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5 classic movies from the studio that dripped blood!
And yet, these films, which tended to lack the creative genius which had given the distinctive look and feel in the 50s and 60s are still good fun for the most. A little less inventive, somewhat less taxing and at times looking cheaper, each has its own merits. With five films to look at, I'm not going to dwell too long on any of them. It must be said that special editions have been released for all five films in the US by Anchor Bay, and I am stunned by the decision not to liscence these supplementals, despite Warner having used Anchor Bay created materials for amongst others the Dr Who Movie Collection and recent Nick Roeg dvds. Whilst the £49.99 price tag (recommended price) for the five dvds isn't too bad (all are given good clean ups, and anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen presentations - though lacking the definition of the smaller box masters), one would have appreciated a little more than a trailer for each film (most of which are fullscreen). With the exception of Devil Rides Out, which is regarded by many as the last original Hammer horror film, the remaining films see a distinctive absence of the old Hammer flair. Bernard Robinson died in 1970, and the loss of his economical yet sumptuous production design is strongly felt - not helped by the moving out of the house studio Bray in 1967 after making the Mummy's Shroud. Whilst bigger spaces may now be available, they are seldom used to the advantage that the constraints of Bray put upon the inventiveness of the filmmakers. Terence Fisher's directorial skills are much missed, something which shows on his return for Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell. Peter Cushing is absent totally from this set, having pulled out of production a day into Blood From the Mummy's Tomb (his wife died a few days later, and the director Seth Holt infamously died a week before the filming ended), and from Lust for a Vampire not long before commencing. We are left with a couple of Christopher Lee pictures, and a couple of Ralph Bates ones. The blends are ok, and will please enthusiasts, but the general public should prepare for a light-hearted set. devil rides out Presented in 1.66:1 anamorphic according to the box (my own measurements put it between 1.66:1 and 1.85:1), the film is full of sumptuous technicolour and is well handled by Terence Fisher. Christopher Lee for once plays the good guy, and is enigmatic and convincing in the lead. Support from the likes of Paul Eddington (Yes Minister), Sarah Lawson and Patrick Mower (Emmerdale), we are taken down a sinister path, where trust is misplaced and the powers of darkness come as close to conquering as ever. Whilst some of the special effects scenes are no longer convincing, the menace is mostly psychological, and we are swept in the Duc's hands. Gray's campy villian dominates the proceedings, and Mower is a mere pawn in his game (thankfully more interesting than he is in Bloodsuckers aka Incence for the Damned). Undoubtedly the best film in the set, if it had extras I'd be recommending it on this alone. the horror of frankenstein A reworking of Curse of
Frankenstein directed and penned by original scribe
Jimmy Sangster. Too many look upon it as an appaling
blasphemy. Actually, its got a vicious streak of black
humour, some great lines and subtleties, a rather
enjoyable cast, and a great diversion. I'm relatively alone in my appreciation of this ill-thought of piece. Kate O'Mara is delicious as an accomodating house maid, and Veronica Carlson looks lovely, but sadly isn't given the material to do much else. Much better are the humour to be derived firstly from Ralph Bates, who holds his own well, without ever even attempting a comparison with Cushing's portrayal, and from Dennis Price, whose deviantly wicked bodysnatching provides much of the delight of the film. Its a tad pedestrian in direction, and certainly not taxing. Scott MacGregor's art direction lacks the gothic charm of its predecessors, and the overall effect is cheap and nasty. A mixed bag, entirely adaptable to mood and taste of viewer. Some days I hate it, and others, I quite enjoy it. scars of dracula Scars perhaps unfortunately was
the first Hammer film I remember seeing, and so I am
somewhat in favour of it even now. Whilst the film is at times rather weak, Lee makes an attempt at holding the audience. Dennis Waterman is far more likeable than the rogues he would later play on tv's The Sweeny and Minder. Michael Gwynn makes a welcome return to the Hammer fold, as the preist (having been the creature in Revenge of Frankenstein in 1958), though he is terribly subdued. The girls are fairly redundant again sadly, and the acting honours for this one go to Patrick Troughton (the second Doctor Who) a Hammer semi-regular who provides an excellenbt character portrayal as the sword-whipped servant (and who provides an explanation for the Scars of the title). lust for a vampire Yawn! Tudor Gates takes characters created by J Sheridan Le Fanu and concocts an overtly lesbian tale, which holds little interest for most fans of the genre. The worst instalement in the trilogy, not aided by Jimmy Sangster's direction. Its been badly criticised over the years, and not all blame deserves to go to Sangster. The film is woeful on most levels, the cast is a mixed bag, with even the most competant failing - and Stensgard is a waste of screen space and time. Don Mingaye's art direction lends some gothic quality to the film, aided by a sumptuous score from Harry Robinson (spoiled by the stupid "Strange Love" song, put in on the instigation of the film's American funders). Its kinky, perhaps in places sexy, but for the most, slightly fatuous and rather dreary. Only Suzanna Leigh holds her own in an above-average performance of conviction (women are never well treated in Hammer scripting) as the school gym teacher, falling for the late Michael Johnson. Some dreamy sequences ensure this one stays in the realm of fantasy. blood from the mummy's tomb A delightful Hammer film, which although
in places cheap, does well. Set in contemporary London,
and bringing together a fine cast including Keir (a last
minute replacement for Peter Cushing), James Villiers and
Valerie Leon as the young Fuchs, and the Queen Tera. Leon
hold her own quite well, and at least has some acting
ability- often lacking in films of this period from the
studio. Based on Bram Stoker's novel Jewel of the Seven Stars, this would be the last visit to Egyptology for the studio. Despite loosing its lead and its director a few weeks later, the picture is held together well, and Michael Carreras who stepped in to finish the project ensures you cant (as they say) see the join. There is a real feeling of menace, and the supernatural is well used for once. Transmigration of objects, esp, telekenesis etc are all brought out in the complexities of the script. Whilst Keir is never to my satisfaction - he tends, though not always, to be too gruff - the ensemble outweighs the problems. SUMMARY
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DISC: Feature length: 100
mins SPECIAL FEATURES: |
Kult UK 13 November 2002
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HAMMER HORROR SELECTION (uk dvd)
At five films, its something of a mother-of-a-box.
A latter day Hammer complimentary set to this month's
three disc Hammer Horror Originals. Fans and
critics alike do tend to slate the latter day Hammer
films, suffering as the quality was, particularly with
the face of stiff opposition from rival companies
increasing throughout the sixties. By the early 70s
Hammer films were quickly going out of vogue.
It held my interest, and captured my
imagination. I thought it delightfully graphic, and
somewhat shocking. By this time, Christopher Lee was
becoming somewhat weary of the role, and it shows. His
make-up is the worst it has ever been, although the count
looks genuinely weary of this life. Anthony Hinds' script
(under the pseudonymn of John Elder) at least manages to
restore some dignity and real terror to the character. He
priovdes a loose motivation, and paints Dracula as a
trapped being. Infamously this adaptation takes its scene
of Dracula scaling hte walls of the castle from the
orignal novel for the first time.
RJES