Vincent Price and friends wish you all a Happy New Year

Season's Greetings to one and all...

The Witchfinder General will hang, burn and mutilate you if you don't tune into BBC2 tonight!

UK viewers can catch a late night screening of Michael Reeves cult 1968 horror, Witchfinder General on BBC2 today at 12.35am, and in HD.

To celebrate, here's a selection of scenes, plus some lobby cards, the trailer and some drawings and paintings that I've found of some artists' renditions of Vincent Price as Matthew Hopkins. If you have any to share, then I'd love to post up here, so do get in touch.

 

Sir Christopher Lee's 2013 Christmas Message pays tribute to Vincent Price

In Sir Christopher Lee's annual Christmas message, he pays tribute to his dear friend, Vincent Price, who left him the Fez that he's wearing in the 15-minute video, which Vinnie used to wear on Christmas day. The 91-year-old legend also talks about The Wicker Man, Hobbits and much much more.

Vincent Price's letter to Theatre of Blood make-up artist George Blackler on display at the BFI Southbank

As part of the BFI's Gothic: The Dark Heart of Film season, there's an accompanying exhibition on display in the BFI Southbank mezzanine, which runs until Sunday 19 January 2014.

H for Horrific, charts how Britain exported horror to the world, from the early milestones set by James Whale and Boris Karloff to the runaway success of Hammer. Original scripts, contracts and designs are on display alongside iconic posters and costumes from the period, including Christopher Lee’s Dracula suit and cloak.

Case No 3 features items from 1973's Theatre of Blood. Among these are the poster and original pressbook; a letter from Vincent Price to veteran British makeup artist George Blackler thanking him for his work on the film; a receipt for haemoglobin (powdered blood) - a lot of which was used in the course of the gory comedy horror; colour charts for the make-up scheme, which range from 'Secret Pink' to 'Red Riding Hood'; and test shots of the colour charts, which were used to check for their vibrancy. 

Blackler (1912-1986) also worked with Price on Roger Corman's Tomb of Ligeia in 1964 (which Price mentions in his note) and would later create Vinnie's Dr Death makeup for Madhouse in 1974.

Imagine my excitement coming across these unique items, especially Price's warm, witty and very personal letter. You can find them upstairs above the BFI ticket counter until 19 January 2014.

A warlock's home is his castle...Forever! Enter The Haunted Palace on MGM HD

MGM HD in the UK screens 1963's The Haunted Palace tonight at 7.15pm.



For more clips from the career of Vincent Price, check out my dedicated YouTube channel, MrPrice07

Bloodbath at the House of Death on The Horror Channel tonight!

Ten years after a gruesome murder takes place at Headstone Manor, a scientific team investigates strange reports of radioactive readings at the grim location. Unknown to the scientists, the Sinister Man (Vincent Price) is conducting a secret ceremony, known as the Night of Blood, in a bid to resurrect The Master. What follows is truly awful.

Don't get me wrong, I love the late Kenny Everett's style humour, but try as I might, I just don't like Bloodbath at the House of Death. It's seems such a waste as it boasts some great talent, including Don Warrington, Gareth Hunt, the divine Cleo Rocos, and Pamela Stephenson (it was probably this film that made her give up acting and become a therapist).

And, as for Vincent swearing, well I still shudder ever time he does.

Showing on The Horror Channel (Sky 319, Virgin 149)
9pm on Monday 2 December 2013