To those of you who see and observe, you may have noticed a new tab at the top of this blog. It is announcing Peter Cushing Month, what shall be a month-long celebration here on The Consulting Detective.
As usual, I'm the last one to learn anything. Last May, May of 2013, would have marked one-hundred years since Peter Cushing's birth on 26 May,1913. I learned this news in June, at the earliest, and I recall distinctly that I was contemplating some kind of belated celebration, but nothing ever came to pass. Then, not long ago after I completed my list of the Top 5 Basil Rathbone films, I considered doing the same to honour Peter Cushing, but I ran out of time. So, vowing that I would celebrate one of cinema's finest actors on this blog at some point in time, I waited.
Now the beginning of May is only a month away, and starting on 1 May, I will devote a series of articles and reviews to the films of Peter Cushing. Included will be reviews of such films as: The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, Captain Clegg, The Evil of Frankenstein and The Mummy as well as others. Further articles will examine Cushing's numerous on-screen efforts with Christopher Lee and a countdown of the greatest Hammer Horror films, the studio at which Cushing gained so much fame.
I invite you to come back to honour Peter Cushing's 101st birthday and if you wish to share your thoughts and opinions about this great actor, feel free to leave a comment below. I am looking forward to it, and I hope you are too!
Hi, Nick. I loved Cushing as Sherlock Holmes. I always wished they'd made more films with him as Holmes. But then I loved Cushing in the original Star Wars movie. And since they (wrongly in my view) killed him off spectacularly, well that was that. I think if I were ever able to host my dream dinner party, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Basil Rathbone would definitely head the invite list. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your nice comment. I too loved Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes - his performance in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is truly one of the best. I'm sure that if Hammer films ever made a follow-up, it would have been equally excellent. Speaking of Cushing as Holmes, have you ever seen "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes" the '60's TV show with Cushing as Holmes and Nigel Stock as Watson?
DeleteEven though I'm sure its a crime to say, I have never seen "Star Wars" (I can see myself losing so much credibility right now) - but I really have got to see the original, just for Cushing's performance. I've also got to add that your dream dinner party with Cushing, Lee and Rathbone sounds awesome!
Thanks again for your comment and I hope you revisit the blog when I start reviewing some of Cushing's films in May.
Oh, Cushing is evilly wonderful in STAR WARS, you should definitely see it if only for that. :) I meant to add that besides those three at my dinner, I'd also add Vincent Price for his art stories - he was a big art collector. You know, now that you mention it, Nick, I don't remember ever seeing Peter Cushing in a Holmes show on TV. Maybe there are traces of it around on youtube. We had a Cushing Blogathon last year - can't remember who hosted it. But you probably saw it anyway. It was lots of fun. I'll be keeping an eye out to see what you come up with.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to your reviews, Nick. Will surely be interesting. In August he will be dead for twenty years... what a long time... :'(
ReplyDeleteAnd for Yvette, two of Cushings BBC-performances as Holmes are on Youtube,
A Study in Scarlet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN6doh1Oujg
and
The Blue Carbuncle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAPWPDL9aMU
(love the second one soooo much)
Greetz :)
Thanks for the tip, Corinna! :)
ReplyDelete