CHRISTOPHER LEE SATURDAY! : THE LAST MEETING : THE COMPLETE SERIES : MORE TO COME :

#CHRISTOPHERLEE SATURDAY! This week we are loading up our entire PCAS PLAYLIST from our YOUTUBE CHANNEL of one of our most popular series at the site. Our clips of Peter Cushing as TARKIN from #STARWARS and #ROGUEONE are popular, the #AMICUSFILMS documentaries are too. #MARKLHAMILL talking about meeting with Cushing while making Star Wars, Hamill STILL is a BIG #HAMMERFILMS fan, always gets views as does Cushing's Masks of Death Sherlock movie and what was one of least popular films when it was released, The Ghoul. . . .

BUT ONE SERIES of clips that always gets viewings and has been a hit since they were first posted a few years ago is ONE LAST TIME. Both Cushing and Christopher Lee were quite private individuals, private in their friendship too. Finding candid photographs of them on set at one time, was quite rare, and there was thought to be nothing in the way of any footage of them chatting together, until 1994.

THE JOB OF THEM providing the narration for the documentary, 'Flesh And Blood: The Hammer Heritage Of Horror', took place in a small studio in Canterbury. Neither Cushing or Lee had met together for a year or two, although they had kept up their communication over the phone. Lee knew his friend was seriously ill and was very keen to take the opportunity to spend some time together. His reaction to not knowing how ill Cushing was, has been well documented, so we won't dwell on that here. Neither will we disclose again, how this footage was captured and how we obtained a copy of it, but today we have taken the opportunity, for those who maybe haven't viewed the clips, to sample a few from our PCAS YOUTUBE CHANNEL playlist!

MANY WHO HAVE WATCHED this collection of clips have mentioned how surprised they were, at seeing both Lee and Cushing so relaxed, how entertaining and sometimes quite emotional it is to see, just how close both Cushing and Lee were. You get to the opportunity to see, a side to both gentlemen you didn't know existed. HAVE FUN watching these clips. IF you have any comments or suggestions about this or any posts at the blog, just use the COMMENT BUTTON at the bottom of this post, and if you wish we can also add your comment to the feature!

THIS MONDAY'S MOMENT OF TERROR! RIGHT HERE!

 

NEWS: THE ZOO GANG COMES REMASTERED TO BLU RAY!

SOME GREAT NEWS for fans of some of PETER CUSHING's television work! CUSHING appeared in an episode of the ITC series called 'THE ZOO GANG' back in 1974. In THE COUNTERFEIT TRAP, CUSHING plays Judge Gautie and appears with the very neat cast of usual's who play the GANG, John Mills, Brian Keith, Lili Palmer and Barry Morse... the majority CUSHING had experience of working with in previous productions, from Amicus films to Sherlock Holmes! THIS is a GREAT release.

THE VISUAL QUALITY OF THE BLU RAY REMASTER LOOKS EXCEPTIONAL!

 

MANY OF US have been waiting for a REMASTER and BLU RAY of this series for a LONG time. MANY thanks to NETWORKS for doing a splendid job again. Below is the SPEC on the release. It seems almost like a LIMITED release as far as availability of copies is concerned, so if you WANT that copy, I wouldn't be hanging around placing your ORDER.

WHO ARE THE ZOO GANG?

Four veterans of the French Resistance, reunited nearly thirty years after the war, join forces to meet adventure, danger and excitement in this hit series based on Paul Gallico's best-selling novel. Starring Brian Keith, John Mills, Lilli Palmer and Barry Morse, The Zoo Gang has been newly remastered in HD from the original 35mm film elements for this Blu-ray edition – it has certainly never looked better!

FIVE FRENCH Resistance fighters, known by their animal-based code names (the Wolf, the Tiger, the Elephant, the Leopard and the Fox) fought during World War II. Their efforts came to a stop when one of their number, Claude Roget (the Wolf) was betrayed to the Gestapo by a contact called Boucher. In their interrogation, one of their number Roget, who as the husband of Manouche (the Leopard) was shot dead before her eyes.

THIRTY YEARS LATER, Thomas Devon (the Elephant) spots Boucher (who was going under the name Rosch) in his shop. The surviving members of the Zoo Gang drop what they are doing and rendezvous for vengeance. The series follows the adventures of the remaining gang of four resistance fighters reunited 30 years later to scam habitual con artists and criminals in order to take their money and use it for good causes. Despite their ages, they put their skills and experience to use to raise enough money to construct a hospital in the memory of Claude. The gang is (reluctantly) aided by the son of Manouche and Claude, an inspector in the French police.

THE SERIES is set on the French Riviera in Nice. Guest stars included Philip Madoc, Peter Cushing and Jacqueline Pearce. Roger Delgado, best known for his role as Doctor Who villain The Master also appeared although he died in a car crash prior to transmission.
 
SPECIAL FEATURES:

60 second trailers for each episode

Commercial Break Bumpers

Damaged section (from The Counterfeit Trap)  

THIS IS CUSHING'S EPISODE

Monochrome Mute Takes (from The Twisted Cross)

Monochrome and Colour Mute Title Sequence Offcuts
 

FIND OUT ALL YOU NEED RIGHT HERE! 

  

WHY THIS DR WHO DESERVES TO REMAIN SEPARATE AND NOT PART OF ANY CANON . .

SO. STEVEN MOFFAT in his new novelisation of Doctor Who's 50th anniversary special 'The Day of the Doctor', reveals that the PETER CUSHING DR WHO FILMS, exist in the Whoniverse as actual movies, with Cushing starring in big-screen adventures adapted from the Doctor's "real" exploits . . . .

ANY CUSHING FAN WHO READS THIS SITE, would have seen the post we made about Moffat's attempts at making Cushing's-Dr Who, part of the party a while ago, from The Doctor Who Magazine. Moffat had previously wanted to incorporate this idea into the TV version of 'The Day of the Doctor', with plans for UNIT's Black Archive to include ACTUAL CINEMA POSTERS from the two Cushing films, DR WHO AND THE DALEKS (1965) and DALEKS INVASION EARTH 2150 AD (1966).

TWO EXAMPLES of the CINEMA POSTER art for BOTH of Cushing's DR WHO films that Moffat tried to obtain permission to use in the BBC episode, 'DAY OF THE DOCTOR' . . but failed.

"IN MY HEAD, in the Doctor's universe, those films exist as distorted accounts of his adventures," Moffat told Doctor Who Magazine. "Sadly, we couldn't afford the rights to the posters."

FOR SOME CUSHING ADMIRERS it has been a matter of debate and often irritation for years, that the MOVIES and CUSHING's 'DR', aren't considered to be canon, worth it and / or wasn't 'serious entertainment for families and children' now or even back then. . .! Really....?

WELL, personally I think many might have much respect for Mr Moffat, for trying what sounded to be quite an interesting angle. It's certainly very kind and generous, to include Peter Cushing in the novel though. But, it wont change anything and to be honest, I am relieved, the inclusion of Cushing's playing a character called Dr Who, didn't come to fruition.  THIS Doctor is Peter Cushing's Doctor and as he said many times, QUITE different from a Doctor Who excellently played by William Hartnell in the TV series. It's Cushing's creation, not unlike his ABER PERRY from his AT THE EARTH"S CORE film of 1976. THIS creation, just doesn't fit anything that the tv series has grown and developed since the TOM BAKER years. 

THE FILMS were made for what was seen as the young audience who were watching the TV series...and cash in on that popularity. It was as I remember, kids floating up and down the school playground and streets, with the hood from their anorak up, one arm extended, screeching EXTERMINATE, not grown ups?  Over the years, I have met all kinds of exciting, warm, wonderfully friendly and open minded Cushing admirers, who love to explore and chat about his life, career and even the maybe expanded background, to some of his characters. 

ALSO MANY PEOPLE who worked at producing the BBC's Doctor Who series and Doctor Who dvd / blu ray extras, magazines and merchandise. Really friendly and helpful folk. Sadly, I can't say my experience of meeting and chatting with some of the Doctor Who fans has ever been that enjoyable, particularly if the subject of the two movies come up!! Which is a bit like a fan of Cushing's Sherlock Holmes movies and tv work, getting a little weird about someone mentioning .. BASIL RATHBONE and his unique and wonderful performances also as that great detective! 

IT'S NO SECRET, that Peter Cushing himself was not personally a fan of the tv programme, and found little to say about the movies, except he enjoyed working with the cast and the talent of Roberta Tovey. Typically generous, he made the condition that he would only agree to appear in the second DALEK film, if Tovey would be included too. 

ABOVE: PETER CUSHING talks on PLAYING DR WHO in

 TWO movies in the MID 1960'S 

NOPE. Peter Cushing wasn't a fan and only ever made one comment about his Dr's prime enemy, the DALEKS . . he found them, 'Not my cup of tea. Daleks did rather get on my nerves'  So, there you go. If Peter were still with us, I am sure he would tell us he is flattered, to be mentioned in the novelisation of 'The Day of The Doctor'  . . . and then probably ask if we had ever seen that amazing, universally popular blockbuster film, that he once appeared in during the 1970's, called STAR WARS. . 

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CUSHING'S DR WHO MOVIES? HERE IS CALLUM MCKEVIE'S SUNDAY FEATURES, WITH GALLERIES OF RARE STILLS:  PART ONE ON DR WHO AND THE DALEKS HERE! AND PART TWO HERE!

CUSHING was talented and popular enough to have had  three careers. In theatre for many years, when he first began, in television drama and receiving several awards during the 1950's and 60's and to a huge success in film on the big screen. He carved out quite a reputation for his appearances in adult supernatural movies. 

WHENEVER HE WAS APPROACHED by his agent, John Redway, about a appearing in something that wasn't a horror film, he had a simple rule and method he used before, signing on the line. 'Would children like to see me in this?' He agreed to appearing in At The Earth's Core and Star Wars, using this very technique, and mentioned doing so in many interviews. I am pretty sure, he applied it to the 'Yea and Nay' of making the Dr Who films too. 'I am making them for children, because it's pretty obvious, they are intended for a young audience!' Children. . .  In the words of Cushing's Dr Who, 'Fascinating!' . . .

FINALLY for those of you back home in the UK,  I would love to bring to your attention , what sounds like a real TREAT.  I personally greatly admirer the work of the actor LON CHANEY jr and I am  more than a bit annoyed I am missing 'Cursed Horror: 'Son of Dracula' Talk and Film Screening presented by Mark Iveson at the NEWCASTLE CASTLE THIS SATURDAY, April 14th starting 6pm until 8pm. Here is the FACEBOOK LINK to an evening that sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun.

. . . Join author and horror expert Mark Iveson to find out more about the screen legend ahead of a film screening. The definitive Wolf Man who scared many a young woman during his horror reign during the forties, Lon Chaney’s greatest fear stemmed from the shadow of his famous father, and whose own insecurities were hidden behind an abrasive personality and a dependence on alcohol, the latter of which would eventually destroy him. Our talk centres on the rise and fall of this horror great . . . .

 
AS WELL AS producing a fine book entitled, CURSED HORROR STARS on the lives of Bela Lugosi, Peter Lorre, Robert Quarry and Basil Rathbone, he has also written some excellent features for this website, called THE GREATEST PETER CUSHING FILMS NEVER MADE!, full of facts, stories and 'what it could have looked like' images of blu ray box and cinema stills and posters, had those films ever seen the light of day! Mark certainly knows his stuff, writes and presents well researched detail and  backgrounds on his subjects, and isn't in the business of character assassinations, of the people his is presenting, even if it is warts and all. If you are looking for a fine night out, in the company of Chaney and one of his all time BEST movies, go grab your ticket NOW! 

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND GUESS THESE GIFS! CAN YOU BE THIS WEEKS SUPER FAN??

1: THE INTERIOR of this shot was filmed WHERE? WHICH TWO ACTORS who appeared in this film, originally wanted to be an OPERA SINGERS?

THIS WEEK we are trying something a little new. GIFS and QUESTIONS! IF you want to be part of and in the SUPER FAN RATING, you have to get as many of the QUESTIONS CORRECT as you can! In multiple answers to a question, you'll get a point per answer. I will be posting the SCORES with NEXT WEEKS QUESTIONS and GIFS, plus the ANSWERS! IF YOU GET the HIGHEST SCORE, that week, your name will appear in SCORE TABLE RATING IN NEXT WEEK'S SUPER FAN BANNER GIF. A list of the best scores will be added to that TABLE RATING every week. LET'S SEE who can HOLD the TOP SUPER FAN RATING for as MANY WEEKS as possible and HOW HIGH you can make YOUR SCORE! SEND YOUR ANSWER TO ME at the PCAS email : petercushingpcas@gmail.com GOOD LUCK! - Marcus 

2: NAME THE TITLE OF THIS FILM, name the ACTRESS in this shot AND which very famous ACTOR did THE actor almost REPLACE in a BLOCK BUSTER SCI FI film based on a TV series AND WHICH ACTOR was playing SHERLOCK HOLMES in the  TV series he once appeared in?

3: PETER CUSHING in the BBC TV series SHERLOCK HOLMES and production of THE BLUE CARBUNCLE. Cushing  used a magnifying glass in quite a few FILMS. HOW MANY can you name? GIVE US the TITLES!

4: CAN YOU NAME the COUNTRY where this film was released in 1980?  This film also had a member of the cast who was more famous as a theatrical performer and street artist! NAME that cast member! Can you name one of the alternative  TITLES that this film was also know as? titles

5: NAME THIS FILM and the member of the cast who once starred in a great block buster movie, featuring a clever animal!

DID YOU MISS OUR FEATURE on MARK HAMILL and STAR WARS and it's CGI PLANS for the FUTURE?  JUST CLICK HERE!

THE OTHER SHERLOCK PRODUCTIONS! CAN YOU SOLVE THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY?

PETER CUSHING appeared in HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES for HAMMER FILMS in 1959, an ENTIRE television series of  SHERLOCK HOLMES for the BBC from 1968 and the 1984 movie, THE MASKS OF DEATH.. . .BUT OTHER productions were planned. CAN YOU SOLVE THE TITLES?

READ OUR FEATURE and SEE THIS GALLERY HERE!

READ THIS FEATURE and SEE THIS GALLERY HERE!

#MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY! SHOCK WAVES : FRIGHTENED CHASED AND A SCAR!!

#MOMENTSOFTERRORMONDAY! OUR usual MONDAY POST, but this week chosen one of the more unusual films that PETER CUSHING starred in during his long career, SHOCK WAVES. Everything about this low budget film is divided within the FAN community. It's a film that people either LOVE passionately, or simply HATE. In someways, you can understand why. It's still a mystery why CUSHING committed to a film, that on a brief paper synopsis, SHOULD have gained the same reaction he and his agent gave to John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN a few years later. BUT for no more really than his travel fair, bed and breakfast, CUSHING gained very little, at the time. 

ABOVE : PETER CUSHING reflected in the MAKE UP mirror, having his facial scar

applied to his look of SCAR in 'SHOCK WAVES' (1975)

LATER AFTER HE RETIRED, CUSHING explained he committed to the film, as he wanted to help, what appeared to be a team of dedicated amateur film makers. Considering CUSHING was a man who had always pushed AGAINST any proposed film work, that took him OUT of the country...MIAMI was a long way to go, when he was no longer a young man, and his health wasn't the best. BUT HE did it. And for those who LOVE this film, that is not their gain, but in later years, just like other characters like Tarkin, Dr Who and Sherlock Holmes...it helped bring him ANOTHER following. 

SHOCK WAVES was shot on 16mm, but later given the full treatment by BLUE UNDERGROUND who remastered the master print, cleared the sound, and presented the quite amazing BLU RAY of the film, to a HUGE SUCCESS. BLUE UNDERGROUND did even more with another, of the radar PETER CUSHING film called CORRUPTION. Remastered, and presented with a HUGE extra features support, BOTH films, are some of the best jobs ever made on a lesser known PETER CUSHING film . .