Hammer Films: The Ultimate Collection

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Hammer had an unprecedented run of success through the end of the 1970s, before closing up shop in the wake of decreasing interest in their trademark Gothic horror melodramas, and the proliferation of increasingly violent films coming out of mainstream Hollywood that detracted from Hammer's bloodthirsty demographic. Over a 44-year period, Hammer produced nearly 166 films in addition to three anthology series for television, including Journey Into the Unknown and Hammer House of Horror. A very nice BD from Germany’s Anolis label is available, presented in 1:85:1. Some good extras, in English, as well.

Herbert Lom: The Soul Behind the Mask (2020, 16 mins): film historian and screenwriter C Courtney Joyner shares personal memories of time spent with the legendary actor Visiting The House of Hammer: Britain’s Legendary Horror Magazine featurette with British author/film historian Philip Nutman Hammer’s Women: Moira Redmond (2021, 10 mins): profile of the film, television and theatre actor by critic and film historian Pamela Hutchinson

It might be difficult to see The Curse of Frankenstein now in the same context with which one saw it upon its initial release. Before this iteration of Shelley's tale, the first modern version of the myth, there hadn't been a horror film that so graphically indulged in gore and violence, in bright and shining color photography no less. Cast: David Knight; Duncan Lamont; Janette Scott; Jennie Linden; Moira Redmond; Oliver Reed; Peter Cushing; Peter Woodthorpe; Sheila Burrell

Terrance Fisher’s acclaimed, seminal horror The Mummy (1958) starring screen icon Peter Cushing (Star Wars, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Hound of The Baskervilles) has been unearthed from its tomb, and now the spellbinding horror cult classic is set for the Limited Edition treatment on Blu-ray, with a vast array of special features courtesy of Second Sight Films on 29th August 2022.What it does mean is we'll probably have to wait for titles like Vengeance of She and Viking Queen to be done before we may see something like Kiss of the Vampire. Sadly, Kiss just got a new release in the UK but DVD only. Cat People (2021, 5 mins): assistant costume designer Yvonne Blake and Peter Allchorne, of the property department, share their memories of working on the film So there you have it – my personal rundown of what hasn’t been offered to U.S. customers and why multi-region players are an absolute must for the aficionado of Hammer horror. There are a few that aren’t covered here because I haven’t seen them. I haven’t caught up with The Witches but I understand it looks very good. The reverse situation also exists, of course, with foreign territories deprived of a number of titles released so far only in the states. AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY: HERE https://diaboliquefilms.com/product/hammer-horror-the-warner-bros-years-blu-ray/

Presented on Blu-ray, this film has been upscaled to deliver the best possible visual presentation of this documentary. Note about Frame Grabs: They were captured in the VLC media player program, and were not adjusted in any way except for size. They are not intended as anything more than a general example of some of the points I brought up. How these Blu-rays will look on your monitor in a home viewing environment can of course be significantly different.

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Though 20-year-old Playboy playmates Mary and Madeleine Collison were chosen mostly for their beauty and their bodies, they actually turn in solid performances in what is a surprisingly strong effort by Hammer during this late run of films. Peter Cushing is excellent as always, but the enticement of the Collinson twins and their vampiric activities allow Twins of Evil to shine brightest among the films presented here. The third film in The Karnstein Trilogy (preceded by The Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire), it’s also one of the sexiest and most compelling. In the 1960’s, inspired by the success of PSYCHO, the legendary Hammer House of Horror produced a number of psychological thrillers scripted by screenwriter Jimmy Sangster.Sangster’s ultimate puzzle picture, PARANOIAC!, told the disturbing tale of the Ashby siblings gathering to claim their late parent’s inheritance. The appearance of a long dead brother, a decade after his apparent suicide, unearths a history of obsessive and sadomasochistic relationships… and quite possibly murder!Showcasing an early, explosive performance from Oliver Reed and boasting countless plot twists to keep horror fans guessing until the final frame, PARANOIAC! stands proudly as one of Hammer’s darkest and most sinister thrillers.But, let’s leave the final word to The New York Mirror: “Idiotically entertaining, provided, of course, that you can find entertainment in blood, gore and lunacy.” Val Guest, director of The Quatermass Xperiment, reteamed with that film's original scribe, Nigel Kneale, for this top-notch yeti thriller. A team of explorers — led by Dr. John Rollason (Cushing) and his wife Helen (Maureen Connell) — on an expedition to the Himalayas with members of a local monastery collide with a second team of explorers who are searching for the abominable snowman. Sangster's script for Maniac owes a few debts to classic French noir such as Diabolique and Louis Malle's Elevator to the Gallows, and director Michael Carreras is owed a great deal of praise for crafting a film that contains the same amount of excitement and devious pleasure as those movies. Wilkie Cooper's cinematography is some of the best in any Hammer production (for that matter, any genre production from this time); the camera glides and zooms almost imperceptibly through scenes, as the framing and compositions work to steadily heighten the tension throughout the picture. The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb Retrospective (8 minutes) features an audio essay with Hammer historian Richard Klemense discussing the production of the film.

It has since been released by Exclusive Media Group (which owns the new Hammer company) in the U.S. Not surprisingly it’s the same master. Any release of Hammer House of Horror is worth owning, and the addition of the audio commentaries on this set gives it the clear edge over the others. However, if you have the Synapse Films DVD release, you may want to hold onto it for the introductions. Otherwise, this is a fine release of the show in high definition, and it comes recommended for fans new and old. One of the most charming facets of Onyx the Fortuitous is its commitment to practical effects, specifically its use of puppets to bring demons, ghouls, and creatures to life. The company’s direct sequel to Horror of Dracula has never fared very well on home video. Anchor Bay’s early DVD was dull, with muddy colors and fading on the edges of the frame. Subsequent U.K. and Italian releases were a little better but had issues of their own. This was the first Blu-ray release from the new Hammer company (unless we count Quatermass and the Pit; it’s unclear if that was completely under their banner). Most fans give it an unenthusiastic passing grade, but for my taste it’s one of the least watchable Hammer BDs. This is due to the green /yellow- hued color grading. I have seen several early theatrical screenings of DPOD from good quality prints, as well as numerous TV broadcasts through the years. While it was never going to match the sumptuous look of either of the first two entries in the Hammer Dracula series, it still had a ‘normal’ color palate. Curious about all those Region B Hammer Blu-rays from overseas, the ones requiring a region-free player? As a public service, Savant has solicited an expert opinion (you’ll have to take my word for that) of a film restoration/transfer specialist who is also an informed fan of the filmic output of the little horror studio at Bray. I know, real Hammer fans buy first and worry about quality later, but this little guide might be of help to the rest of us budget-conscious collectors.This is an example of when producing a Blu-ray release might not be the best idea if you can’t find good film source material. This Final Cut disc caught a lot of flak for looking objectionably grainy and soft. Once again the original negative for this film is most likely unserviceable, and this appears to be possibly transferred from a YCM ‘recombine.’ Without getting into the technical weeds, what is involved in a recombine is a process similar to the old Technicolor 3-strip negatives. Namely, three different strips of film, each containing one of the color matrices, are optically printed together to create a ‘new’ negative. There are a number of potential problems, however — overall softness and a buildup of dirt and grain. Color fringing occurs, much like the older rear screen televisions when the three color guns were slightly out of alignment. Perhaps that’s a simple way to explain recombining separations, but the relevant aspect is that it’s very possible to end up with a less than ideal element to use for an HD transfer. Madhouse: Inside Hammer’s ‘Nightmare’ (2016, 15 mins): Hammer historians Alan Barnes, John J Johnston, Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby revisit the production Of course, Studio Canal doesn't own the rights to every Hammer film. Companies such as Paramount, Warner Bros. and Universal also own the rights to certain Hammer titles. A religious sect led by Gustav Weil hunts all women suspected of witchcraft, killing a number of innocent victims. Young Katy, Gustav’s niece, will involve herself in a devilish cult, and become an instrument of Justice in the region.