SCREAM FACTORY RELEASES REMASTERED BLU RAY OF #CUSHING #HAMMERFILM 'THE VAMPIRE LOVERS'

NEWS! As we reported a little while ago here on the PCASuk website and Facebook Fan Page, #SCREAMFACTORY has announced the release date of their Special Edition Blu Ray of the #PeterCushing and #IngridPitt #Hammerfilm classic.

 

THERE HAVE BEEN several releases on Blu Ray over the past few years, UNCUT, CUT and all with their own region of extras, from mini documentaries to the usual talking heads from that region, sharing their opinions and facts about the movie. Judging by the comments I have read in the past at the Facebook PCASuk Fan Page  many fans and Hammer film collectors, have purchased many of the released versions, hoping their copy would be the UNCUT version. 

 

IT SEEMS what many versions are missing is some EIGHT SECONDS of footage that contain a shot from the prologue of the movie, six seconds of a decapitated head hitting the ground. It's my belief, that only one release on blu ray contains, that footage. The 2016 Anolis release of 'The Vampire Lovers', is a full restoration of the film PLUS including the restoration of a shot of Kirsten Betts’s decapitated head falling to the floor. The Scream Factory release does not contain that eight seconds in its version of the film. Would that absence affect that choice of purchase for some? Well, that choice sits with you. 

 

YESTERDAY, there was a comment made at the PCASuk Facebook Page, that gave what appears to be the reason why, Scream Factory decided to not include the footage within the film, 'The six seconds with the head hitting the ground is not restored into the film. As this is a new 4K restoration, the footage would be jarringly out of place as it is from a far lesser source. Constantine Nasr and Steve Haberman both confirmed this. Other then those six seconds, it’s completely uncensored and uncut.' Casey Prater.. 

 

ABOVE: RARE CONTACT print of publicity stills from Hammer films, 'THE VAMPIRE LOVERS' with Ingrid Pitt, Madeline Smith and Jon Finch.

 

EXTRA FEATURES: 

 

NEW 4K scan from the original camera negative
NEW Audio Commentary with film historian/author Dr. Steve
Haberman and film historian/filmmaker Constantine Nasr
NEW The Rapture of Cruelty: Carmilla in Classic Cinema – an audio essay read by actress Madeline Smith
NEW To Love a Vampire – an Introduction by actress Madeline Smith
NEW Carnal Crimson - Film historian/author Kim Newman on the Carmilla Legend
NEW Fangs for the Memories – Film historian/author Jonathan Rigby remembers THE VAMPIRE LOVERS
Audio Commentary with director Roy Ward Baker, actress Ingrid Pitt and screenwriter Tudor Gates
Audio Commentary with film historians Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby
Feminine Fantastique – Resurrecting THE VAMPIRE LOVERS

 

New Blood: Hammer Enters the 70s – film historians discuss
Hammer films during the 70s
Madeline Smith: Vampire Lover - an interview with actress Madeline Smith
Reading of Carmilla by actress Ingrid Pitt
Deleted Shot of the opening beheading
Trailers from Hell: Mick Garris on THE VAMPIRE LOVERS
Theatrical Trailer
Radio Spots
Photo Galleries – movie stills, behind-the-scenes stills, posters and lobby cards

 

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     

HOPING FOR A WHITE CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR? START WITH BRINGING A CHILL TO YOUR FESTIVE TREE!

IS IT TOO EARLY, to mention Christmas yet??? I am not a fan of Christmas, but I do like seeing people happy and the decor... which brings me to this! Here is something I just had to share over at the Facebook PCASuk Fan Page, last night! What better way to bring your hopes for a WHITE Christmas this year, with at least a dusting of a CHILL than our very own #PeterCushing and... that OTHER Snowman... #TheAbominableSnowman, from the Cushing 1957 film 'The Abominable Snowman'....hanging in your Christmas Tree Decs??? Peter Cushing fan #ArdenEllenNixon sent me pics of her Cushing & Yeti creations, a few days ago and I was so impressed with them, I asked her if you could see them too! So here they are! If you too hang something unusual in your Christmas Tree Decs... keep it clean please, we don't want to frighten the reindeer... I would love to know or see some pics 😊 

 

MEANWHILE, if you would like a set of Cushing Snowman Decs for your tree this year, you can contact Arden, RIGHT  HERE!

 

BECAUSE of some issues with international posting, sadly, Arden is unable to take international orders right now - Marcus

 

 

ABOVE: A FULL PCASuk REVIEW FEATURE with GALLERY on Hammer Films 'The Abominable Snowman' RIGHT HERE! 

 

ABOVE: NOT HAVE A COPY OF 'THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN? Here is our FULL PCASuk NEWS feature on the fab REMASTERED BLU RAY released back in 2019 by SCREAM FACTORY, which is still out there for ordering! You can check it out 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 DEVIL'S MEN' GETS WORLD PREMIER ON REMASTERED 2K BLU RAY #INDICATOR #POWERHOUSE

NEWS: Indicator have announced they are releasing 'The Devil's Men' on blu-ray starring Peter Cushing and Donald Pleasance for a street date of FEBRUARY 22nd 2022

 

HERE IS THE SPEC, fresh from the Indicator desk, with extra features and what to expect, quality wise, from a film that has languished in the swamp of dodgy boot-legs, grainy VHS and multi-pack groggy copies, until NOW . . 

 

ABOVE: FULL Review feature of THE DEVIL'S MEN with Gallery 

RIGHT HERE! 

 

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES  

 

• New 2K restoration from the original negative
• Two presentations of the film: The Devil’s Men (94 mins), the original cut; and Land of the Minotaur (86 mins), the shorter US theatrical version
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with critics and authors David Flint and Adrian J Smith (2022)
• The John Player Lecture with Peter Cushing (1973): the legendary actor in conversation at the National Film Theatre, London
• Interview with producer Frixos Constantine (2022)
• Feature-length Super 8 version (94 mins)
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 

 

• Limited edition exclusive booklet featuring a new essay by Andrew Graves, an archival interview with star Donald Pleasence, extracts from original promotional materials, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits

 

• World premiere on Blu-ray

• Limited edition of 2,000 copies

• All extras subject to change

 

PREORDERS START SOON :HERE!

 

ANOTHER PCASUK REVIEW AND GALLERY OF 'THE DEVIL'S MEN'

RIGHT HERE!  

THERE ARE SEVERAL FEATURES on 'THE DEVIL'S MEN' to be found here on the blog about this film, which had the blessing of three or four titles different titles given to the film in different countries... 'Land of the Minotaur' / 'The Devil's Men' / The Devil's People'. It was covered in the UK with quite a lot of publicity in film mags at the time of it's release, but to actually get a screening was difficult. It came and went quickly. One think about this film was it had a lot of lolly spent of it's promotion and press materials, a beautiful set of thirty/ forty press stills in very nice matt finish colour and the lobby stills were excellent too.

 

AS I RECALL, Getty productions were hand in hand with the tourism and commerce where the film's locations were shot and really played to the beautiful landscape... the film spends considerable time waltzing around long pans and cut away landscape shots, and they are very impressive. The film DOES have a following, though it wouldn't make it to my fab five titles, there are many who would and do rate it. The fact that Indicator has gone to to their expert touch of giving the film a new 2K restoration from the original negative, makes it worth my order, to replace my personal tatty and grainy copy. The extras certainly make my order worth making too. I am sure Powerhouse will not disappoint, as their impressive record of great packages, extra bonus materials and remastering, prove their  reliability and reputation of making a expected used tea bag, into a silk purse, and worth having! - 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   

THE ART OF REBUILDING: BESPOKE #PETERCUSHING VAN HELSING FIGURE

THE SUBJECT MATTER ABOVE, comes from a post I made at the Facebook PCASuk Fan Page  today. The images were passed on to me by a follower of the blog and I thought the many sculptures and model makers at the sites would appreciate it . . a figure of #PeterCushing in an almost retro/steamy/punkish style, maybe the great, great great grandfather of the Van Helsing played by Cushing in the 1958 #Hammerfilm, 'Dracula' / Horror of Dracula' with the #ChristopherLee setting a new style of the great Count! I posted the pics, as I thought it looked great. 

 

IT WASN'T UNTIL, I did a little more digging on the sculptor / model maker, that I discovered how this figure was actually created. What I had taken to be a traditional sculpt of a figure was in fact, not at all/ The fascinating and very imaginative skill of creating figures from selected heads, arms, costumes from other figures! These are often commercially produce collectable figures, from the likes of model series like Star Wars, Blade Runner, Pirates of the Caribbean and any other theme and movie of your fancy! Mostly these figures are produce in plastics, often with body parts that just snap off or are part of a range where some parts are adaptable. The model maker, appropriately named, 'PlasticSurgeon88' who created this very cool figure of Peter Cushing, has quite a set up and a whole range of figures he has customised, figures that he has magicked into a quite amazing customised extension of the tradition figure and character. The range of adaptions on some of the figures is very interesting. I think I can spot the Van Helsing head, could be Cushing's #GrandMoffTarkin from the Hasbro 'Star Wars' figures? The sculptor also creates impressive paint jobs on figures like this one, with changing the colour of costumes from another figure, to suit the appearance of this bespoke look he is creating.

 

I HAVE SEEN figures like this before over the past few years, the practice of something much more than simple 'snap and change' though, There are a few Peter Cushing themed figures, but this is the BEST I have seen so far. I am wondering if he has more in 'his locker'? The irony of creating characters / figures from the body parts of others, of an actor who is famous for playing the role of the prince of 'Cut 'em- Slice 'em- Dice, Stitch-Recreate and Rebirth 'em' Baron Frankenstein, isn't missed here! I am sure, you too, would LOVE to see more?! - Marcus

 

All Van Helsing Figure photographs

credited to Plasticsurgeon88

Curse of Frankenstein 

still credit Mark D.Wolf 

 

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      

YOU HAVE TO BE A BIT MAD!

A PETER CUSHING QUOTE, to be often seen misquoted and out of context in many #clickbait mems and banners on the net. Back in 1990, Cushing was asked in a TV interview, if appearing and starring in the many fantasy genre feature films he made during a thirty year span of his 50 year career, was it fun! Cushing made light of it and his answer was typical of his renewed attitude that his public appearances during the promotion of his two autobiographies and his semi retirement, had brought him, since his wife, Helen's passed back in 1971. 

 

PETER CUSHING had for most of his career, privately suffered from depression. During the making of both Dr Who and the Dalek movies released in 1965-66, ill mental health, resulted in his delay from the making of the second film, 'Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 AD'. His steer and rudder was always his wife, Helen. 

 

FROM THE TIME THEY MET and shared their lives, but very much his career and his many appearances in theatre, on tv and radio for the BBC, Helen helped shape him, it was Helen who kick started the first opportunity with the BBC in the early 1950's and it was Helen, that certainly coached and helped create, the man and actor who was Peter Cushing.... a fact, that during their time together and long after her passing, Peter never missed an opportunity to share, how she had been not only his wife, his only love, best friend, but also how devoted and thankful he was and would always be . .     

 

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