Monster of the Day #385

“Isn’t he the dreamiest?!”
“I’ll say! He’s positively ginchy! OHMYGAWD he’s looking over here SQUEEEEEEE!”

(Note: This picture may be out of order with the previous Monster of the Day. Er, like Memento.)

  • Rock Baker

    Brides of Dracula has to be my favorite of the series. I love that climax with the windmill, and Van Helsing doctoring his vampire bite is one of Cushing’s greatest moments.

  • Anonymous

    Sisters, sisters

    There were never such devoted sisters,

    Never had to have a chaperone, no sir,

    I’m there to keep my eye on her

    Caring, sharing

    Every little thing that we are wearing

  • Sandy Petersen

    last night watched the Amicus film House that Dripped Blood again. Had forgotten that it features Denham Elliott, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Ingrid Pitt, AND Jon Pertwee. In watching it, I made the comment to my son and friends that Peter Cushing had never ever disappointed me in a film. He might be the only actor ever to have achieved this.

  • Flangepart

    And look…no GLITTER!

  • Anonymous

    Well, despite the missing Chris Lee I love this movie too. The windmill was one of the coolest ways to destroy a vampire in any horror movie. And Abraham von Cushing was so badass he took a brand and burnt the vampirism out of himself!!! How can you top that!?!

    To echo Sandy, I’ve seen Cushing in some bad movies but I can’t think of one that wasn’t improved by his presence. I’ll proudly name him my favorite actor of all time.

  • Ericb

    Off topic:  Sandy, did you hear that they discovered two previously missing  Dr. Who episodes (the 3rd episode of Galaxy 4 [Hartnell] and the 3rd episode of Underwater Terror [Troughton])?  You can read about it at the doctor who news website (sorry for the lack of link but I don’t want to get trapped in moderation purgatory).

  • Alex

    Peter Cushing co-wrote Brides Of Dracula (credited under a pseudonym). He’s the one who came up with the windmill scene for the picture’s climax.

  • sandra

    Cushing is also the one who came up with the ending of HORROR OF DRACULA, where he runs down the table and leaps onto the curtains, pulling them down with his weight, so that sunlight floods into the room, trapping Dracula.  As he put it “A bit of the old Douglas Fairbanks.” :-D

  • sandra

    Also, by cauterising his vampire bite, Van Helsing displays a degree of chutzpah unmatched by any other vampire hunter.  Van is The Man !

  • Anonymous

    Now see, that’s the sort of thing that makes me go “Squeeeee!”

    Considering that it’s been a good 10 years since the last eps showed up, and 20 since we got any of Troughton’s, I was surprised to see them show up.  of course the down side is that it makes me start hoping again that it isn’t too late for episode 4 of “The Tenth Planet” to show up at a swap meet in the Outback.

  • Anonymous

    Wow, thanks folks- Cushing just gets cooler and cooler!

  • Flangepart

    Moraly, Van H and Dr. Frankenstein were polar opposites. How many actors can pull that off?
    Peter was indeed the man.

  • Rock Baker

    He was right to do it! That bit remains one of the greatest moments in the entire Hammer line!

  • ProfWmDyer

    Chumblies, fish people and the incredible overacting of the guy playing mad scientist Professor Zaroff? Not the series stories, but a great find nonetheless.