Showing posts with label flesh and blood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flesh and blood. Show all posts

Sunday 19 May 2019

MARKING THE ANNIVERSARY OF 'PETER CUSHING AND CHRISTOPHER LEE'S' FINAL MEETING: ONE LAST TIME


AS POPULAR AS EVER, a clip from the PCASUK 'Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee: One Last time' clipped was shared on the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE today . . . 




ABOVE: MY TWO favorite clips from the series. The first a wonderful story from Christopher Lee about VINCENT PRICE and, here second both Cushing's and Lee's 'black sense of humour' shines through, with a message to Cushing, from Lee's wife, Gitta 😉

From the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE: 'THIS WEEK marks the last time Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee spent time with each other... as I am sure many of you know, that last engagement together was work, and the recording of the narration of Ted Newsom's Hammer films documentary, 'Flesh and Blood'. The date was the 17th May 1994, and both Peter and Christopher Lee sat to have some photographs taken for publicity, before recording. What started as a few questions, soon turned into an hour of candid and relaxed conversation and memories. Thankfully, unplanned the whole session was video'd, with a domestic video camera. We have shared much of that recording here, at the pcasuk website and our youtube channel . . .


THAT PETER would no longer be with us, in just a few weeks time wasn't expected. But, as far as Peter was concerned, he couldn't wait to be reunited with his late wife, Helen. Here's one of my favourite clips. As for more, you'll find them at our youtube channel... and new clips, stay tuned for May 26th this year 😀 . . . and we all know, what day that is? 😉

Sunday 15 April 2018

CHRISTOPHER LEE SATURDAY! : THE LAST MEETING : THE COMPLETE SERIES : MORE TO COME :



#CHRISTOPHERLEE SATURDAY! This week we are loading up our entire PCAS PLAYLIST from our YOUTUBE CHANNEL of one of our most popular series at the site. Our clips of Peter Cushing as TARKIN from #STARWARS and #ROGUEONE are popular, the #AMICUSFILMS documentaries are too. #MARKLHAMILL talking about meeting with Cushing while making Star Wars, Hamill STILL is a BIG #HAMMERFILMS fan, always gets views as does Cushing's Masks of Death Sherlock movie and what was one of least popular films when it was released, The Ghoul. . . .












BUT ONE SERIES of clips that always gets viewings and has been a hit since they were first posted a few years ago is ONE LAST TIME. Both Cushing and Christopher Lee were quite private individuals, private in their friendship too. Finding candid photographs of them on set at one time, was quite rare, and there was thought to be nothing in the way of any footage of them chatting together, until 1994.







THE JOB OF THEM providing the narration for the documentary, 'Flesh And Blood: The Hammer Heritage Of Horror', took place in a small studio in Canterbury. Neither Cushing or Lee had met together for a year or two, although they had kept up their communication over the phone. Lee knew his friend was seriously ill and was very keen to take the opportunity to spend some time together. His reaction to not knowing how ill Cushing was, has been well documented, so we won't dwell on that here. Neither will we disclose again, how this footage was captured and how we obtained a copy of it, but today we have taken the opportunity, for those who maybe haven't viewed the clips, to sample a few from our PCAS YOUTUBE CHANNEL playlist!








MANY WHO HAVE WATCHED this collection of clips have mentioned how surprised they were, at seeing both Lee and Cushing so relaxed, how entertaining and sometimes quite emotional it is to see, just how close both Cushing and Lee were. You get to the opportunity to see, a side to both gentlemen you didn't know existed. HAVE FUN watching these clips. IF you have any comments or suggestions about this or any posts at the blog, just use the COMMENT BUTTON at the bottom of this post, and if you wish we can also add your comment to the feature!



THIS MONDAY'S MOMENT OF TERROR! RIGHT HERE!

 

Thursday 30 November 2017

NEW THEMED DAY: HORRIBLE DEATH WEDNESDAY : GIFS DYING TO SHARE!


#HORRIBLEDEATHWEDNESDAY! All change.... Wednesday's have now switched from requested GIFS to a series of GIFS and POSTS of creatures, monsters, villains, and victims from the work of Peter Cushing. Here is a taster gallery for oday... So, expect the most 'Popular Poppin' Their Clogs' here now, every Wednesday 🙂 What is YOUR favorite Horrible Exit of Monster or Character from a Cushing films??? Come JOIN US at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and tell us!


#HORRBLEDEATHWEDNESDAYS! How could forget this very Dorian Gray-ques finish to #HAMMERFILMS 'THE VAMPIRE LOVERS' (1970)? Following Peter Cushing's chopping of Camilla Karnstein's head (Ingrid Pitt), the oil portrait, aging from the beautiful vixen, to just bones! Very effective...and considerably cheaper than staging a while aging corpse from flesh and blood to ashes! 


#HORRIBLEDEATHWEDNESDAYS!: RICHARD JOHNSON as vampire,with Donald Pleasence and Anthony Valentine as Vampire Hunters, trying to 'put him to rest'! Britt Ekland, as the wife of Johnson looks on in despair. Vampire Lore, played for laughs!  It was producer / writer Milton Subotsky's ambition to one day make a horror film, for the 'kids'. He almost did it. 'THE MONSTER CLUB' sadly, falls a little between stools. An Amicus film, in everything but name, it has some nice touches but sometimes looks very dated and lame today. UNLESS you are a lover of that very sleezey patch between the end of the 70's and the beginning of the 80's.... punk was out, and novelty was in, thus effecting popular music. The 'Monster Club' of the title, looks the worst. Filling a film set with extras wearing rubber masks, even for the cheapest of Amicus films in the 60's is a long fall. The saving grace, is Vincent Price, Donald Pleasance, John Carradine, and a good cast, with two good stories. 'Young people', teens are a fickle lot, what seemed like a good idea as it was put on paper, was pass'e even before the ink was dry! 


#HORRIBLEDEATHWEDNESDAYS!: MICHAEL RIPPER, was often on the receiving end of bad luck in many of his films for Hammer films. But here, as Mipps in Hammer's 'Captain Clegg' (US Night Creatures) of once, he gets to off a baddie! The mute victim of Peter Cushing's pirate in disguise, Milton Reid, takes the bullet and dies...conveniently in the basement workshop of the local undertakers!  


#HORRIBLEDEATHWEDNESDAY! IT MUST have been a daunting task, facing the prospect of playing a lead male vampire in a Hammer film. Who could fill Christopher Lee's shoes? For sure, back in the day, when any Hammer film announced the release of a vampire film, that featured a COUNT, I am sure prospective botties on seats, thought of ONE COUNT, who sadly wasn't turning up for this gig!  It happened with David Peel a decade earlier in 'THE BRIDES OF DRACULA', and maybe with Damien Thomas as Count Karnstein, in Hammer's 'TWINS OF EVIL' (1971) Having said that, this was Thomas's first feature film, and he did quite a good job. Hammer's money men, thought him worthy of a proper 'Dracula-like' special effect aging death! An expensive process, back in the day...and here with only ONE cut away shot! No even Christopher Lee's death in 'HORROR OF DRACULA' (1958) had such confidence!


#HORRIBLEDEATHSWEDNESDAY!: AFTER 'THE ABOMINABLE DR PHIBES', was released in 1971, it started a trend for horror films, with imaginative death scenes! Vincent Price's 'THEATRE OF BLOOD' in 1973, the sequel to the first Phibes film, 'DR PHIBES RISES AGAIN' and Amicus films, 'MADHOUSE' in 1974, all benefited from scriptwriters burning the night oil, desperately trying to think of fiendish and amusing ways of killing off co stars. This Shish kebab shot, is a clever one! Killing two unfortunates, at the same time. Doctor Death strikes again!



'LA GRANDE BRETECHE' : ORSON WELLES GREAT MYSTERIES WITH PETER CUSHING SUSANNAH YORK : COMING SOON! 

 
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 27 May 2017

NEW LAST MEETING CLIP : LEE PRICE CUSHING BIRTHDAY TREAT!


TAKEN FROM our 'The Last Meeting' of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee we present a NEW CLIP that fits our celebration and marking of the THREE Princes of Terror, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Vincent Price this weekend... Cushing was born on MAY 26th 1913, Lee on MAY 27th 1922 and Price was born on MAY 27th 1911. All THREE celebrated their birthdays in MAY! So, how fitting this clip, posted for the FIRST time today, perfectly illustrates how fond all three were of each other. You can find MORE clips from 'Peter Cushing & Christopher Lee: The Lasting Meeting' at our youtube channel . . . Enjoy!



Above Artwork by Maria Jose Montcast



IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Please Us Help Keep The Memory Alive!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VINCENT PRICE AND CHRISTOPHER LEE!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO VINCENT PRICE AND CHRISTOPHER LEE! You couldn't fail to notice yesterday, it was the anniversary of Peter Cushing's birthday yesterday?And today, as if that was enough excitement... we also celebrate another TWO great titans of cinema, Christopher Lee and Vincent Price! This is always a special treat we look forward to every year, when we have a TRIPLE opportunity, to indulge and enjoy, and binge on our favorite fantasy films...and everything that goes with that! Are you planning a Christopher lee and Vincent Price FILM BINGE this weekend?? If so, share your idea of the perfect playlist, I am sure many here would appreciate the suggestions, to make their BINGE go with a BANG!





WHERE MANY TODAY ACROSS the net are marking their birthdays in posts individually, we take the opportunity, where we can, to post items, that feature all three Price, Lee and Cushing together. TODAY we have a great example of that! Later we'll be posting a NEW clip from the Cushing and Lee, 'The Last Meeting' archive footage. Where back in 1994, Christopher Lee regales Cushing with an anecdote about Vincent Price!!  'The Last Meeting' archive is, raw video footage of the last time Cushing and Lee met before Peter Cushing passed away in August 1994. The occasion was the recording of a narration script, for the documentary 'Flesh and Blood'. During their time at the studio in Canterbury, England, a camera recorded their candid conversation, their jokes, chat, reminiscing and much more besides. As you can imagine, it makes for quite emotional viewing.



Over the past three years, we have uploaded and shared many clips and extracts from that hour long recording, all of which can be seen at our PCAS YOUTUBE CHANNEL, at this website and our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE. So, do drop in during the day, to catch our NEW and never before seen clip and the final part of our 'The Making of the House of Long Shadows' feature...the only feature films where, Cushing, Price and Lee starred together in a feature film! help us to remember and celebrate the lives and work of Vincent Price and Christopher Lee on their SPECIAL DAY!

BTW: The Birthday Banner rare pic of #vincentprice and #christopherlee together in 1977 is a bit of a mystery to me... anyone have any idea where this was taken, I'd be grateful if you could let me know? Marcus. There is no Lee Fan Club at the moment, but I would recommend you seek out christopherleefan's sites https://www.youtube.com/user/ChristopherLeeFan. Vincent Price has an excellent facebook page, which is managed and maintained by his family. Seek em out here: https://www.facebook.com/MasterofMenace/


IF YOU LIKE what you see here at our website, you'll  love our daily themed posts at our PCAS FACEBOOK FAN PAGE.  Please Us Help Keep The Memory Alive!

Thursday 22 May 2014

WE HAVE OUR WINNERS: ONE LAST TIME COMPETITION


Here Are our WINNERS! Congratulations!

The QUESTION in our Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee 'ONE LAST TIME' Competition was:

Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee shared a personal motto. Choose the correct ONE from choices below:

A) STEP ASIDE!
B) STEP DOWN!
C) STEP AROUND!
D) STEP UP!
E) BIG STEPS!
F) STEP OUT!

The ANSWER WAS: F STEP OUT!

All THREE WINNERS have won a RARE hi res 8 x 12 photograph of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee as featured at the bottom of this post! WELL DONE! Thank you to all who took part and entered in the fun. More Competitions to come THIS WEEKEND in our Peter Cushing 101 Birthday Celebrations!

Saturday 17 May 2014

'ONE LAST TIME' : TWENTY YEARS AGO TODAY: PETER CUSHING AND CHRISTOPHER LEE FOR THE VERY LAST TIME



May 17th  1994, is a date of singular importance for fans of Hammer Horror.  On that day, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing reunited one last time to record the narration for Ted Newsom’s documentary on Hammer Films, titled Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror. Newsom’s project was a true labor of love.  Working with a limited budget, he sought to get on-camera interviews with as many of the key surviving actors and production personnel as possible.  His ultimate coup was in securing the services of Lee and Cushing.  It would prove to be the first time that the two old friends had seen each other in a quite a few years, and it would prove to be their final meeting.



The event transpired at a small studio in Canterbury, Kent. The studio had been selected largely for the sake of convenience, as it was close to Cushing’s residence and the actor had also recorded some voice overs there in the past.  Once all the details had been ironed out and everything was in place the director found himself in the enviable position of helping to guide the two legends through the paces one last time.


Cushing was the first to arrive and he was eager to greet Lee upon the latter’s arrival.  Given that Lee hadn’t seen his old friend in so long, nothing could have prepared him for the shock.  Cushing had always been a thin man, but years of pining for his beloved Helen coupled with terminal cancer had reduced him to a literal shadow of his former self. According to Newsom, Lee was visibly taken aback for a brief instant, then rallied and set about keeping his old friend in stitches for the duration of the session. Ever the pro, Cushing was ready and eager to get back to work for the first time since recording his vocal track for the album “No White Peaks” in 1991. Cushing didn’t remain idle by choice: he yearned to work and constant reassurances of future projects from his doting secretary Joyce Broughton kept him hopeful of doing just that. But the reality was, he was simply too ill and too frail to secure the necessary insurance guarantees that would enable him to continue working.


Sooner than give in to despair, Cushing spent his time charming the residents of his beloved sea-side town of Whitstable, gave interviews about everything from his career to his strong religious convictions and enjoyed long-distance telephone calls with old pals like Lee and Vincent Price. The opportunity of going back to a sound stage, even if just for a bit of voice over work, must have seemed heaven sent. Cushing accepted readily and threw himself into the project with enthusiasm … however, if the spirit was willing, the flesh had grown weak. The morning kicked off around 9 AM with some time set aside for the press to come in and ask questions and take some pictures and video commemorating the event.  Lee and Cushing kept each other in stitches as they relived old memories and fielded questions from the reporters. Warned by Cushing’s secretary/care taker, Joyce Broughton, that Cushing's energy might start to fail if they didn’t get on with the show, Newsom started recording the narration around 11 in the morning; approximately two hours later, the track was finished and Cushing was ready for some much-needed rest. Before departing, however, the two men were given a chance to sit, laugh and relax as recordings of some of their favorite cartoons were provided on video tape; the spectacle of the imposing Lee and an ailing Cushing rollicking with laughter at the antics of Bugs Bunny and Sylvester the Cat would surely have been worthy of a film in itself, but this was private time for two old friends: no press were invited to partake in the ritual.


After that, the two men said their farewells and Cushing was taken back to his cottage in Whitstable. As Newsom tells it, Lee’s demeanor changed rapidly at that moment: shocked and deeply upset by his friend’s condition, he dropped the jokes and smiles once Cushing was out of sight and became comparatively curt and ill-tempered; the prospect of losing a friend so dear to him suddenly became a reality and his tendency to keep his feelings in check deserted him.  One of the things often trivialized in Lee’s character is the staunch loyalty and affection he has for his friends and loved ones; as Newsom would later theorize, he is not a man who handles the loss of loved ones at all well and as such, facing the reality of just such a happening served to rattle him badly.


The documentary endured a tortured “birthing process” and was ultimately rushed through post-production when Hammer’s then-managing director Roy Skeggs (who controlled the British rights in exchange for footing the bill for Cushing’s pay day) told the gob smacked director that it was going to air in the UK in early August.  Left with virtually no time (let alone money) to do the material justice, Newsom soldiered on and delivered on time.  The first segment aired on August 6th ,1994; shortly before Cushing was admitted into the Pilgrim's Hospice at Canterbury. After a fortnight in the hospice, and between the two instalments of 'Flesh and Blood', Peter Cushing died on August 11th at the age of 81.


Much has been written about the end result, some of it positive, a lot of it negative, but Newsom is to be congratulated for pulling off a minor miracle and getting these two screen icons together one last time.  The two men had very different careers and were in very different places by the time this final meeting took place: Cushing’s private life had disintegrated in 1971 when his wife died, but he took solace in keeping busy, accepting just about any offer he could fit into his calendar (resulting in quite a few films he really should have said “no” to doing), but ill health put him on the sidelines.


Lee, by contrast, had enjoyed a brief period of prosperity when he relocated to Hollywood, hoping to distance himself from being perceived as a horror film star, things did not go entirely as planned and he found himself appearing in films quite unworthy of his talents. He remained steadily employed, which was probably the thing that concerned him the most, but eventually he grew homesick and returned to England, grateful for the few good opportunities that came his way (notably hosting an episode of Saturday Night Live) and prepared to do what he needed to do to continue his career into his old age. In 1994, he would appear in several films, ranging from the sublime (A Feast at Midnight) to the ridiculous (Police Academy: Mission to Moscow), but things would gradually improve over the next few years.


At the time of the recording, Lee was just shy of 72, while Cushing was close to turning 81 (as fans will of course realize, they almost shared a birthday: Cushing’s being May 26th and Lee’s May 27th ; to look at the two of them, one would have thought there was a greater gap in age than that. Lee survived a heart condition that nearly killed him in the early 80s and was a vigorous, still commanding presence; Cushing’s condition had deteriorated to the point that he was almost unrecognizable.


At the time of writing, Lee is now just shy of his 92nd  birthday and while he would age gracefully into his mid-80s, the cruelty of time coupled with a back injury sustained on the set of the Hammer production The Resident (2011) have slowed him down and he finally looks his age, if not older. As we reflect on this 20th anniversary of their last meeting, let us remember that Cushing’s death left a void which can never be replaced for fans of the classic horror film; with that in mind, let us cherish Lee for as long as he is with us, for we will likely never see this breed of actor again, especially in the ghettoized confines of the horror genre. But sooner than end things on a gloomy, despairing note, take solace in this: so long as there are fans out there who continue to enjoy watching their performances, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee will never die.


'ONE LAST TIME' The 20th Anniversary Feature was written by Troy Howarth
Graphics and Image Gallery: Marcus Brooks
Our deepest thanks to Stuart Hughes and Linda King.
With Very Special Thanks to Steve Reed
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