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Post by ripper on May 26, 2013 8:54:25 GMT
Today, 26th May, is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Peter Cushing. Peter had a long and distinguished career, and always brought a great dignity to his performances. He starred in some iconic productions: the BBC production of 1984, Curse of Frankenstein and Dracula, which launched the cycle of Hammer remakes, Star Wars, and one of his best performances as Grinsdyke in Tales from the Crypt. From what I have read, he was a gentle man, well liked and respected, and generous to others. He starred in 4 of the great roles in fantasy: as Winston Smith, Van Helsing, Frankenstein and Sherlock Holmes. He left behind a wonderful legacy of performances, which, thanks to video and dvd, we are still able to watch and enjoy whenever we like.
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Post by ripper on May 27, 2013 9:42:01 GMT
On Radio 4 Extra last night there was a 30 minute programme titled Sounds Natural from 1971, which featured Peter Cushing talking about the birds he saw in his garden and surrounding areas. Not sure, but I suspect it was part of a series featuring various well-known people. It should be available on IPlayer if anyone wants to have a listen. PC had such a wonderful voice.
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Post by valdemar on May 29, 2013 8:23:56 GMT
A truly 'Great' actor, and, a true gentleman. There is a very good section in the current 'Fortean Times' about him. I remember, as a child, having a booklet given to me at school, courtesy of the R.S.P.B. [Royal Society for the Protection of Birds], which catalogued all the birds common in Britain at the time , and, at the back, were some celebrity bird-watchers, amongst which, was Peter Cushing, who had a window in his house specially altered so that he could sit and watch the birds from a comfortable chair. I knew him, of course, from the two 'Dalek' films he'd made, and Hammer's 'She' - but I was too young to have seen his show-stealing Dr Frankenstein or Van Helsing. I remember an article once that described how he 'lived' his roles, 'Method'-like, surprising the other actors on Hammer's 'Abominable Snowman', by carrying medical instruments in his pockets. For the 'Frankenstein' films, he consulted surgeons, and made detailed sketches of sutures, etc.
Peter Cushing always raised the bar of anything he appeared in. His portrayal of 'Arthur Grimsdyke' in 'Tales from the Crypt' is both frightening and intensely moving.
He was an actor that nobody had anything bad to say about, and his faith that he would one day be reunited with his beloved Helen, I always found both touching and humbling. He deserves to be remembered.
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Post by ripper on May 29, 2013 9:25:58 GMT
I read somewhere that the photograph of Arthur Grimsdyke's wife seen in Tales from the Crypt was actually that of Helen Cushing. Also, during the filming of Frankenstein must be Destroyed, Peter Cushing was so upset about having to perform the rape scene with Veronica Carlson that he took the actress out to dinner to apologise for having to do it.
At the time of recording Sounds Natural for the BBC in 1971, Peter Cushing was living on the north Kent coast and regularly walked the surrounding area. If he came upon an injured bird he would take it to a local vet for treatment and then release it back into the wild when it was better.
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Post by Knygathin on Mar 8, 2023 4:29:03 GMT
For me Peter Cushing's person has a similar appeal and unfailing interest as that of H. P. Lovecraft. A gentleman of a different time, of a mystical quality.
I was reading a bit about his life and looking at photos from his home in Whitstable. And it saddened me that, like most people he was stuck in a mundane surrounding. And there is nothing I envy about it. I would never want to settle down in Whitstable, in fact I would not want to settle down in any single spot, imprisoned to its everyday humdrum.
I don't know why it is, but there is this thing about famous people, stars, big or small it doesn't matter, once there the position is permanented, that makes me think they are living a magical life. No amount of rational reasoning can make me fully realize it cannot be so. I think they are somehow uplifted by the Illuminati, and always taken into wonderful supernatural settings. But the mundane downpull of the everyday must be there around the corner.
I suppose the glorious part in Cushing's life must have been when he went from his home, to the Hammer studios (and several other studios) every day. Actually, he was not much interested in horror and science fiction, but took these roles to please his audience. But I think he very much must have enjoyed the past time settings of Frankenstein and Dracula. I am glad that one of his other hobbies was miniature figures and wargaming; not really a man of the world, but rather drifting into the imaginary, living in his own small world.
It seems that he lived in the house in Whitstable mainly after his wife had passed away in 1971, after which he according to himself lost his will to live (which proves the danger of mentally attaching too strongly to others). He withered after that.
Alas, the epoch before 1970s, is lost and no more! But fixed on film frames!
On what adress did he live before Whitstable?
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Post by andydecker on Mar 8, 2023 9:41:12 GMT
But I think he very much must have enjoyed the past time settings of Frankenstein and Dracula. I am glad that one of his other hobbies was miniature figures and wargaming; not really a man of the world, but rather drifting into the imaginary, living in his own small world. I had a similar thought when I saw some stills from his early historical movies. He made a convincing case of impersonating those characters. So often when I watch something contemporary about history I think them very unconvincing. It actors moving about in costumes, giving the impression that they wear a costume. But Cushing always gave the impression to be the real thing, as if he easily could have lived in those times. I am talking here about his mainstream movies like Pride and Prejudice, A Tale of Two Cities or Moulin Rouge.
Have you ever read Stephen Volk's novella Whitstable which made Cushing the protagonist? I still haven't opened it. Volk is a great writer, but I have come to detest the concept of putting historical artists in the middle of a fictional tale. Lovecraft suffered here the most - at least in his case one could argue that he started this himself or encouraged it -, but having Agatha Christie solving murders is as dumb as it is tasteless.
I recently watched Frankenstein on TV again; I have quite a few Hammer movies, but never bothered to buy a DVD of this. Cushing was so good in this; even after all those years it is joy to watch.
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Post by Knygathin on Mar 8, 2023 12:34:05 GMT
I saw some stills from his early historical movies. He made a convincing case of impersonating those characters. So often when I watch something contemporary about history I think them very unconvincing. It actors moving about in costumes, giving the impression that they wear a costume. But Cushing always gave the impression to be the real thing, as if he easily could have lived in those times. I am talking here about his mainstream movies like Pride and Prejudice, A Tale of Two Cities or Moulin Rouge. He sure did! Some details from wikipedia: "Cushing so valued preparation for his role as Frankenstein that he insisted on being trained by a surgeon to learn how to wield a scalpel authentically. ... He was very proud of his experiences with the Hammer films, and never resented becoming known as a horror actor. ... always took the roles seriously and never portrayed them in a campy or tongue-in-cheek style because he felt it would be insulting to his audience." I must see John Huston's Moulin Rouge (1952)! Pride and Justice (1952) seems kind of hard to find. A Tale of Two Cities (1980) is too late to interest me much. I am about to see Nineteen Eighty-Four (1954). A Chump at Oxford (1940) is a comedy jewel. I have seen most of his Hammer films, but not The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) yet. |
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Post by Knygathin on Mar 13, 2023 6:31:13 GMT
A painted perfect glassfiber copy of the princess coffin movie prop in The Mummy was made, and given to a prominent research museum, where it is now on display. What in the World then happens to the original props?! Did they go directly to the Rothschilds, or to the late queen (bless you, I suppose you did what little you could to fight Rothschild)?
Where did Hammer find all the rich array of marvellous old furniture, and other rare accessories, for their films??? Was Hammer an outcrop of Illuminati?
What do you think is the typical orange-colored beverage seen in the glasses of almost every Hammer film? Is it whiskey (I can't stand whiskey), or liqueur, or some sweet wine?
I think my favorite Hammer film is still The Curse of Frankenstein. Peter Cushing as the madly enthusiastic scientist is so inspiring!
Remembered freely:
Paul: I suppose that now when we have proven we could do it, we will cease our experiments.
Frankenstein: We could. ... But we are not going to. We have merely scratched the surface of what can be done. ... Don't you see Paul? We are on the brink of something tremendous!
Paul: No, I certainly don't! I don't know what you're talking about.
Frankenstein: Now that we have raised life from the dead, we must also create life! We shall take the best parts from different individuals, stitch them together, and make it come alive!
Paul: ... You're mad! That is disgusting! I will have nothing to do with it!
Frankenstein: Alright then, I shall go on without you Paul.
But I must say, the original The Mummy from 1932 is far superior to Hammer's. Except for the exquisite colored lighting, especially when they first enter the tomb.
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Post by andydecker on Mar 13, 2023 9:59:47 GMT
But I must say, the original The Mummy from 1932 is far superior to Hammer's. Except for the exquisite colored lighting, especially when they first enter the tomb. I know what you mean, and I tend to agree. But both movies are so different in tone and intention that it is a bit of apples and oranges here. The 1932 is much more cerebral - which now I write this seems a strange statement for a Universal horror movie -, while the Hammer is a typical action movie. In the Freund movie the mummy is living successfully for years in our midst, while Fisher and Sangster just use the mummy as a kind of mindless Terminator. (And of course shamelessly lift the reincarnation topic.)
Always wondered why the Frankensteins who could raise the dead are so lousy cosmetic surgeons. At least Karloff looked not that bad, but there is no excuse for the shoddy work of Cushing's Frankenstein.  |
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Post by Knygathin on Mar 20, 2023 8:17:14 GMT
I think my favorite Hammer film is still The Curse of Frankenstein. Always wondered why the Frankensteins who could raise the dead are so lousy cosmetic surgeons. At least Karloff looked not that bad, but there is no excuse for the shoddy work of Cushing's Frankenstein. He used the best brain he could find, that of a prominent old science professor. But the face looks like a pile of raw oysters. Or the collected poo from a flock of pigeons, mixed with pickled cucumber relish. Yes, it is a disgrace for a plastic surgeon, not able to make the outer appearance more presentable! But I love that movie, and the horrible face of course represents the grind of decomposition that can't be stopped, even by the handiest of surgeons. A more interesting and cleaner horror effect might have been, if he instead had put the small face of a fresh killed young virgin on it, and underneath a thick set of larynx from the deepest of Congo. Making a sort of unholy trinity, booming and jabbering medical clauses in German accent. Perhaps something to feed into AI processor. |
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