Frankenstein Created Woman
Blu-ray (Collector’s Edition)
Director: Terence Fisher
Screenwriter: John Elder (Anthony Hinds)
Cast: Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg, Thorley Walters, Robert Morris, Peter Blythe, Susan Denberg, Derek Fowlds, Barry Warren
Distributor: Scream Factory
Not Rated | 92 Minutes
Release Date: June 11, 2019

“Everything we don’t understand is magic – until we understand it.”

Directed by Terence Fisher (1958’s Dracula, 1959’s The Mummy), 1967’s Frankenstein Created Woman is the fourth film in Hammer’s Frankenstein series and perhaps the most intriguing, dealing with the metaphysical aspects of Frankenstein’s work. For the first time, the film is available on Blu-ray from Scream Factory, presented in a new 2K scan from the original film elements, and loaded with special features.

The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires
Blu-ray
Director: Roy Ward Baker
Screenwriter: Don Houghton
Cast: Peter Cushing, John Forbes-Robertson, David Chiang, Robin Stewart, Julie Ege
Distributor: Scream Factory
Not Rated | 83 Minutes
Release Date: April 9, 2019

“Black Belt vs. Black Magic!”

Directed by Roy Ward Baker (The Vampire Lovers, Asylum, The Monster Club), 1974’s The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires is the ninth and final film in the Hammer Dracula series.

The film, which stars Peter Cushing as Professor Van Helsing, debuts on Blu-ray from Scream Factory on April 9.

The House That Dripped Blood
Blu-Ray
Director: Peter Duffell
Screenwriters: Robert Bloch, Russ Jones
Cast: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Ingrid Pitt, Denholm Elliot, Jon Pertwee, Nyree Dawn Porter
Distributor: Scream Factory
Rated PG | 102 Minutes
Release Date: May 8, 2018

“Vampires! Voodoo! Vixens! Victims!”

The 1971 horror anthology film, The House That Dripped Blood, promises more than just alliteration. In addition to the vixens and vampires, there’s a lot to appreciate about this portmanteau production, namely Hammer horror icons Peter Cushing (The Curse of Frankenstein), Christopher Lee (The Satanic Rites of Dracula), and Ingrid Pitt (The Vampire Lovers). And if that isn’t enough, it also features Denholm Elliott (Raiders of the Lost Ark) and Jon Pertwee (Doctor Who).

Written by Russ Jones and Robert Bloch, the author of Psycho, The House That Dripped Blood comes to us from Amicus Productions, the purveyor of horror anthologies like Tales from the Crypt (1972), Asylum (1972), and Vault of Horror (1973).

We’ve heard about it in the past, using the many existing images and footage of deceased stars to bring them back to life using digital effects for roles in future movies. Debates have been had. Would you want to see Humphrey Bogart make an appearance in a new movie someday? It’s already happening in the music world with the likes of Tupac Shakur and Michael Jackson.

Now a new report claims that there are plans in the works to bring Peter Cushing back to life using digital effects for the upcoming Star Wars standalone spinoff/prequel Rogue One. Cushing played Grand Moff Tarkin in the original trilogy, and passed away at the age of 81 in 1994. The character appeared in 2005’s Revenge of the Sith, but played by Wayne Pygram.

With Doctor Who starring Peter Capaldi set to return to television screens for Season 9 of the revived series, it seems like a good time to go back in time about 50 years and revisit some lesser known aspects of the series’ beginning. Though Doctor Who began with a historical serial now commonly known as “An Unearthly Child,” it rocketed into the national consciousness with its second serial, now called “The Daleks.” In a show much known for its monsters, the Daleks were the originals. They put the show into a format that we recognize today. They also caused a craze in Great Britain that came to be known as Dalekmania and brought the series audience figures of over 9 million viewers a week. It has only periodically equaled those numbers in the 50 years since.

The story of the Daleks was told in three different ways, with two different Doctors. First, there is the teleplay by Terry Nation. Being part of a weekly adventure series, it tells the story of how the Doctor, his granddaughter Susan, and her schoolteachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright arrive on the radioactive world of Skaro and meet the Daleks. The Daleks are mutated survivors of an atomic war who hate any creatures who are not like themselves. This is original version and, excepting certain accommodations for budget and pacing for a half hour television serial, it is the best. It is also canonical.

Tales From The Crypt
Blu-ray
Director: Freddie Francis
Screenwriter: Milton Subotsky
Cast: Ralph Richardson, Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, Roy Dotrice, Richard Greene, Patrick Magee
Scream Factory
Rated PG | 83 Minutes
Release Date: December 2, 2014

Synopsis: “When five unwary travelers with dark hearts stumble into a series of catacombs, they find themselves in a cavern with no way out. But the horror’s only just begun as a mysterious figure appears to reveal to each person the shocking events that will lead to their well-deserved, untimely – and unavoidable – demise. Starring Joan Collins (Empire Of The Ants), Peter Cushing (Horror Of Dracula), Patrick Magee (A Clockwork Orange) and Sir Ralph Richardson (Rollerball), and directed by Freddie Francis (The Creeping Flesh), Tales from the Crypt is the original, gets-right-under-your-skin creepfest!”

Tales from the Crypt is an anthology film based on stories from EC Comics. Only two of the film’s stories, however, are from EC’s Tales from the Crypt. Three of the film’s segments – “…And All Through the House,” “Poetic Justice,” and “Wish You Were Here” – were adapted from The Vault of Horror and The Haunt of Fear comics.

Frankenstein Created Woman
Blu-ray (Hammer Collector’s Edition)
Director: Terence Fisher
Screenwriter: John Elder
Cast: Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg, Thorley Walters, Robert Morris
Millennium Entertainment
Not Rated | 92 Minutes
Release Date: January 28, 2013

Directed by Terence Fisher (The Curse of Frankenstein), Frankenstein Created Woman is the fourth film in Hammer’s Frankenstein series and stars Peter Cushing (Star Wars) as Baron Victor Frankenstein and Susan Denberg as his latest creation.

In the film, which was originally released in 1967, a tormented Christina (Denberg) drowns herself after her lover, Hans Werner (Robert Morris), is framed for murder and guillotined. Baron Frankenstein (Cushing), experimenting with the transfer of souls, places Han’s soul into the lifeless body of Christina, bringing her back to life. With no memories of her past life, a body occupied by two souls carries out a violent retribution on those responsible for both deaths.

Perhaps the most interesting element of Fisher’s film is that, where previous Hammer productions were concerned with the physical aspects of Frankenstein’s work, the focus here is in the metaphysical dimensions of life, such as the question of the soul and its relationship to the body.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Peter Cushing forgot their lines, Chewbecca obstructed Alec Guinness‘ view, and other hilarious mishaps happened while on the set of the original Star Wars movie.

A new two and a half minute Star Wars blooper reel has made its way online, and it just gives us a look as to what happens when things don’t go as planned — seeing the Stormtroopers take a few stumbles, Peter Cushing embrace Carrie Fisher when he forgot his lines, and Harrison Ford eat his microphone when he flubbed his lines just shows that even the Force can’t help them remember what is going on. The video also shows how far technology has come. But the costumes and set pieces still remain to be some of the most convincing things about the film, despite how primitive it may look today. Hit the jump to see the full video.

Thanks to my DVD subscription to Netflix, I’ve had the splendid opportunity over the last couple of years (as other fans have no doubt) in being able to rediscover and revisit some episodes of Classic Doctor Who, some of which I’ve not seen in decades.

In the course of these nostalgia trips, I began noticing that there were quite a few actors who were popping up in many of the classic serials that had also played a role in some of the Star Wars films. On top of that, there has been some Star Wars actors show up in the new series as well.

About a year ago, I came across a few submissions at the Doctor Who Subreddit over at Reddit.com – notably this one and this other one – showing the crossover of Doctor Who actors who had also been in Harry Potter.

Consequently, in the lead-up to the premiere of Series 7, I decided to put together a bit of a timey-wimey infographic matrix thingy that looks at the crossover of actors between Doctor Who and Star Wars. Hope you like it, and feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Sometimes you see things that simply blow your mind, and today, my friends, you shall see just that.

An artist by the name of Jordu Schell recently completed work on a life-size bust of infamous Star Wars villain, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, who was played by the late, great British actor, Peter Cushing. His work is so mind-bogglingly realistic, you have to see it to believe it. If you had this in your home and woke up late one night for a bathroom run, you would no doubt think that Tarkin had returned, and that he wanted your flat screen.

Click on over to the other side now to see the amazing life-size Grand Moff Tarkin bust, and to check out a very cool video of Schell showing off his talents to some visitors from DreamWorks!