INSIDE HAMMER |
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| Jimmy Sangster worked with the
legendary Hammer Films company for over four decades,
spending time as a production manager, scriptwriter,
producer and director. He was responsible for scripting
many of the early gothics, which made Hammer's 'name' in
cinema and popular culture, and here lays bare his work
for the company, promising the inside story.... REVIEW IN DEPTH text The resulting work is enjoyable, lightweight, and very approachable. His prose style is rather laid-back, with a touch of the average "Joe Bloggs" about it, not afraid to speak his mind, and slip into language which would probably be frowned upon in a serious book. Jimmy Sangster knows his audience, and addresses them casually, as friends being let into his memories and a bit of gossip. That he is so familiar with the Hammer fans that will buy the book, is in evidence from the opening where he acknowledges that most people want to get on to the Gothic period. As such he spends only a chapter on the Exclusive period, where he was first asked to be an assistant director. Its a period of perhaps eight years, reduced to only a few pages. Memories are scarce from this period also it seems, hence the low page count. After that, its a full chapter devoted to each of the films he served on, detailing his rise to production manager, through to his first brushes with writing seriously (X-The Unknown), through the gothics (including Frankenstein and Dracula duties), the Psycho-inspired pictures of the 60s and those rather awful 70s films even Sangster would rather forget. The book, is not a trade manual by any stretch, but it does offer us a chance to see some of the original scripts in print (well sections of them), as well, as detailed scenes which were cut from the film, or altered before shooting began. Where possible, anecdotes are shared, including Bette Davis's advances towards the shy Sangster. It is the chance to read rare and previously unpublished material, which will excite most, and makes the book worth the cover price. One is left with a feeling of wanting more - always a good thing, but one wonders if here it should be so. Over the years he has talked endlessly on the subject, and yet manages to keep the delivery fresh, skimming through 50 years at break-neck speed. So easy is the language, that reading from cover to cover in one session is near impossible to avoid. The closing chapter on the never-mades including a fair amount of detail on a film Hammer had hoped to make with Vincent Price in 1974 was for me, totally new material (though it may be about elsewhere). There is an avoidance of a filmography, something rare in today's list obsessed publications, and insert boxes detailing his relationships with other Hammer alumni are promising but restrictive. Indeed, one wishes that more was said - a lot more. Questions start to roll off the mind, but the book remains one full of happy thoughts. The short strips detailing favourite scenes is a device not used for every film, and on occasion when it is it seems tired. Enjoyable nonetheless, and full of rarely seen pictures from behind the scenes. presentation SUMMARY RJES |
Inside Hammer
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Kult UK 20 August 2002
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Avalard Productions / Kult UK 2002 |