Wednesday 5 July 2017

#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY! GIFS SHERLOCK COMEDY VAMPIRES AND TITLES


#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY!: PLAYING THE ROLE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES was something that Peter Cushing enjoyed very much indeed. Being a student of the stories and everything that went along with that, was indeed  a Cushing thing! Cushing had an eye and attention for detail, pouring over the structure and methods, in the story of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' for Hammer films in 1959, he was very much in his element. 


THE FACT THAT he signed on for the Hammer Hound, then in 1968 16 episodes of the BBC television serial and finally choose to neatly wind down his career, with a 90 min tv movie The Masks of Death in 1984, playing an elderly Holmes, who was also bringing his long and distinguished career to an end, says much. Had failing heath not intervened, Cushing would have rubbed his hands together and prepared for another feature film, The Abbott's Cry,  in 1985. But sadly, it was not to be.





#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY!: WHEN DIRECTOR Peter Duffell read the script for 'THE CLOAK' story that was part of the four stories that made up Amicus films, 'The House That Dripped Blood' in 1972, he started to form a plan. The script outlined the climax and death of Jon Pertwee's vampire character, and that this particular tale was to be 'the comic relief' in the film. He hit on the idea, that maybe the comedy should be cranked up to max, and that the chase and staking would great if, it was shot and edited in a 'silent movie style'. He almost got his way. The producers first wasn't sure if this sudden changed of gear would lose the audience, and ruin the tension that had been built with the previous story. They drew the line at the use of black white photography and a flicker effect.




ORIGINALLY, Duffell wanted the whole story to be shot in monochrome, and the death scene to be sped up, with a 'keystone cop' frame flicker. Producers tuned Duffel's idea down, pleading that monochrome would be far too expensive for an entire 15 to 20 minutes, and that the flicker would jarring. But,  Duffell did get his under-cranked camera speed, and a slap-stick ending. NOTE: Subotsky liked the concept of a story set in a horror film on the Hollywood studio lot, and revisited the idea in one of his last anthology films, 'The Uncanny' starring Peter Cushing and Donald Pleasence in 1977.


#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY! THIS SHOT gets requested a lot! Director Freddie Francis must have known he was really onto something when he came up with idea, of POV shooting through the SKULL'S eye sockets in Amicus films, 'THE SKULL'...so much so he repeated the whole thing in Tigon's 'THE CREEPING FLESH' with Peter Cushing a few years later! Point Of View camera work was nothing new in 1965, but through a skull? Yup. 




FREDDIE CRANKED up the terror with whole sequences of POV's in Tyburn film, 'LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF' with Peter Cushing. The added effect this time, was a RED tint to the vision, giving the impression we were 'seeing what the werewolf' could see through his bloodshot eyes! It was very effective and saved money in the budget on showing the werewolf too!


#SILENTBUTDEADLYWEDNESDAY! I DON'T get requests for title sequences from trailers that often, but this one is a good one. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee credits, with supportive text from 'THE GORGON' (Hammer 1964) I LOVE the font styles in 1950 and 6o's trailers. They seem to scream from the screen at you. Back in the day, text added to film was done in the labs optically, and was a highly skilled job. There were standard text styles that were used in rolling credits to be seen at the end of beginning of most films. But often, for something that came from Hammer films, the studio would ask for something a little special, like the title font style in these gifs here. Illustrators would attempt to evoke the genre or subject matter of the film through the letter forms. Here sharp, angular typography is used evoke the disturbing subject matter, also maybe echoing the work of German Expressionist illustrators like Josef Fenneker. 





IN THE DAYS BEFORE SOUND FEATURES, titles were standard and used to communicate the dialogue and direction of the story, but by the mid-late 1930s, film titles started serving a narrative function and were designed to prepare the viewer for the mood and story of the film. Hammer, Amicus and Tigon used this very effectively. 



AT THE TIME  THE GORGON was in production, title artists like SAUL BASS had made the film title an art form, with films like PSYCHO. Bass titles were legendary and he created what are still some of the best title designs for directors like Alfred Hitchcock. Bass once said, “For the average audience, the credits tell them there’s only three minutes left to eat popcorn… I aim to set up the audience for what’s coming; make them expectant,” says Bass. DO YOU have a favorite TITLE SEQUENCE from a Peter Cushing films? We are planning a feature all about title sequences in Cushing films. I would love to hear about it!

GIFs REQUESTED BY Shelley C.






IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA. 

Tuesday 4 July 2017

#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: JUST WHAT THE GOOD DOCTOR ORDERED : CITY OF THE DEAD AND SILICATE ON THE FOURTH!


#TOOCOOLTUESDAY!: To all our friends in the US have a great day today! ..Do you think silicates have cook-outs and parties today???


#TOOCOOLTUESDAY: What The Doctor Ordered! Isn't strange the effect that just a small tash can make to a face you know well? Here is Peter Cushing with the modest of mustaches, that somehow changes his whole face! That are quite few (!!) roles on the big screen where wore a mustache, and beard, a handlebar tash too! (Thank you Mark Iveson) On stage and on the small screen there were quite a few. I somehow can't quite image his signature roles like Baron Frankenstein, Sherlock or Van Helsing with a tash. This I am guessing is from around the time of him shooting the Dr Who films, where a tash was needed. Because of his dislike of and slight allergy to the glue that held on false facial hair, Cushing had to grow them from . . . scratch! The films where Peter Cushing  DID wear a tash? Thanks to Mark Iveson:The Man in the Iron Mask : A Chump at Oxford:Hamlet - although he has a tuft on his chin : Revenge of Frankenstein - end of movie : Suspect : The Dr Who films : Fear in the Night : Dr Phibes Rises Again : The Creeping Flesh - beginning & end of film : From Beyond the Grave : At the Earth's Core


#TOOCOOTUESDAY! CITY OF THE DEAD aka Horror Hotel, is a true masterpiece and the perfect example of how imagination and craftsmanship can overcome a small budget in film making! Producer Milton Subotsky was very proud of their promotion and advertising campaign and the strap lines, but many, think they used a broad brush stroke in the artwork for the cinema poster...maybe relying on the fact that both Cushing's and Lee's careers were then so closely linked with each other, that the cinema going public, aided by this artwork, may confuse one with the other? 


I MEAN, the publicity photograph above proves that it's Lee from a shot in the film, but it COULD be Peter Cushing. And I know what you're thinking..., studio publicity departments would never mislead the public with their posters, would they???





IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA. 

#MONSTERMONDAY: CHOOSE YOUR 3D : MUMMY DILEMMA : MAY THE ESCALATOR BE WITH YOU!


#MONSTERMONDAY! I have just posted this at the PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.There are a few great films to choose from and here they are: The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) Dracula / Horror of Dracula (1958)The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) The Mummy (1959) The Gorgon (1964) Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) The Skull (1965) She (1965) Island of the Burning Damned (1967) Scream and Scream Again (1970) I, Monster (1971) Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) The Creeping Flesh (1973) Horror Express (1972) Nothing But the Night (1973) The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) House of the Long Shadows (1983) . . . have fun!


#MONSTERMONDAY: KHARIS Monster OR Tragic Lover? The power of Love eh? You know the film, you know the story, were Kharis motives the actions of a madman? Did he deserve his punishment? I think I KNOW where is going to go! You decide in this week's #MONSTERMONDAY!






IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA. 

Sunday 2 July 2017

#GETTHECUSHIONSUNDAY! ANOTHER STUNNING LIKENESS : A MOFF POSTER WITH A DIFFERENCE : TAKE FIVE : PETER CUSHING WITH A CHICKEN!


#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHINGSUNDAY! as well as loads of 10x8 photographs, portraits and stills, this stunning artwork will also be on offer at events were Guy Henry is signing. Depicting both Peter Cushing as Tarkin from Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) it also features Guy Henry's CGI Tarkin from 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' (2016) I would love a signed one of these, what do you think???


#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHINGSUNDAY! IF you were around you may well remember the stunning Peter Cushing Tarkin bust work of Phillip Thomas Robinson? Well, this weekend, ANOTHER extremely gifted sculptors work, came our way. James the Sculptor applies his spot on skills to produce, 'Custom, bespoke and "One Of A Kind" sculptures. Focusing on likenesses and caricatures...' as per quote his website. His Peter Cushing sculpt entitled, 'Dear Boy' isn't just an uncanny likeness of our man, but James has also captured that twinkle and polite smile. How do you rate this? Take a look at the other examples of James work in the thread below too. JAMES TAKES COMMISSIONS / ONE OFF'S TOO! VERY REASONABLY PRICED. You can learn more at his WEBSITE: HERE!


FACES LOOK FAMILIAR?


#GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHINGSUNDAY! IF YOU are on a bus, train or plane reading this, this may keep you busy for half an hour...OR maybe not? It's always fun posting something like this, because you never know what the results are going to be... so, what do you think???

 
#GETTHECHICKENITSCUSHINGSUNDAY! I toyed with posting this photograph, for no other reason than, the heading, key word search and caption, are just so weird, and without doubt the winner of the most bizarre caption of the year so far! But no. There is a better objective to posting this charmingly strange photograph of Peter Cushing. CAN YOU TELL US WHY he is posing with not ONE but TWO CHICKENS?  Not that the number of chickens is  of any importance actually. WHY is Peter Cushing posing with Chickens? You think you have the answer? THEN join us at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and see this post there, and tell us why!




UPDATE: ANSWER TO CUSHING AND CHICKENS!


IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA. 

Saturday 1 July 2017

#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAYS! HOW I REMEMBER PETER



#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY: Beloved is how Christopher Lee describes his old friend, Peter Cushing in this clip from 1996. This was only two years since Peter's passing and was one of the first times that Lee spoke about his feelings in public ...



#CHRISTOPHERLEESATURDAY! Here is a requested pic for Sammy Watts of the UK.. a pic of Christopher and Birgit Lee out on the town. I will say this for Lee, old age didn't hold him back from traveling. Just up to a few weeks before his passing, he was all over Europe, going to charity events, film festivals and galleries. It's great to see them both so happy here . . 


IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!. The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA. 

NEWS: HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR TV SERIES GETS BLU RAY RELEASE


NEWS: HAMMER HOUSE OF HORROR TV SERIES GETS BLU RAY RELEASE! At last the fan favorite TV SERIES from the 1980's comes to BLU RAY in a fine BOX SET containing the entire series of thirteen 51 minute episodes, including 'Silent Scream' starring Peter Cushing, Brian Cox and Elaine Donnelly. No word on extras yet in this REGION B/2 Pal Blu Ray collection of three discs from Network. 




AS WELL AS PETER CUSHING there's a starry cast including . . .Nicholas Ball, Rachel Davies, Antony Carrick, Brian Cox, Anna Calder-Marshall, Gary Raymond, Gary Bond, Georgia Hale, Emrys James, Peter McEnery, Jon Finch, Prunella Gee, Ian McCulloch, Patricia Quinn, Simon MacCorkindale, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Gareth Thomas, Denholm Elliott, Lucy Gutteridge, Diana Dors, Celia Gregory, Paul Darrow, Pierce Brosnan, Barbara Kellerman, Norman Beaton, Warren Clarke, Julia Foster, George Innes, Suzanne Danielle, Sian Phillips, Anthony Valentine, and some past Hammer directors also return to steer the show in the Hammer style: Tom Clegg, Alan Gibson, Don Leaver, Don Sharp, Peter Sasdy, Robert Young. The Blu Ray Box Set is released on October 23rd 2017 and retails between £35.00 to £39.00, shop around! Do you have some favorite episodes?



IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!
The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA. 

Friday 30 June 2017

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: BEHIND THE SCENES SPECIAL ARCHIVE FEATURE AND GIFS


#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: OVER THE PAST TWO DAYS we've really given THIS FILM a good chewing over! It's been great sharing, posting, commenting and reading your thoughts on #SCREAMANDSCREAMAGAIN. We also had a lively debate on Peter Cushing #INCENSEFOR THEDAMNED too. And, despite all their floors, plot holes and wobbliness, it shines through, we still enjoy and appreciate them. After sharing a few behind the scenes stills on the thread at the PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE someone messaged me and asked if the film had much in the way of behind the scenes photographs, and if it did, do I have any, that I would post?



#SCREAMANDSCREAMAGAIN DOES HAVE some great publicity stills and behind the scenes photographs, and we have quite a nice selection of them, which following that request, I will be posting in a special feature, as part of our usual posts for our Peter Cushing THRILLS-FILLED themed Sunday: #GETTHECUSHIONITSCUSHING. LOTS of Vincent Price shots, along with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing to be seen. In fact the Peter Cushing behind the scenes photographs, will be posted as a separate supplement post too. No doubt, it will probably trigger some more debate about this curious film, that continues to tease and fascinate viewers over forty years after it's release . . . So, See Ya SUNDAY! - Marcus



YOU CAN ORDER YOUR COPY OF THE SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN BLU RAY FROM TWILIGHT TIME : RIGHT HERE!


IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!
The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA. 

#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: ANOTHER FREE RARE AND EXCLUSIVE HAMMER CONTACT SHEET!


#FRANKENSTEINFRIDAY: THE LAST FREE PETER CUSHING rare and exclusive contact sheet, I gave away last week was very popular, and I am so glad you liked it! SO, here is another gift, ONE MORE! It's been scanned full size, cleaned and is ready for you to copy and keep. If you have simple editing software or photoshop or paint, you can edit out each pic into a series or frame one or all. This is a rare item and shows Peter Cushing, Veronica Carlson and Simon Ward at Elstree studios, filming 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed'. Many of the contact sheets from this film go for top dollar, collectors do not give these away...ha, but I do! There will be more to come in the future. Accept this as a gift and a thank you for your support in making our Peter Cushing sites interactive and VERY popular ...and keeping the memory of Peter Cushing alive ! Have fun! -  Marcus Brooks.



IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Just click that blue LINK and click LIKE when you get there, and help us . . Keep The Memory Alive!
The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society website, facebook fan page and youtube channel are managed, edited and written by Marcus Brooks, PCAS coordinator since 1979. PCAS is based in the UK and USA. 
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