WIN WARNER BROTHERS HORROR CLASSICS BOX SET ON BLU RAY FOR HALLOWEEN

JOIN US FOR OUR FIRST COMPETITION TOMORROW!

WARNER BROTHERS: HORROR CLASSICS CAN BE ORDERED NOW: HERE 

Tomorrow, September 6th, Warner Bros release their very impressive  HAMMER HORROR CLASSICS VOLUME ONE blu ray box set. FOUR Hammer classics, TWO starring Peter Cushing the fantastic 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' starring Veronica Carlson and Freddie Jones and 'The Mummy' starring both Cushing and the late Sir Christopher Lee. PLUS there's 'Taste The Blood of Dracula' with you know who as Dracula....AND 'Dracula Has Risen From the Grave'....again with Christopher Lee as Dracula supported by Veronica Carlson, Michael Ripper and Rupert Davies.

We are launching the FIRST of our PCAS HALLOWEEN COMPETITIONS TOMORROW where we have TWO COPIES OF HORROR CLASSICS UP FOR GRABS! Enter the competition either at petercushingappreciationsociety.com

or at our peter cushing apprecaition society facebook fan page or here at theblackboxclub.com.

The Warner Brother Horror Classics Box Set contains the following films:

THE MUMMY: Christopher Lee wraps on the moldy gauze bandages to become the tormented Kharis, an avenger stalking the hills of Victorian England to track down desecration of his beloved's Egyptian tomb. FIRST TIME AVAILABLE ON BLU RAY IN USA. Starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Yvonne Furneaux. Directed by Terence Fisher.

FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED: Peter Cushing is Baron Frankenstein, whose experiment has gone dead wrong in Hammer Studios' fifth Frankenstein saga. Featuring Freddie Jones as the scientist's pitiable new creation. FIRST TIME RELEASED ON BLU RAY! Starring Peter Cushing, Simon Ward, Veronica Carlson and Freddie Jones. Directed by Terence Fisher.

DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE: Playing Bram Stoker's infamous vampire for the third time, Christopher Lee goes fang-to-cross with the forces of good in this atmospheric, stylish film, in which each night brings the threat of death. FIRST TIME RELEASED ON BLU RAY! Starring Christopher Lee, Veronica Carlson, Rupert Davies, Barbara Ewing, Barry Andrews and Ewan Hooper. Directed by Freddie Francis.

TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA: This entry in Hammer Studios' cycle of hemogobbling Victorian-era horror showcases why Hammer became the name in Gothic terror. Christopher Lee again dons his cape to become Evil Incarnate. FIRST TIME RELEASED ON BLU RAY! Starring Christopher Lee, Linda Hayden, Ralph Bates, Isla Blair, John Carson, Martin Jarvis, Anthony Higgins and Micheal Ripper. Directed by Peter Sasdy. 

WARNER BROTHERS: HORROR CLASSICS CAN BE ORDERED NOW: HERE  

All the films in this package, technically are flawless. All four movies have been remastered in 1080p and are presented in their original aspect ratios.THE MUMMY in 1.66:1, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Dracula Has Risen From The Grave and Taste The Blood Of Dracula in 1.85:1. With each film you'll be very happy to discover there no print drop outs or blemishes anywhere to be seen, the colour and contrast is solid and each film has an amazing detail, like you would never have seen in any of these films previous releases.

As with, Warner's dvd release of TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA, the blu-ray here restores over four minutes of footage that was originally removed from the U.S. theatrical print and the previous VHS release too. Where TASTE was originally rated GP, according it has now been given an R rating.

The reinstated scenes are as follows: The shots of Dracula's blood changing to powder in the prologue; there is also extended shots in the brothel scenes, including a snake charmer's dance shot and some topless nudity, the violent beating of Ralph Bate's, Lord Courtley is extended, and; Dracula's violent, snarling attack on a female victim. Also, all the major death scenes have some extended footage, including more glimpses of Christopher Lee's writhing Dracula!

The HORROR CLASSICS package also includes a complete and uncut version of FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED. The notorious rape scene that was originally snipped from all U.S. versions, is now back. In line with visuals of the films in this package, I am pleased to say, the English audio tracks (DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0) are also perfect!

Each film also comes complete with additional French, and Spanish (both Castilian and Latin) language tracks with optional English SDH, French, Spanish (both Castilian and Latin) subtitles. In addition, both DRACULA films include German audio tracks and German subtitles. Each film comes with its original theatrical trailer.

The outstanding quality of this box set from it's presentation packaging to the over all quality of the films themselves, puts this release way above any previous releases of the titles and would be a fantastic addition to any collectors or Hammer fans film library! Well Done, Warner! 

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COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN AND WIN HAMMER HORROR BOX SETS BLU RAYS DVDS AND GOODIES!

BLU RAY BOX SETS, BLU RAYS, DVD's BOOKS and GOODIES..

ALL UP FOR GRABS!!

For those of you who still remember our HALLOWEEN 2014 COMPETITIONS PRIZES, you'll know we like to treat our friends and followers to only the best...and THIS YEAR will be no exception. Not only are we going to be launching our traditional HALLOWEEN COMPETITIONS, but we are also kicking off a whole raft of GIVEAWAY PRIZES and ONE HOUR COMPETITIONS on the weekends and weekdays, right across all our websites and pages, the Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page, the website petercushingapprecaitionsociety.com  AND here at  theblackboxclub.com

It's going to be a GREAT OCTOBER and another FEARSOME HALLOWEEN with loads of fabulous PRIZES TO DIE FOR!! It's going to be a SCREAM! Look Out all this week for details!

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CHRISTOPHER LEE: DRACULA AND CASH

 

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RAISING HAIR PROBLEMS! THE CHANGING FACE AND HAIR OF COUNT DRACULA : CHRISTOPHER LEE :

Hair and actors, for men particularly, can be a sensitive subject. Thinning hairlines for some, signaled the beginning of a life tied to hiding their thinning locks, with endless spraying and careful combing or gluing down of hair pieces and relying on what were sometimes not the most convincing of toupees. Yul Brynner celebrated, his head minus hair, it was never a problem. Telly Savalas too, when he got fed up with combing-over the last strands, took to the shaver, and whipped, what he had been holding onto, off ...and never looked back. But for many actors, they believed not having a full head of hair, lessened your chances in casting....

For the majority of his film roles, from Hammer's Hound of the Baskervilles onwards in 1959, Lee wore pieces, with the exception of Mycroft Holmes in 'The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes' (1970) here Lee, for the only time, went completely  'sans toupee'! When this brave, but strange decision drew a little too much attention, Lee explained it away, as an act of dedication to playing the role and that he had simply shaved his head!  But all these wigs he wore, also explains why he had such a weird hair line and bouffant top in 'Risen From the Grave'...and a really good wig in AD 1972 and Satanic Rites...and I think more than one in Dracula 58, in the first close up shot where he welcomes Harker, the hairpiece looks a lot smaller, than in the rest of the film...and in Darkness it had less widows peak. Taste the Blood was maybe too full and his own hair sometimes flopped over his ears, Scars of... was a good one!

With many actors, and 'the advancement of the years', very few with long careers, ever get away without some help from a weave or wig. Think Humphrey Bogart, David Niven, John Wayne, all piece wearers on and off screen. To be fair, I don't think this is only or just about vanity. In Christopher Lee's case, early hair thinning, caused a problem and throughout his career, he had to present himself as the person / actor that his audiences recognised. Without his hair, he wasn't the Christopher Lee the public knew. He was Christopher Lee without hair.

Peter Cushing and Vincent Price, were lucky to have 'some' there. In later years, Cushing would whip his into, what could be quite a complicated quiff, that must have been held together with a lot of hairspray... but at least he didn't have to sit for an extra hour while they glued the webbing and pinned a 'rug' down. I think when he first appeared without it, around 1974 and the time of the productions of Shatter, THE UNCANNY, , The New Avengers... he must have been reviled to be finished with it, having worn toupee and weaves since around 1967...

If you look at some of Cushing's jottings and requests on his scripts, you see his recommendations for particular hair pieces that he had worn in previous productions. Film production companies rarely stocked wigs, depending on the budget, make up men or hairdressers/ wig makers would make pieces to order or from stock, they would be hired. For many years, Cushing had his own personal hair piece, which he might wear in a film and in public. You might remember, when Cushing was pounced on by Michael Aspel for his appearance on This Is Your Life in 1990, he is heard to say, 'It's just as well, I wore my toupee today, isn't?'

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THE STORY BEHIND ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC SCENES IN HAMMER FILMS HISTORY!

 

Ask any Hammer film fan, what would be their favourite top three scenes above all others in the Hammer catalog, and chances are the closing moments of Hammer's 1958, Dracula / Horror of Dracula. The build up to the scene, with Christopher Lee's Dracula being pursued by Cushing Van Helsing, is topped off with a dramatic 'face to face' battle, with Van Helsing finally cornering the Count and pushing him into the deadly sunlight, with an improvised crucifix, made from two crossed candle sticks. A move that wasn't in the script, but suggested by Peter Cushing. Here in Cushing's own words, is the story behind one the most iconic scenes in horror film history and for the first time, we present the scene that inflenced Cushing and how it looked in the Hammer films classic!

"In the original script Van Helsing was sort of like a salesman for crucifixes. He was pulling them out of every pocket. He was giving them to children to protect themselves, and putting them in coffins and so on. At the end of the film, he pulled out another one, so I asked if we couldn't do something exciting instead."

"I remembered seeing a film years ago called Berkeley Square in which Leslie Howard was thought of as being the Devil by this frightened little man who suddenly grabbed two big candlesticks and made a sign of the cross with them. I remembered that this had impressed me enormously. I suggested the run along the refectory table to jump onto the curtains and hit Dracula square in the

face with the sunlight."

The Scene From BERKELEY SQUARE

That Peter Cushing Remembered!

"He would, of course, be trapped. Then I could come along like a hero, grab the two candlesticks and make the cross with them in his face. They agreed. Originally the candelabra they had were the type with four candles on each base. You could tell what I was doing, but it didn't look like a cross, but they changed to the ones you see in the film. At least it wasn't another crucifix coming out of my pockets!"

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Ask any Hammer film fan, what would be their favourite top three scenes above all others in the Hammer catalog, and chances are the closing moments of Hammer's 1958, Dracula / Horror of Dracula. The build up to the scene, with Christopher Lee's Dracula being pursued by Cushing Van Helsing, is topped off with a dramatic 'face to face' battle, with Van Helsing finally cornering the Count and pushing him into the deadly sunlight, with an improvised crucifix, made from two crossed candle sticks. A move that wasn't in the script, but suggested by Peter Cushing. Here in Cushing's own words, is the story behind one the most iconic scenes in horror film history and for the first time, we present the scene that inflenced Cushing and how it looked in the Hammer films classic! - See more at: http://petercushingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-story-behind-one-of-most-iconic.html#sthash.63YNbe6S.dpuf

CINEMA ICON: SIR CHRISTOPHER LEE DIES

Taken From The UK Peter Cushing Appreciation Society Facebook Fan Page today

It is with extreme sadness that we write to tell you friends, that Sir Christopher Lee passed away on SUNDAY 7th June at 8.30am at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, after being hospitalised for respiratory problems and heart failure. The family gave permission for the announcement of Lee passing to be released to press agencies this morning. Christopher Lee was 93. Our thoughts are with Sir Christopher's wife Gitte and daughter Christina.

Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ 1922 - 2015. RIP.

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE: REVIEW AND GALLERY : HAMMER FILMS

PRODUCTION:

Director – Don Sharp, Screenplay – John Elder [Anthony Hinds], Producer – Anthony Hinds, Photography – Alan Hume, Music – James Bernard, Special Effects – Les Bowie, Makeup – Roy Ashton, Production Design – Bernard Robinson. Production Company – Hammer films. UK 1962

CAST:

Edward de Souza (Gerald Harcourt), Jennifer Daniel (Marianne Harcourt), Clifford Evans (Professor Zimmer), Noel Willman (Dr Ravna), Barry Warren (Carl Ravna), Jacqui Wallis (Sabena), Isobel Black (Tania), Peter Maddern (Bruno), Noel Howlett (Father Xavier)

SYNOPSIS:

The early part of the century. Gerald Harcourt and his newlywed wife Marianne are passing through Bavaria on their honeymoon when their car breaks down. They seek refuge in the local village where the locals seem very superstitious and fearful. They are befriended by the wealthy and charming Dr Ravna who invites them to a masque at the Chateau Ravna. Gerald passes out drunk and when he wakes in the morning he finds that Marianne is missing. Both Ravna and the entire village deny any trace of her existence. The only person who will help him is the embittered Professor Zimmer and so Gerald bands together with him to rescue Marianne from being claimed by Ravna’s vampire coven.

COMMENTARY:
Kiss of the Vampire is one of the more interesting vampire films to come out of Hammer Films during the 1960s. It was made in the period after Hammer had had their huge initial international success with Dracula/The Horror of Dracula (1958). For several years after that, Christopher Lee refused to return to the part of Dracula, determining to establish himself as a serious actor first. The period saw The Brides of Dracula (1960), which tried to be a Dracula film without having Christopher Lee or any Dracula present.

Kiss of the Vampire interestingly enough had begun life as another tentative Christopher Lee-less Dracula film. Hammer then decided to make it an original film that would not be dependent on such a notable absence at its center and such connections were written out.

Kiss of the Vampire is an interesting effort. It has been aptly called a vampire version of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes (1938) – a film that Hammer later directly remade in 1979. Producer Anthony Hinds sets up a fair and reasonable script, better than most of the later Dracula sequels. The focus is not so much the hardly interesting married couple but the two opposing figures of good and evil fighting on either side of the film – Noel Willman who plays the vampire with glacial stolidity but alas lacks any real charismatic presence, and Clifford Evans who plays the vampire hunter with a brooding harshness. Kiss of the Vampire also comes filled with several other intriguing performances packed around the sides, most notably from Barry Warren as Ravna’s very weird son and Barbara Steele-lookalike Isobel Black as the innkeeper’s vampirised daughter who one wishes had been given more screen time.

Don Sharp’s handling sometimes falters but he is aided considerably by the sumptuous production values of all early Hammer films, which buoy the film up, most notably during the beautifully staged masque sequence. [The masque scenes were later wittily parodied in Roman Polanski’s The Fearless Vampire Killers/Dance of the Vampires (1967)]. There is an unusual climax featuring hordes of attacking vampire bats (a sequence that had originally been intended as the climax of The Brides of Dracula), which falters slightly through merely adequate effects.

Kiss of the Vampire was the genre debut of Australian-born Don Sharp who later became a regular director within the British horror industry making the likes of Witchcraft (1964), Curse of the Fly (1965), the first two of the Christopher Lee Fu Manchu series The Face of Fu Manchu (1965) and The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966), Hammer’s Rasputin The Mad Monk (1966), the period sf comedy Jules Verne’s Rocket to the Moon/Those Fantastic Flying Fools/Blast Off (1967), the psycho-thriller Dark Places (1972), the undead biker film Psychomania (1973) and the lost world film Secrets of the Phantom Caverns/What Waits Below (1984).

Kiss of the Vampire exists in two different versions, the original cinematic and video release. Kiss of Evil is a cut version for tv, which adds additional scenes taken from Hammer’s The Evil of Frankenstein (1964).

REVIEW:Richard Scheib  Here

ARE YOU AS SHARP AS SHERLOCK???

Just a week to get your entries in on a great competition happening over at PETERCUSHING.ORG.UK . TWO Sherlock Holmes 'Hound of the Baskervilles' competitions, and the first is up now. There are TEN copies of the SHOCK blu ray /dvd combo release up as prizes...thumbs up to Shock for a beautiful print, this is the first time this film has been available on blu ray...all you have to do in this first competition, is spot TEN differences in a vintage photograph from the classic Hammer film. So, just click the link, get your magnifying glasses out, send in your answers and bag yourself a prize!