HAPPY 54TH ANNIVERSARY OF HAMMER FILMS 'THE GORGON' : JOSHUA KENNEDY AND HOUSE OF THE GORGON!

TODAY HERE and at our FACEBOOK PCAS FAN PAGE we are marking the anniversary of the release of #hammerfilms THE GORGON starring Peter Cushing and Christopher lee, with Barbara Shelley, Richard Pasco, and directed by Terence Fisher 🙂 At the Facebook Fan Page, the text went like this...'We've covered this film many times here and at the website, it's still one of the most atmospheric and beautifually photographed films that Hammer made. It's got an amazing cast and an amazing musical score by James Bernard. Patrick Troughton, Michael Goodliffe are great too. And according to some fans, It's probably also.... hang on I'll wait for Joshua Kennedy to make his annual annoucement on the thread below.... ANY time now . . ' 😉 AND at THAT POINT, he did! HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'THE GORGON' !

HOW WE MARKED the GORGON anniversary a few years ago. Josh's comment was there on the post as usual, but this year, so was JOSH!

FOR THOSE OF YOU who don't know JOSH and the remarkable films he has made over the years, he has just probably leaped a further few giant steps in the opinions of his fans and friends. Josh is a life long fan of Hammer films, 'THE GORGON' having first seen it when he was just NINE years old. For the past ten years, I have made a tradition of posting a celebration banner, marking the release of THE GORGON, and every year, without fail, Josh has posted the same comment, in the thread below onour Facebook PCAS Fan Page or here at the website, 'THE BEST FILM EVER MADE'  

DRACULA AD 2105 and the promotional poster for HOUSE OF THE GORGON designed by artist Graham Humphrey

AT FIRST, when it appeared, I thought it was just a highly supportive comment, from a Cushing / Hammer film fan, who  was probably on a high, having just seen the film. BUT, no THE GORGON is Josh's favourite Cushing Hammer film. So much so, he has just made his OWN Gorgon movie, as a tribute to the film, that was made back in 1964. Josh has made some impressive tribute films to various Hammer and fantasy genre movies over the years. My favourite being DRACULA AD 2105. A superb full length feature, which also contains many tributes and key scenes, to the whole Hammer film Dracula series. You can catch our feature and review on the film HERE! 

THE HOUSE OF THE GORGON SYNOPSIS:

Filmed in the vein of the classic Hammer and Universal films of yesteryear: The year is 1896, and the lovely Isobel Banning travels with her mother, Anna, to the village of Carlstadt to marry her university sweetheart, Dr. Julian Pritchard. Along their journey they meet the mysterious Father Llewellyn, the local priest, who refuses to explain why the villagers appear to be in a state of mortal fear… as if the town is hiding a terrible secret. Frightened and confused, Isobel and Anna readily accept an invitation from Dr. Pritchard to stay with him and his aunt, the Baroness Bartov, in their large chateau overlooking the town… unaware of the ancient horror that lies within.

HAVING SEEN THE CROWD-FUNDING trailer for 'HOUSE OF THE GORGON' and the prospect of it's jaw dropping cast, who have joined together to support Joshua and his film, makes the release of this film all the more VERY special. The cast includes, Veronica Carlson (Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Dracula Has Risen From The Grave, The Ghoul) Caroline Munro (At The Earth's Core, Dracula AD 1972) and Christopher Neame (Dracula AD 1972) and Martine Beswick (Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde). I am sure it is going be just as impressive, as Josh's other films, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Alpha Omega Man, Theseus and the Minotaur and many others. Scheduled for a 2019 release, I can't wait!

OUR FEATURE on the dancer and actress who played THE GORGON in the 1964 film: JUST click HERE!

THIS WEEK : A HAUNTING AND A WEREWOLF: LAST WEEK: THE HELEN HAYES WIG AND TOUGHY ANSWERS

HERE IS THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TOUGHY! SUSSEX, PETER CUSHING A HAUNTING A WEREWOLF AND A CASTLE? WHAT IS THE CONNECTION? Here is a clue: All FIVE things point to a past Peter Cushing project.  FIND the title of that past project, and you have nailed it!

ANSWERS to last week's TUESDAY TOUGHY: 1: The film Christopher Lee was helping to promote was 'Funny Man' 2: Peter Cushing is playing Count Gerard De Merret in the TV adaption of Balzac's 'La Grande Breteche', in Orson Welles Great Mysteries in 1973. 3: The country that linked these questions was FRANCE

THE APPEARANCES OF THE WIG! You have to have a keen idea, know the costumes or good memory of press photographs from the films, but here are the THREE appearances of the hair piece that Peter Cushing called, 'The Helen Hayes Wig'. I don't think the cinema going public and those who watched Orson Welles Great Mysteries took too much notice at the time, when the wig appeared, but ceratinly since voices and opinions can be heard on the net, the vote on the wig, is quite negative. It's interest to note that, even though Cushing made a joke about the wig, the choice of using the hair piece was actually Peter's!!

RAISING HAIR PROBLEMS! MORE on DRACULA'S HAIR and MANY OTHERS in our FEATURE at the website : HERE!

MANY OF YOU chose Amicus films, 'And Now, the Screaming Starts' or 'Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell', where Peter wore that same wig! The costume, is the giveaway. Well done to everyone who had a go!  Most got Funny Man, but the wig threw most of you . . 

NEWS: DRACULA RESSURECTED AND LOOKING AMAZING ON WARNER BROTHERS REMASTERED BLU RAY

NEWS: TOMORROW IT ARRIVES! WARNER BROTHERS REMASTEDED BLU RAY RELEASE of Hammer films DRACULA AD 1972 is available FROM TOMORROW 16TH OCTOBER on AMAZON. If you are one of the few followers of Peter Cushing;s work or a fab of Hammer films and have never had the chance to see this film, and know little, brace yourself for opinions and reviews about the filma dnthis release, that will run the whole gumit from A to Z. Hammer Dracula fans tend to dislike like everything about it, while those of us, who maybe grew up in the 1970's see this as a nostalgic connection, to world and era that is usally based in the 18 or 19 hundreds! ASs a teenager in the 70's, I too wasn't a fan of the film. But then, I grew up and could then appreciate the humour and subtiies of the plot and the style of teh film. Now, it's one of my all time favs of Hammer films and the fantasy output of Cushing's and Lee's careers. For those who sadly wrestle and still have sleepless nights and can't recover or relate to the end title shot in DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, (Why is that castle blaconey so FAR WAY from the brass cross that Dracula fell onto? Why oh why oh why???) the REMASTERING and fine presentation, of this Warner Brothers Archive Collection release will offer little. But for those of us who love the film, EVERYTHING is there, and wonderfully prestine and sharp!

DESPITE WHAT MAYBE THOUGHT ABOUT THE STORY CONTENT of this 1972 release, you ceratinly can't criticise the REMASTERING. If you too loved and appreciated the quality of the 'Warner Brothers Hammer Horror Classics Collection', RESTORED FIVE Hammer film BLU RAY BOX SET two years ago, then you are in for a treat. DRACULA AD 1972 was previously released on a German Blu-Ray, this was based on the same transfer created for the 2005 DVD release for multiple regions. Word has it that, The Warner Archive Collection reviewed that particular transfer and rejected it as . . . unusable.

THIS WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray, has been made from a NEW 2K scan by Warner's MPI facility of a recently manufactured interpositive. Color correction was performed using Ektrachrome transparencies, and thousands of instances of dirt, scratches and age-related damage were REPAIRED BY HAND, frame by frame. There are sadly no extras except for DRACULA AD 1972 trailer on this release, but for those of us who have waited a long time for this particular film  . . AND The Satanic Rites of Dracula, to be released soon.. to be remastered and presented on Blu Ray, visuals and audio are an amazing bonus in themselves. 

DRACULA AD 1972 is available on the US AMAZON SITE AND is an REGION FREE Blu Ray. The release of The Satanic Rites of Dracula has been moved to NOVEMBER 13th 2018. We are celebrating the release of both of these fine Blu Rays, with a month of AD and SATANIC posts AND A PCAS COMPETITION where you can bag several AD and SATANIC prizes, including copies of BOTH Warner's remastered Blu Rays of DRACULA AD 1972 and the SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA! Look out for UPDATES of when the competitons will be posted!

ABOVE : COVER FROM MY VHS COPY. BOTH THIS AND MY DVD CAN NOW TAKE A HAPPY AND WELL DESERVED RETIREMENT!

 

SLASH AND SHOCK : PC'S ONLY BRUSH WITH MR NASTY OF CINEMA : OR WAS IT?

OVER AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we posed this question: It's Cushing film you either love or hate! When CORRUPTION was released on DVD by Sony Entertainment a while ago . . they certainly cranked up the violence factor, but using the Japanese poster. as it's DVD box cover. It's seen by many as Cushing's most gory and violent film. If so, is there a Cushing film you would personally put in second place??? Some interesting answers . .

FOR THE ABOVE FEATURE JUST CLICK HERE!

OUR REVIEW ON THE GRINDHOUSE BLU RAY REMASTERED

BLU RAY: CLICK HERE! 

COME JOIN US AT THE FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE: HERE! 

CAN YOU SOLVE THIS TOUGH QUESTION? PLUS 'THE BEAST MUST DIE' RARE PRESS STILLS

A REVAMP to our usual 'Cushing Tuesday Toughy' Banner.. but the questions are of course, just as tricky and maybe tough.DO have a go! Answer will be here on Friday. BUT if you want to join in the fun and think you have CRACKED IT, why not skip over to our FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE where this has just been posted too, and post your ANSWER in the post thread!? Good Luck!

'A PHOTOGRAPH FROM CUSHING'S 'THE BEAST MUST DIE' PLEASE!' is the request from ARTY FACE at the THE FACEBOOK PACS FAN PAGE! YUP! YOUR REQUEST AND WISH is granted, Arty! A RARELY seen press publicity photograph of Peter Cushing as Dr. Christopher Lundgren, in Amicus films, 'The Beast Must Die' from 1974. Interestingly, Around 1972, Robert (Jaws) Shaw expressed an interest in playing the lead role of Tom Newcliffe in this film. Shaw's career had turned a little quiet and the bills had not! Calvin Lockhart got the lead instead! Hammer films, Don (Kiss of the Vampire) Sharp was the first approached to be director. 

'THE BEAST MUST DIE' was eventually directed by Paul Annett, who seriously objected to producer Milton Subotsky's idea of the 'Werewolf Break' gimmick, where the audience were invited to guess 'who the werewolf is!' Subotsky actually hated the script and the film, and 'Beast' was the last horror film produced by Amicus, in which co-founder Subotsky had the involvement of producer...and it all went sadly pear shaped and sour. IS BEAST one of your FAV Cushing Amicus films? Me? I wish it was, but sadly not...

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THESE MYSTERY WOMEN : RARE PHOTOGRAH FROM 1989 : WITH A LEE CONNECTION?

PETER CUSHING POSES for the camera on the eve of his birthday in 1989. BUT who are the two ladies at his side? Don't forget our weekly Tuesday Toughy, makes his appearance here tomorrow!

ABOVE AND BELOW: A REMINDER of the glue that helped make two great actors stay friends and also provide us with TWENTY TWO amazing films! You can find out more about their friendship and those films, in our SERIES HERE!  A TALENT TO TERRIFY : The Twenty Two Films of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. 

CUSHING AND LEE: A TALENT TO TERRIFY :  JUST CLICK HERE!

OCTOBER IS PETER CUSHING DRACULA MONTH! OUR CELEBRATION COMPETITION, MARKING THE WARNER BROTHERS RELEASE OF THE REMASTERED BLU RAYS OF 'DRACULA AD 1972' AND 'THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA' THIS MONTH! WIN BLU RAYS, SIGNED AND RARE FRAMED CHRISTOPHER LEE AD 72 PORTRAIT , PLUS MORE! DON'T MISS IT AND MISS OUT!

HAPPY NATIONAL GRANDAD DAY: DALEK AND VAMPIRE FIGHTER!

IT'S SUNDAY and it's also NATIONAL GRANDAD DAY 🙂 Here are two examples of splendid Grandfather's that Peter Cushing played on the big screen, both quite loving and very brave! I have lost count of the many times, so many of you have written in, to tell me how much Peter LOOKS like your Grandad, or that you wish he HAD been! 🙂 😉 Help us celebrate National Grandad Day Today 🙂 Over at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE we are asking followers, if they have a special Grandad memory or the best of times with your Grandad now! Feel free to join in!

PETER CUSHING played the Van Helsing GRANDAD, one more time to JOANNA LUMLEY'S Jessica Van Helsing, in the sequel to DRACULA AD 1972 'THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA'

ITALIAN HAMMER FILM PHOTOBUSTAS : REPAIRED LOOK AMAZING!

IT'S A SAD TRUTH that many press kits, photographs and beautifully produced cinema posters, from the films of Peter Cushing some produced over 50 years ago, often aren't in the best of condition, when they arrive at auction or are up for sale on ebay these days. Back in the day, many sets of stills, lobby cards and press stills were produced in their thousands, especially the cheaper black and white, sets. It wasn't unusual for the press office to use cheap photographic paper, thin paper stock for the cinema posters, as many films made on a tight budget, extended their limitations to the money used for the business of publicity, after the film had been finished. Often was the case, there was little to no funding left. Colour photographs were expensive, even when the capture list, was presented to the studio photographer on set, priority was given to stills taken in black and white. The film was cheap, the processing and printing too. So colour stills, were taken for magazines and publication. Also, no one at the time at Hammer, Amicus or any other 1950's or 60's studio press office, had any idea that the films, would go on to be classics, and the press material HIGHLY COLLECTABLE and command high prices!

SO THIS IS WHY, I have been busy at work and burning the night oil, repairing this fine set of Italian PHOTOBUSTA Lobby Stills, Hammer films DRACULA AD 1972. Many parts of Europe at that time, were included in the UK budget for press kits. Although they did get, a set of a few black and white stills, usually a set of eight. Many times, the publicity office in a country would then get them tinted with ink, to give them a little colour. Unfortunately, if the artist had not seen the film or any colour prints from the set, characters on the photographs would be wearing dresses, coats, cloaks and tie, of a completely different colour, to what they wore in the movie. Hence David Peel, appearing often in a dark blue, light blue and one time yellow cloak, in press stills in Europe during the theatrical release of Hammer films, 'The Brides Of Dracula' starring Peter Cushing . . not the grey cloak, he is seen wearing throughout the film.

GREAT CARE has been given in touching up the paint, ink and damage to this set of Italian Photobusta's. I have cleaned them, repaired tears, scratches, pin holes and dent, without comprising the style and vintage of the time. As we shared in a post earlier this week, the Italian press stills, were often quite something. Many were excellent cut and paste poster montages, like the one we see here and other times quite strange and weird. Take a look at last week's The Satanic Rites of Dracula cinema poster, that features a photograph of naked chubby man, behind a tinted photo of Christopher Lee and Joanna Lumley. The man, photograph taken at a very odd angle, was not featured in the film or indeed have anything connection to any of Hammer films!   

PHOTOBUSTERS were produced to enhance the best moments of a film, they were printed usually in colour, using tinted black and white photographs, sometimes managing to out do the drama and presentation of the more expensive and official press photographic promotional materials. Sadly, they were often, as in this case, printed on glossy and thin paper. Easy to bend, fold causing the print and ink to flake off over the years. But one imagines, as in this case, they must have been very eye catching and dramatic, when first released and pinned to the foyer or reception of a cinema. In most cases, they certainly impress me, with their size, colour and collection of images. Today even though, they come with the risk of having been folded and damaged, they still command high prices and are highly sort after by collectors.

 

SEE THIS GALLERY AND FEATURE AT OUR WEBSITE : CLICK HERE!

COMING SOON is our competition, MARKING THE RELEASE FROM WARNER BROTHERS the ALSO REMASTERED BLU RAYS of both DRACULA AD 1972 and THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA. We'll be offering you the chance to win copies of both films and other HIGHLY collectable AD and SATANIC prizes! MISS IT AND MISS OUT!