Monday 17 August 2015

THAT FEMININE TOUCH: PART THREE: KATY WILD AND CAROL GARDNER : EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN


The Revenge of Frankensein in 1958 - one part horror, one part black comedy, one part love story - was a high water mark of Hammer's Frankenstein series. It wasn't until 1964 that the Baron returned, for the first time directed by someone other than Fisher. Cameraman turned director Freddie Francis took the helm this time and the female aspects were somewhat 'muted.'


In fact, one of the female characters in the film is a mute, played by twenty-two-year old redhead Katy WIld, who had appeared in such television series as The Avengers and The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre. Her role as 'Beggar Girl' in The Evil of Frankenstein was the closest the film had to a leading lady, despite the fact she had no dialogue.


The only other woman of note in the cast was Caron Gardner, a buxom blonde who had decorated Robert S Baker's and Monty Berman's The Hellfire Club (1960) and served as the foil to Benny Hill on television. Gardner would find herself elevated to a higher 'plane' later in 1964 when she was cast as one of the pilots in Pussy Galore's Flying Circus  in the third 007 movie, Goldfinger.


Meanwhile, she was Evil of Frankenstein's sex bomb, 'Burgomaster's Wife.' Hammer's approach to sex was becoming more and more blatant, and Gardner filled out the character's corselette deliciously.


Financed by Universal, Evil was a throwback to their Frankenstein series of old, and Cushing's Baron - in a screenplay written this time by Anthony Hinds under his pen name of John Elder - certainly seems to have mellowed with age. Interestingly enough, Frankenstein actually defends a lady this time, when the Machiavellian hypnotist Zoltan (Peter Woodthorpe) attempts to force himself on the Beggar Girl. Zoltan is eventually kicked out of the Baron's castle.


In fact, the Baron seems to be the one who is put-upon in Evil. Having created a Karloff-like monster (Kiwi Kingston) years before (there is virtually no continuity to the two previous films), he returns to his ancestral home to find that most of his possessions have been stolen. To recover his property, he stages a raid on the Burgomaster's house that is something of which Douglas Fairbanks would have been proud.


As the burgomaster's voluptuous wife graces a bed that was once Frankenstein's own, the police arrive and attempt to gain entry into the bedroom, which he has locked. Frankenstein grabs the bedclothes and ties them to the bedpost, climbing out of the window on his makeshift rope. He bids the fair lady 'Goodnight' before leaping out the window, pulling the bed across the room in the process.


This is one of the most enjoyably light-heared scenes in the entire series, a tribute to Cushing's dashing dexterity and to Gardner's sweetness as the bemused wife. 

Written by Bruce G Hallenbeck
Images and Design: Marcus Brooks Jamie Sumerville


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NEWS: CHRISTOPHER LEE JOINS HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES AND ALICE COOPER FOR LAST RECORDED SONG


NEWS: Sir Christopher Lee recorded his last musical performance on a new album from Alice Cooper and the band, The Hollywood Vampires. The track is  called The Last Vampire. The album is released 11th Sept 2015.

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES PROMO




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Saturday 15 August 2015

MAYHEM FESTIVAL BRINGS UNFILMED DRACULA SCRIPT TO LIFE : THE UNQUENCHABLE THIRST OF DRACULA


Mayhem Film Festival are to present a live stage reading of an unfilmed Hammer script as part of their 11th edition this October. The Unquenchable Thirst of Dracula was written by legendary Hammer writer/producer Anthony Hinds in the late 1960s but never adapted for the screen.


Actor and film historian, Jonathan Rigby, author of the indispensable guide to British horror English Gothic: Classic Horror Cinema 1897-2015 and Christopher Lee: The Authorised Screen History, will act as the narrator and be accompanied by a group of actors to bring to life this never-seen-before Hammer Dracula story, in a unique immersive ‘screenless cinema’ experience. Lying firmly in the tradition of the classic Hammer Dracula films, The Unquenchable Thirst of Dracula, sees Count Dracula escape to India where his evil influence is just as insidious and powerful.


Anthony Hinds who wrote the script was the son of Hammer Films co-founder, Will Hammer, and was famous for his work on The Curse of the Werewolf (1961), The Phantom of the Opera (1962) and The Evil of Frankenstein (1964). The script would have been written for Christopher Lee at the time.


We at PCAS are wondering if this could be the script for Hammer films unproduced India themed outing for the Count, entitled Kali Devil Bride of Dracula?? With a suggested cast, loking at the poster of both Lee and Peter Cushing. See pre production development artwork for proposed above and below.... 


“This is a completely unique event for Mayhem, explains festival Co-Director Chris Cooke, and a great pleasure to work with horror expert and film historian Jonathan Rigby. He’s also a talented actor and will be perfect as our narrator, taking a live audience by the hand and leading them into Gothic darkness. Hammer Films have never felt more important to the history of British cinema, so this is a great opportunity for an audience to imagine a piece of classic cinema that sees Count Dracula resurrected before their eyes.”


The one-of-a-kind event is made possible thanks to Hammer Films, CATH (Cinema and Television Research Centre) and the De Montfort University. Mayhem Film Festival takes place on 15-18 October at Broadway, Nottingham with the support of the BFI Film Festival Fund, awarding funds from The National Lottery.
Early Bird passes are available at discounted price of £55. For more information and to book your passes please visit: http://www.broadway.org.uk/mayhem 




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Wednesday 12 August 2015

#MAKEMYDAY : PETER CUSHING'S VAN HELSING GETS REAL MEAN #DOYOUFEELLUCKYVAMP?


With apologies to Dirty Harry and Clint Eastwood! Peter Cushing's Van Helsing gets mean! #makemyday #vanhelsing #petercushing #doyoufeeluckyvamp



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EUREKA ANNOUNCES EXTRA FEATURES FOR DUAL RELEASE OF THE SKULL


NEWS: Peter Cushing's THE SKULL (1965 Amicus. Dir Freddie Francis) has been available on dvd and blu ray in other region formats for a long time, but never in a format we could watch here in the UK.... until now! You may remember we confirmed the very exciting news of the EUREKA dual blu ray / dvd release a few weeks ago...and that this release is also a NEWLY RESTORED VERSION of the film.


We can now also confirm the extra features. They are as follows:

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Exclusively restored 1080p presentation of the film on Blu-ray
New video interview with film scholar Jonathan Rigby
New video interview with critic & author Kim Newman
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Reversible sleeve featuring original and new artwork
Limited Edition Collector’s Booklet.


Trailer: The Skull (Amicus 1965)

Eureka Entertainment to release THE SKULL, the blood curdling Amicus horror starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, in a Dual Format (Blu-ray & DVD) edition for the first time in the UK on 26 October 2015

Pre-order now http://amzn.to/1MvMRFf



READ MORE ABOUT THE SKULL IN OUR FEATURE: HERE 

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Tuesday 11 August 2015

#PETER CUSHING #STRAIGHTOUTTAWHITSTABLE


#petercushing #straightouttawhitstable



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IN MEMORIAM PETER CUSHING : 11TH AUGUST 1994 : TWENTY ONE YEARS AGO TODAY


In Memory of Peter Wilton Cushing 26th May 1913 - 11th August 1994:

Today we mark the 21st Anniversary of the day the Peter Cushing left us. You may remember last year, being the 20th anniversary, we celebrated his life and career with posts of memories and stories from his friends and people from the industry who remembered him... it was quite a day.

As a society, here at our website and our Peter Cushing Facebook Fan Page we mark the many birthdays and the sad news others passing, and also remembering those who worked with or knew Peter Cushing. It's a sad day, but as always, we ask that the mood be one of celebration...the celebration of a life well lived, of his career, his professional achievements and of him being the most of gentle, of gentle men.

We will be posting comment, images, memories at the Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page through out the day. Please feel free to join us.


Sunday 9 August 2015

FROM 8MM HOME MOVIE WITH FLEXI DISC TO DVD AND BLU RAY: HAMMER'S DRACULA JOURNEY


For the folks who grumble about the quality of blu rays... lol Back in the 60's we went to extraordinary and unrealistic lengths to see just ten minutes of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, in colour and with sound..well sort of. The US release of 200ft of 8mm film of 'Dracula/Horror of Dracula' from Americom came complete with a floppy vinyl disc (..remember those?) ...and the idea was the start up your 8mm film projector and your 'record player' simultaneously...so the sound from your record and the film on your projector, would play together...in sync. HA! Never happened.


VHS? Wonderful. DVD? Incredible. Blu Ray? As good as it gets!


The journey of Hammer films 'Dracula' release for home viewing in the US and finally getting to the UK, with the UK title and a playable format...


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CHRISTOPHER LEE ON PLAYING DRACULA


Sir Christopher Lee on playing the role of Count Dracula for the first time in 1958. I guess being part of a noble family, where tradition and responsibility can be a bit of a tie, especially if like the young Christopher Lee, you wanted to swim against the tide..and become an actor!


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Saturday 8 August 2015

CHANGING THE FACE OF DOCTOR WHO : THE AMAZING CONCEPTS AND ARTWORK OF COLIN BROCKHURST


CHANGING THE FACE OF DOCTOR WHO: In an alternative television universe, Colin Brockhurst's fabulous artwork and concept design makes sense..makes you think about it... the possibilities of what could have, should have, might have been... Peter Cushing as The Master in the BBC's Dr Who television series, Yutte Stensgaard as Jo Grant, the doctor's assistant...and the Target paperback of episode 'Project Zeta-Sigma' features Peter Cushing as The Master too...and there's MORE. MUCH more. And you can find it : HERE


'Changing the Face of Doctor Who is a selection of posters, merchandise, listings and ephemera that imagines different actors in the roles of the first eight Doctors, some who were merely considered, some who were approached and one who should have been. All magazine covers are 'actual size' and have been professionally printed on heavy 250gsm silk paper..... Changing the Face of Doctor Who features some fascinating ideas and artwork, as seen below, including An A3 print (29.7 x 42.0cm or 11.69 x 16.53 inches) of the cover of an imaginary November 23-29, 1963, issue of Radio Times featuring the First Doctor, GEOFFREY BAYLDON. The cover is printed so as to be 'actual size' and as utterly authentic as possible...

 
All the goodies below..... the whole package contains, A mockup of a novelisation of the unmade story, The Masters of Luxor, starring GEOFFREY BAYLDON. Please note that although the size and design of the book resembles one of the first run of Target novelisations, the pages within come from random paperbacks from such literary luminaries as Dan Brown and Jackie Collins. Artwork by the brilliant Steve Andrew. The cover of an imaginary November 1966 issue of the BBC's in-house magazine, Ariel, featuring the Second Doctor, BRIAN BLESSED. A3 print. A set of telesnaps from the first episode of The Destiny of Doctor Who, introducing BRIAN BLESSED as the Doctor, plus Radio Times listing. The telesnaps are actual size. A3 print.The January 1st 1970 cover of Radio Times, publicising RON MOODY's debut as the Third Doctor, in the Yeti story The Laird of McCrimmon. A3 print. A jim-dandy RON MOODY metal badge measuring 37mm, designed to resemble the 1971 Sugar Smacks badges (these). Artwork by Steve Andrew. A 4"x6" double-sided postcard of the 2-8 January 1971 Radio Times cover, featuring RON MOODY as the Third Doctor, Peter Cushing as the Master, David Langton as the Brigadier and Yutte Stensgaard as Jo Grant. A 3.5" x 5.5" (approx) RON MOODY publicity card with preprinted signature.The cover of a (non-existent) magazine promoting the debut of GRAHAM CROWDEN as the Fourth Doctor, also featuring the irreplaceable Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith. A3 print. An interview (made up, of course) from a January 1982 edition of Radio Times, with the Fifth Doctor himself, RICHARD GRIFFITHS. A3 print.he Target novelisation cover (flat) of the Fifth Doctor's introductory story, Project Zeta-Sigma, which starred RICHARD GRIFFITHS with Peter Cushing's Master. Measures 9"x7", approximately, on thick card.Doctor Who Magazine announces the new Sixth Doctor, RICHARD O'BRIEN, on the cover of its June 1984 issue. A3 print.An (actual size) DVD cover for the 1989 Seventh Doctor story Storm Over Avallion, starring KEN CAMPBELL, David Langton, Sara Griffiths (introduced in Delta and the Bannermen) and Jean Marsh. A4 print.A faux Doctor Who publicity photo of KEN CAMPBELL, with pre-printed signature. 4" x 6" on card. A 1987 BBC Press Release announcing the casting of KEN CAMPBELL. A4 print. Doctor Who returned in 1996, with an American flavour and RIK MAYALL in the title role...and one final A3 poster with a few bits and pieces that didn't make it into the set, eight title sequences and the artists' workings.


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