Sunday 10 November 2013

CINEMA PROMO SHORT: HAMMER FILMS 'SHE' 1965


We've just uploaded this short cinema promo about the making of Hammer films 'SHE starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Ursula Andress. There are only a few of these Hammer promos around, it's a bit wobbly, but an interesting peep into how the studio promoted their movies. Look out for the shots of Cushing and co star John Richardson having sweat sprayed onto their faces! The desert location was so hot, that perspiration just evaporated! CLICK HERE:HERE

Thursday 7 November 2013

TROY HOWARTH REVIEWS BRUCE HALLENBECK'S DOUBLE BILL ON HAMMER FILMS 'FRANKENSTEIN' AND 'VAMPIRES'


I must begin this review with a confession: I have known Bruce Hallenbeck, the author of The Hammer Vampire and The Hammer Frankenstein, for about 20 years now.  "Known" seems a misleading word, however, as we've never met in person.  I first came into contact with Bruce due to a letter I had written to the magazine Fangoria regarding the absence of Hammer films on home video in the United States.  At that time, most of the key Hammer films remained out of reach, and those that were available were often compromised in one way or another.  In those pre-internet days, it was wonderful to find somebody who shared my passion for these films and we maintained a steady correspondence until around the end of the decade.  After that, we lost track of each other for a time - and indeed I lost track of my passion for Hammer for a time, as my interests expanded into the realm of Italian and Spanish horror - until the wide world of Facebook brought us back into contact with one another.  I guess it would be unreasonable to expect me to have a truly objective and impartial view of the work of somebody I've been on good terms with for so long, but... I'll give it a try, anyway.


Bruce's overviews of the subject matter in these two books is comprehensive and passionate; it's truly the work of a fan who has devoured every bit of information he can on these films and their production histories.  The Vampire Film is probably the more ambitious of the two texts, simply because Hammer experimented so much more with that genre than they did with the Frankenstein saga.  Not only do we get an overview and critique of all seven "official" entries in the Dracula series (that is: [Horror of] Dracula; Dracula Prince of Darkness; Dracula Has Risen from the Grave; Taste the Blood of Dracula; Scars of Dracula; Dracula AD 1972; The Satanic Rites of Dracula; Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires - in other words, the ones that actually had the character of Dracula in them!), but there's also information and critical analyses of such popular titles as The Brides of Dracula, The Kiss of the Vampire, Vampire Circus and the "Karnstein Trilogy," comprised of The Vampire Lovers, Lust for a Vampire and Twins of Evil.  Hammer certainly knew how to offer variations on a theme and this comprehensive study gives ever title their due.


The Hammer Frankenstein covers a smaller terrain, as the series was only seven strong and didn't inspire any real spin-offs, but don't let that deter you: there's plenty of information in store here, as well.Both books provide a nice recap of the background of the novels which inspired these popular films - Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Bram Stoker's Dracula, naturally - and also offer a good, pithy overview of the treatment of these subjects in the cinema from the silent era to the modern day.  The books also contain forewords by veterans of their respective franchises: Jimmy Sangster, the screenwriter who helped to offer up a tighter, more modern treatment of Dracula, pens the foreword for The Hammer Vampire, while still-beautiful Veronica Carlson (the imperiled heroine of Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed and The Horror of Frankenstein) contributes to The Hammer Frankenstein.

Hallenbeck's prose is smooth and easy to follow throughout.  His enthusiasm for the films comes across in a genuine and unaffected manner and while I do not always agree with his assessments of the individual films - indeed, if I had one criticism to level, it's that I simply think he's too easy on some of these films! - there's no denying that he's a skillful writer who knows his stuff. Hallenbeck also had access to production documents and original scripts, thus allowing him to point out the way that directors like Terence Fisher deviated from what was on the page.  The critics who argue that Fisher was simply a working hack who shot whatever he was given should be given pause here, as Hallenbeck clearly outlines some subtle but crucial changes that he implemented in the filming: if he had stuck with Sangster's script and allowed Christopher Lee to make his grand entrance as Dracula in the 1958 original with the top hat and visible fangs which were specified, there's a damn good chance that Hammer Horror may have been struck dead, right then and there...

Both volumes have been published in the U.K. by Hemlock Film and are to be brought out in the U.S. by Midnight Marquee Press.  I cannot comment on the Midnight Marquee editions as I've not had the opportunity of seeing them, but the Hemlock books are handsomely designed and feature a nice mixture of the familiar and the rare with regards to images.  All told, these books - and Bruce's Hammer Sci-Fi - belong on the shelves of Hammer enthusiasts.

Find out about Troy Howarth's revised and updated 'The Haunted World of Mario Bava' here: 

Wednesday 6 November 2013

THE GENTLEMEN OF HORROR: CUSHING AND LEE PLAY OPENS NOVEMBER


Heads up for UK Followers.. this looks interesting. Tickets go on sale tomorrow. Link to box office below... thanks to Kate Webster

"The Gentlemen of Horror" takes you backstage on Cushing and Lee’s relationship, into the dressing rooms of the films they made together.

When they first worked together in "The Curse of Frankenstein" and "Dracula", Peter Cushing was one of the most famous actors in Britain, while Christopher Lee was unknown.

For the next quarter of a century, these two killed each other again and again and became firm friends. As Christopher Lee became internationally famous, Peter Cushing gradually retired into the quiet life. And yet neither quite lost their taste for blood...

'The Gentlemen of Horror' is written by James Goss (author of three Torchwood novels and a Radio 4 play, a Doctor Who audiobook Dead Air that won Best Audiobook 2010 and co-author of “The Doctor – His Lives and Times”, “A History of the Universe in 100 Objects” and “The Dalek Handbook”), and stars Simon Kane and Matthew Woodcock, who can be heard together as Sir Maxwell House and Roy Steel in popular podcast "The Monster Hunters".

7.30pm, 27/28/29 November
Woolwich Grand Theatre, 38 Wellington St, London, SE18 6XY
www.thewoolwichgrandtheatre.com

Monday 4 November 2013

MEN OF GOOD READING


BUMPER PRIZES COMPETITION AT THE PCASUK FAN PAGE


We've just launched a great competition over on our Peter Cushing Facebook Fan Page. Win this BUMPER PRIZE of Peter Cushing Hammer Film BLU RAYS plus there's FIVE copies of Donald Fearney's 'Legend of Hammer Vampires' documentary dvd as runner up prizes! All you have to do is, click 'LIKE' on the facebook post and tell us the title of your favourite Peter Cushing movie and post it on the thread. Simple! Competition ENDS SUNDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2013 6PM GMT.Good Luck.


BOOK REVIEW: AMICUS HORRORS : TALES FROM THE FILMMAKERS CRYPT : BRIAN MCFADDEN


For many, the name Amicus doesn't really mean much of anything.  Unlike Hammer, they didn't really establish the same kind of "imprint" on the public consciousness - though they certain scored some major box office hits, thanks to lurid titles such as Dr. Terror's House of Horrors, Scream and Scream Again, The House That Dripped Blood and Tales from the Crypt.


The lack of name value has probably discouraged many writers from exploring their admittedly uneven output.  Fortunately for us fans, however, author Brian McFadden was able to channel his love of all things Amicus into the Midnight Marquee Press release Amicus Horrors: Tales from the Filmmaker's Crypt.


As usual with Midnight Marquee, this offers up an affordable, attractively laid out product.  McFadden proves to be a capable writer, going through the history of the studio and offering biographical information on the studio's founders, American producers Milton Subotsky and Max J. Rosenberg.  There's little doubt that Rosenberg was the businessman and Subotsky the wannabe artist in this particular arrangement, and McFadden - who got to know Subotsky and was invited to observe filming on one of their last horror films, Madhouse - does a good job of detailing their differing attitudes towards films and filmmaking. 


McFadden also provides some background on many of the key actors and directors associated with Amcius' output, including major players like Chrisotpher Lee, Peter Cushing and Freddie Francis, as well as lesser known names like Maurice Denham and Elisabeth Lutyens.  The write ups aren't terribly in depth, but they provide a satisfactory thumbnail portrait of the working actors, directors, writers, composers and so forth that helped to make Amicus something special. 


The writer also spends ample time discussing the studio's various films, inevitably going in to more detail on the more popular horror titles.  As such, less popular - but no less interesting - titles like Seth Holt's Danger Route and William Friedkin's The Birthday Party do sometimes get the short shrift.  One will inevitably not always agree with the author's take on individual titles (I, for one, happen to love Scream and Scream Again without reservation) but McFadden conveys his point of view in a concise, unpretentious fashion.



Fans of Amicus and British horror in general really should give this book a try.  It may not be the definitive account of Amicus and their pictures, but it's a loving tribute with some nice images.
Troy Howarth



Thursday 31 October 2013

HAVE YOURSELF A VERY HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


WHAT FUN HAVE YOU GOT LINED UP FOR TONIGHT?? We'll be posting a few Halloween themed items today, but our PCASUK Halloween Celebrations, with prizes, competitions and a few extras (!) kick off this Halloween Weekend. Please join us then Here's Peter Cushing as MacGregor form 'Tendre Dracula' Have a HAPPY and SAFE Halloween!

Sunday 27 October 2013

'NAME THE SYSTEM!' PETER CUSHING / TARKIN OUT TAKE BLOOPER FROM 'STAR WARS'


Not something you come across every day, a blooper out take featuring Peter Cushing. What's more an out take of Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin in 'STAR WARS'!

Watch the out take at our facebook acount: Here at 45 seconds in:HERE

HALLOWEEN COMPETITION NEXT WEEK: FIVE COPIES OF 'LEGEND OF HAMMER VAMPIRES' TO BE WON


 
Look Out Next Week: We have FIVE copies of Donald Fearney's 'Legend of Hammer Vampires' documentary dvd for you to win in a PCASUK Halloween Competition...
 




Friday 25 October 2013

TWENTY YEARS TODAY: VINCENT PRICE ANNIVERSARY


Good Morning all. As you go about your day today, spare a place in your heart to remember, a king. It's twenty years ago today that Vincent Price sadly left us. Here's some charming behind the scenes pics of Vincent Price and Peter Cushing after their filming their titanic 'ding-dong' in MADHOUSE in 1974, one of the few times that they worked together.

Wednesday 23 October 2013

TROY HOWARTH 'CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN' REVIEW AND LOBBY CARD GALLERY


Sometime in the 1950s, American writer/producer Milton Subotsky (later to head Hammer's rival, Amicus) approached Hammer with the idea of doing a remake of James Whale's Frankenstein.  Producer Anthony Hinds didn't think much of the idea and rightly reckoned that any infringement on the material as established in the earlier versions of the 30s and 40s would bring the legal eagles at Universal Studios swooping down on Hammer.  Hinds saw potential in completely ignoring the earlier versions, however, and decided to entrust screenwriter Jimmy Sangster with delivering a fresh adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic novel.  In 1956, Sangster was still a "lowly" production manager, but he pitched an idea that Hinds liked, and was given the chance to write his first script, for the Quatermass knock-off X The Unknown.  Hinds recognized that Sangster had talent as a writer and, better still, he also had a practical understanding of the limitations of Hammer's resources.  He could be relied upon to deliver a filmable script which wouldn't stretch the company's coffers too far.  Frakenstein would be Sangster's sophomore effort as a writer, and the final result would have undreamed of repercussions for just about everybody connected with the project.


Whereas the Universal series highlighted the character of the monster - played in the first three films by Boris Karloff, but then reduced to lesser actors with mixed results for the remaining sequels - Sangster decided to focus his energies on the character of Frankenstein himself.  It's a common misconception, created in large part by Universal themselves, that Frankenstein is the monster, whereas in fact, he is actually the creator himself.  Sangster ignored Shelley's conception of an earnest, well-intended medical student who overstretches his bounds by attempting to create life.  Instead, he recreated the character as a Byronic dandy with a sadistic streak.  The monster and the creator were to become one, in essence. 


Hinds was thrilled with Sangster's efforts and assembled a dream team to realize his vision.  Director Terence Fisher later maintained that he was owed a project by the company, but Hinds would contradict this, stating that he knew he was the best man for the job and would have hired him regardless.  Fisher's career up to that point was not terribly distinguished: a long string of low budget potboilers with little to distinguish them from the "quota quickie" pack, though he did helm a few fine pictures like Portrait from Life and So Long at the Fair.  He had also directed Hammer's earliest brushes with sci-fi and fantasy, Spaceways, Four Sided Triangle and A Stolen Face, and the thematic concerns of those films would be reflected here.  Fisher proved to be a natural for the Gothic; by his own admission, he was not a fan of the genre at the time and had not seen the original Universal horrors, and he even rejected invitations to see them, hoping to keep his own approach fresh and uninfluenced by what had come before.  He was wise to do so, as his matter-of-fact, down-to-earth approach helped to make this a very new kind of horror film.  Fisher was also given a crew that would help to define the look and style of Hammer horror: cinematographer Jack Asher, production designer Bernard Robinson, camera operator Len Harris, editor James Needs, composer James Bernard, etc.


To head the cast, Hammer elected to ignore their long-standing policy of importing a faded American name for marquee value.  This was to be a very British horror film, and only a British actor could do it justice.  Hinds turned to Peter Cushing, then the biggest TV star in the country, who surprised by the producer by enthusiastically accepting the project.  Cushing would subsequently weigh the pros and cons of doing further films for the studio, rightly recognizing that being associated with genre fare might impact his chances of getting more "serious" film work, but he eventually decided to embrace the steady flow of work, and a horror icon was born.


To play the creature (no longer referred to as the monster, lest Universal's lawyers get tetchy about it), Hinds initially turned his eye to imposing comic actor Bernard Bresslaw.  In the end, however, they decided to go with bit part player Christopher Lee.  Standing 6'5" in height, Lee also had background in mime, which would come in very handy given that the role was mute.  Lee suffered under the hands of makeup artist Phil Leakey, who was challenged with the task of devising a new monster makeup design.  His early sketches ranged from the bizarre to the ludicrous, with Lee imploring that it should just look like a jigsaw puzzle as he's been stitched together from various body parts.  The final makeup drew jeers from fans accustomed to Jack Pierce's iconic Karloff design, but it has stood the test of time and is every bit as effective a piece of work in its own way.


Finally released to cinemas as The Curse of Frankenstein, the film was the first Gothic horror to be filmed in color - and the added bonus of some then-graphic gore and an emphasis on busty women in cleavage-hugging period gowns outraged critics and tickled audiences.


Seen today, The Curse of Frankenstein remains one of Hammer's finest films.  Fisher directs with a sure and steady hand.  The characterization of the Baron it matched by Peter Cushing's superb interpretation.  Lee's creature is at once pitiable and genuinely frightening; it is most assuredly one of his most under-valued performances.  The production values are solid and belie the film's low budget.  It also set the style for everything which would follow and did so in a way that seems far more sure-footed than it probably should.


The character would be revisited in a series of sequels, with Cushing appearing in all but one of them - that one being an ill-advised parody of sorts, The Horror of Frankenstein (1970), starring Ralph Bates.  Sangster would pen the first follow-up, The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), while Hinds himself handled writing chores on most of the other entries.  Ironically, it was the Hinds and Sangster-free Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969), written by Bert Batt, which would mark the series' high watermark.  The various writers brought different interpretations to bear on the character of the Baron, making it impossible to view the series as one long-running saga, but Cushing's commitment to the role made the films a delight.  The Curse of Frankenstein may not be as audacious as some of the later entries, but it still remains one of the best of the lot - and a classic slice of Hammer horror.


Appropriately enough, the film was the first of the initial Hammer Gothics to hit blu ray through Icon and Lionsgate.  Their Region B/Region 2 blu ray/DVD combopack was met with much derision, however, owing to a flawed transfer.  Word has it that a 4K master was provided by Warner Brothers, but Hammer failed to capitalize on the format's capabilities by cleaning up the image and going for a sharper, better defined image.  As is so often the case with these controversies, however, the extreme reactions are a bit over the top.  While the presentation is far from definitive and will never be used as a reference quality disc for showing off the capabilities of the medium, it's still quite watchable - especially in the full frame transfer which restores some information missing in the 1.66 version which was also included.  Colors are a bit pale and the image isn't as sharp as one would like, but it marks an improvement over the DVD edition from Warner Bros and restores a shot which had been censored for many years (you'll know it when you see it).  The disc is also overflowing with extras, including an informative and entertaining commentary by Jonathan Rigby and Marcus Hearne and a wonderful featurette about Cushing.




Review: Troy Howarth
Images: Marcus  Brooks




Sunday 20 October 2013

'DON'T STOP ME NOW' GREAT YOUTUBE CUSHING FRANKENSTEIN TRIBUTE


This we LOVE!

Watch the video  CLICK HERE!

CONGRATULATIONS SIR CHRISTOPHER LEE : BFI FELLOWSHIP : PHOTOS AND CLIP


Hammer horror star Sir Christopher Lee said it was a "very emotional moment" when he received his British Institute Fellowship from his friend Johnny Depp.He tearfully accepted the award at the London Film Festival, saying: "I didn't know you were going to be here. I must try and pull myself together."

Sir Christopher, 91, who described receiving his award as "a great joy", is famed for his villainous portrayals of Bond bad guy Scaramanga and evil wizard Saruman in The Lord of the Rings.

He has amassed more than 250 screen credits, including The Wicker Man, The Man with the Golden Gun and more recently, several Tim Burton films including Sleepy Hollow, which starred Depp. He also played Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequels.

Depp, who sneaked into the awards ceremony to surprise his friend, said it was his "great honour" to present the award to "a very great man", saying he had been "fascinated and inspired" by him

"He's been a wonderful individual and over the years I've had the pleasure of working with him and it has been a childhood dream come true," he said. "But as great as it is to work with him, that pleasure doesn't compare with getting to know him and being able to count him as a true friend.

"A national treasure and a genuine artist. I love ya!"

Sir Christopher responded by saying: "I can't thank you enough," in reference to Depp, who he had been told could not make the occasion as he was elsewhere. He went on : "When I take a look back, and it's a long one, 67 years, at the characters I've played I get a truly strange feeling they were all played by somebody else, and not by me. "And there are a few occasions when it has been the case I wish it had!" He said of Depp: "He means an enormous amount to me. He is one of very few young actors on screen today who's truly a star. "Everything he does has a meaning. He's a joy to work with, an actor's dream and certainly a director's dream. I could go on a long time but I'd probably embarrass him."

Johnny Depp presents Sir Christopher Lee with his British Film Institute Fellowship Award : Depp on Sir Christopher Lee: " A national treasure and a genuine artist. I love ya!"

Watch Sir Christopher Lee presentation at BFI evening. HERE 


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24600683

Saturday 19 October 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAERA: HAMMER FILMS THE GORGON HITS 49


Today marks the UK release of Hammer Films 'THE GORGON' 49 years ago today. Happy Birthday, Megaera! Thanks to Josh (Gorgon-Super Fan) Kennedy, for the reminder! Here's our feature on the life of actress who actually played her with gallery: http://petercushingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/kb-zorka-on-life-and-career-of-prudence.html

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