Mr. Cushing's worst.

[Steve.]

The Blood Beast Terror (Brit. 1967). Peter Cushing said this was the worst movie he appeared in - he's not wrong. He plays a policeman investigating vampirish murders (the victims are drained of blood). The script and direction are as slow and ponderous as a snail on valium, and contain every cliche in the book (and some that aren't). The murderer turns out to be a rather refined Victorian lady who happens to be the daughter of a famous entomologist, but who, in actual fact is a giant death's-head moth disguised during daylight as the daughter of a famous entomologist. I suppose it must have seemed like a good idea on paper - but definitely not on screen. If you get the chance, see it - it's a definite badmovie - but you have to feel sorry for Peter Cushing as he tries to rise above the utter dross that surrounds him.

[Apostic]

I see your Blood Beast and raise you (lower you?) The Uncanny (1977), an anthology feature about...evil cats.  In the central binding story, Cushing plays a poorly written writer who has not only uncovered these horrible incidents with cats, he's also convinced that cats are covertly in charge of humanity.  (Douglas Adams would later get big laughs with a similar concept....)

Movie with "evil, vicious cats" is problematic when its production crew uses obviously happy, contented cats.  (See also Strays.)

Coming soon to a B-Notes near you as a pointlessly seasonal tie-in with Cats and Dogs.

regards,

Apostic

[Flangepart]

Hey, i think Dr Freex revieved this one. I'll give you the MOVIE was the worst...(maby)...HE was IN....but ya gotta admit, he always tried to give the Audience their moneys worth!

[Cullen]

"Blood Beast" and "Uncanny" are right up there (though I kind of liked both of them), but I would have said that "House of Long Shadows" (which wastes some of the greatest horror actors of all time) and "Shock Wave" (attack of the killer Nazi Zombies) were worse.

Still, Cushing seemed to have more luck in the "bad movie" sweepstakes than either Vincent Price or Christopher Lee.

[Squishy]

You guys forgetting "At The Earth's Core?"

[Cullen]

Squishy wrote:
You guys forgetting "At The Earth's Core?"

Trying to, yeah.  

There is also "The Beast Must Die" and "Mad House" to concider as well.

[Steve.]

All the other movies mentioned are probably all as bad as BBT, especially The Beast Must Die, but Mr. C. actually named BBT as THE worst. I think I'll call it a draw, Apostic - The Uncanny was equally dreadful, and I think Ray Milland would've cursed his agent for landing him that role. I am also trying (and almost succeeding) to forget At The Earth's Core. Peter Cushing never gave of anything other than his best.

[Apostic]

We should also note that Cushing had low visibility roles in several movies that stank, too.  However, he tended to give losers like those some positive entertainment value.

Example?  Don't mind if I do.

The example of this I'd like to cite is a cameo in One More Time (1970).  Most of you would be too young to remember this, uh, entertainment extravaganza, so I'll describe the scene in question.  One of the main characters (Sammy Davis Jr.) finds a secret passage in a building.  In a hidden chamber, Peter Cushing looks up from a body on a slab and congenially says something like, "Hello, you're just in time."  And Christopher Lee, wearing a cape and bearing an ornate stemmed glass (he's drinking a red) says, "Yes.  Welcome to the party."  Go to reaction shot of main character -- who has run like hell....

Like I said: Cushing (plus, in this case, Lee) added positive entertainment value to a lot of awful movies.  The man was usually a delight to see in a movie.  So when a movie is so bad that even he sucks in it, you know you've got a killer.

regards,

Apostic

[BoyScoutKevin]

Not exactly on the subject of "Mr. Cushing's Worst," but I have to come to the defense of "The House of Long Shadows." Story is not much. Desi Arnaz, Jr. agrees to write a book within a certain time and in a certain house. And white he is trying to write the book, John Carradine, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Vincent Price put in a visit. And where else can you see all four of those in the same film together? Also worth noting, Richard Todd--he of "The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men"--has a short bit in the beginning as Desi's agent. And there is one line that always leaves me on the floor. When Price finds his sister--Shelia Keith, a terrible singer--garroted, he says: "Piano wire. He must have heard her singing." ROTFL. One creepy note about the film. I believe that the order the four horror stars died in the film, is the same order that they died in--or will die in--in real life. Enjoy

[Chris K.]

Mr. Cushing's REALLY, REALLT WORST FILM EVER is the film STAR WARS (1977). Cushing has a small role and is not even recogonized in this film at all. Cushing was the ONLY GOOD ACTOR in that film and yet his role was wasted and too short.

THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR is definately not Mr. Cushing's worst, I would rather watch THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR and not watch STAR WARS just to see his talent go to waste.

Questions or comments?

[Steve.]

Hurrah! - I thought I was the only Star Wars hater around. Like I said Chris, BBT was Mr. Cushing's own nomination for the worst movie he appeared in. I would also rather watch that than the dreaded SW.

[Cullen]

"I believe that the order the four horror stars died in the film, is the same order that they died in--or will die in--in real life." - BoyScoutKevin

Except they don't die, do they?  :-) Not only do all of the "victims" in the film turn out to be actors trying to keep Desi from winning his bet, but the whole thing turns out to be the story he's writing!  Making the whole movie meaningless, as far as I was concerned.

Oh well.  At least it wasn't "Bloodbath at the House of Death." :-)

[peter johnson]

God in Heaven, someone is really trying to make House of Long Shadows out to be something of any significance . . .
Well, okay, I will concede that this is the only film that got them all together, but what Idiot's Direction had Mr. Cushing speaking in that dreadful mush-mouthed accent?  I mean, those of us who've known the man for a bit know that he speaks the King's English better than any one of us -- so what is the Director's Choice?  To give him a lisp and a mushy form of speaking totally alien to his presence in countless films before, and this is the reason you would wish to see Herr Cushing in the first place -- see his perfect Holmes characterization in Hammer's "Hound of the Baskervilles".
Long Shadows was, for me, one of the deepest disappointments of my childhood, given that I loved (love) everyone involved.  It was and is a hideous monstrosity, much like the oft-mentioned disco-anime version of "Citizen Kane".
So, to be continually combative here, I would say that I acutally LIKED "Shock Wave", given its actual nod to folk-legends about the SS.  Plus the fact that you got to see Peter's greasy bangs flopping about on his forehead as the zombie Nazi reached up from beneath the house to choke him . . .
BoyscoutKevin:  I mean none of this against YOU in any sense of the word.  I'm glad you appreciated the fact that all of these grand eminance grise's were together in one film.  Just that, sometimes, tis better remembered in seperate places the tropes and tricks what gave  strength our Graces . . ..

[Steve.]

Cullen - I thought I'd exorcised the memory of Bloodbath At The House Of Death, please warn the US population of the hell that awaits them if they are tempted to see this movie. As for HOLS, the less said the better - so I won't re-open old wounds.

[Cullen]

Steve. wrote:  I thought I'd exorcised the memory of Bloodbath At The House Of Death, please warn the US population of the hell that awaits them if they are tempted to see this movie.

Sorry about that, Steve.  :-)  

I think what little you have said on the matter is far better a warning than I could ever give.   All I'm going to add to that is that "BatHoD" is on of the worst horror comedies ever made.  The only time I laughed through the entire film was when Vincent Price swears.  It really wasn't worth the rental.