Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing and Horror Cinema

From their first pairing in Hamlet (1948) to House of the Long Shadows (1983), British film stars Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing forged perhaps the most successful collaboration in horror film history. In its revised and expanded second edition, this volume examines their 22 movie team-ups, with critical commentary, complete cast and credits, production information, details on cinematography and make-up, exhibition history and box-office figures. A wealth of background about Hammer, Amicus and other production companies is provided, along with more than 100 illustrations. Lee and Cushing describe particulars of their partnership in original interviews. Exclusive interviews with Robert Bloch, Hazel Court and nearly fifty other actors, directors and others who worked on the Lee-Cushing films are included.

The late Mark A. Miller (1956–2014) wrote for many periodicals, including Filmfax and Shivers. He taught English in Gahanna, Ohio.

David J. Hogan worked for nearly 30 years as an executive editor in Chicago book and magazine publishing. He has written for a variety of film magazines, contributed essays to multi-author cinema monographs, and written more than half a dozen books about horror films, science fiction, film noir, and movie comedy. Hogan lives in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Mark A. Miller and David J. Hogan

Forewords by Robert Bloch, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing

Format: hardcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 408
Bibliographic Info: 110 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2020
pISBN: 978-0-7864-3504-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3842-3
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments, 1995 by Mark A. Miller ix
Acknowledgments, 2019 by David J. Hogan xi
A Note About the Text, 1995 1
A Note About the Text, 2020 2
Forewords
“The Gruesome Twosome,” by Robert Bloch 3
Sir Christopher Lee, CBE 4
Peter Cushing, OBE 5
Introduction to the 1995 edition by Mark A. Miller 7
Introduction to the 2020 edition by David J. Hogan 10

1. Christopher Lee, the Years 1922–1948: Childhood, Education, Heroism and Height 13
2. Peter Cushing, the Years 1913–1948: Childhood, Hollywood, War and Marriage 18
3. Two Fortuitous Pairings: Hamlet (1948) and Moulin Rouge (1952) 28
4. The Color of Blood: Hammer’s The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) 39
5. Hammer’s Coup de Maître: Horror of Dracula (1958) 66
6. The Definitive Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) 88
7. Ancestral Entrapment and Intolerance: The Mummy (1959) 103
8. Chill Winds of Fatalism: The Gorgon (1964) 115
9. Hammer’s Blood Cousin: Amicus and Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1964) 129
10. Love’s Paradox: Hammer’s She (1965) 141
11. The Warped Perspective of Evil: Amicus’ The Skull (1965) 154
12. Characterization on the Boil: Night of the Big Heat (1967) 165
13. Small Parts and Spare Parts: Scream and Scream Again (1969) 182
14. Amicus’ Four-Pack of Irony: The House That Dripped Blood (1970) 199
15. The Good, the Bad, and the Nasty: I, Monster (1970) 217
16. Emasculating Anachronism: Dracula A.D. 1972 (1972) 235
17. The Pain in Spain Falls Mainly on the Train: Horror Express (1972) 251
18. The Last of the Best: The Creeping Flesh (1972) 261
19. The Stuff of Cardboard: Nothing but the Night (1972) 274
20. Better Is Still Not Good: The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) 286
21. Kiddie Matinee: Arabian Adventure (1979) 301
22. A Gala Disappointment: House of the Long Shadows (1983) 310
23. Busy Years and Brushes with Death, but Not a Single Double on Film 322

Epilogue 334
Appendix I: Key Figures Since 1995 337
Appendix II: The Curious Case of Who Slew Who 354
Filmography 357
Chapter Notes 367
Sources 377
Index 387

• Winner, Best New Cinema Book—Book Authority

• “Covers a lot of ground, but Miller does it with such purpose and charm that it’s impossible to get bored reading this book”—Psychobabble

• “A comprehensive, appreciative analysis of Lee and Cushing’s 22 collaborations…a thought-provoking read engagingly written and filled with wry surprises.”—Video Scope

• Reviews of the first edition:

• “A model of research and presentation…not just an excellent film book—it’s an excellent book, period”—Filmfax

• “Marvelous”—Video Watchdog

• “All 22 of Lee/Cushing’s collaborative films are examined, dissected, and most importantly, fairly critiqued”—bare•bones