The Absolutely Diabolical Hammer Films Thread

[John Hodson]

It hits the sales at last! Dracula A.D. 1972 - £4.99

[R-T-C]

A lot of people forget that Hammer were active long before the late 1950s horror films. Thus this week I'm going to be review a load of the early Hammer films, all of them out in the UK on DD-Video DVDs.

First up, the Dick Barton trilogy (1948-1950) - http://mondo-esoterica.net/boxsets/Dick_Barton.html

Based on a popular radio show of the time (that boasted up to 15 million listeners at its peak), the series was a perfect option for Exclusive pictures who were looking for some low budget films that would draw in a crowd. A law passed at the time, designed to keep British cinema alive, insisted on a domestic film to accompany every American film shown, so there was demand for cheap British films.

The first film in the series is a rather dated, mild comedy, but the second two are much more intense and exciting with some themes that you would see in the later James Bond films. Sadly, none of the Hammer stars are there, but the series did mark the star of the career of James Sangster who went on to write many of Hammer's top horror films.

The DD-video boxset is decent, the quality of the films is pretty poor, but probably the best we will ever see and there is a detailed 36-page booklet. Grab it for just £9.99 at BlahDVD

[Reedo]

Nice link R-T-C, terrific site. Look forward to more Hammer reviews!

[R-T-C]

I'm never one to let down my fans, here are two more early Hammer reviews:

Mask of Dust (1954) - http://mondo-esoterica.net/Mask%20of%20Dust.html

Directed by Terence Fisher this motor-racing film is big on car sequences but short on plot and characters. Impressively, the footage - a mix of specially shot scenes and real Grand Prix footage is mixed together almost seamlessly and looks great, just don't expect an elaborate storyline.

Spaceways (1953) - http://mondo-esoterica.net/Spaceways.html

Although promoted as a sci-fi film, this is really a murder-mystery/detective movie set around the British space-programme, go in expecting this and you'll enjoy the film much more. Ultimately a rather average thriller with an unimpressive plot, but a good climax it is let down by a poor ending. Again directed by Terence Fisher.

Both come on decent DVDs with 24-page booklets and interesting bonus features, and you can get them for £5.99 each at BlahDVD.

[John Hodson]

As noted in the 'Upcoming' thread, coming September from Network - Countess Dracula SE.

[R-T-C]

The rest of this week's Early Hammer reviews:

Four Sided Triangle (1953) - http://mondo-esoterica.net/Four%20Sided%20Triangle.html

A clever little sci-fi film with hints of the later Frankenstein pictures. Boasts some good acting, and very nice camerawork by Terence Fisher.

The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) - http://mondo-esoterica.net/Quatermass%20Xperiment.html

Based on the highly popular TV serial, this film marked Hammer's first moves into X-rated, horror themed cinema, and they never looked back. An often tense film is well directed by Val Guest.

X the Unknown (1956) - http://mondo-esoterica.net/X%20the%20Unknown.html

Hammer's thematic sequel to Quatermass, this often quite gory picture is a solid monster B-movie, that avoids falling into many of the cliche traps of many American pictures. Featuring the first full script from Jimmy Sangster.

Quatermass 2 (1957) - http://mondo-esoterica.net/Quatermass%202.html

This much larger scale sequel goes from monsters to government conspiracies. A very grim tone and some rather brutal scenes, especially for the time, make this a very impressive film.


All of these films are available on good looking DD-video DVDs, with a good set of bonus features. Plus, all are available in the 'Hammer Horror: Early Classics' boxset, just £23.99 at amazon.co.uk. More details here: http://mondo-esoterica.net/boxsets/Early%20Hammer.html

[John Hodson]

We were discussing, in the Optimum thread, the possible fruits of the deal the British label had done with Studio Canal. Well, they've just listed a whole raft of titles including the Hammer Ultimate Box Set. No detail other than:

Spanning a decade of the Hammer Studios’ most prolific period, the titles in this boxset represent the pick of the cult horror and fantasy classics that will always endure in the affections of the movie-going public. Made between 1965 and 1976, these titles feature Hammer icons Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, as well as an all star cast of thousands that includes Ursula Andress, Raquel Welch, Joss Ackland, Julian Glover, David Prowse, Denholm Elliot, Honor Blackman, Nastassja Kinski, Richard Widmark, Joan Fontaine, Leonard Rossiter, Bernard Cribbins, Barbara Shelley and Michael Ripper.

...and the fact it costs a penny short of £150 - coming October.

[R-T-C]

That set looks very interesting, based on the cast listed we can certainly expect:
One Million Years BC (1966)
She (1965)
The Witches (1966)
To the Devil a Daughter (1974)

[R-T-C]

The complete list of titles has been confirmed as:

The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964), The Nanny (1965), She (1965), One Million Years BC (1966), Raputin: The Mad Monk (1966), Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966), Plague of the Zombies (1966), The Reptile (1966), The Witches (1966), Frankenstein Created Woman (1967), Quatermass and the Pit (1967), Slave Girls (1967), The Devil Rides Out (1968), Vengeance of She (1968), Horror of Frankenstein (1970), Scars of Dracula (1970), Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971), Demons of the Mind (1972), Fear in the Night (1972) and To the Devil a Daughter (1976).

No word yet on bonus features, packaging etc.

http://mondo-esoterica.net/upcoming%...ollection.html

[John Hodson]

...and up at Play.com for £119.99.

[John Hodson]

From the 'Upcoming' thread:

Originally Posted by jackal

From DVD Times:

Network have announced the UK DVD release of Countess Dracula (Special Edition) for 11th September 2006 priced at £14.99. In medieval Europe the twisted, aging widow Countess Elisabeth (Ingrid Pitt – Where Eagles Dare, The Vampire Lovers), reigns with a rod of iron alongside her lover, Captain Dobi (Nigel Green - Zulu, The Ipcress File). In a fit of rage she strikes out at one of her chambermaids and is surprised to discover that the area of skin where the maid's blood has landed has become youthful and smooth. Therefore she slaughters the girl and bathes in her blood, transforming the Countess into a buxom, vampiric siren. Finding the key to eternal youth, she coerces Dobi to abduct a string of young virgins to keep her supplied with the blood she craves to stay beautiful...

Extras include:
Audio commentary with Ingrid Pitt and horror experts Kim Newman and Stephen Jones
Booklet written by Stephen Jones
Archive news clip celebration of fifty years of Hammer from Meridian TV in 1999
Archive interview with Ingrid Pitt from Tonight in 1999
Thriller episode: Where the Action Is featuring Ingrid Pitt
Conceptions of Murder: Peter and Maria – a 1970 play about mass murder, starring Nigel Green
Theatrical trailer

Joined the following month by a Hands of The Ripper SE, and Twins of Evil also from Network (details TBA).

[John T Chance]

Originally Posted by John Hodson

From the 'Upcoming' thread:

Joined the following month by a Hands of The Ripper SE, and Twins of Evil also from Network (details TBA).

A shame Twins isn't getting the Special Edition treatment as in my opinion it's a better film than either Hands of The Ripper or Countess Dracula. It contains possibly Cushing's finest performance for Hammer in the 70's.

[John Hodson]

From Zeta Minor:

Play.com are listing The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb for release on October the 23rd. No verification yet, but it could point to more of the Columbia Hammer titles coming out...

[Mike]

A shame Twins isn't getting the Special Edition treatment as in my opinion it's a better film than either Hands of The Ripper or Countess Dracula. It contains possibly Cushing's finest performance for Hammer in the 70's.

Agreed. Also, where's "Vampire Circus" in these announcements? One of Hammer's most visually distinctive films of the period and one of my favourites. I imagine it's coming but I wonder if it will get the SE treatment.

[R-T-C]

Originally Posted by John Hodson

Play.com are listing The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb for release on October the 23rd. No verification yet, but it could point to more of the Columbia Hammer titles coming out...

Well, I just e-mailed Sony UK, and they have confirmed the release is for real. So lets hope it means that more from Columbia is on the way, I could sure go for The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960), A Taste of Fear (1962), The Stranglers of Bombay (1960) or Terror of the Tongs (1961)...

[Gossage]

Who owns the rights to distribute, on Region 2 DVD, the Hammer classics Brides of Dracula (1960), Kiss of the Vampire (1963) and Nightmare (1964)?

[Reedo]

Originally Posted by R-T-C

Well, I just e-mailed Sony UK, and they have confirmed the release is for real. So lets hope it means that more from Columbia is on the way, I could sure go for The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960), A Taste of Fear (1962), The Stranglers of Bombay (1960) or Terror of the Tongs (1961)...

The Damned would be welcome as well...

[CrazyHorse]

Originally Posted by Reedo

The Damned would be welcome as well...

..as would "The Gorgon".

[bullybullair]

Its mainly Columbia titles that are most sought after,as they remain the single company with some classic Gothic Hammer from the 60's to release.
"Taste/Scream of Fear" could be one up for release.
Its already available in a Japanese R2 boxset and lovely it is aswell.
IIRC the 8 films released on the amazing R1 Universal Hammer set are also Universal owned in the UK.
When Sky Movies show some of them they do have a Universal logo at the start

[Reedo]

Originally Posted by CrazyHorse

..as would "The Gorgon".

Oooooo....forgot that one.