Peter Cushing

[JohnB_Toronto]

I picked up an interesting one last night: the 1939 version of "The Man In The Iron Mask" starring Louis Hayward and was surprised to see a young Peter Cushing. Took a peek on IMDB and it seems this was his first film role. If there are any Cushing collectors looking for this one send me a message and let's do a trade.

[batman]

I picked up an interesting one last night: the 1939 version of "The Man In The Iron Mask" starring Louis Hayward and was surprised to see a young Peter Cushing. Took a peek on IMDB and it seems this was his first film role. If there are any Cushing collectors looking for this one send me a message and let's do a trade.

Peter Cushing also 'doubled' for Louis Hayward, feeding him his lines when Hayward's two characters were supposed to be talking to each other.



Bats.

[JohnB_Toronto]

Good trivia!

[Foster twelvetrees]

Appartantly there is quite a patronising article about Peter Cushing in this weeks Radio Times by Barry Norman. I don't buy it myself anymore as it has gone downmarket so much in recent years. Norman has a legendary hate of horror films, so this does not come as a surprise.

[orpheum]

I had the great pleasure of seeing Peter Cushing at a lecture at the NFt.What a charming and delightful man he was.I have to say that i did not like Normans article.

[Foster twelvetrees]

Haven't read it - can anybody oblige with a precis?

[howard 65]

Haven't read it - can anybody oblige with a precis?

Yes please

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

Appartantly there is quite a patronising article about Peter Cushing in this weeks Radio Times by Barry Norman. I don't buy it myself anymore as it has gone downmarket so much in recent years. Norman has a legendary hate of horror films, so this does not come as a surprise.

I get the Radio Times (mainly for Barry Norman's weekly articles)... I did not for one moment find Barry Norman's article on Peter Cushing to be in the least patronising. It was an OK article... and I am very fond of Peter Cushing and the classier side of the Horror genre... and as much as I adore Barry Norman, I'd have no problem being critical of him if he mistreated Peter Cushing.



I do not agree with everything Barry Norman says in the article... but he is well qualified to have his opinions.

[Wee Sonny MacGregor]

I didn't think it patronising but I did think he wasn't giving Cushing his full due as an actor. After all, his career was astonishingly long and he always gave a good turn. Barry's entitled to his opinion even if he is now pretty long in the tooth.

[smudge]

Yes, have to admit that BN's opinion that PC was not a great actor, expressed towards the end of his piece, did rankle somewhat. Also I thought it rather contradictory to his earlier point about the skills which PC brought to the fore in making the difficult worlds of fantastic films (and weak source material) become believable...



Smudge

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

Here's a rundown on the article point by point.



1... Had Cushing not be associated with Hammer Horror, his career may have been quite different having started out in an Olivier Shakespear movie and having been a member of Olivier's stage company. 100% obvious.



2... Cushing made his name '...not in traditional classics but in classics of another, often underrated genre - the horror movie'. Obviously true, and Norman is acknowledging that Horror movies can be classics and are often underrated.



3... Cushing's name is synonymous with Baron Frankenstein and Van Helsing, rather than Osric in Olivier's 'Hamlet'. 100% true.



4... Horror movies are underrated because of the huge amount of 'dross' made in the genre. I'd have to agree with that.



5... Cushing often contributed to bad Horror movies. He would be the first to admit that, if he was still alive today.



6... 'Dr Phibes Rises Again' was not particularly great, but is notable for its star pairing, Cuching and Price. I agree.



7... Cushing was stereotyped as a protagonist in Horror movies. Yes that's right.



8... One of Cuishing's strengths was, whatever the role, he was always the gentleman. I'd say that's more to do with casting and what was wanted from Cushing... even though he was a gentleman in real life.



9... However poor the role, Cushing always treated it, and his audience, seriously. (Made as a positive point). I totally agree.



10... By bringing conviction, class and style to his performances, Cushing made many of his movies seem better than they actually were. I agree with this.



11... Cushing added distinction to the good movies he appeared in. I agree.



12... Cushing rivalled Basil Rathbone at portraying Sherlock Holmes. I actually disagree. Cushing was good as Holmes, but I never really thought he was dark enough.



13... Cushing was impressive as Grand Moff Tarkin in 'Star Wars'. He played it well, but it was too minor a role to be 'impressive'.



14... Cushing was cast as Doctor Who in the movies because he was better known in the USA than William Hartnell. Interesting.



15... His last movie was 'Biggles'. Pity that.



16... He waited to join his wife in death. Yes, ever since her death Cushing wanted to die to be with her again.



17... He was not a great actor. I disagree with that. I would say the roles he was given in movies did not make the best of him, unfortunately.



18... American critic, Vincent Canby, called Cushing 'Hammer's Laurence Olivier'. I didn't know that. A nice way for Barry Norman to finish his article.



Now what, I ask you is patronising, or anti-Cushing in any of that. Those are the main points in the article (apart from a bit of back-ground history.



The words in red are my responses to the points in the article.

[Wee Sonny MacGregor]

Agree with almost all of that but old Barry has overlooked the fact that Cushing made his name in the TV adaptation of 1984 before he'd got into horror films. 1984 caused a huge fuss at the time.



I thought Dr Phibes Rises Again was rather good!

[Foster twelvetrees]

6... 'Dr Phibes Rises Again' was not particularly great, but is notable for its star pairing, Cuching and Price. I agree.

First big bloomer here then. They didn't co-star - Cushing had a very minor cameo. In fact I don't think they even shared a scene did they?



This is what stick in in my craw - when even Norman can't get things right.



I actually haven't seen the article in full so I only said patronising because that is how it was relayed to me. Reading the summary, I'd say it was highly condescending and pretty much cut and paste.



I don't actually dislike Norman - he has a lot of pertinent points to make especially what's wrong with modern cinema and Hollywood's obsession with tv remakes, comic books and remakes. It's just a shame he is so closed sighted when it comes to the horror genre.

[smudge]

Nice breakdown Aaryk. As with most things it's simply a matter of opinion and, as you say, BN (and the rest of us) are entitled to hold whatever opinions we have - if we don't agree, so be it.



How boring if we all did.....



Smudge

[Marky B]

I read the article and I found it a warm tribute to a wonderful man. It also mentioned that he was the original choice for Obi Wan Ben Kenobi,until Sir Alec came along. Still,he was great as Grand Moff Tarkin.

Ta Ta

Marky B

[DB7]

Have to say I thought Peter Cushing was as capable as Christopher Lee but more varied roles failed to materialise, and thus he was typecast as an amiable doctor or squire.

[image45]

I read the article and I found it a warm tribute to a wonderful man. It also mentioned that he was the original choice for Obi Wan Ben Kenobi,until Sir Alec came along. Still,he was great as Grand Moff Tarkin.

Ta Ta

Marky B

<I read the article and I found it a warm tribute to a wonderful man>



Yes I found it to be in the same spirit !!!!!!!!!

[Windthrop]

I had the great pleasure of seeing Peter Cushing at a lecture at the NFt.What a charming and delightful man he was.I have to say that i did not like Normans article.

Have to agree in part - he did bring quality to to films that would have lesser without him quite often ....but.... I think he actually was a great actor because of this ability. After all not all actors can transcend the quality of their material. Norman, I feel, got that part wrong.

[Joenoir]

It just goes to show if someone's made their mind up they 'aint going to change it! I agree with smudge, however, it would be nice if people sometimes were a bit more adaptable in their views.

[Aaryk Noctivagus]

Agree with almost all of that but old Barry has overlooked the fact that Cushing made his name in the TV adaptation of 1984 before he'd got into horror films. 1984 caused a huge fuss at the time.

Norman was dealing only with Cushing's movie career... but did mention his early part in Olivier's 'Hamlet'. Barry Norman's column is not really to do with TV, but with movies.