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| PETER CUSHING AND JAN WATERS IN THE UK PRINT |
TO THINK ONLY A FEW MONTHS BEFORE AUDIENCES HAD BEEN SMILING AND NODDING ALONG AT HIS BENT KNEE ANTICS, FIGHTING THOSE LOVABLE ANGRY PEPPER POTS THE DALEKS. NOW, AS THEY SAY, FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...
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| SAME SCENE BUT DIFFERENT ACTRESS IN EURO PRINT |
CORRUPTION WAS PRODUCED IN WHAT WERE DIFFICULT TIMES FOR PETER CUSHING. HAVING RECENTLY RECOVERED FROM ILL HEALTH AND WITH HIS WIFE HELEN ALMOST HOUSE BOUND WITH EMPHYSEMA, CUSHING WAS RELUCTANT TO TAKE ON TOO MUCH WORK AND THE CLOSER TO HIS KENT HOME THE BETTER.
IN 1967, PETER WORKED FOR SEVERAL SMALLER INDEPENDENT COMPANIES TO PRODUCE TWO VERY AVERAGE ENTRIES TO HIS C.V. BLOOD BEAST TERROR AND NIGHT OF THE BIG HEAT. ALL VERY SAFE AND PREDICTABLE. BUT NO ONE COULD SEE WHAT WAS COMING...
IT WAS BRAVE CASTING FOR CUSHING, BUT MAYBE A MISTAKE.
SHOCKING TO SOME OF HIS FANS IN THE 60'S, TAME BY TODAY'S STANDARDS... BUT FOR ONCE THE PUBLICITY WAS RIGHT.
HOW CORRUPTING....
I am very fortunate to have a very nice copy of this movie complete with the cut scenes. But there is something distinctly uneasy in watching Peter play those same scenes. Professional to the very tips of his fingers, he makes a great job of it (as always), but you can almost sense that he finds the thing distasteful.
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