A superb full length feature, which also contains many tributes and key scenes, to the whole Hammer film Dracula series. You can catch our feature and review on the film HERE! 

THE HOUSE OF THE GORGON SYNOPSIS:

Filmed in the vein of the classic Hammer and Universal films of yesteryear: The year is 1896, and the lovely Isobel Banning travels with her mother, Anna, to the village of Carlstadt to marry her university sweetheart, Dr. Julian Pritchard. Along their journey they meet the mysterious Father Llewellyn, the local priest, who refuses to explain why the villagers appear to be in a state of mortal fear… as if the town is hiding a terrible secret. Frightened and confused, Isobel and Anna readily accept an invitation from Dr. Pritchard to stay with him and his aunt, the Baroness Bartov, in their large chateau overlooking the town… unaware of the ancient horror that lies within.

HAVING SEEN THE CROWD-FUNDING trailer for 'HOUSE OF THE GORGON' and the prospect of it's jaw dropping cast, who have joined together to support Joshua and his film, makes the release of this film all the more VERY special. The cast includes, Veronica Carlson (Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Dracula Has Risen From The Grave, The Ghoul) Caroline Munro (At The Earth's Core, Dracula AD 1972) and Christopher Neame (Dracula AD 1972) and Martine Beswick (Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde). I am sure it is going be just as impressive, as Josh's other films, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Alpha Omega Man, Theseus and the Minotaur and many others. Scheduled for a 2019 release, I can't wait!

OUR FEATURE on the dancer and actress who played THE GORGON in the 1964 film: JUST click HERE!

THIS WEEK : A HAUNTING AND A WEREWOLF: LAST WEEK: THE HELEN HAYES WIG AND TOUGHY ANSWERS

HERE IS THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY! SUSSEX, PETER CUSHING A HAUNTING A WEREWOLF AND A CASTLE? WHAT IS THE CONNECTION? Here is a clue: All FIVE things point to a past Peter Cushing project.  FIND the title of that past project, and you have nailed it!

ANSWERS to last week's TUESDAY TOUGHY: 1: The film Christopher Lee was helping to promote was 'Funny Man' 2: Peter Cushing is playing Count Gerard De Merret in the TV adaption of Balzac's 'La Grande Breteche', in Orson Welles Great Mysteries in 1973. 3: The country that linked these questions was FRANCE

THE APPEARANCES OF THE WIG! You have to have a keen idea, know the costumes or good memory of press photographs from the films, but here are the THREE appearances of the hair piece that Peter Cushing called, 'The Helen Hayes Wig'. I don't think the cinema going public and those who watched Orson Welles Great Mysteries took too much notice at the time, when the wig appeared, but ceratinly since voices and opinions can be heard on the net, the vote on the wig, is quite negative. It's interest to note that, even though Cushing made a joke about the wig, the choice of using the hair piece was actually Peter's!!

RAISING HAIR PROBLEMS! MORE on DRACULA'S HAIR and MANY OTHERS in our FEATURE at the website : HERE!

MANY OF YOU chose Amicus films, 'And Now, the Screaming Starts' or 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell', where Peter wore that same wig! The costume, is the giveaway. Well done to everyone who had a go!  Most got Funny Man, but the wig threw most of you . . 

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...