#MONSTERMONDAY: WE DO NOT KNOW HIS NAME, but we know his deeds and that is he one deadly tease! The Shop Proprietor of the Amicus film 'FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE' (1974) is perhaps one of the strangest roles that Peter Cushing ever played for Amicus films, not counting Dr Terror, of 'DR TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS' (1965) They both were in the business of dealing in fate and death, one predicting it, the other from the confines of his shop called 'Temptations Limited, doing just that...tempting'. Dr Terror just foretold what was in store, however, this little chap, does try to lead astray, some poor weak, unfortunates who are already walking a very narrow and slippery path. So, what do YOU think? Is he a MONSTER for tempting the weak ? OR is he just a kindly ol man, just trying to eke out a living in a junk shop? YOU DECIDE!
REMEMBERING:
Diana Dors born today, October 23rd 1931. '"I’m the kind of girl that
things naturally happen to. When they don’t, I give them a push"....Dors
much loved and real national treasure for many years with a career as a
model, actress, television personality and 'blonde bombshell'...and
also a co star in TWO Peter Cushing films. 'From Beyond The Grave' for
Amicus films and Nothing But The Night also with Christopher Lee.
#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING : One day, in another life, wearing another hat, I was in London, on the Thames embankment, yes the one where we see Cushing's Van Helsing pause for taking a breath in Dracula AD 1972. I was taking a large group of my students, on a field trip visit to MOMI, the Museum of the Moving Image. This was my first trip there. But, I had been told by many others, that it would be very worth-while and full of useful resources to film students. PLUS, some close friends who knew me and my hobbies very well, hinted that somewhere inside, was a little 'something', that I would really appreciate! How could resist? After getting 30 students through the box office, producing mutiple-prebooked tickets, each student was dispatched with worksheets and tasks, to keep the 'little darlings' busy for the best part of an afternoon, leaving me free to wander my way through the exhibits, interactions and displays. It was a vast building, and the museum was split into each 'Cinema Through A Decade' at a time. You walked into each decade area, through the door of a facade of a cinema of that era. In the early 1900's exhibit, you entered through a large opening in a tent, that represented, the traveling cinemas of the time.
I MADE MY WAY INTOthe early 'glasshouse studios' of France, and the hand cranked cameras of the 1920's, until I walked through the box office and frontage of a London cinema of the 1930's. After twenty minutes, I came upon the 'something' my friends, had hinted about. Inside a glass case, was the actual Boris Karloff, lighting double dummy. Now looking a little tatty, but the genuine article. It was an impressive thing to see. I thought about my friends, and how they would have come upon it, when they visited, and how they probably all gave each other 'the nod', and chorused, 'Wow, you know who would like this! Ha!'. And, I did. It was certainly worth the price of the admission alone. I stood looking at it, for about twenty minutes, and made my way through the 1940's section. It was then I heard music in the distance. Faintly, just above the clashing voices, narrations and music from the other exhibits. It was a snare drum, and strings... 'diddle, diddle, dum. Diddle, diddle dum, ..dum..dum, dum, dum, dum, dum, DAH, DAH...! I knew that rhythm! But, it couldn't be? I turned on my heals and rushed across the hallway, towards a corner ahead, around where, I thought that music was coming from. I turned the corner, and stopped in my tracks! Before me, I saw the huge facade of an Odeon 1950's cinema building, and outside the doors stood a very smart conseiage, above him and above the huge ODEON sign, a cinema screen, and on it . . . .
THE LAST THREE MINUTES OF HAMMER FILMS 1959, DRACULA! At that time, like many, I had seen the scene unfold hundreds of times on my TV, but NEVER had I seen it, on a cinema screen! I stood, peering up at the screen. Cushing running down the large refractory table, jumping at the curtains, Christopher Lee's scream and gasp of horror..and my gulp of emotion. I am not ashamed to admit it, I was profoundly moved. For me, it's probably the most iconic of all the scenes, from any and all the Hammer films. As a ten year old, I listened to it's soundtrack, on my battered reel to reel tape recorder, which was given to me by my uncle, because I wouldn't let up nagging him, until he gave it to me! Then, I transferred that recording onto an audio cassette. This was before the age of video, so a selection of images from the scene in a US magazine, would be poured over, while listening to the cassette! Then, VHS.
DRACULA'S TUMBLE-WEED OF DEAD HAIR, drifted across the marble floor, as I looked to my right and left, I was surprised to see, a small crowd had gathered around me, all quietly watching the scene too. The titles were now moving up the screen. I sighed, and still looking up at the screen, took two steps back, before turning and almost colliding with a tall, thin face man, who had also been watching the scene up there too. 'Good, wasn't it?' he said smiling. Startled, I stepped back, catching my balance, I looked up one more time at the screen. 'Yes!' I said. 'It was VERY good' I watched the picture fade to black. 'Are you are a fan? A fan of.. Peter Cushing?' I turned to catch his answer. But he was gone!
'Van Helsing pursues Dracula through the castle, accompanied by James Bernard's insistent chase theme. Dracula catches Van Helsing and tries to throttle him, Van Helsing tricks Dracula by playing dead. Then, in the nick of time, he leaps up. The vampire and the vampire hunter stand off like tigers. Then Van Helsing makes his final move. . . .
'As Dracula decays, Van Helsing's haunted expression conveys a mixture of exhaustion, revulsion, sadness and relief. Cushing later explained his own feelings about that shot : 'I was reading a review of the film, from a critic who said, '...at the end of Dracula, there is a look of sadness on Van Helsing's face. He has suddenly achieved his life's quest, and now what is he going to do? I can tell you that I didn't have that in my mind at all, when we were shooting the film. I stood there and run my hand through my hair and look down out of exhaustion. But the critic was absolutely right. Something in me was communicating that to the audience, and the audience fills in the rest!'
#ONSETSATURDAY: AT THE TOP: Pertwee and Pitt camp it up with glee on the set of 'The Curse of the Bloodsuckers', the 'film within a film' within the story of 'The Cloak'... one of the four stories in the Amicus portmanteau film, The House that Dripped Blood' (1971) ...which also starred Peter Cushing in a tale called, 'Waxworks'! TRIVIA: Among the photographs in the frame of Paul Henderson's mirror in his dressing room, is one of Jon Pertwee driving "Bessie," the car he drove as the Doctor in the BBC television series,Doctor Who. When Pertwee made THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD in 1971, he was still playing the Doctor. Interesting too, that VINCENT PRICE was first offered the part of Paul Henderson.
#ONSETSATURDAY : Director Freddie Francis during the shooting of the 'Wish You were Here' story from 'TALES FROM THE CRYPT' (1972)... actors on set are Roy Dotrice and Barbara Murray. 'Tales of course is the film in which Peter Cushing played Arthur Grimsdyke, in the story, 'Poetic Justice' TRIVIA: Peter Cushing was
originally intended to play Ralph Jason, but after looking at the script
he persuaded the producers that he would do more justice to the role of
Mr. Grimsdyke. Robin Phillips who played Grimsdyke's nasty neighbor, was only cast as James because original choice Ralph Bates was not free.
EVERY SUNDAY HERE AT THE WEBSITE AND OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE: THE BEST OF PETER CUSHING : A TERRIFYING CLASSIC SCENE : ANALYSIS, GIFS AND CLIPS
#ONSETSATURDAY Director Alan Gibson blocks out the action for the scene during the making of Dracula AD 1972 TRIVIA: Gibson was not the first choice of director for the film, Paul Annett, who later went on to direct Peter Cushing in Amicus films, THE BEAST MUST DIE was first offered the chance to direct this project. The character of Jessica Van Helsing has been played in each respective
Hammer Dracula by an actress who'd portray a character romantically
linked to Ken Barlow in the UK soap opera Coronation Street - Stephanie Beacham, in 2009,
and Joanna Lumley, in 1973!
A REMINDER! Don't forget to TUNE IN to TCM US on SUNDAY 23rd OCTOBER for a GREAT DOUBLE BILL of CUSHING HAMMER FRANKENSTEIN FILMS! Below are TWO VINTAGE teaser trailers to wheat your appetites, if you have not seen these classics before. . .
THE FOLLOWING DAY there are no less than FOUR CUSHING HAMMER FILMS for you to enjoy. But MORE ON THAT, coming up later . . .
TOMORROW! #ONSETSATURDAY : JOIN US FOR A PEEP ONTO THE SET OF VINTAGEPETER CUSHING FILMS!
#THROWBACKTHURSDAY
: PETER CUSHING, Christopher Lee, Veronica Carlson and Barbara Ewing:
May 29th 1968, Hammer was awarded the Queen's Award to Industry in
recognition of their contribution to the British economy. Hammer had
indeed proved themselves to be the most successful British film company
ever. Their reported export earnings were in excess of £2.7 million
1968, so Hammer received the Queen's Award to Industry - the first time
the award had gone to a film production company, and yet just a decade
later, they were struggling to get a single film into production.''
WE ARE TAKING YOUR REQUESTS FOR GIFS RIGHT NOW!
JUST EMAIL YOUR REQUEST TO PETERCUSHINGPCAS@GMAIL.COM
AND LEAVE THE REST TO US|!
JOIN US AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE EVERY DAY AND ON
SUNDAY'S FOR SOMETHING NEW! #GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING!
#THROWBACKTHURSDAY: It's a great tribute to the work of make up artist Roy Ashton and Peter Cushing, that Cushing's portrayal of Arthur Grimsdyke STILL gets as much attention that it does! Make Up genius RICK BAKER too to twitter today to show us his #Halloween make up for this year! It's terrific! ' “Tested my Halloween party makeup today....He tweeted.... #Grimsdyke Fabricated out of cotton & latex. Hard to shoot a selfie with black fabric on your eyes!” GREAT job!
THIS TRIBUTE TO ASHTON/CUSHING also reminds us of the 'cameo' that the make up did in #thewalkingdead TV show last year. Greg Nicotero did a great job also of recreating Cushing's nightmare-Grimsdyke, back from the dead!
PLEASE JOIN US AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE: RIGHT HERE
