THE TUESDAY TOUGHY AND THE HAMMER FILM THAT GOT AWAY FROM THE DUO

MANY OF YOU MAY have had fun with us, when we posted a whole GALLERY OF FAKE BLU RAY BOXES AND COVERS connected to the many PETER CUSHING films and projects that sadly, for whatever reasons,  didn't come to fruition. THIS particular HAMMER FILM isn't included in the frustrating roll call. And one wonders, if both Cushing and Lee had been cast. how that film may have turned out. All will be revealed TOMORROW when we share the ANSWER here and at the PCASUK FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

IF YOU MISSED THE Unmade Peter Cushing films feature, written by MARK IVESON with  mocks up's and images by yours truly, HERE is a link, to catch it now: CLICK RIGHT HERE!

THE TUESDAY TOUGHY is a new weekly posts for here and the PCASUK FACEBOOK FAN PAGE. Sadly, I can't give away prizes for anyone who answers these brain teasers correctly, but you will forever be elevated in the academic corridors of  UNIVERSITY OF CUSHINDEMIA, for life! IF you feel, on cracking the teaser, you would like to share you moment of EUREKA, why not join us at the PCAS FACEBOOK PAGE, and ease the strain on others who may not have found that elusive answer. Alternatively, take comfort in the fact, that ALL the answers to the TUESDAY TOUGHY can be found in the posts and pages of this website and the FACEBOOK FAN PAGE. We'll be providing the ANSWER here tomorrow. HAVE FUN! - Marcus  

REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA 

REMEMBERING ACTOR JOHN HURT: ONE YEAR ON . . .

TODAY we remember actor, JOHN HURT. Hurts career spanned six decades. He initially came to prominence for his supporting role as Richard Rich in the film A Man for All Seasons (1966). He played leading roles as Quentin Crisp in the film The Naked Civil Servant (1975), John Merrick in David Lynch's biopic The Elephant Man (1980), Winston Smith in the dystopian drama Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984), Mr. Braddock in the Stephen Frears drama The Hit (1984), and Stephen Ward in the drama depicting the Profumo affair, Scandal (1989). He is also known for his television roles such as Caligula in I, Claudius (1976), and the War Doctor in Doctor Who. Seventy Seven seems no age to leave us these days. I think there will always be a very sizeable space, left behind now that Hurt is no longer with us...it would take a very considerable talent and skill, to even approach even the sides of that space... 😉 We Remember John Hurt today . .

John Hurt Alan Bates and Susannah York in THE SHOUT (1978) 

IT'S ONLY MY OPINION but, I have always thought, for an actor, a man with such an instantly recognisable face, Hurt did an incredible job in his characters. He wasn't really an actor who used false noses, teeth and other aids. His portrayals come form within, the heart. He truly did play from the inside out. There will always be 'The Elephant Man' and one or two others, where the addition of prosthetics were used. 

JOHN HURT  as THE WAR DOCTOR in DOCTOR WHO

BUT FOR ME, the roles that stand out, are the ones were it was, him vanishing by his skill. From very early on, in a film like The Ghoul, that face, those eyes...it's John Hurt! There after, he could be anyone, he chose. I only know one other actor today, who comes anywhere near that ability, and that is Gary Oldman . .

 JOHN HURT as KANE ALIEN (1979)

JOHN HURT as KANE from iconic scene from  ALIEN (1979) appearing in spoof SPACE BALLS (1987)

 

REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA   

FROM SERIAL TO CEREAL : WIN A DALEK : HUGE GALLERY : CALLUM MCKELVIE PART TWO

FOLLOWING ON FROM last week’s piece, I’m now turning my attention towards the second Dalek film, Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. Released in 1967, right at the very end of ‘Dalekmania’, Invasion Earth was not as warmly received as its predecessor despite my thinking it the superior film. My DR WHO AND THE DALEKS REVIEW AND GALLERY HERE! However, it still has a slew of interesting facts and tid bits concerning its production and release...

OF COURSE ONE of the more infamous aspects of the films production and marketing concerns the ‘Sugar Puffs’ sponsorship. On the one hand, this was extremely beneficial, assisting in the films financing and helping immensely with marketing. Examples of this include the Daleks featuring in Sugar Puffs television commercials, on the front of cereal boxes and of course a competition to win one of the Dalek props. 

THE NEGATIVE SIDE concerns the product placement that features regularly throughout the film, most notably on the walls during the opening sequence in which the Tardis is covered in rubble. It’s not damaging to the film in any particular way, but it is somewhat distracting when considering the film is supposed to be set in an apocalyptic future. I mean, did all other forms of food run out during the Dalek invasion and everyone went Sugar Puff mad?

WHEN BUILDING DALEKS for this film it might seem an obvious assumption that the Daleks were simply edited and re-used from the first film. Unfortunately due to prize giveaways and tours these Daleks numbers had been sufficiently depleted. With a number of new props built others were taken from the Curse of the Daleks stage-play and sufficiently remodelled. 

IN TOTAL NINETEEN were used with Terry Nation (Dalek creator) going on to own four. The rest, reputedly were left on the Shepperton backlot to rot. Nations Daleks would spend the next few years appearing on tours, being used for photoshoots and fairs. One of the Dalek props would get another chance to show off its acting chops- albeit on the small screen, appearing opposite Jon Pertwee’s third doctor in Planet of the Daleks.

THIS DALEK WAS SUITABLY ‘pimped’ out, having been repainted gold and black and appearing with a torch instead of an eyestalk. It looks suitably impressive and despite not getting much screen-time, steals the show. Nation's Daleks would continue to make public appearances for the rest of the 1970’s including the stage show Doctor Who and the Daleks in Seven keys to Doomsday.

OTHER MORE CONVENTIONAL and traditional marketing appear to have been a little less extreme this time around. Perhaps Subotsky, reassured by the massive success of the first film, decided to cost-cut in this area? That’s not to say there wasn’t any however. Some fascinating behind the scenes footage remains in a television programme entitled ''A WHOLE SCENE GOING ON' (1966) which features a fascinating interview with director Gordon Flemying, who discusses his motivations for wanting to direct BOTH Peter Cushing / Dalek feature film and how he chooses to work. Hammer stalwart Eddie Powell gets a shout-out and features in a few clips, setting up for stunts during the final battle sequence within the Dalek base. Cushing can also be seen walking around set and preparing for scenes

ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING promotional aspects concerns the films soundtrack, which was adapted and presented by Gordon Gow for the BBC Light programme. Aired on November 18 1966 as part of the Movietime series, I’ve been unable to discover if any copy of this broadcast remains. There is however, the original soundtrack recordings, lovingly restored from the vaults of Pinewood Studios, and presented with 20 page booklet from Silvascreen. Some of the vibrant period scores written by Malcolm Lockyer and Bill McGuffie, also have sections enhanced by electronic sounds created by Barry Gray, famed for his work with Gerry Anderson.

DALEKS INVASION EARTH 2150 AD would be the final film in the series although a third film was planned, any ideas were shelved when 2150 AD didn't  hit the lucrative mark of its predecessor. However that’s not to say that that this would be the end for the Cushing doctor. Cushing himself maintained that he had been asked to take the role on for television 

IN EARLY 2010, it was discovered that Cushing did indeed reprise the role, although not on television or the big screen.  A promotional bill announcing the commencement of recording, 'JOURNEY INTO TIME' in ISSUE FIVE had appeared in the pages of the Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Journal, way back in 1981. It took until 2011, for anyone else to realise that the bill was indeed genuine, and seriously take up the research. Cushing recorded a pilot episode in the late 1960's, with the company mentioned in bill, STANMARK and Watermill Productions. However, the pilot came to nothing and sadly, the tapes have since been lost. The recording is thought to have been a thirty minute radio pilot for a proposed series, written by well-known Doctor Who script writer, Malcolm Hulke (creator of the Silurian’s and Sea Devils amongst other well-known monsters). All 52 episodes were to have been produced for Australia and other overseas territories. The plot concerned the Doctor and his companion 'Mike' journeying to the American Revolution.

FOR TWO SCI-FI 'kid's flicks', the Dalek movies have certainly left something of an impression. As I said in my reviews they are incredibly controversial which seems surprising due to their lighthearted nature and just how fun they are.  Love them or loathe them they certainly have an interesting history, though I feel I may be staying away from WHO for a while now, having already devoted four articles to it! I hope you have enjoyed them. Peter Cushing's work is all incredibly interesting and who knows, what we will be featuring here next Sunday? I HOPE you'll come along and find out!

If you want to know more about the Dalek props then I highly recommend visiting HERE!’, a site which features a complete and in-depth breakdown of what happened to both sets of movie Daleks. ALSO these sites are recommended too! http://www.doctorwho.tv/ and HERE!

REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA   

REMEMBERED IAN SCOONES: EFFECTS WIZARD AND CUSHING OBE

TO MANY IAN SCOONES is a name that would be associated with film and television special effects, working with the LES BOWIE Special Effects team and at the BBC. TV shows like the Hammer House of Horror show, Dr Who. Films like 1984, Thunderbirds working for Hammer films Bray studios, many films in which Peter Cushing appeared like, Frankenstein Created Woman, She, Night Creatures. Ian graduated from the Medway College of Art in 1960 and finding himself without employment, made some inquiries to Peter Cushing, who he had been a fan of, since he was a child. Cushing, in turn after meeting Ian, was instrumental in helping him gain employment with Les Bowie . . and the rest as they say, is history.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT IAN NEVER FORGOT, that had Peter not helped him on his way, he may never have got a foot in the door, let alone employment, in such a competitive area. It was Ian's idea to sponsor the application, for Peter to be award an OBE, an 'Order of the British Empire' Medal, awarded by the Queen and government of the day, for services to the entertainment industry . . . Here for the first time on this page, is the actual letter that Ian received from the Prime Minister's office, telling him, that Peter Cushing was to be award the OBE . . . quite an achievement! Peter Cushing was extremely surprised and very humbled to receive the news of his award and Ian Scoones made all that possible! From 1994, Ian lived in retirement, first in Spain, then in Bulgaria, where he died on January 20th 2010, aged of 69. We remember Ian today, with thanks. . . 

REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA   

NEW MARK HAMILL TALKS PETER CUSHING

MARK HAMILL SHARES the story of the day, he met Peter Cushing. Now, for some out there, you maybe asking yourself, why would actor MARK HAMILL want to meet actor Peter Cushing, even going into the studio on his day off? Hamill knew his chances of meeting Cushing were slim, as he didn't actually share any scenes with him in the film STAR WARS. The fact is, HAMILL was and still is a FAN. He LOVES Peter Cushing's work, grew up watching his Hammer films, and is very knowledgeable not only about Peter's work, but also about the man and his life too. SO, here was his golden opportunity. WATCH MARK HAMILL share his memories of the day, he met PETER CUSHING. . . 

REMEMBER! IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA