‘Peter Cushing: A Life in Film’ offers a fascinating view not only at Cushing’s professional side, but also an intimate view into his private life. Interviews with the actor himself, his wife, actress Violet Helen Beck, who died in 1971 and had a big influence in his career, as well as friends and co-actors like Christopher Lee, paint a vivid picture of the charming, romantic man and passionate professional. Numerous anecdotes and entries in his personal journals illustrate that Cushing’s enthusiasm went much further than being an actor; his passion for contributing to scripts and forming out characters contributed greatly to his success as well as to the success of the projects he was involved with.

The filmography goes well beyond simply listing titles, it gives an insight into each production from the early theatrical work to legendary Dracula, Frankenstein, Van Helsing, Sherlock Holmes films under the Hammer label, to the BBC’s version of George Orwell’s ’1984′. It also describes in detail his part in the first Star Wars movie, in which he portrayed Grand Moff Tarkin. As if that is not enough, the rare and previously unpublished photos, collected and carefully arranged by author David Miller, make this book mandatory not only for fans of Peter Cushing, but everybody who has an interest in the history of film and television.

EXCERPT from ‘Peter Cushing: A Life in Film’:

In the early 1960s, Hammer had scored a considerable hit by issuing pirate movies (The Pirates of Blood River, The Devil-Ship Pirates) specifically timed to meet the demands of children on the school summer holidays. Milton Subotsky, who had successfully taken on Hammer at the horror game, saw the potential to rival these holiday films too. He acquired the rights to the first Dalek story from the BBC’s Doctor Who series and gained co-financing from another American, Joe Vegoda, whose chief specification was that the films go out under the Aaru name rather than Amicus. Realising that they still needed an international name to front the picture, Subotsky cast Cushing as Dr Who without an audition.

Cushing considerably softened William Hartnell’s portrayal of the mysterious alien time-traveller, making him everyone’s favourite Uncle, a kindly, dotty, distinctlyterrestrial boffin, though in his white wig, corduroy jacket and with perpetually bowed legs, he looks something like an elderly Wild West sheriff. Subotsky revised and simplified Terry Nation’s TV script, making it unequivocally family entertainment. While missing the intensity of the black-and-white television serial, it remains a charming and endearing children’s film, bursting with colour and spectacle and catching, at several moments, a real sense of the magic of outer space.

In his home-made time machine TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension In Space) the eccentric Dr Who transports his grand-daughters Barbara and Susan, plus Barbara’s accident-prone boyfriend Ian, to the distant planet Skaro. Here they encounter the mutated Daleks, who inhabit robotic shells, and the blond, humanoid Thals. Thousands of years of war have reduced the planet to ashes, and the Thals have become pacifists. But now the Daleks plan to explode a neutron bomb to wipe out the Thals once and for all.

The film was shot between 12th March and 23rd April 1965 at Shepperton Studios. The director was Gordon Flemyng, with Roy Castle as Ian, Jennie Linden as Barbara and Roberta Tovey as Susan. There is some childish comic business at the beginning with Castle (Cushing’s co-star in Dr Terror’s House of Horrors) but once in his stride, Cushing is in total command. He gives an expression of undiluted wonder on seeing the surface of Skaro for the first time, and a terrific wink to Susan as he suggests they explore the futuristic city that they have seen in the distance. The petrified jungle set filled the whole of Stage H at Shepperton, at that time the biggest sound stage in England. It was partly lit from below with concealed lighting, and the anamorphic lenses were removed from the cameras for the jungle scenes to give a weird distortion to the picture. Director of photography John Wilcox came straight to the picture after finishing The Skull.

Roberta Tovey remembered that there was a magical atmosphere on the set. ‘Peter Cushing was a great flower man,’ she recalls. ‘For the scene when Susan finds a flower in the forest, he phoned up the Royal Horticultural Society and found the name, which I then had to remember.’ Before finishing the film Cushing agreed to do a sequel, on the condition that Tovey return as Susan.

The stars of the film are undoubtedly the Daleks themselves, possibly the most malevolent and certainly the most melodramatic robot-creatures in science fiction. (‘The Daleks are beyond reason,’ states the Doctor, ‘they wish only to conquer!’) £4500 of the budget was assigned for building the Daleks from the BBC’s plans and they look magnificent. Most importantly, the Daleks’ easily-imitated electronic voices were preserved intact from the television version, and in the echoing city they are genuinely unnerving.

Bryan Hands was one of the Dalek operators and had to control the Black Dalek during the climactic battle. ‘I suppose being the Dalek leader was a kind of honour,’ he said, ‘except that I was still inside it when it exploded!’ He remembers that Cushing was enthusiastic on set, and was concerned that the ‘Dalek boys’ were looked after. ‘He would occasionally join us in the canteen but would generally take to his dressing-room when not required.’

There are some breathtaking mattes for the crags of Skaro, Malcolm Lockyer’s music is equally monumental and at times strangely moving. There is also a grim moment when the Doctor realises that the travellers are dying of radiation sickness from the planet’s poisonous atmosphere. While this revelation is not quite as harrowing as it was on television, it is still a chilling touch for such an upbeat film.

Cushing provided a bewitching narration for the trailer – ‘Come with us into that strange new world. I cannot guarantee your safety … but I can promise you unimagined thrills!’ – and, riding on the success of the Daleks on television, the film was one of the top ten British films of the year. Like Dracula, there were queues round the block at cinemas. ‘Kids will love it,’ said the People. ‘Their parents will find this gigantic schoolboy lark Dalektable!’ ‘The dotty Doctor is played by Peter Cushing rather in the manner of a mad hatter looking for a lost tea party,’ wrote Leonard Mosely in the Daily Express on 23rd June.

Although Terry Nation had reservations about the big-screen version of his story, his contract gave him a percentage of the profits. Nation recalled with some amusement that the film’s blockbusting success meant that Subotsky was forced to pay up with the royalties after the first year.

(Excerpt from David Miller’s ‘Peter Cushing: A Life in Film’ courtesy Titan Books)

Author: David Miller
Publisher: Titan Books
Hardcover: 192 pages / 16 pages in colour / Over 200 photos
Dimensions: 234mm x 183mm (9.2in x 7.2in)
ISBN: 978-1781162743

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Job, parents, money, apartment—Gwen Stevens has lost everything.  Seeking to regain control of her quickly disintegrating life, Gwen returns to her remote childhood home to sift through her past and focus on finding new direction. Her quest for control is quickly challenged when she discovers that the house that was once her sanctuary is now someone else’s domain—and she is not welcome. Two psychotic squatters leave Gwen terrorized, tormented, and far from help.  Gwen’s retreat devolves into a battle for her home and, ultimately, a desperate fight for her life.

‘Home Sweet Home’ will be available at Target, Walmart and Amazon. You can pre-order the film now through the respective websites.

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An ancient power struggle between warring spirits is about to be rekindled in the most unlikely of places: a small-town high school in the Midwest. Now Charlie, his best friend Griz, and amateur reporter Phoebe must unlock the mystery, stop the evil forces that threaten the school, and save prom all in one, blood-soaked night. Naughty or nice… Everybody dies.

An official release date for ‘Tis the Season of the Witch’ has not been announced at the time of this writing.

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Bill Oberst Jr. will portrait antagonist killer clown Papa Corn in director Billy Pon’s feature film ‘Circus of the Dead’, set to be filmed in Odessa, Texas, this summer.

A man becomes entangled in a deadly morality game when the circus comes to town and a sadistic clown forces him to examine the things in life he takes for granted in the most horrific ways.

You think you’ve heard the title of the film somewhere before? Then you probably have. Beginning with the conception of Def Con 1 in 1998, and later Circus of the Dead, two state of the art haunted attractions housed under a single 8,000 square foot complex buried deep in the heart of West Texas, Bloody Bill Productions surfaced in the horror circuit. Behind its thick doors lurk the nightmarish visions of Bloody Bill and his dominion of skilled artisans, who specialize in creating a horror filled experience for those brave few that enter. Billy Pon’s previous film projects include ‘Mister Fister’ and  ‘Doll Boy’.

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A twisted tale of cannibalism set in a British rural hunting village, ‘Elfie Hopkins’ stars Jaime Winstone as wannabe detective Elfie Hopkins, whose life changes when a mysterious family moves into her sleepy neighbourhood. Elfie’s appetite for gumshoe excitement is soon matched by the strange and exotic appetites of the sinister Gammons. But will anyone other than best friend Dylan Parker (Aneurin Barnard) and local butcher (Ray Winstone) believe her before their homeland turns into a cannibal holocaust?
Plus, there are UK TV premieres of three films coming up that are part of the Friday night double-bills making up the Grindhouse Season which runs from June 7 to June 28: James Bickert’s ‘Dear Good No!” is billed with ‘The Exterminator, ‘Bare Behind Bars’ isbilled with Bad Biology’, and ‘Monstro!’ is billed with ’99 Women’. The fourth double-bill is ‘Nude Nuns with Big Guns’ starring Bill Oberst Jr. and Devanny Pinn, paired with channel favourite ‘The Beyond’. Welcome to B-Movie heaven-and-hell…
June also sees the network premieres of three not-to-be-missed zombie films, George Romero’s classic ‘Day of the Dead’  on June 29, the third in his seminal zombie trilogy, Adam Gierasch’s sexy crowd-pleaser ‘Night of the Demons’ on June 9, and the all-out Dutch zombie gore-comedy ‘Kill Zombie!’ on June 16.
Horror Channel (UK) is on Sky 319, Virgin 149 and Freesat 138 – check your local listings.

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‘The Twilight Zone’ remains television’s most treasured anthology program. The brainchild of writer and narrator Rod Serling, inspired by the pulp comics, novels and sci-fi films of his youth, the series introduced its own special brand of weirdness to viewers on October 2, 1959. As a program that correctly billed itself as one “of shadow and substance, of things and ideas,” ‘The Twilight Zone’ left indelible tracks, not to mention unforgettable theme music, and created stars both on-screen like William Shatner and off-screen. Directing vets include Don Siegel (Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Dirty Harry), Richard Donner (The Omen, Lethal Weapon) and Ida Lupino (The Hitch-Hiker).
The second season of The Twilight Zone includes 29 episodes: King Nine Will Not Return, The Man in the Bottle, Nervous Man in a Four-Dollar Room, A Thing About Machines, The Howling Man, Eye of the Beholder, Nick of Time, The Lateness of the Hour, The Trouble with Templeton, A Most Unusual Camera, The Night of the Meek, Dust, Back There, The Whole Truth, The Invaders, A Penny for Your Thoughts, Twenty-Two, The Odyssey of Flight 33, Mr. Dingle, the Strong, Static, The Prime Mover, Long Distance Call, A Hundred Yards over the Rim, The Rip Van Winkle Caper, The Silence, Shadow Play, The Mind and the Matter, Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? and The Obsolete Man.

“We are so excited to welcome Jourdan McClure into the After Dark Family.   He’s an incredible talent. Children of Sorrow is such a thought provoking and disturbing film. It sparked many debates and was the cause of endless sleepless nights,” said Stephanie Caleb, EVP Creative Affairs.

WATCH OUR CONVERSATION with Jourdan McClure, Bill Oberst Jr. and Ryan Finnerty right here on HorrorBug!

Simon Leach is a very, very sick man. Thriving on despair, pain, and panic, he unites a group of broken and desperate people in the middle of the desert. He showers them with the love and affection they’re so desperate for, but Simon has a much greater plan for his followers.

The film was produced by Zack Coffman and executive produced by Martin Perlberger. I Am ZoZo was filmed entirely on Super 8mm and recently received Best Feature and Audience Choice Awards at the 2012 US Super 8 Film Festival. Bill Bromiley, Chief Acquisitions Officer for Image Entertainment made today’s announcement.

“Di Lalla’s background as a documentary filmmaker brings realism to I Am ZoZo whose subject matter is terrifying in itself,” said Bromiley. “We are excited to share with viewers Di Lalla’s uniquely artistic vision of this supernatural horror genre.”

‘I Am ZoZo’ centers on five young friends who play with a Ouija board that inadvertently summons the malevolent Ouija demon “ZoZo.” The film’s horrific account of possession is based on widely reported real experiences with this ancient and evil spirit that attaches itself to people exclusively through Ouija boards.

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Content is handling worldwide sales on the film which has sold international territories including the UK (Entertainment One UK) set to release in October 2013, Canada (Mongrel), Germany and Benelux (Splendid), Portugal (Lusomundo), Middle East (Gulf Film), China (H.G.C. Entertainment), CIS and Baltic States (Top Film), Japan (Aya Pro), South Korea (Sonamu), Hong Kong (Panorama), and Tawain (Catchplay).

Bryan Larkin (Battleground) stars as the lead Russian Dolokhov alongside James “The Colossus” Thompson, Ultimate Combat World Heavy Weight Champion as The Berserker.
The film, which screens for the first time at the Cannes market, is produced by Black Camel Pictures’ Arabella Page Croft and Kieran Parker, and executive produced by Matador Pictures’ Nigel Thomas and Content Film’s Jamie Carmichael. The film is backed by Matador Pictures.
Creative Scotland and SWSSC (South West Scotland Screen Commission) supported the project in development.

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“The horror community has created a lot of positive word of mouth online about this highly anticipated film,” said Bromiley. “Their support will push this title to its success, and we’re thrilled to add this film to our slate.”
‘Shiver’ follows the ordeal of Wendy Alden, a young secretary lacking in self-esteem who becomes the target of a savage killer but, somehow finds resources of courage to fight back and escape. Obsessed with killing Wendy, Franklin Rood, penetrates a police cordon to guard her. Again, she escapes, earning Rood’s twisted sense of love. He later kidnaps and brings her to his hideout where he subjects her to a horrific ritual of psychological intimidation. During the final climax, Wendy confronts the monster of her living nightmare, transforming to a lioness of great courage and determination.

Written and Produced by Robert Weinbach, Executive Produced by Brad Harris and Co-Produced by AJ Gordon, the film was shot on location in Portland, Oregon pursuant to the Oregon Film Incentive Program. The deal was negotiated by Image Entertainment’s Mark Ward, Jess De Leo and Circus Road’s Glen Reynolds on behalf of the filmmakers.

Now an Official Selection at 20 International Film Festivals, Shiver has garnered three Best Actress Awards, a Best Screenplay Award and a Most Shocking Feature Award as well as nominations for Best Picture and Best Actor.

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