BRAY STUDIOS HOME OF HAMMER FILMS AWAITS GO AHEAD ON NEW APPLICATION

NEWS: Farmglade wants to restore and partially demolish Down Place House, and add a two-storey extension, to create 10 new homes, and demolish surrounding buildings to build 15 houses.

The last remaining tenants at Bray Studios – where the iconic Hammer Horror films were made – left in 2014. In its planning statement, the applicant says Down Place House’s 18th century west entrance will be reinstated, as will the original entrance lobby. A large studio building to the south of the building’s east wing will be demolished, as will the former stables to the west. The application says: “This area is considered to have limited historic or architectural value and it detracts from the appearance of the main historic building.”

It would be replaced with a new extension ‘designed to enhance the appearance of the main listed building’. The studios to the south of Down Place House would be torn down and replaced with 11 detached houses and a terrace of four homes. Farmglade is building 44 homes in nearby Water Oakley, a project which was approved by councilors in April 2014. The planning application statement adds: “The application seeks to rationalize the development of this site with adjacent Water Oakley site to the west, with which it shares a long, common boundary.

“The new housing proposed in this application has houses grouped informally around a ‘village green’ to the southern end nearest the entrance, and a more formal green at the entrance area to Down Place House.”

The Royal Borough expects to make a decision by Thursday, October 8.
Source: Maidenhead Advertiser

CUSHING, SHERLOCK AND HIS PIPE : PUFFING AND SUFFERING FOR HIS ART!

Peter Cushing in one of his many signature roles, Sherlock Holmes , in a rare publicity photograph from Hammer films 'The Hound of The Baskervilles' (1959) Pictured here with his pipe, that would bring him the 'Pipeman of the Year Award' in 1969, which turned out to be a bit of a mixed blessing...

 

 

TARKIN CUSHING OUTAKE AND RETURN ANNOUNCED FOR STAR WARS ANTHOLOGY ROGUE MOVIE

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Here is the fabulous outage of Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin with Carrie Fisher from Star Wars A New Hope (1977)

Also with the announcement of another new Star Wars film called Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One it has been revealed that it will feature Darth Vader and everyone's favourite Grand Moff, Tarkin. It will be set before A New Hope, but after Revenge Of The Sith.

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CHRISTOPHER LEE REMEMBERS HORROR OF DRACULA OPENING NIGHT

It all could have turned out quite differently...had Hammer films, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Terence Fisher and all...not made a CLASSIC!

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FULLY RESTORED DRACULA / HORROR OF DRACULA DEATH SCENE CUSHING AND LEE

 

REQUESTED: Count Dracula's Death Scene...fully restored with extra 'disintegration make up footage'..from Hammer films 1958 'DRACULA' starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee..... Lionsgate / Icon/ Hammer film combo blu ray / dvd release UK 2013.

THE WORK OF STEVEN SAMUEL : ICONS OF FANTASY CINEMA

The Artwork of Steven Samuel. We get lots of posts containing artwork, some very good indeed. This little gallery came our way just this morning..I felt I had to share it with at the first opportunity! Exceptional work, Peter, Vincent, Christopher Lee and Veronica Carlson and Madeline Smith. Should anyone want to contact Steven, Please message us at theblackboxclub@gmail.com

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MONSTERS FROM HELL AT FACEBOOK

If you are a fan of fantasy films and Hammer in particular, there are some great pages and groups to be found on facebook, but it's always a treat to find a page that goes that extra mile, sharing and posting special collectors items and rare pics. Stephen Jones' 'Monsters From Hell' facebook page, is such a page. Always something new and of interest.

He works hard at making his daily posts worth seeking out. Because of facebooks habit of squeezing the reach of certain groups posts, Stephen's efforts aren't getting the recognition and reaching the people who should be seeing them. So, here's the the link to his page, do yourself a favour, go take a look and like his page. You'll be glad you did!

Join MONSTERS FROM HELL by CLICKING THIS LINK: HERE

WOMEN IN GOTHIC: THE ACTRESSES OF HAMMER'S FRANKENSTEIN SERIES: BRUCE G. HALLENBECK

A NEW and EXCLUSIVE series coming to the Peter Cushing appreciation Society starting next weekend, written by BRUCE G HALLENBECK 'WOMAN IN GOTHIC' featuring the work of the actresses who starred along side Peter Cushing in the Hammer film Frankenstein film series. Interviews,clips and rare stills will make this one not to miss!

A few years back Bruce wrote a superb seven part series for us entitled THE MISTRESSES OF DRACULA, which still stands as one of our most popular posted series at THEBLACKBOXCLUB.COM 

Over the years Bruce has been busy filling our book shelves with some very informative and entertaining books on the histories of Hammer and Amicus films British Cult Cinema: The Hammer Vampire, Hammer Fantasy and Sci-Fi, The Hammer Frankenstein and The Amicus Anthology.... all great reads, fully illustrated and available now from HEMLOCK BOOKS

PLUS look out for Bruce's 'Rock 'n' Roll Monsters', which will be out in 2016. In the meantime, we are thrilled to be presenting this series, which we think you are going to LOVE too!

WAR GAMES, SUSPENDED PLANES AND MODEL SOLDIERS : PETER CUSHING MASTER MODEL MAKER AT HOME

More Images of Peter Cushing Hobbies, Toys and Games: Peter inspects his model aircraft, suspended by fishing wire from the ceiling in his studio at Whitstable. Painting his figures for a American Civil War encampment tableau. Engrossed in a 'LITTLE WARS' with his figures, consulting his 'War Games' hand book written by H.G.Wells and finally inspecting his William Britain figures at home in number 9, Hillsleigh Road, Notting Hill..... 

Peter Cushing secretary remembers: ' Hillsleigh Road was originally stables in the 1900's and it had been rebuilt as a house. It only had two bedrooms, a small kitchen, a beautiful sitting room and dinning room and at the far end, were three or four steps into a huge studio which housed Peter's enormous collection of soldiers, all his paintings and things, a vast collection of books and a huge games table!'

THE SPREAD OF THE EAGLE : BBC TELEVISION 1963 CUSHING MICHELL AND EDDINGTON

In January 1963, Peter Cushing emabarked on his most involved project for sometime. It was a threepart BBC adapation of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, part of the nine part cycle called The Spread of the Eagle, which included Corialanus and Antony and Cleopatra. The producer and director was Peter Dawes, who in 1960 had overseen a massive and prestigious production called An Age of Kings comprising Shakespeare's Richard II, Henry IV and VI and Richard III, starring Sean Connery and Robert Hardy.

In The Spread of the Eagle Cushing was to play Caius Cassius, one of the conspirators in the murder  of Julius Caesar. Cassius is described by Casear as having ' a lean and hungry look'- an appropriate description for Cushing. Fellow conspirator Brutus was Paul Eddington, with Barry Jones as Caesar and Keith Michell as Mark Antony.

The setting is Rome 44BC, where'the colossus'- Julius Caesar- is urged to accpt supreme power. Howeveer, the republicans, icluding the palin thinking Brutus and the coldly intellectual senator Cassius, think they see another tyrant in the making. So a consiracy is forged to assassinate Caesar, while strange supernatural events warn the citizens that tragedy is impending. Casear's death  brings about civil war, and the republican army led by Brutus and Cassius must confront the forces of mark Antony, loyal to Caesars memory.. Brutus, troubled by conscience and ghostly visitations, has little heart fir the fight; neither has Cassius. The battle goes well for them at first, but their enemies prevail and both conspirators die by their own hands.

With it's 1960's graphics and elaborate camera set ups, The Spread of the Eagle boasts a deliberately modern approach, showing how much more sophhisticated television production had become since Cushing's last performances. The acting is naturalistic, and Cushing brings force and and passion to his delivery of Shakespeare's text, investing the complex speeches with emotion and meaning. In his black wig he looks severe, and the television cameras are noticeably less kind to his face than film cameras.

Before rehearsals started on February 25th, Cushing was in contact with Peter Dews to check the pronunciation of certain lines. The series was recorded in Studio 4, television centre on March 8th, March 25th and April 5th 1963 with Cushing's fee at 563 guineas per episode. The production was recorded 'as live', which meant that the recording breaks were kept to a minimum (to avoid costly editing) and small mistakes had to be worked through if possible. Paul Eddinton remembered the problems created by having real horses in the studio - they tended to slip on the rubberised flooring that was used for the battlefield. While Cushing and Eddington struggled to continue their performances, Keith Michell was fighting a losing battle to keep on his horse out of shot. Michelle called Cushing's Cassius 'one of the finest Shakespearean performances I have ever seen' remembering that during rehearsals, Cushing wore doormats and fire-irons in place of his sword and armour, leading the bluff Northerner Peter Dews to remark that he looked like a hearth-tidy!

The newspapers picked up on the return of Peter Cushing. This chripy piece was from James Green in the Daily Mirror,'A Few words today from Cassius. Not Cassius Clay of boxing fame. He never said just a few words about anything. This Cassius is the one with the lean and hungry look. Mr Peter Cushing will play him tonight on BBC TV in the Shakespearean play cycle The Spread of the Eagle' It is five years since Cushing last acted for the BBC. But having decided that they can be no worse than the horror films he is back with a bang. Mr Cushing as Senator Caius Cassius, will be on view for three Fridays in succession. Take a close look at the togas being worn on tv. If you buy a ticket to see Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra you will spot the same garments.

'The TV people decided to use the film company togas and we had to wait fr them to arrive from Rome!' says Cassius Cushing. 'I suppose if togas have got to come from anywhere, they might as well come from Rome! They arrive in two sizes." he explains "Large and small. All that needs altering is the hem length. They have an advantage over suits that fittings are not required. The more I wear togas the more I like them. The real thing takes a long time to wind round but these film jobs were in simplified form. A toga is loose and comfortable, does away with collars and ties and it's easy to learn to swing the train over the left arm'. Peter Cushing lives at Whitstable and for much of the year enjoys - if that is the word- a daily swim. He is the kind of Pied Piper to the local children and often joins them in beach games. In fact, the mob can sometimes be seen pushing him into the water. Casius of the wet and watery look!' 

Text taken from 'The Peter Cushing
Companion' by David Miller