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Misses
Peter Cushing
Filmography
Part 14: The final years
The
Early Years | 1958 | 1959
| 1960-1961 | 1962
| 1964 | 1965
|
1966
| 1967-1968 | 1969-1971
| 1972 | 1973
| 1974 | The Final Years
The
Ghoul (June 1975)
Starring Cushing and John Hurt. In the mid-1970s, Tyburn was a new
company which seemed on the verge of taking over where the basically defunct
Hammer Studios and the ailing Amicus left off. For one thing, they hired
as much Hammer and Amicus talent as they could get, but alas, those companies
were experiencing such difficulties not because of mismanagement but because
of changing public tastes, and Tyburn did no better and soon folded. But
not before giving the world this fine, effective little thriller with a
pleasing '20s period setting, with typically engaging performances from
its quality cast. Why this picture is not better known I am not sure, but
surely the timing hurt it a good deal. Such tidy English horrors glutted
the market during the previous fifteen years, and enough was enough. The
Argentine poster here calls the film (something like) The Horror Lives
Alone (better translations are always appreciated).
"...He's been my idea of a star for years and I've seen almost every
horror/terror film he's ever made....No matter who or what else is in the
scene with him, it is Peter who catches the eye and holds it. Add to this
Peter's unfailing courtesy and professionalism and the fact that he's just
about the finest technician I've ever come across and you have a star of
the first magnitude." – Kevin Francis, producer
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availability at Reel
Video or Videoflicks
If unavailable, check for a
used copy at Video
Oyster
But first, read MY
DISCLAIMER
Legend
of the Werewolf (October 27, 1975)
Starring Cushing. Another thriller for Tyburn, at the end of their
very short-lived reign over the British horror movie scene. Pictured here,
another Argentine poster, where the film is known as The Return of the
Wolfman.
"...The only consistently pleasing element is the performance of
Peter Cushing who gives the imperturbable pathologist a tongue-in-cheek
insouciance that is a joy to watch." – Screen International
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availability at Reel
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used copy at Video
Oyster
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DISCLAIMER
Shock
Waves (1975)
supporting part
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or rent it at Reel
Video or Videoflicks
Trial
by Combat (1975)
supporting part. Known on video as Choice of Weapons.
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availability at Reel
Video or Videoflicks
If unavailable, check for a
used(?) copy at Zap Video
But first, read MY
DISCLAIMER
At
the Earth's Core (June 1976)
Starring Cushing and Doug McClure. A sequel to The Land That Time
Forgot (without Cushing), both based on the "Pellucidar" books by Edgar
Rice Burroughs, creator of Tarzan. Easily Cushing's most comedic performance.
"...[My] character...is very different on celluloid than
in print...It was most encouraging and gratifying to learn the general
reaction....I'm so glad it gave such pleasure. The script was 90% action,
so most of the dialogue had to be invented as we went along." – Peter
Cushing
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availability at Reel
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Star
Wars (May 25, 1977)
Just another supporting part for Cushing, but in a movie that's a wee
bit important in the history of s.f. cinema, so forgive me if I go on a
bit here. Apparently, Cushing was originally hired to play the part of
Ben Kenobi (the role finally taken by Sir Alec Guinness), and it certainly
would have been interesting to see his interpretation of the sympathetic
character, though it would have deprived us of Guinness' memorable performance.
It's also intriguing to speculate what such a plum role would have done
for Cushing's career at this late date, as it's a given that he would also
have appeared in the sequels, probably becoming a cultural icon to yet
another generation of fantasy fans. As it is, he was given instead a rather
routine secondary villain part, blows up at the end of the film, and that's
that. Oh well, as it was the most successful motion picture of all time
(at least until E.T. rolled around five years later) it's still
not a bad credit to have on any resume.
Buy
or rent it at Reel
Video: Original version, Special
Edition or Special
Edition Trilogy
or buy it at Videoflicks:
Original version, Special
Edition or Special
Edition Trilogy
Land
of the Minotaur (October 1977)
supporting part
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availability at Reel
Video or Videoflicks
If unavailable, check for a
used(?) copy at Cult Film
But first, read MY
DISCLAIMER
Battleflag
/ Die Standarte Die (November 25, 1977)
supporting part
The
Uncanny (April 1978)
supporting part
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for availability at Reel
Video or Videoflicks
Hitler's
Son (ca. 1979)
Cushing is second-billed, but the importance of his role, or the quality
of the film itself, is difficult to evaluate, as it has never received
wide distribution. It is known to have played on German television as Return
To Munich (thanks to author Jonathon Sothcott for that bit of trivia),
but whether it will ever reach a wider audience remains to be seen.
"...It's a comedy. I do play comedy, you know." – Peter Cushing
A
Touch of the Sun (September 13, 1979)
supporting part
Arabian
Adventure (November 1979)
supporting part
The Detour (ca. 1979)
Cushing narrates this 33-minute short.
Monster
Island (April 1981)
supporting part
Black
Jack / Asalto al casino (ca. 1981)
This is another of those frustrating productions like Hitler's Son,
which is so elusive that it's quite possible it has never been released
theatrically at all, even in Spain, its country of production. Writer-fan
Jonathon Sothcott admits to once owning a copy of the movie on videotape
(he declared it "crummy"), so that makes at least one person who
has seen it. Sothcott is also able to confirm Cushing's starring role status,
even though, according to Del Vecchio and Johnson, the part took only "a
few days" of shooting. Ouch. That can't be a good sign.
House
of the Long Shadows (1982)
A supporting part, but an important one, in that this marks the last
time Cushing acted in a production with his fellow horror-fantasy legends
Vincent Price, John Carradine and, most significantly, Christopher Lee.
Their scenes together are absolutely charming, and the already appealing
film is far better for their presence. Warning: This picture has an inexplicably
poor reputation from nearly all critics and film historians. Ignore them.
They are wrong.
Buy
or rent it at Reel
Video or Videoflicks
Sword
of the Valiant (1984)
supporting part
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or rent it at Reel
Video or Videoflicks
Top
Secret! (1984)
supporting part
Buy
or rent it at Reel
Video or Videoflicks
Biggles
– Adventures in Time (1986)
Though it's unsurprising that the final film role essayed by any aging
horror-fantasy veteran wouldn't be a starring part, I take some small satisfaction
from the fact that Cushing did end his film career with a bona-fide science
fiction movie, albeit one aimed at children. There have been far less appropriate,
and less graceful, exits from the screen from many genre legends.
Check
for availability at Reel
Video or Videoflicks
If unavailable, check for a
used(?) copy at Zap Video
But first, read MY
DISCLAIMER
The
Early Years | 1958 | 1959
| 1960-1961 | 1962
| 1964 | 1965
|
1966
| 1967-1968 | 1969-1971
| 1972 | 1973
| 1974 | The Final Years
Sources:
Peter Cushing – The Gentle Man of Horror and His 91 Films
(1992) by Deborah Del Vecchio and Tom Johnson
Hammer, House of Horror – Behind the Screams (1996) by
Howard Maxford
Hammer's House of Horror [Magazine], No. 19 (April 1978)
The House of Horror – The Complete Story of Hammer Films (1973,
1981), Allen Eyles, Robert Adkinson and Nicholas Fry, editors
Keep Watching the Skies! (2 volumes, 1982, 1986) by Bill
Warren
Sherlock Holmes on the Screen (1977) by Robert W. Pohle
Jr. and Douglas C. Hart
Additionally, a very nice interview with Deborah Del Vecchio and Tom
Johnson can be found at Cyberspace
Vanguard (Vol. 1, Issue 5). (Don't be put off by the lack of slick
graphics. It's a great little electronic magazine.)
Original text copyright 1998 by Michael Hoaglin.
All images copyrighted by their respective copyright holders. No
rights given or implied.
Questions or comments? Email me at: mhoaglin@earthlink.net
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