The Man Who Could Cheat Death

**Matt Gemmell** · 24th January 2005, 12:39 AM

I've just watched an " unofficial " dvd of The Man Who Could Cheat Death .
It's pretty hard to come by in the UK and I had'nt seen the movie at all until a couple of years ago when it was shown as part of a mini Hammer festival and book launch .
I loved it then and I'm still quite keen on it.
OK , Anton Diffring is a bit over the top but Christopher Lee and Hazel Court are marvelous .
The script is a bit stagey but the conversations are always interesting so your attention never wanders .
It's well worth a proper dvd release ( hopefully soon ) if just to see Christopher Lee in such a dashing part so early in his career .

24th January 2005, 09:51 PM

True this film has never had an official release even on VHS i believe. And is very rarely shown on terrestrial TV, which is a shame because its a classic example of the early Hammer Terence Fisher style. Lush photography and fine acting although Mr Lee should have really been cast in the lead part. Its always been a bit odd that by 1959 Hammer didn't cast Mr Lee in the parts he should have been cast in ie: Man Who could cheat death and also Two Faces Of Dr jekyll. Although he was superb in these films he should have been the star, and not third billed in a supporting part. You probably have the same copy as me Matt as I bought mine off ebay also, along with Terror Of the Tongs.

littleb · 24th January 2005, 10:08 PM

Trivia question: Who can name the other Hammer film in which Mr. Lee played a character with the same name as the one he played in The Man Who Could Cheat Death?

Southern Beau · 25th January 2005, 08:34 AM

I have never heard of this movie. It sounds interesting. What is the film about?

25th January 2005, 02:53 PM

Wasnt it Taste Of Fear littleb?

Mr Lee's favourtite Hammer film that he did.

littleb · 25th January 2005, 10:02 PM

You are correct, Lord of Misrule! In both films he played doctors, both named Pierre Gerrard. Anybody else have a trivia question, or shall I go with another one?

26th January 2005, 01:35 AM

Go on littleb give us another ;-)

26th January 2005, 01:53 AM

Sorry southern belle.

Its an early hammer film with anton diffring as a famous artist in france who takes this special serum that has kept him alive for over 100 years.Naturally murders happen and things start to go wrong.Christopher Lee plays a doctor whos turns out to be the hero. If i remember rightly. please correct me someone if im wrong as i havent seen the film for a few months.

littleb · 26th January 2005, 09:43 PM

Okay, Lord of Misrule (and everybody else), here's another one. In which film does Mr. Lee's character utter the memorable line "Have you ever had your bones scraped?"

**Matt Gemmell** · 27th January 2005, 01:49 AM

Terror Of The Tongs

27th January 2005, 02:31 AM

Terror of the Tongs ;-)

littleb · 27th January 2005, 09:49 PM

Right, Lord of Misrule and Matt! You are too good, too fast. Here's one that might be a little harder: Where were the swamp scenes for "The Mummy" filmed? ;)

**Andrés Verdú** · 28th January 2005, 09:52 PM

If memory serves correctly, Patty, the bog or swamp scenes from the film The Mummy were filmed at Shepperton Studios because there were no tank facilities at Bray Studios, the main studio for many of the Hammer films.

If I'm wrong, then I can only venture a rather cheeky "on location" in my defence, as an alternative answer!! ;)

Warmest regards,

poeraven :)

P.S.: keep up the trivial pursuits, Patty!! They're great fun!!

littleb · 29th January 2005, 01:10 AM

;) Yes, indeed, Andres, it was Shepperton. I am very fond of The Mummy; it was released the same year I was! (Ahem.) Now, then, here's another
question to tease you with: Which one of Mr. Lee's co-stars in "The Skull" shared scenes with him in another film, one from his early career? (It's not Peter Cushing, either! Think "music".) Go! :)

**Andrés Verdú** · 29th January 2005, 04:25 AM

Well, Patty,

I'm not sure if this is the one you are thinking of, but I know that Michael Gough (who played the auctioner,) for one had already appeared in at least two earlier films alongside Mr Lee, namely Dracula (1958, as "Arthur Holmwood") and also Dr Terror's House of Horrors (1964, as "Eric Landor").

Moreover, Mr Gough starred in Ill Met by Moonlight(1957,) which also starred Mr Lee, but I am not sure whether they shared any scenes there. And the earliest film they both worked in I believe was Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948,) where again I don't know if Mr Lee shared scenes with Mr Gough, but I do know that Mr Lee's scenes were finally dropped from the finished film.

Does think "music" refer to this last film I have named? Saraband = dance. I don't know. I may well have picked a different actor from the one you were thinking of... You'll please let me know:

Warmest regards,

poeraven :)

P.S.: You picked a good time for me to set these trivia questions because I'm currently reading a book on Mr Lee and Mr Cushing's 22 film collaborations, so it's a good chance for me to test myself on what I remember from my reading. ;)