Dear Folks,
For this writer,Peter Cushing is the Greatest portrayer of Dr.Van Helsing of all time.
To Better Days,
BRAD
He certainly hits the spot...with a wooden stake!
shareCushing and Peel: two sterling performances in this, one of the greatest vampire films ever made.
shareI was going to post the same thing. Peter Cushing IS Van Helsing.
Van Helsing is a character that is popping up DOZENS of times yearly now with the big trend of vampire movies, most of the time he's not even called Van Helsing... but it's still the Van Helsing character... a character wealthy in vampire lore and knowledge who must lead the way for the characters in the film or tv show to battle the vampires.
In this film (Brides of Dracula) some of his lines and actions may seem a bit off, but Cushing's delivery is just perfect for the character. Watching Cushing in these old horror movies and Star Wars makes me wish that we had more like him in today's films or that directors would cast actors like this in today's films.
You're quite right. Unfortunately, there are no more actors like him around anymore. No one of his caliber. He came from a classic tradition of excellence and seriousness that is no longer extant. He belonged to a different age and a different time. Now we're stuck with a bunch of know-nothing yuppie jerks whose most notable achievements seem to revolve around 24 hour long Hollywood marriages, multiple paternity suits, drunken orgies, endless partying, substance abuse, and drunk driving collars.
shareYes, it's true.
Cushing was a top notch Van Helsing -- and we will not see anyone like him again. Complete class, that was Cushing, and it pretty much permeated every role he took -- even when he played the eviler Frankenstein and Tarken in SW.
May he RIP. :)
Now we're stuck with a bunch of know-nothing yuppie jerks whose most notable achievements seem to revolve around 24 hour long Hollywood marriages, multiple paternity suits, drunken orgies, endless partying, substance abuse, and drunk driving collars.But not everything about the recent generation is laudable though. For one thing, most don't have 1/8th of Cushing's screen presence. Also, off-hand I can't think of a character who successfully combines "badassery" with unimpeachable refinement quite the way his Van Helsing does. Maybe Donald Pleasence in Halloween or Hannibal Lecter.
Now we're stuck with a bunch of know-nothing yuppie jerks whose most notable achievements seem to revolve around 24 hour long Hollywood marriages, multiple paternity suits, drunken orgies, endless partying, substance abuse, and drunk driving collars.
Yes, my philosophy is that if Peter Cushing stars in a movie you know it's going to be worthwhile. I've never seen a movie starring him that I didn't like. His presence alone can take what would normally be a "so-so" movie and make it above average.
Death lives in the Vault of Horror!