Tuesday 23 February 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TERENCE FISHER AND THE MASTER'S THOUGHTS ON FRANKENSTEIN


There can be few directors who worked for Hammer films, who did so much to develop that Hammer-in-house style. Terence Fisher, WAS Hammer. Along with Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and the players who helped under pin the rich vision of fairy-tale come Gothic nightmare style. Even when the 'monsters' were 'shaky' the script, with more holes than a Swiss cheese... the look, pace and world beautifully styled by Fisher, just sat so well.


Old Friends... Terence Fisher and Peter Cushing at the Festival du Film Fantastique de Paris in 1974


Peter and Thorley Walters share a joke, during the making of 'Frankenstein Created Woman' at Bray studios in 1967.


Terence Fisher at home during the time of his last film for Hammer


In the last ten years of his life, Terence had not one but two accidents, 
both involving cars and I believe, in the same location!


Terence Fisher at home with his wife, Morag.


Start out finding out MORE on Terence Fisher and his non Cushing
work for Hammer films, with this feature and gallery about STOLEN FACE 
at our supplement website, THEBLACKBOXCLUB.COM

Saturday 20 February 2016

#ONSETSATURDAY : THE BEAST MUST DIE : ANTON DIFFRING IN THE MAKE UP CHAIR!


#ONSETSATURDAY This week we visit that Amicus favourite, THE BEAST MUST DIE, with a rare shot of ANTON DIFFRING in the make up chair of Paul Rabiger. An interesting film in the Cushing portfolio, is a horror film, a thriller, a who done it??? The answer is probably, it's all three! With it's excellent 'WEREWOLF BREAK' a quite eclectic cast, headed by Peter Cushing, Charles Gray and werewolf hunter, Calvin Lockhart, who sounds like he's just popped over during a tea break from the Royal Shakespeare company's production of 'As You Like it'. It's not one of my favourites, and the music score I find so bad, I have been known to watch the entire film with the volume down. Amicus films, didn't have those memorable scores, like many of the Hammer films, and went down the route of employing Douglas Gamley (1924–1998) to score this one, and many of the portmanteau films. Just my opinion, but I am not a fan. 


Mind you, he's not quite as bad as Elisabeth Lutyens ...who scored Dr Terrors House of Horrors. Her avant-garde blackboard scrapings, set me on edge. Maybe, that was what they were meant to do??? What is YOUR favourite AMICUS film score??


MORE  on THE BEAST MUST DIE at our 
FEATURE and PHOTO GALLERY : HERE

Friday 19 February 2016

THE BEST OF PETER CUSHING WITH ERIC AND ERNIE STARTING AT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL


A quick look at the PETER CUSHING APPRECIATION SOCIETY YOUTUBE CHANNEL will reveal a bit of an overhaul. All clips now have relevant custom thumbnails and descriptions, making clips easier to find. Interviews, trailers, vinatge clips, documentaries and promos, lots to see. We've also gathered clips into themes and play-lists. We are currently compling a selection of clips and segments of Peter Cushing many appearnces on the MORECAMBE AND WISE SHOWS. I've assembled a small  selection of GIFS taken form the clips on offer for your viewing so far. The quest of Peter Cushing's desparate struggle to get his £5 appearance fee, from his first guest appearance on the show, was one of the duo's longest running jokes from 1971 until it's very satisfying climax in Eric and Ernie's Christmas Show of 1980. When the comic pair jumped allegiance from the contract with the BBC to the independent TV station, ITV they took their material AND the running joke with them!


Over the next few weeks we'll be adding more clips and gifs. Plus there's an extensive feature on the ins and outs of Peter Cushing's time with one of the best loved comedy partnerships in British Light Entertainment coming up here soon....


ALL CLIPS TO BE FOUND AT OUR PCAS YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOW!

TITAN COMICS TEAM UP WITH HAMMER FILMS CUSHING AND LEE GOTHICS


NEWS: The British publisher teams up with the studio known for 'Let Me In,' 'The Woman in Black' and classic Peter Cushing gothic horrors.


It's welcome back to the house of Hammer. Announced at comic book retailer conference ComicsPro Friday, Titan Comics will launch a new line of comic books based on properties from classic horror movie studio Hammer Films later this year. Hammer, the home of British horror, was founded in 1934 but truly came to prominence in the 1950s with a string of horror features including The Quatermass Experiment, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Devil Rides Out and 1958's Dracula, the movie which arguably made the careers of both Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Throughout the 1950s, '60s and into the '70s, "Hammer Horror" became a reliable shorthand for a particularly gothic aesthetic filled with dramatically lit castles, creepy old men with upperclass English accents and chills that managed to be both over-the-top and surprisingly effective.


Following the studio's disappearance in 1979 after almost falling into bankruptcy, Hammer Films returned in 2008 with a string of updated horror titles including The Woman in Black, The Quiet Ones, The Resident and Let Me In, a remake of the Swedish vampire movie Let the Right One In.


Titan's Hammer line, which aptly launches in time for Halloween, will feature a mix of classic Hammer titles and all-new properties. In a statement accompanying the announcement, editor David Leach said, "Hammer is the home of some of the most groundbreaking horror and genre films in motion picture history. Together, we're going to make some terrifyingly good comics."


The British-based publisher has built a reputation for its licensed material, with series based on Doctor Who, Heroes Reborn, Assassin's Creed and NBC's The Blacklist in its portfolio. Its next high profile launch starts in May, based on Showtime's Penny Dreadful.

Tuesday 16 February 2016

ISLAND OF TERROR : ON THE HORROR CHANNEL


Tentacled terror starring horror icon Peter Cushing. Following a spate of grisly deaths, a scientist travels to a remote island where he discovers deadly tentacled monsters are taking over. (1967)

Talk about GOOD TIMING! No sooner had I clicked the 'post' button on the last feature #MONSTERMONDAY and the SILICATES...than I find out THE HORROR CHANNEL is treating is to some screenings of 'ISLAND OF TERROR' too!


If you can't catch it tomorrow night, no worry the film is scheduled for the following night THURSDAY 19th FEBRUARY @ 10.00 gmt and SUNDAY 21st FEBRUARY @16.55 gmt. HAPPY VIEWING!

Monday 15 February 2016

#MONSTERMONDAY BY REQUEST : PORRIDGE WITH SERIOUS ATTITUDE : THE SILICATES


#MONSTERMONDAY: How does a blob of porridge mixed with frogs spawn, with a vacuum cleaner attachment sticking out of it, become frightening??? Answer: When it has the power to suck every bone out of your body and leave you looking like a deflated fat suit!! Of course we are talking about the wonderful SILICATES from Peter Cushing's 1967 film, ISLAND OF TERROR, this weeks chosen and requested Monster of Choice from Pauline Taylor. Take a peep down this thread to see why, the SILICATES probably come some where between the DALEKS and 'those fried egg thingies' from Peter's other sci fi outing of the sixties 'Night of the Big Heat' in the Top Ten Charting of things that make you go ... AGGGH! The Silicates, how do they rate with you?


The SILICATE, more powerful sucking power than an army of DYNOROD drain unblockers, with the power to DRAIN five SIX McDonald THICK SHAKES in less than a minute!


The SILICATE also comes with an amazing versatile and strong flexi arm. Able with considerable ease to wrap itself around the struggling victim, hold with a vice-like grip, and aid the 'super slurping activities'  until the unfortunate is as empty as a disguarded ice cream cone. 


Cushing is great in Island of Terror, but when he is paired with Eddie Byrne, they work so well together. Bryne also appeared in Hammer films The Mummy with Cushing, and does a sound job of representing solid trustworthy characters like detectives, policemen...all is well when Bryne is on the screen, you know you were in good hands. That lovely Irish lilt in his voice, guaranteed him a safe place in a production that needed an everyman with reliability. Yup, if you are surround by blobs on casters, with a nasty line in 'eating habits'...you couldn't do better than have a man like Eddie on your team!

BIGGLES DVD WINNERS : TALLY HO AND CHOCS AWAY TO SCREENBOUND BIGGLES PRIZES!


Congratulations to our Winners Sean Corrigan, Andrew Coupe, Rob Hayton, Debra Prince and Helena Grace. The Prize, a REMASTERED DVD copy of Biggles from ScreenBound Entertainment, starring Peter Cushing, in his last theatrically released film!

The ANSWER to our QUESTION: What was the TITLE of the FIRST COLLECTION OF BIGGLES STORIES WAS: The Camels Are Coming (1932)

Many thanks to SCREENBOUND ENTERTAINMENT for their sponsoring of our competition. BIGGLES ADVENTURES IN TIME can be purchased on DVD and BLU RAY at this LINK:  HERE

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COMPETITION: I LOVE HORROR FILMS : PCAS VALENTINES DAY COMPETITION NOW OPEN


I hope you had a great VALENTINE'S DAY! Here is our Peter Cushing Appreciation Society VALENTINE'S DAY 'I LOVE HORROR FILMS' COMPETITION, that was launched on our FACEBOOK FAN PAGE yesterday.

WATCH the short video clip BELOW, I trust you won't find the TWO QUESTIONS too difficult! When you think you have the answers, just send your answer to us at PCAS at the usual EMAIL address, theblackboxclub@gmail.com.

GOOD LUCK!

PCAS VALENTINES DAY COMPETITION VIDEO CLIP

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