Showing posts with label director. Show all posts
Showing posts with label director. Show all posts

Tuesday 18 June 2019

TERENCE FISHER REMEMBERED TODAY


REMEMBERING TERENCE FISHER TODAY 😊 If you enjoy any of the better Hammer films of the 1950's and 60's . . this is the point, you doff your cap 😉 There can be few directors who worked for Hammer films, who did so much to develop that Hammer-in-house style. Terence Fisher, WAS Hammer. Along with Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and the players who helped under pin the rich vision of fairy-tale come Gothic nightmare style. Even when the 'monsters' were 'shaky' the script, with more holes than a Swiss cheese... the look, pace and world beautifully styled by Fisher, just sat so well. The Curse of Frankenstein in 1957 was the first, it also lit the rocket that would spin Peter Cushing into a new and long lasting career within the fantasy genre and Christopher Lee, on scraping off the make up and anonymity as 'the monster', would soon don a cloak and a feral shocking performance as Dracula, that set him on path, for more Fisher, Cushing Hammer classics to come. The Mummy, The Gorgon, and The Hound of the Baskervilles, still stand, as maybe the best of Terence Fisher and Hammer. 



TERENCE FISHER was one of the most prominent horror directors of the second half of the 20th century. He was the first to bring gothic horror alive in full colour, and the sexual overtones and explicit horror in his films, while mild by modern standards, were unprecedented in his day. Fisher although aware of the terrifying elements of his Hammer films, would only smile when questioned about their shock factor, and answer...'I make wicked fairy tales...!' Fisher also along with Lee and Cushing, had a wicked sense of humor, hints of which can often been seen on the screen. Given their subject matter and lurid approach, Fisher's films, though commercially successful, were largely dismissed by critics during his career. It is only in recent years that Fisher has become recognised as an auteur in his own right . . .



'BACK IN MARCH 1980, I was just 19, living in Kent and scuffling back and forth to London, jobbing in very basic model and extra work, desperately earning my actors 'Equity Card'. With PCAS has my hobby, I was living in digs, that belonged to a family who were organizing a fantasy convention in London just a few weeks away. They were very kind people and good friends of Terence Fisher's, who had now retired, and was sadly, not in very good health. But he had agreed to attend the convention. While sitting in the kitchen one evening, I was star struck to hear, they were chatting with Fisher on the telephone. I had spent the last two days laughingly trying to get myself an agent in London, the shambolic details they shared with Fisher. Laughing into my coffee I shouted across the room, 'Ask him if he knows any charitable, kind and helpful agents!'. There was a pause and a howl of laughter. I asked, what was his answer? 'Oh, you'll never find one of them!' was his reply . . and he is still laughing down the phone!' 🤣🤣 Sadly, Fisher passed in June. I did get my Equity card, thanks to sponsors, actor Michael Ripper and Make up artist, Roy Ashton... who strangely enough, held a membership of the Equity Union, for many years! So, I sadly never got to meet Terence Fisher... but I did get to make him laugh 😀😊' Marcus Brooks




PETER CUSHING AND THE DIRECTORS: PART ONE OF FOUR: HERE!


Friday 14 June 2019

REMEMBERING MAX J ROSENBERG AND A HAMMER FILM PREMEIR!


REMEMBERING: Max J. Rosenberg (September 13, 1914 – June 14, 2004) Rosenberg was an American film producer, whose career spanned six decades. He was particularly noted for his partnership with co founder of Amicus films, Milton Subotsky who both found much of their success while working in England, producing #supernatural and fantasy cinema, many of which starred #PeterCushing and #ChristopherLee. Max was a clever businessman, Subotsky was the brains and imagination behind what was for most part, the only true competitor of the UK based #Hammerfilms. Sadly, the business partnership soured, then court and libel cases strangled the whole thing to death...a climax worthy of any Amicus film's big finish!


YOU CAN FIND OUR MORE about MILTON SUBOTSKY AND MAX ROSENBERG and AMICUS FILMS in our PCAS feature and REVIEW of THE UNCANNY RIGHT HERE 



 . . AND IN OUR SEVEN PART series on The AMICUS Films of PETER CUSHING HERE!


ABOVE: A RARE press photograph taken at the PREMIER of #Hammerfilms 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' with #PeterCushing, #VeronicaCarlson, #ThorleyWalters, #CatherineSchell and producer, Anthony Nelson Keys, posing for the press with two Hammer fans in fancy dress! Schell was in attendence while working on Hammer's other film at this time, #MOONZEROTWO! 

Saturday 24 February 2018

REMEMBERING TERENCE FISHER AND STAN LAUREL


A MAN WHO CERTAINLY  needs no introduction to anyone who regularly visits this page. Today we mark the birthday of the late Terence Fisher, a director whose trade mark blend of fairy-tale, myth and sexuality, gave us some of Cushing's and Hammer films greatest hits. The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Gorgon, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed..... and many, many others. All absolute gems. Happy Birthday Terence Fisher!



CUSHING, Thorley Walters and director, Terence Fisher take a break, at Bray studios, during the making of, 'Frankenstein Created Woman' (1967).  .


DURING POST PRODUCTION  work on The Devil Rides Out he was hit by a motor bike while crossing a road and suffered a fractured leg. This resulted in him being replaced by Freddie Francis as director on Dracula Has Risen From the Grave. Just few years later, the incident happened again, resulting in Fisher taking an early retirement . .



TODAY BACK IN 1965, we said goodbye to Arthur Stanley Jefferson... Stan Laurel. Laurel traveled to the US with the Karno trope, and after a long period eventually Laurel signed with the Hal Roach studio, so did Oliver Hardy, who was a member of the Hal Roach Studios Comedy All Star players...and the rest is history! If I were to pick anyone from this era of cinema history, Stan and Olly get my vote every time. 


A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940) was the penultimate Laurel and Hardy film made at the Hal Roach studios. Stan Laurel played Stan / Lord Paddington, Oliver Hardy is Ollie! The film is of particular note to us, because Peter Cushing also featured in the cast. If YOU HAVE NOT seen A Chump At Oxford, I highly recommend it, not just for an opportunity to see a young Peter Cushing at work, but also the joy of watching the skill and talent of the two 'boys'. It never got better.


PETER CUSHING'S CONTRACT (bearing his signature) with Hal Roach Studios for A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940) with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Cushing recalled it was in the evening when they filmed his final scene getting tossed into the pond. Laurel and Hardy personally made sure that every actor who got wet received towels and hot drinks. Cushing was star struck by Laurel and Hardy and would remember them fondly for the rest of his life.



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

Sunday 20 August 2017

JERRY LEWIS : FAN AND FRIEND TO CUSHING AND LEE DIES


Sad... right now, news agencies around the world, are announcing the passing of a director, an actor, comedian, singer....where do I stop.. Jerry Lewis. I am sharing this news with you, because there is a connection with Lewis, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Both Peter and Christopher did guest star spots in the film, 'One More Time', starring Sammy Davis jr. 


ABOVE: Over the years, some of you may have seen this odd looking sign popping up on EBAY with a 'interesting' price tag attached to it? It is...the banner that #Jerrylewis had made up, to welcome both #PeterCushing and #ChristopherLee onto the set of the film, ONE MORE TIME, which #JerryLewis directed... in 1970.


JERRY LEWIS along with Sammy were big Hammer films fans and asked them to appear as Baron Frankenstein and Count Dracula..they did. Jerry Lewis treated Cushing and Lee as royalty during the short time they had with the film... but that's another story. A giant in the world of film, entertainment and charity. They will be talking about Lewis's story and his huge impact in all those fields, for a long time to come... RIP Jerry Lewis.


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 3 June 2017

#HAMMERFILMSATURDAY: CUSHING LANDAU AND ERNEST THESIGER : THE MISSING LINK!



#HAMMERFILMSATURDAY: Here is a great behind the scenes photograph of Peter Cushing having his gold make-up fixed while shooting the #SPACE1999 episode, 'Missing Link'. St of the series, Martin Landau looks on. Why not try our TRIVIA QUESTION? Who would have thought there was a link between Landau, Ernest Thesiger and Peter Cushing?




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!

Saturday 13 May 2017

THE BOTTOM LINE: CHRISTOPHER LEE THE PROS AND CONS OF EXCEPTING A ROLE


#HAMMERFILMSSATURDAY: WHEN IT CAME to business of  excepting a role in a film, television or on stage, with over 200 film credits to his name, you would think that the late Sir Christopher Lee, was an actor with formula, maybe a complex check list of pros and cons. It appears that was not the case at all.....
 






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 reach our 30K following total for Peter Cushing BIRTHDAY on MAY 26th 2017 AND Help Keep The Memory Alive!

Friday 24 February 2017

REMEMBERING DIRECTOR TERENCE FISHER ON HIS BIRTHDATE


#THROWBACKTHURSDAY : #TBT : A man who certainly needs no introduction to anyone who regularly visits this page. Today we mark the birthday of the late Terence Fisher, a director whose trade mark blend of fairy-tale, myth and sexuality, gave us some of Cushing's and Hammer films greatest hits. The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Gorgon, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed..... and many, many others. All absolute gems. Happy Birthday Terence Fisher!.
 
 
WANT MORE? DAILY? JOIN US AT OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE : HERE!

Thursday 6 October 2016

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: IT'S DONALDS BIRTHDAY REMEMBERED AND PERTWEE AND PITT DO PRETENTION


REMEMBERING: Actor Donald Pleasence who was born today in 1919... Pleasence appeared alongside Peter Cushing in a surprising amount of titles. From the quite early on brilliant BBC production of '1984' to the not so brilliant 'The Devil's Men', 'Flesh and the Fiends', 'Trial By Combat' and 'From Beyond The Grave' In a very lengthy career, with many highlights, Pleasence was always entertaining, especially with nervous, evil obsessive characters. Pleasence is probably best know for his role of Dr. Sam Loomis in the 'Halloween' films...a role interestingly enough that Peter Cushing was originally approached to play....


#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: Peter Cushing as the forensic surgeon of Tyburn films, Legend of the Werewolf, kisses the 'SILVER' top, of his favourite walking cane... he needs the silver for a better purpose....

 

#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: TOMAS HILL from Sheffield, UK has requested this gif of JON PERTWEE and INGRID PITT from the Amicus film, 'The House That Dripped Blood' . . . what a pair of 'Theatricals'! Both Pertwee and Pitt enjoyed playing the roles of Paul Henderson and Carla Lind in what was intended to be 'the fun' story in the film, 'The Cloak'. Watching an interview with director Peter Duffell included in the extras of the DVD box set release, Duffell explained that he wasn't quite sure if the under-cranked shots in the story actually achieve the effect he was looking for. I think I agree with him. In two of producer Milton Subotsky's films that include a 'wacky-comedy story' The House that Dripped Blood' (1971) : The Cloak and 'The Monster Club' (1980) :  The Vampires, they are, in my opinion, the weakest stories of the bunch, and the comedy in very weak and pathetically pun filled'. Still, 'The Cloak' did give Pertwee the opportunity to exercise his comedy chops, a field in which he made his name, and it gave us the rare opportunity to see him and Ingrid work together.


#GIMMETHEGIFWEDNESDAY: Requested by Anne Price. The Nightmare sequence featured in 'The House That Dripped Blood' is one of the few stand out moments in the film. Cushing had played a similar scene for another Amicus film, The Skull back in 1965. Interestingly, here we can see the choices of two directors, shooting the illusion of a terrifying nightmare... both effectively use distorted angles, slow motion and dry ice. In The Skull Freddie Francis used different lenses, while director Peter Duffell here in this scene, uses the cheaper, but maybe more effective method of almost comic strip, 'Dutch Tilts'. It's the one scene that most often is remembered when you write to us about this Cushing film.


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Saturday 2 July 2016

DIRECTOR ROBIN HARDY DIES 1929 - 2016


IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS we hear that director, ROBIN HARDY has died. He never had the chance to work with Peter Cushing, but he certainly did with the late Sir Christopher Lee, and it is probably for that work, he is best known.... 'The Wicker Man'... In 2010, the UK newspaper The Guardian named The Wicker Man the fourth-best horror film of all time. . .




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Tuesday 23 February 2016

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TERENCE FISHER AND THE MASTER'S THOUGHTS ON FRANKENSTEIN


There can be few directors who worked for Hammer films, who did so much to develop that Hammer-in-house style. Terence Fisher, WAS Hammer. Along with Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and the players who helped under pin the rich vision of fairy-tale come Gothic nightmare style. Even when the 'monsters' were 'shaky' the script, with more holes than a Swiss cheese... the look, pace and world beautifully styled by Fisher, just sat so well.


Old Friends... Terence Fisher and Peter Cushing at the Festival du Film Fantastique de Paris in 1974


Peter and Thorley Walters share a joke, during the making of 'Frankenstein Created Woman' at Bray studios in 1967.


Terence Fisher at home during the time of his last film for Hammer


In the last ten years of his life, Terence had not one but two accidents, 
both involving cars and I believe, in the same location!


Terence Fisher at home with his wife, Morag.


Start out finding out MORE on Terence Fisher and his non Cushing
work for Hammer films, with this feature and gallery about STOLEN FACE 
at our supplement website, THEBLACKBOXCLUB.COM

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