#TBT #THROWBACKTHURSDAY! Here's a clip we edited for Callum McKelvie's first Weekend Double
feature, on Hammer films, The Curse of Frankenstein and Revenge of
Frankenstein, with 'Halloween' director, John Carpenter sharing his
thoughts on one of his all time favorite Hammer films... 🙂
It's great when established directors give credit to work that
influenced them . . .Tim Burton and Martin Scorsese have all stepped up
and doffed their caps...
TODAY WE MARK THE BIRTH of one, Lewis Ernest Watts Mills... or as we
knew and loved him... Sir John Mills. He was without doubt, one of our
most popular and beloved English actors and born today February 22nd
1908. In a career that stretched over eight decades, Mills appeared in
over 120 films, debuting in 1932 in 'Midshipmaid Gob' right up until
2009 in 'The Snow Prince'. Many of his roles like Pip in 'Great
Expectations' in 1946, Shorty Blake 'In Which We Serve' in 42, Captain
Scott in 'Scott of the Antarctic' in 48 and the alcohol troubled
Captain Anson in 'Ice Cold in Alex' in 58 would make him an
internationally renowned star.
MILL APPEARED IN TWO FILMS with Peter Cushing, the first in 1976
entitled 'Trial by Combat' aka 'A Dirty Knight's Work' as Sir Edward
Gifford. It was no more than a guest appearance, slotted in when another
project on Cushing's slate fell through. The second though, was a much
grander enterprise with Tyburn films and marked Cushing's return to the
character of Sherlock Holmes...and Mills as Watson! They made a terrific
team as a much older duo, so impressive was the chemistry that another
Cushing /Mills / Sherlock film from Tyburn was planned entitled 'The
Abbot's Cry', but was scuppered owing to Cushing's fragile health.
LIKE CUSHING, Mills was in his private life a sensitive romantic, in
January 2001 at the age of 92, he and wife Mary, age 89, renewed their
marriage vows at St. Mary's Church, next to their home, Hills House, in
Denham, England. When they had wed 60 years earlier, he was denied a
church service because he was serving in the Army during World War II.
Happy Birthday, Sir John!
REMEMBER! 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
#PETERCUSHING#COLLECTORS
Wednesday! OK This week I am sharing a rare black and white CONTACT
SHEET from Hammer films 1973, The Satanic Rites of Dracula. As usual, this is our FREE weekly full hi res upload, as seen on our our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE available for you today, for you to download. These NINETEEN exposures from the Hammer films
on set stills cameraman, feature shots taken during the shooting of two
scenes from the film, the Vampire's in the Cellar scene, with Joanna
Lumley and Valerie Van Ost and Van Helsing visiting Professor Julian Keeley played by Peter Cushing and Freddie Jones.
HI RES CONTACT SHEET ABOVE: RIGHT CLICK AND COPY!
WHAT IS A CONTACT SHEET? A contact sheet is a positive print of all the negative images from one film, made by a contact printing process so that all the images are the same size as the negative. A contact sheet is a useful way of seeing which are the best images on a film so you can decide which ones to make enlargements from. During the production the unit photographer was responsible for capturing
thousands of still shots while the movie cameras were running. Some of the
photos would offer a different angle to the motion picture camera. In other
cases, the photographer would stand next to a movie camera operator. And some
of the shots would be behind the scenes with actors and directors. After the final production still shots were taken each day, the roles
of film negatives were placed on contact sheets (created by laying the negatives
on a piece of printing paper and exposing them to light to create a set of
mini prints the same as the film frames) (IMAGE) The contact sheets were then
forwarded to the publicity department. The Publicity Department could then
view the full roll of 36 images at one time with a “ring” or magnifying
glass. Publicity Department –The Publicity
Department was, among other things, responsible for generating early publicity
about a film, including providing information to magazines and publications.
In addition, they were responsible for providing the Advertising Department
with information necessary to create the film’s promotional materials.
The publicity department would review the contact sheets and select images
for specific purposes, such as creating a key set, keeping track and providing
exclusive images to magazines and publications, and sending the advertising
department information necessary to begin preparation of promotional materials.
Key Set Creation - After a review
by the publicity department, the better images were picked to become part
of a key set. The selected images are numbered by placing an assigned number
by the studio for that particular film, called the production number, and
then a dash and the assigned individual still number. THIS is called the
Production Code number.
ABOVE: Our Collectors Wednesday post from TWO weeks ago, posted here and at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.. It was a pretty cool concept, but was ultimately ruined by Facebbok quashing the post...thanks facebook!
The selected stills were then printed and placed into the key set
binder. The rejects are skipped over and left unnumbered. The negatives
and contact sheets were then filed. These may be pulled at a later date
when someone wants something different. By the end of the shooting, this 'key set' would normally be hundreds
of the better still shots to be used in a variety of ways by the publicity
department. The stills used in this 'key set' would have numbers put on
the still to help the publicity department identify and keep up with the
different stills. They were kept in large bound books that could be used
at any time for reference.
Exclusive Use –
Major magazines and publications would quite often want exclusive photos
to do an article on the upcoming film. This was a tremendous way for the
film to get FREE publicity. To accommodate them, the publicity department
would put a hold on numerous stills and send over a group for the editor
to choose from. Once the exclusives were picked, the tags would be removed
from those images not selected so they could be used for other purposes
I BELIEVE, Tom Edwards was the stills photographer on Satanic
Rites. He had a very good eye for a great shot, and worked on other
Cushing Hammer films like, 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell'. As
I have mentioned before, each cell, photograph here would make a great
pic for your collection, printed off would look great in a frame, the
high res would also make a great poster too. The majority of the shots
on this contact sheet, have rarely been officially published, as often
just one or two from this studio contact sheet would have been chosen
for press packs and promotion. I hope you like what I have shared so
far? Have fun 🙂 Marcus
REMEMBER! 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
#TOOCOOLTUESDAY!
It's THAT time again. You know the rules by now. ONLY send your answers
using the MESSAGE button, no entries on the thread below. Many Many
thanks to Indicator and GOOD LUCK to everyone, this BOX SET is a
smasher! GOOD LUCK!
Release date: 19 February 2018 Limited Blu-ray Edition (World premieres on Blu-ray)
HAMMER VOLUME TWO: CRIMINAL INTENT
: THE SNORKEL (Guy Green, 1958)
NEVER TAKE SWEETS FROM A STRANGER (Cyril Frankel, 1960) : THE FULL TREATMENT (Val Guest, 1960)
: CASH ON DEMAND (Quentin Lawrence, 1961)
Release date: 19 February 2018
Limited Blu-ray Edition (World premieres on Blu-ray)
Four classic thrillers from the vaults of Hammer Films released on
Blu-ray for the very first time, including premiere presentations of the
complete, uncensored UK theatrical release versions of Val Guest’s The Full Treatment and Cyril Frankel’s Never Take Sweets from a Stranger
and a host of new and exclusive extra features. This stunning Limited
Blu-ray Edition Box Set from Indicator is strictly limited to 6,000
numbered units.
INDICATOR LIMITED BLU-RAY EDITION SPECIAL FEATURES:
• HD restorations of all four films
• Original Mono audio
• New title-specific documentaries exploring aspects of each film
• Audio commentary with film historian Michael Brooke and author Johnny Mains on The Snorkel •The Snorkel original script ending: reconstruction of the finale of Jimmy's Sangster's screenplay
• Two presentations of Never Take Sweets from a Stranger: with the original UK titles; and with the alternative US Never Take Candy from a Stranger titles
•Never Take Sweets from a Stranger introduction by actor and filmmaker Matthew Holness
• Two presentations of The Full Treatment: the uncensored UK theatrical cut; and the censored US version with alternative Stop Me Before I Kill! titles
• Audio commentary with film historians Jonathan Rigby and David Miller on Cash on Demand • New and exclusive interviews with cast and crew members, including actors Janina Faye (Never Take Sweets from a Stranger) and Lois Daine (Cash on Demand), props master Peter Allchorne (The Snorkel) and second assistant director Hugh Harlow (The Snorkel)
• Appreciations of composers Elisabeth Lutyens (Never Take Sweets from a Stranger) and Francis Chagrin (The Snorkel) by David Huckvale, author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde •Hammer’s Women: Betta St John (2018): Diabolique magazine’s editor-in-chief Kat Ellinger offers an appreciation of the American actress, singer and dancer
• Hammer’s Women: Gwen Watford (2018): British cinema expert
Dr Laura Mayne explores the life and career of the prolific English
film, stage and television actress
•Hammer’s Women: Diane Cilento (2018): Dr Melanie Williams, author of Female Stars of British Cinema, explores the life and career of the Australian theatre and film actress and author
•Hammer’s Women: Lois Daine (2018): critic and author Becky Booth on the popular English film and television actress
• Archival documentaries, interviews and featurettes
• Original trailers
• Image galleries: extensive promotional and on-set photography, poster art and marketing materials
• Exclusive booklets for each film, with new essays by Kat Ellinger,
Julian Upton and Kim Newman, archival interview materials, contemporary
reviews, and full film credits
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• World Blu-ray premieres of all four films
• Limited Edition Box Set of 6,000 numbered copies.
TODAY
WE REMEMBER Robert Quarry, a great actor best known for his roles in a
number of horror films in the 70’s such as 'Count Yorga Vampire' (1970)
and its sequel 'The Return Of Count Yorga' (1971) , 'Dr. Philbes Rises
Again' (1973) and 'Madhouse' (1974) with Peter Cushing and Vincent Price
. . Quarry was also featured in guest spots on such TV shows as "Studio
57," "The Lone Ranger," "Hallmark Hall
of Fame," "Mike Hammer," "The Fugitive," "Perry Mason," "Ironside,"
"Cannon," "The Rockford Files," and "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century."
OUTSIDE OF HIS WORK in movies and television, Robert also had a highly
distinguished stage career. Quarry acted in Broadway productions of "As
You Like It," "The Taming of the Shrew," "Richard III," and "Gramercy
Ghost." He acted alongside Cloris Leachman in "Design for Living" at the
Stage Society in Los Angeles and in 1966 went on tour with a traveling
roadshow production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?".
HE REGULARLY studied his craft at the Actors Lab in Hollywood. Blessed with an IQ of
168, Quarry was a Life master at bridge. In addition, Robert studied
cooking at the Cardon Bleu School in Manhattan and was the author of the
best-selling cookbook "Wonderfully Simple Recipes for Simply Wonderful
Food." Robert Quarry died at age 83 on February 20, 2009 in Woodland
Hills, California.
REMEMBER! 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
#MOMENTOFTERRORMONDAY!
Carrying on....from the werewolf themed films featured in yesterday's Weekend Double
Feature here at the website, I've pulled the final moments from 'Legend of the
Werewolf' (1975) for this weeks, #CUSHINGMOMENTOFTERROR MONDAY!. As most of us here know, it's one half of a pair of
films, that #PeterCushing
made with Tyburn films in the mid 1970's... a nice little thriller /
horror film made in the style of films that were made twenty years or
so, BEFORE this one. At the time this film was made, the film industry
in the UK was in pieces, despite CEO Kevin Francis making a few features
with his company Tyburn, plans to produce other movies, were shelved
and the two Tyburn terrors, both starring #PeterCushing, still awaiting a legit dvd or blu ray release, becoming maybe two of the 'most wanted' on most PC's fans film wish list.
REMEMBER! 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
OUR FINAL Cushing-double feature this week is intended
to go against the grain somewhat. The
Curse of Frankenstein and The Revenge
of Frankenstein were thematically, visually and stylistically linked being
the first two entries in a series. The
Skull and The Creeping Flesh on
the other hand, despite being years apart shared the same director and had very
similar thematic interests. Today’s final double bill features two films that
both belong to the same sub-genre but apart from that are stylistically and
thematically different. It is those differences I want to discuss and those
differences that I feel make The Beast
Must Die (1974) and Legend of the
Werewolf (1975) the perfect ‘werewolf’ double feature.
DESPITE BEING THE ONLY TWO Werewolf movies Cushing
made (well unless you count the segment in 1964’s Dr Terrors House of Horrors that he’s not in) there’s very little
to connect these two films. The Beast
Must Die is in reality more of an action thriller, attempting to ride the ‘Blaxploitation’
wave that was occurring at the time. Thus the film is accompanied by a ‘funky’
soundtrack and numerous action set-pieces.
TELLING THE STORY of Calvin Lockhart’s
obsessive hunter Tom Newcliffe, the plot follows his gathering of five
individuals at his home. Early on he reveals that he believes one of the
gathered number to be a werewolf and he is determined to hunt the creature
down. The film is the same manner as a contemporary thriller but mixed with an
Agatha Christie like sensibility. Legend
of the Werewolf on the other hand (along with the excellent The Ghoul) is one of a number of Tyburn
films that were deliberate throwbacks to the early years of Hammer . A period
piece, the film reverts to the traditional ‘werewolf as tragic figure’ mould
and has a number of similarities to 1961’s The
Curse of the Werewolf.
SO IF INDEED, other than both featuring a werewolf and
Peter Cushing, there is very little to connect these two films, why would I
suggest watching them as a double bill? Well put simply that is the reason. Two
films from the dying days of the British horror boom, they demonstrate remarkably
different approaches to the crisis. Both use the Werewolf myth (why that
monster in particular I have no idea) but it is the difference in treatment of
this well-known monster that makes these two films interesting.
THE BEAST MUST DIE looks across the pond
to the American thrillers being produced at the time and thus chooses to rely
less on the horrific and more on action. I did a larger piece on The Beast Must Die sometime back and it’s
a film which though certainly entertaining, few would call outright successful.
However when watched back-to-back with Legend
of the Werewolf, I actually found myself gaining much greater appreciation
for Beast. Now I want to point out
that I adore Legend but when viewed
in the context of the time it was made, it appears a very odd move to do
something that relies as much on old tropes and conventions as this film does.
IN THE FACE OF MUCH DARKER and more visceral horror’s along the lines of The Exorcist, Night of the Living Dead and
Texas Chainsaw Massacre it seems a bizarre
move to emulate the early years of Hammer, a studio who by this point was on its
last legs. Watched devoid of any of this context, Legend is a rip roaring gothic melodrama in the style of old. Watched
within this context it’s a fitting tribute to the main figures within Hammer
but can only really be viewed as something of poorly judged exercise in
nostalgia, looking back to the past, when the present was taking the genre in
new and exciting directions.
THE BEAST MUST DIE on the other hand is a similar misfire,
but all the more enjoyable for the brave attempts to try and escape the rut
that most of its British Horror contemporaries had entered. Unfortunately poor
production values and a script that stretches its thing plot far beyond its
means, doom what could have been a powerful early 70’s thriller. As it is Beast stands as a fascinating artefact of
the bizarre ways that the giants of British Horror cinema were attempting to
cope with the ‘new wave’.
I REALISE THAT throughout this piece I’ve sounded
incredibly negative towards these two films, truth be told both are incredibly
enjoyable. Which is the best? Well without doubt Legend but Beast has its
moments too. Before starting this double bill I suggest watching the third instalment
of Mark Gatiss’s excellent A History of
Horror which contextualises the environment in which these two films were
made and shows what they had to compete with. As it is, Cushing’s two entries
into the werewolf sub-genre make an excellent pairing, demonstrating two
different approaches to dwindling box office returns on British Horror films.
REMEMBER! 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