Saturday, June 20, 2009

Horror Movie Icons


Welcome once again fear fanatics, to another venture into the realm of horror! I've already profiled a short history of Christopher Lee's movie career last week. But there are two other actors who excelled in this genre. The first was a freqent co-star of Lee's, the magnificent Peter Cushing and last but by no means least, the iconic Vincent Price. These were actors that I grew up watching on the small screen at home. Sadly, they are no longer with us, both having passed on less than a year apart from one another in 1994 and 1995. These two fine actors starred in many topnotch films during their long reign in the horror film industry.

Peter Cushing , aside from his classic appearances with Lee, starred in many fine horror films by himself. Some of his best ,(and my favorites as well) are as follows :

1. " Dr. Terror's House of Horrors" (1965)

2. "Horror Express" (1972)

3. " The Creeping Flesh" (1972)

4. " The Beast Must Die" (1975)

5. " Legend of the Werewolf " (1975)



One of his best " anthology" films was 1972s " Tales From The Crypt" which I dragged my mother to see in the movie theater when it first came out. It remains one of my favorites of his. Cushing never failed to give a convincing and polished performance even in sub-par films like 1969s " The Blood Beast Terror" a ridiculous piece if drivel about a young woman who turns into a "deathshead moth" ! He will always be remembered for his meticulously nuanced performances.

Vincent Price was more known to American audiences than his two British counterparts, and no less beloved. From his early roles in films such as 1939s " The Tower of London" to classics like 1971s " The Abominable Dr. Phibes" , he always brought a deliciously evil sense of style to the big screen. Some of his best and most well known films were a result of collaborations with two legendary producers, William Castle and Roger Corman. He first teamed up with Castle in the 1950s in such gems as " House on Haunted Hill" (1958) and " The Tingler" (1959). These were two of Castle's " gimmick" movies he was so famously known for. But his series of Edgar Allan Poe films he made with Roger Corman were some of Price's best. Corman was legendary for proclaiming he never made a movie that didn't make a profit. With a knack for low-string budgets and stars like Price , it's not hard to believe! Among these films were classics like 1960s "The Fall of the House of Usher" and 1965s " The Masque of the Red Death"

Price also starred in superior works like 1968s " The Conquerer Worm" and what I consider to be his "masterpiece", 1973s " Theater of Blood" opposite his wife Coral Browne. While known for his storied film career, many do not know that he was an expert art collector, accomplished chef , as well as a connisseur of fine wines.

These pair of consumate actors also had one other attribute in common. They both were kind, gentle, and decent men far unlike many of the characters they portrayed on the screen. We can be thankful for one thing, the preservation of their work on film, for they are sorely missed. This concludes our trip down movie memory lane. Until we meet again, HAVE A BLOODY GOOD DAY!

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