NEWS: TWINS OF EVIL GETS UK BLU RAY RELEASE FROM NETWORK SEPTEMBER 8TH

British distributors Network have officially announced and detailed their upcoming Blu-ray releases of John Hough's Twins of Evil (1971) and Peter Sasdy's Countess Dracula (1971). The two releases will be available for purchase on September 8th.

TWINS OF EVIL:

Directed with characteristic style and energy by cult filmmaker John Hough (The Legend Of Hell House, The Watcher In The Woods) and starring horror legend Peter Cushing, Twins of Evil (15) combines the signature Hammer elements of supernatural horror, black humour and fabulously lurid sensuality.

Featuring an all-time classic score by Harry Robinson, Twins Of Evil also stars Kathleen Byron (Black Narcissus), Isobel Black (The Kiss of the Vampire) and Dennis Price (Kind Hearts and Coronets), and featuring Mary and the late Madeleine Collinson as the twins.

Glamorous identical orphaned twins Maria and Frieda move from Vienna to the village of Karnstein to take up a new life with their submissive aunt and grim uncle - a fanatical Puritan and leader of a witch-hunting religious sect who is determined to kill his nemesis, Count Karnstein: a devil-worshipping libertine who has been turned into a vampire.

Special Features:

• Original theatrical trailers and TV spots
• Deleted scene
• Image gallery
• PDF material
• Commemorative booklet
• Instant play facility

COUNTESS DRACULA:

One of Hammer's most enduringly popular films and a benchmark for 1970s horror, Countess Dracula stars Ingrid Pitt (The Wicker Man) in an iconic, career-defining role as the aged countess who must regularly bathe in virgins' blood to regain her fading youth.

Genre stalwart Peter Sasdy (Hands of the Ripper) directs arguably his best Hammer film, from a script by award-winning writer Jeremy Paul and showcasing a rousing score from composer Harry Robinson.

In medieval Hungary, Countess Elisabeth Nádasdy, an embittered, ageing widow, discovers by accident that virgin's blood causes her skin become youthful and smooth. Determined to retain her new youth at all costs, the Countess coerces her lover to abduct a string of young virgins to keep her supplied with the blood she now craves to stay beautiful...

Special Features:

• Audio commentary with Ingrid Pitt and horror experts Kim Newman and Stephen Jones
• Original theatrical trailer
• Archive interview with Ingrid Pitt
• 50 Years of Hammer - news feature
• Thriller episode
• Conceptions of Murder episode
• Instant play facility

Twins Of Evil

Gets UK Blu Ray

Release

#TBT HELEN KELLER : THE MIRACLE CONTINUES 1983

#tbt August 1983...and Peter Cushing his wrapping his cameo appearance as Professor Copeland in the 20th Century Fox television biopic, 'Helen Keller :The Miracle Continues' in Hollywood. PC plays Copeland with wry sense of humour, has some lovely lines and looks quite splendid in his academic gown. Alan Gibson directs, in this his fourth outing with PC. The film was marketed in the UK as 'Helen and the Teacher' and starred Blythe Danner and Mare Winningham.

*Trivia* : In 1949 the real Helen Keller attended a performance of Olivier's Richard III in which Peter Cushing played several small roles!

 

Peter Cushing as Prof Copeland

#SHERIDAN LE FANU 200TH BIRTHDAY : THE MAN WHO PUT THE CHILL INTO VICTORIAN GHOST STORIES

#tbt #throwbackthursday.... ok we're going back. BACK 200 years in fact! Because, today is the anniversary of the birth of one Joseph Thomas SHERIDAN Le Fanu...200 years ago this very day in 1814. Born at 45 Lower Dominick Street, Dublin, into a literary family of Huguenot origins, Le Fau would become a celebrated writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels, the leading ghost-story writer of the nineteenth century and central to the development of the genre in the Victorian era. We salute Mr Le Fanu today, for his vampire novella "Carmilla", which formed the framework for the 1970 Hammer film, 'The Vampire Lovers' starring Ingrid Pitt and Peter Cushing.. Please join us in wishing a Happy 200th Birthday to #SheridanLeFanu!

 Sheridan Le Fanu

The Vampire Lovers

INGRID PITT 'THE LADY WITH THE ZING' GALLERY PART ONE

ZING: energy, enthusiasm, or liveliness.

"She could always be expected to add some zing"

synonyms:

enthusiasm, zest, zestfulness, appetite, relish, gusto, eagerness, keenness, avidity, zeal, fervour, ardour, passion, love, enjoyment, joy, delight, pleasure, excitement

 

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Ingrid Pitt The Lady With The Zing! 

THE WOOING OF MRS PEEL : PETER CUSHING AND DIANA RIGG 'RETURN OF THE CYBERNAUTS'

Steed and Mrs. Peel go up against the charming but ruthless Paul Beresford, who holds the crime fighting pair responsible for the death of his brother…Oh, if you have not seen this episode, please do so before reading this little write-up.

Peter Cushing is renowned for many things on screen, but he is seldom thought of as a leading man, romantic type. He didn’t have the “manly” qualities that one typically associates with such actors. He was slight of build, a bit on the fussy side. As such, he seldom had an opportunity to really display much of a romantic quality on screen. Just think of the roles for which he was best known: Sherlock Holmes, Baron Victor Frankenstein and Dr. Van Helsing were all so single minded and obsessive, they never had much time for sex.

As such, Cushing’s performance as Paul Beresford in this season six episode of the hugely popular British TV show The Avengers is of great interest. True, Beresford is a sociopath and a villain, but he has some scenes with the delectable Mrs. Peel (played, as usual, by the stunning Diana Rigg) which hint at the Don Juan side of his personality. Cushing and Rigg absolutely sparkle in their scenes together; he is witty and charming and she responds with warmth and interest. The Avengers brought on a number of familiar faces as guest stars (Christopher Lee, Dennis Price, John Carson, Clifford Evans, Donald Sutherland, Michael Gough [whose character Cushing is looking to avenge in this episode, if you will pardon the expression], etc) but nobody quite displayed the on-screen chemistry with Diana Rigg that Peter Cushing did in this episode.

It’s a pity the character had to be disposed of at the end; it’s the type of character that could have been built up as a recurring villainous mastermind. But, no matter: at least we have this one, wonderful opportunity to see Cushing hawking his wares as a seductive cad, much to the delight of Mrs. Peel… and the audience.

Written By Troy Howarth 
Images and Design: Marcus Brooks

Enjoyed this piece? Look up Troy Howarth 'The Haunted World of Mario Bava' and the soon to come, 'The Tome of Horror' on amazon and at www.midmar.com