Thursday 30 April 2015

UPDATE: CUSHINGS AMICUS FILM SMOKING JACKET PART OF BONHAMS AUCTION


NEWS UPDATE: Peter Cushing's smoking jacket from his 1971 film ,The House That Dripped Blood has now been placed in the forthcoming Bonhams Knightsbridge auction of Entertainment Memorabilia to be held in June, with a very enticing estimate of £1000-1500. It comes complete with the original Phillips 1996 Peter Cushing auction catalogue, certificate from the sale, original lot label (lot 13). Genuine costume and prop items from Cushing's Amicus films are very rarely seen for sale these days. The price, is a give away for anyone considering entering the bidding.

Should anyone out there wish to view the smoking jacket in advance of the auction or have early information on the catalogue description, your best contact is Natalie Downing at Bonhams who you can call on 0207 3933844 or email entertainment@bonhams.com



Monday 27 April 2015

NEWS: CUSHING SMOKING JACKET FROM AMICUS HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD UP FOR SALE


NEWS: If you've ever had the whim to re-enact Peter Cushing's terrifying 'Waxworks Nightmare' scene from the Amicus film, 'The House That Dripped Blood' in the comfort of your own living room...or you are looking for that genuine one off piece of Cushing costume memorabilia to really top your collection... this maybe just what you're looking for! 


This week, Tuesday 21st April, Peter Cushing's smoking jacket costume from 'The House That Dripped Blood' was put up for sale at The Luke Honey Stand 115 at Battersea Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair. 

Here is their description of the smoking jacket:

"This splendid scarlet coloured wool smoking jacket belonged to Peter Cushing, star of both stage and screen. We think it came from the actor’s personal wardrobe (rather than a studio costume department) and is tailored by Simpson’s of Piccadilly, He most certainly wore it in the 1960’s BBC television adaption of Sherlock Holmes, and latterly, the 1971 Amicus horror flick, “The House that Dripped Blood”. We’re selling it with full provenance, certificate of authenticity and a BBC press still showing Peter Cushing wearing it on camera." 


I spoke with Stephanie Connell from Connell Art and Antiques and the owner of the jacket a few minutes ago and as of 5.00pm today (Monday 27th April 2015) it hasn't found a buyer. Stephanie told me, 'We offered the jacket at the fair with an asking ticket price of £2,500, however it remained unsold. Therefore if anyone out there would like to make an offer for the jacket or receive more information relating to its provenance do let me know.'


Soooo..If your distant Aunty Mary has just left you a bundle in her will. If you've just had windfall..or you would just love to own a most stylish piece of Peter Cushing, Amicus, BBC Sherlock Holmes history... here is your chance!


Serious enquiries contact me BY EMAILING theblackboxclub@gmail.com only please. Marcus :)

Sunday 26 April 2015

TRUE LOVE AND BENCHES : NOTTING HILL VERSUS CUSHINGS VIEW WHITSTABLE


I am a very romantic person. Anyone who has ever been subjected to my own special brand of sarcasm may find that hard to believe, but it's true: I'm really a deeply romantic girl at heart. So on occasion I love watching romantic films. They do need lots of humor and wit or suspense in them as well, otherwise I don't know, they're just a bit meh. 
 
Now when I first watched Notting Hill I did think for a moment I was watching Four Weddings and a Funeral in a rather flimsy disguise (quirky yet adorable people, the huggable gay character, the handicapped friend, the elusive American girl and not to mention Hugh Grant doing the awkward yet lovely British guy routine for the umpteenth time). It was good fun nonetheless. Hey, if the formula works, it works. Who am I to argue? Plus, the film contains one of my favourite quotes ever: 'happiness isn't happiness without a violin-playing goat'. Perfection.

In case you haven't seen the film yet: spoiler alert!


I loved it when Anna/Julia and William/Hugh were out walking and found their way into one of London's hidden gardens. In which they came upon a bench that had the following words carved in it:  

For June who loved this garden. From Joseph who always sat beside her.

To which Anna/Julia quietly says: 'Some people do spend their whole lives together.' And you can hear in her voice and tell from the look on her face that that is what she wants too. I know - only good acting.

Eventually they (of course!) do find each other and the whole thing ends with the two of them on a park bench in London, she lying heavily pregnant with her head in his lap. Ahhhh.


I was quite disappointed therefore to learn that 'the' Notting Hill bench had been nothing more than a prop. There was never a June who died leaving a bereaved Joseph behind. With a garden and a bench and memories. The bench has now found its way to a park in Perth, Australia. It was never even a London garden bench. I know it was silly of me to want it all to be true because it was Just A Film after all. But there you go. Deep down I was miffed.

And then my mate KT took me to Whitstable a couple of weeks ago. As you may recall, I had never even heard of the place. Yes Mr. S.C. from E. - I did already admit that that was a huge flaw in my upbringing. Don't rub it in.


Here's the thing though: I might not have been familiar with Whitstable, but I had definitely heard of one of its most famous residents: actor Peter Cushing. You probably know him - he played opposite Christopher Lee in many a Hammer film. He was in Star Wars at one time. And he did Sherlock Holmes. He had just the face for it too. Some aquiline nose that was.


What a lot of people don't know about Peter Cushing, is the great love story of his life. Run for the hills now if you don't want to hear it.



Peter Cushing married his Helen in 1943. They were devoted to each other and felt they were meant to be together. That they had met before somehow. How lovely is that. They were inseparable until her relatively early death in 1971, leaving him heartbroken. He was quoted as saying: 'Since Helen passed on I can't find anything. The heart, quite simply, has gone out of everything. Time is interminable, the loneliness is almost unbearable and the only thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that my dear Helen and I will be united again some day'. He kept feeling this way till the day he himself died in 1994. Helen had left him a letter when she died however, saying:

'Let the sun shine in your heart. Do not pine for me my beloved Peter as that would cause unrest. Do not be hasty to leave this world because you will not go until you have lived the life you have been given. And remember. We will meet again when the time is right. This is my promise.'


Some people might find their story too sentimental. And consider the fact that he never quite moved on after her death an unhealthy thing. There is something to be said for that. All the same I can't help myself, I still find it a very touching love story.

And wait - there's a bench in there too. And this one is real.


Peter and Helen loved the pretty coastal town of Whitstable and bought a house there in 1959. Peter had this bench placed at the spot that is now called 'Cushing's View'. It is said that this is where Peter used to sit and enjoy the view. The plaque on the bench says:

Presented by Helen and Peter Cushing who love Whitstable 
and its people so very much. 1990.


Sadly Helen never actually got to sit on this bench together with her beloved Peter. But at least the love story attached to it is real this time. And when I first saw it (before they got up and I could take a picture of it), a middle-aged couple were sitting on it, hand in hand, looking the very picture of contentment. Don't you think that's exactly what Peter and Helen would have wanted? I'd like to think so.


Feature written by Sacha
The original feature can be found on Sacha's blog, along with much , much more at 'Through The Orange Door' which you can find and join by clicking this link HERE.

My deepest thanks to Sacha for giving her permission for her feature to be shared here. Marcus 

 You can join us by clicking HERE

Thursday 23 April 2015

PETER CUSHINGS WHITSTABLE AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE AND YOUR TRIP PICS


Summer is upon us again and every year at this time, we get a flurry of enquiries from friends and followers at our facebook page wanting to make plans to visit Peter Cushing's beautiful home town of Whitstable in Kent. When is the best time to visit, how do we find the places within the town that have Peter Cushing connections, where is the Tudor Tea Rooms, Cushing's View...many questions and request if possible for a map or pics to help navigate the day.

So this year we are prepared. Jamie Somerville partner admin to our facebook account and this website, put together a pretty comprehensive map and guide to Cushing's Whitstable and how to find it last year. The  version of the guide above has been updated PLUS we have added a gallery of  YOUR photographs that you have very kindly shared with us over the past two years. Many of the pics below have come from a very recent trip to the town by Karen Bond and Marc Hartley. They wrote us just this week to tell us all about the terrific day they had and very generously shared a whole album of photographs from their day. So our thanks to them. 

If you are planning a trip to Whitstable this year, PLEASE feel free to send us your pics. We would love to add them to this feature, so the gallery grows, we get to meet you and hopefully it will encourage even more people to visit what is such a very special place.

You can send us your photographs either by email to theblackboxclub@gmail.com or to  the UK Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook HERE


MANY MORE OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS TO COME..... 
PLEASE KEEP SENDING THEM IN!

Thursday 16 April 2015

NEWS: LIMITED STEEL BOOK BLU RAY 'DR TERRORS HOUSE OF HORRORS' FROM ODEON


NEWS: Odeon Entertainment have announced their release of Amicus films 'DR TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS' as LIMITED EDITION blu ray. Expected release date is September 7th 2015. No news of extras as yet, but the announcement of this long awaited Cushing favourite coming to blu ray for the first time, is sure to make a lot of us very happy!


Here's a link to the above feature and gallery! Just CLICK HERE
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