| Author | Message | ||
     John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.137.108.144 |
He was 94, was involved in some fantastic BritHorror movies and managed to get through four wives, so I think one can safely say he had a good innings. Bloody well done - I take my hat off to him. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.178.81.13 |
Indeed - nicely put. He invented the cybernauts too! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
RIP. | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.68 |
Alas! But many fine performances remain, not least his Van Gogh. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
Sad to hear this. I remember him particularly from his Hammer films and as the Celestial Toymaker in Doctor Who. RIP. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
One of the great hammy horror villains in my book - it was all in the eyes, the body language and the instantly recognisable voice. His passing should be mourned by all genre fans as much as that of Cushing or Price. I just had to list his unassailable contribution to genre cinema: 'The Man In The White Suit' (1951) - Ealing's masterpiece and one of the great unsung sci-fi movies of the 1950s imo. 'Last Reunion' (1955) - his first horror and something of a lost classic by all accounts! 'The House In The Woods' (1957) - one of those "what the fuck" scary psychological thrillers Hammer would go on to excel at. 'Dracula' (1958) - the Hammer classic and bettered only by 'Nosferatu' as the definitive cinema adaptation of the novel. 'Horrors Of The Black Museum' (1959) - the movie in which Gough nailed his hammy horror persona for ever more. A glorious slice of British horror hokum. 'Konga' (1961) - more of the above and one of the best worst movies ever to come out of these isles - sublime nonsense that once seen is never forgotten. MG steals the show! 'The Phantom Of The Opera' (1962) - disappointingly lacklustre Hammer adaptation of Gaston Leroux's masterpiece. 'What A Carve Up' (1962) - long forgotten forerunner of the Carry On team's horror spoof masterpiece 'Carry On Screaming'. How I would love to see this film! 'Black Zoo' (1963) - gloriously OTT horror extravanganza made unforgettable by, possibly, Michael Gough's most memorably villainous role! 'Dr Terror's House Of Horrors (1965) - one of the finest and most entertaining portmanteau horrors ever made. Sheer class in every department! 'The Skull' (1965) - hokey but enjoyable Hammer cash-in that works way better than it should due to the sheer quality of the cast. 'Berserk!' (1966) - another brilliantly OTT low grade horror with a memorable lead performance by Joan Crawford and some spectacularly lurid death scenes. Haven't seen it in decades but remember the highlights very fondly. 'They Came From Beyond Space' (1967) - I don't think I've seen this one but it sounds great. 'Curse Of The Crimson Altar' (1968) - more Brit horror brilliance with a cast to die for... literally. 'Crucible Of Horror' (1969) - haven't seen it but another one of those creepy psychological thrillers that were all the rage at the time. 'Trog' (1970) - sheer bonkers brilliance with MG appearing alongside Joan Crawford again. 'Horror Hospital' (1973) - another one of the definitive MG villainous roles in a splatter horror cult classic that has to be seen to be believed. 'The Legend Of Hell House' (1973) - effective adaptation of the Richard Matheson novel. 'Satan's Slave' (1976) - MG at his most slimily villainous again. Wonderful low budget horror perfection! 'The Boys From Brazil' (1978) - one of the great all-star 70s conspiracy thrillers. 'Venom' (1982) - cornball sub-Hitchcockian nonsense that passes the time pleasantly enough. 'Top Secret!' (1984) - underrated madcap comedy follow-up to Airplane. 'The Fourth Protocol' (1987) - unfairly neglected and brilliantly suspenseful sci-fi/espionage thriller. 'The Serpent And The Rainbow' (1987) - one of Wes Craven's best horror films and genuinely scary. 'Batman' (1989) - perfectly cast as Alfred the butler. I'm a big fan of Tim Burton's Batman movies and have a feeling time may be kinder to them than Nolan's adaptations. 'Batman Returns' (1992) - even better than the above imho. 'Nostradamus' (1994) - one of the most criminally underrated historical epics of the 90s imo. 'Uncovered' (1994) - haven't seen it but another one of those twisty psychological murder thrillers. 'Batman Forever' (1995) - things went off the rails with the series from here on in... 'Batman And Robin' (1997) - ahem... 'Sleepy Hollow' (1999) - Tim Burton's brilliant homage to classic era Hammer horror with MG astutely cast to add some gravitas. Another one of the great old troupers gone...  | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
>>'Curse Of The Crimson Altar' (1968) - more Brit horror brilliance with a cast to die for... literally.<< One of only two times that Chris Lee and Boris Karloff appeared together in the same film, from my recollection (the first being "Corridors of Blood"). Great list as tribute to a great actor, Stevie!  | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
Best Michael Gough story was from Norman J Warren, who said that on the set of Satan's Slave he let slip it was his birthday in a couple of days, so the crew organised a surprise party. When shooting was over it transpired he would 'let slip' it was his birthday 'soon' on every film! |