#2,598. The Vampire Lovers (1970) - Hammer Horror Movies

 

From the late 50s to the mid-‘70s, U.K’s Hammer Films turned out a number of vampire movies, from their 1958 remake of Dracula (titled Horror of Dracula in the United States) and its subsequent sequels to the hugely entertaining 1974 outing Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter. 

In between, the studio produced a trio of movies based on Sheridam Le Fanu’s 1872 novella Carmilla, dubbed “The Karnstein Trilogy”. The Vampire Lovers, released in 1970, was the first of these films (followed by Lust of a Vampire and Twins of Evil, both 1971). Combining Hammer’s time-honored tradition of period stories and gothic set pieces with a new, more daring approach to sexuality, The Vampire Lovers proved an extraordinary motion picture. 

Set in 19th century Austria, The Vampire Lovers centers on Marcilla (Ingrid Pitt), a young vampire who, soon after the film opens, seduces and kills Laura (Pippa Steel), the niece of General Spielsdorf (the great Peter Cushing). 

From there, Marcilla (now calling herself Carmilla) is invited to stay with the Morton family, where she sets her sights on Emma (Madeline Smith), the daughter of Roger Morton (George Cole). Will Carmilla’s secret be revealed before another innocent dies, or will her reign of terror continue? 

As mentioned already, the set pieces are one of the film’s strengths; the opening sequence, a flashback to when Baron von Hartog (Douglas Wilmer) faced off against the Karnstein vampires, is as creepy as it is impressive (the castle, as well as the adjoining cemetery, is the stuff of nightmares). In sharp contrast, while at the same time complimenting its gothic elements, is the film’s overt sexuality, with Pitt playing the most convincing lesbian vampire I’ve ever seen in a movie (there’s no shortage of nudity, and a scene in which Pitt and Smith wrestle topless on a bed is sensual and disturbing). 

 Hammer’s heyday may have been over by the time the '70s rolled around, but with The Vampire Lovers, Twins of Evil, Vampire Circus and Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter, the studio proved their magic was just as strong as ever. 

Rating: 9 out of 10

#2,490. Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter (1974) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Brian Clemens

Starring: Horst Janson, John Carson, Shane Briant




Tag line: "The Only Man Alive Feared by the Walking Dead!"

Trivia: Ingrid Pitt has said in interviews she refused the Wanda Ventham cameo role








Released by Hammer Studios in 1974, Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter stars Horst Jansen as the title character, a 19th century soldier who, with the help of his hunchbacked accomplice Professor Grost (John Cater), roams the English countryside destroying any vampire foolish enough to get in his way. 

Joined by a young woman named Carla (Caroline Munro), who they freed from the stocks (she was imprisoned for - of all things - dancing on a Sunday), Kronos and Grost travel to a small village, where, according to Kronos’s friend and former comrade Dr. Marcus (John Carson), a number of pretty young women have mysteriously died.

Based on the circumstances surrounding their deaths (each victim was bitten on the lips, and their corpses appeared to be much older than the girls actually were), Grost is convinced that a vampire is on the prowl, and he and Kronos set to work trying to track it down. But will they learn the true identity of this evil predator before it strikes again? 

And even if they do, will they know how to kill it? 

Having already released a string of successful vampire films (starting with Horror of Dracula in 1958), Hammer mixed things up a bit with Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter. As with the Dracula series, this 1974 movie features a handful of gothic set pieces, the most interesting being the ancestral home of the Durward clan, where the reclusive Paul Durward (Shane Briant) resides with his sister Sara (Lois Daine) and their sickly mother (Wanda Ventham). But unlike the studio’s previous entries, Captain Kronos was shot primarily in the great outdoors, in the picturesque Black Park area of Wexham, Buckinghamshire (which also stood in for Transylvania in some of Hammer’s earlier Dracula movies). 

Even more intriguing are the vampires themselves, which are far from traditional; unlike Christopher Lee’s Dracula, the vampiric foe in Captain Kronos attacks in broad daylight, and cannot be killed in the usual manner (as Grost tells Dr. Marcus at one point “There are as many species of vampire as there are beasts of prey. Their methods and their motive for attack can vary in a hundred different ways”). What’s more, the bloodsucker haunting this particular village isn’t a bloodsucker at all! Instead of plasma, this vampire drains the life force from its victims, which – according to Grost’s theory - it needs to maintain its own youthful appearance. 

In addition, Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter has its share of action scenes (there are a handful of well-choreographed swordfights) and boasts several strong performances, including Horst Janson as the enigmatic lead (we learn very little about Kronos’s background) and John Cater as the slightly deformed expert who advises Kronos every step of the way. 

The initial plan was for Hammer to turn Captain Kronos into a series. Unfortunately, it was the victim of bad timing; by the mid-‘70s, the studio’s gothic horror films had run their course, with each new release (this one included) taking in less and less at the Box Office. As a result, this was the only Captain Kronos ever produced, and that’s a damn shame. Equal parts exciting and intense, and with a truly unique approach to the vampire subgenre, Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter deserved better, and I find myself wishing the studio had greenlit the project 10 years earlier. 

Had they done so, it’s possible that Hammer’s horror output could have stretched well into the 1980s, with Captain Kronos leading the charge!

#2,094. The Mummy's Shroud (1967) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: John Gilling

Starring: André Morell, John Phillips, David Buck




Tag line: "Beware the beat of the cloth-wrapped feet!"

Trivia: This was the last Hammer production to be shot at Bray Studios








The Mummy’s Shroud was the third entry in Hammer’s Mummy series, behind 1959’s The Mummy and ‘64s The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, and by this point, the series had run out of steam.

Following a pre-title sequence set 2,000 years ago, in which we learn the history of the boy pharaoh Kah-To-Bey (Toolsie Persaud) and his faithful servant Prem (Dickie Owen), The Mummy’s Shroud transports us to 1920’s Egypt, where an expedition to find the burial chamber of Kah-To-Bey is currently underway. Led by the prestigious archaeologist Sir Basil Walden (Andre Morell), the expedition, which also includes Sir Basil’s assistants Paul (David Buck), Harry (Tim Barrett), and Claire de Sange (Maggie Kimberly), has been missing for a month, and wealthy aristocrat Stanley Preston (John Phillips), who financed the mission, has come to Egypt to help look for them.

But Sir Basil and his team aren’t lost; they’re simply closing in on their ultimate destination, and as luck would have it, Preston meets up with the group just as they find Kah-To-Bey’s final resting place. Despite the warnings of Hasmid (Roger Delgado), the tomb’s guardian, who tells them a curse awaits those who desecrate the boy Pharaoh’s body, the group transports Kah-To-Bey’s remains back to Cairo. But along with the fame that their discovery brings them, Preston, Sir Basil and the others find themselves being hunted by an ancient mummy (Eddie Powell), the protector of Kah-To-Bey, who will not rest until all of them are dead.

Like most Hammer films, The Mummy’s Shroud features some excellent music (the score, composed by Don Banks, is amazing) and top-notch performances. John Phillips is simultaneously slimy and arrogant as “money man” Stanley Preston, who tries to convince the world he himself was responsible for locating Kah-To-Bey’s tomb (Preston even arranges to have Sir Basil, who was suffering from a nasty snake bite, shipped off to an asylum to get him out of the way). Also quite good are Richard Warner as Inspector Barrani of the Egyptian police force (who is investigating the mysterious murders committed by the mummy); and the always-reliable Michael Ripper, who plays Longbarrow, Preston’s sheepish personal assistant. And while the pre-title sequence (where we’re whisked away to ancient Egypt) wouldn’t rank as one of Hammer’s best flashbacks, it was good enough to start the movie off on the right foot.

Unfortunately, The Mummy’s Shroud doesn’t have much else going for it. Missing are the impressive set pieces that graced most of Hammer’s earlier films (including the original Mummy), and the make-up effects on the mummy itself are especially weak (his face looks like its covered in Papier-mâché, and instead of being wrapped in bandages, this mummy wears what looks like tan pajamas). 

Worst of all, though, is the fact that the first half of The Mummy’s Shroud is dialogue-heavy, and moves along at a snail’s pace. Tings do liven up a bit in the second half, and the finale, complete with some impressive special effects, is pretty damn exciting. Alas, it’s too little too late (the creature itself doesn’t even appear until we’ve past the halfway point). Slow and plodding The Mummy’s Shroud ranks as one of the dullest Hammer films I’ve seen in a while.

#2,043. The Phantom of the Opera (1962) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Herbert Lom, Heather Sears, Edward de Souza



Tag line: "The most unusual tale of terror - and love - ever told!"

Trivia: Cary Grant was originally slated not for the role of the Phantom, as is commonly assumed, but for the romantic lead, eventually played by Edward de Souza






I’ve wanted to watch Hammer’s The Phantom of the Opera for a while now, in part to see how it compared to both the Lon Chaney Sr. 1925 film and Universal’s 1943 take on the classic story. But mostly, I was intrigued by the casting of Herbert Lom in the title role. As proficient in comedy (his Chief Inspector Dreyfus was always a highlight of the Pink Panther series) as he was in horror (Mark of the Devil, Jess Franco’s Count Dracula), Lom seemed the ideal choice to portray a complex character like the Phantom, and as expected, the actor did not let me down.

It's a December night in the year 1900, and the London Opera House has become the scene of a terrible tragedy: during the premiere performance of a new Opera by Lord Ambrose D’Arcy (Michael Gough), a backstage worker hangs himself. It's so traumatic, in fact, that the star of the show, Maria (Liane Aukin), immediately quits the production, forcing the theater to temporarily close. Some (including Maria) believe the notorious Phantom (Lom) is to blame, though very few have actually ever seen him. Phantom or not, the show must go on, and while holding tryouts, producer Harry Hunter (Edward de Souza) pays particular attention to the lovely Christine (Heather Sears), a novice with an incredible voice.

But someone else has also taken notice of Christine: the elusive Phantom! It's after her initial audition that Christine first hears from the Phantom, who promises to transform her into the finest singer in the world. Aided by his mute servant (played by Ian Wilson), the Phantom kidnaps Christine and drags her to his underground lair, where he has lived for years. In his effort to save Christine, Harry (who’d fallen in love with her) does a little research and discovers the Phantom’s true identity, but will this revelation help him rescue Christine, or is she destined to live out her days performing only for her captor?

Unlike 1925’s Phantom of the Opera, which concealed the Phantom’s physical deformities until late in the picture, this 1962 version shows its title character’s face before the opening credits. While not as impressive as Lon Chaney’s make-up, the look of the Phantom in this movie is still better, and more horrific than what’s found in the 1943 film. Yet as frightening as he appears, the Phantom is even more sinister when talking; we never see him the first time he addresses Christine, but what he’s saying is enough to send a shiver down your spine (“You will be the greatest star the opera has ever known”, he tells her, “Greater than the greatest! And when you sing, Christine, you will be singing only... for me”). Though at times quite fierce (especially while “training” Christine), the Phantom is also somewhat sympathetic, and Lom does a tremendous job bringing both his madness and his humanity to the surface. In the end, he’s not the most villainous character in Phantom of the Opera (that distinction belongs to Gambon’s Lord D’Arcy), but he’s definitely the most interesting.

When Lom is not on-screen, Hammer’s Phantom of the Opera suffers. The love story between Christine and Harry is effective (with both performers doing an adequate job), but the movie contains far too many musical sequences, which slow the pace to a crawl (the lone exception being the finale, where Christine stars in an opera on the life of Joan of Arc). Fortunately, Lom is around just long enough to take your mind off the movie’s issues, and in the end, I enjoyed Hammer’s Phantom of the Opera more than I did the 1943 version

#1,879. The Devil Rides Out (1968) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Nike Arrighi



Tag line: "The beauty of woman . . . the demon of darkness . . . the unholy union of 'The Devil's Bride'"

Trivia: Done at Christopher Lee's insistence that Hammer do a film based on a Wheatley fantasy novel








Along with Wes Craven, the horror genre lost another icon in 2015 when, on June 7th, the great Christopher Lee passed away at the ripe old age of 93. 

Though he appeared in well over 250 different film and television projects, Sir Christopher (in 2001, Queen Elizabeth II, in recognition of his contributions to drama, made Lee a Commander of the Order of the British Empire) will forever be remembered by horror fans as Dracula (Horror of Dracula), Frankenstein’s Monster (The Curse of Frankenstein), and The Mummy in a series of films produced by England's Hammer Studios. 

Yet, despite playing some of the genre’s most recognizable monsters, it’s Lee’s performance in 1968’s The Devil Rides Out that stands above the rest.

The Duc de Richleau (Lee) and his friend Rex van Ryan (Leon Greene) pay a visit to their estranged protégé Simon Aron (Patrick Mower), and, to their horror, discover that he has fallen in with a group of Satanists. In an effort to prevent him from surrendering his soul to its leader, Mocata (Charles Grey), Richleau and Rex kidnap Simon and lock him away. 

But Mocata’s hold over Simon is strong, and he eventually manages to lure the wayward young man back into the fold. Fortunately for our heroes, it’s not too late to save their friend; Simon and a pretty young woman named Tanith (Nike Arrighti) are about to be indoctrinated into Mocata's group, and will vow their allegiance to Satan at an upcoming Black Mass. 

With the help of his niece Marie Eaton (Sarah Lawson) and Marie’s husband Richard (Paul Eddington), Richleau makes one last ditch effort to rescue both Simon and Tanith. But will the all-powerful Mocata win out in the end?

The entire cast of The Devil Rides Out does a fine job, especially Charles Gray as Mocata, the evil high priest who will stop at nothing to ensure Simon and Tanith join his satanic coven. Yet it’s Christopher Lee who delivers the film's strongest performance, a remarkable feat when you consider it’s also one of the few Hammer movies in which the actor portrayed the heroic lead. In nearly every scene, Lee’s Richleau is the smartest man in the room, and whenever he’s not around, things don’t go well for the other characters (while Richleau is away doing research, Gray pays a visit to the Eaton’s house, where he gains control of Marie’s mind and discovers Tanith and Simon are hiding upstairs). Lee’s no-nonsense approach to the role, combined with his character’s diligence, makes the Duc de Richleau a force to be reckoned with throughout the film.

Its lead actor aside, The Devil Rides Out also features a solid story (the script, based on a book by Dennis Wheatley, was written by Richard Matheson) as well as some noteworthy scenes that are sure to get your pulse pounding, the most dramatic of which occurs towards the end of the film, when Richleau, Simon, and the Eatons face off against a variety of evil creatures conjured up by Mocata, including the Angel of Death.

Between the years 1957 and 1976, Hammer Studios turned out some exceptional horror movies, many of which co-starred Christopher Lee. But ask me what my five favorites are, and I guarantee The Devil Rides Out will be right at the top of that list!

#1,399. The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Oliver Reed, Clifford Evans, Yvonne Romain




Tag line: " EVEN THOSE WHO LOVED HIM WERE NOT SAFE!"

Trivia: This was the only werewolf movie Hammer ever produced







For the second day in a row, I’m sitting down with a Hammer horror film, only this time my choice of movie had more to do with its star than the studio that produced it.

Directed by Terence Fisher, 1961’s The Curse of the Werewolf is the story of Leon (played as an adult by Oliver Reed), a Spaniard whose mute mother (Yvonne Romain) died after giving birth to him on Christmas Day. He’s taken in by the kindly Don Alfredo Corledo (Clifford Evans) and his wife Teresa (Hira Talfrey), but as Leon grows, he displays an unusual thirst for animal’s blood, an urge that, thanks to the love and patience of his adopted parents, he eventually learns to control. Once he’s an adult, Leon sets out to find a job, and ends up working at a vineyard owned by Don Fernando Gomez (Ewen Solon). Over time, Leon falls in love with Don Gomez’s daughter, Cristina (Catherine Feller), who is already engaged. Yet as his feelings for Cristina grow, Leon slowly succumbs to his animalistic nature, and must face the unhappy truth that he is, and probably always has been, a werewolf.

Leon’s tragic tale is a fascinating one, but in reality, only a portion of the film is dedicated to his story. The entire first half of The Curse of the Werewolf takes us back in time to reveal its main character’s lineage: Leon's actual father, a beggar (Richard Wordsworth), was thrown in jail by a corrupt Marquis (Anthony Dawson), and, after many years behind bars, raped the jailer’s daughter (the mute girl who would become Leon’s mother). Performance-wise, these opening moments are strong: Wordsworth does a fine job as the naïve beggar, yet the strongest character early on is the villainous Marquis, a loathsome man who ridicules the Beggar, then, on a whim, tosses him in prison and forgets about him. Despite the fact it doesn’t feature a single werewolf, the opening of The Curse of the Werewolf does manage to flesh out Leon’s family history, revealing the unfortunate set of circumstances that contributed to his “condition”.

What drew me to The Curse of the Werewolf, though, was Oliver Reed, in what would prove to be his first starring role in a major film. Having impressed me with his performances in such movies as Oliver! and The Brood, I was anxious to see how he’d portray a werewolf, and I’m happy to report that I wasn’t disappointed; aside from the role’s physical demands (which the actor handles with ease), Reed successfully conveys the inner turmoil his character experiences after learning the truth about himself (the scenes immediately following his first adult “transformation”, during which he kills several people, are particularly grueling, with Leon, a normally docile man, forced to confront his violent nature). With its stunning period set pieces and overall dark tone, The Curse of the Werewolf is unmistakably a Hammer film, but in the end, it’s the lead actor who makes it unforgettable.

#1,398. The Brides of Dracula (1960) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Martita Hunt, Yvonne Monlaur



Tag line: "He Turned Innocent Beauty Into Unspeakable Horror"

Trivia: Christopher Lee was approached to reprise his role as Dracula for this film, but turned it down. As a result, the script had to be reshaped






Hammer’s follow-up to their 1958 hit Horror of Dracula, The Brides of Dracula introduces us to a completely different vampire: Baron Meinster (David Peel), a Transylvanian aristocrat who, at the start of the movie, is being held against his will, chained to the wall in a back room of his palace by his mother, the Baroness (Martita Hunt). Marianne (Yvonne Monlaur), a pretty French teacher who was invited by the Baroness to spend the night, takes pity on the Baron and helps him escape. Soon after, Marianne flees the castle and passes out in the surrounding woods, where she’s spotted by Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing). Having come to Transylvania at the request of the local priest (Fred Johnson), who has his suspicions about the Baron and Baroness, Van Helsing soon realizes he’s dealing with another undead monster. Still unaware that the Baron is a vampire, Marianne falls in love with the Baron, and eventually accepts his marriage proposal. Can Van Helsing defeat Baron Meinster in time, or will Marianne become another victim, forced to spend an eternity as one of the vampire’s brides?

While Christopher Lee, so effectively creepy as the title character in Horror of Dracula, is nowhere to be found, Hammer’s other stalwart, Peter Cushing, reprises the role of Van Helsing, giving The Brides of Dracula a link to the previous movie while turning in yet another of his many solid performances (he plays the character as if he were a 19th century super hero). The film’s later scenes, where Van Helsing faces off against the Baron, are easily the best, culminating in a showdown that features plenty of interesting twists. Fans of fast-paced horror will likely enjoy the second half of The Brides of Dracula, but odds are their attention will wander a few times during the film’s first half, which is long on dialogue and short on action. As for David Peel, he does a fine job as the sophisticated Baron, yet isn’t a very convincing vampire (Lee’s menacing stare in Horror of Dracula could send a shiver up your spine, whereas Peel is far too charming to give anyone the creeps).

Still, with its gothic atmosphere and impressive sets, coupled with Cushing’s performance, The Brides of Dracula proves to be a decent entry in Hammer’s Dracula series, and a good example of what put the studio on the map in the first place.

#1,342. Twins of Evil (1971) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: John Hough

Starring: Peter Cushing, Dennis Price, Mary Collinson




Tag line: "A new terror-filled X film"

Trivia: Mary Collinson and Madeleine Collinson were from Malta and still had thick Maltese accents. As they had done with other foreign actors, Hammer simply had their dialog replaced by British performers






The final entry in Hammer’s “Karnstein Trilogy” 1971’s Twins of Evil serves as a prequel of sorts to The Vampire Lovers (1970) and Lust for a Vampire (1971). More to the point, Twins of Evil tells a fascinating tale, while at the same time featuring some of the loveliest women ever to appear in a Hammer production.

Following the death of their parents, twin sisters Maria and Freida (Mary and Madeleine Collinson) are sent to live with their Aunt and Uncle, Gustav (Peter Cushing) and Katy Weil (Kathleen Byron). The leader of a fanatically religious brotherhood, Gustav spends his evenings tracking down witches and burning them at the stake. Anton (David Warbeck), a musician whose sister Ingrid (Isobel Black) runs the local schoolhouse, opposes Gustav, accusing him of executing innocent young women without so much as a trial. But Gustav’s most dangerous foe is Count Karnstein (Damien Thomas), a member of the aristocracy and an unapologetic Satan worshipper. After performing an ancient ritual, Count Karnstein is transformed into a vampire, and immediately sets his sights on Gustav’s niece, Freida, who, unlike Maria, is every bit as sinister as the Count himself.

Like The Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire, Twins of Evil is loosely based on Camilla, a 19th century vampire novel written by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. Yet, despite the fact it’s primarily a vampire tale, the opening scenes of Twins of Evil focus instead on Gustav Weil and his Brotherhood. As portrayed in these early sequences, Gustav is a monster, a zealot whose strict religious views have clouded his judgment. Oddly enough, when Count Karnstein, the story’s true villain, is first introduced, we actually side with him against Gustav, who had led the Brotherhood into the woods to burn Gerta (Luan Peters), the Count’s concubine and a suspected witch. Of course, once we get to know the Count, we realize he’s the personification of evil, a follower of Satan who tortures pretty young girls to satisfy his own perverse appetites. Soon after the Count joins the ranks of the vampiric undead (his transformation is one of the film’s best scenes), he convinces Freida to join him, and together, the two strike fear into the hearts of everyone in town. It’s at this point Twins of Evil does a complete 180, making Gustav and his Brotherhood the heroes, and putting us in the unusual position of rooting for a character we have come to detest. Damien Thomas is deliciously menacing as the Count, but it’s Cushing who delivers the movie’s most convincing performance, portraying a man who’s dedicated his life to fighting the Devil, only to discover a member of his own family is one of the Dark Prince’s most ardent disciples.

Yet as well-told as its story is, the most memorable aspect of Twins of Evil is its cast of beautiful women, beginning with the twins themselves. Mary and Madeleine Collinson (who, the year before, became the 1st set of identical twins to do a spread for Playboy magazine) play Maria and Freida, and are stunningly gorgeous, something they have in common with pretty much every young woman appearing in this film. Made at a time when Hammer was experimenting with more risqué material, Twins of Evil is an entertaining horror movie, but it’s also a very sexy one.

#1,129. The Woman in Black (2012) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: James Watkins

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Janet McTeer, Ciarán Hinds




Tag line: "What did they see?"

Trivia: The boy who plays Daniel Radcliffe's son is his real godson, a casting idea made by Radcliffe himself







I’ve never seen the 1989 made-for-TV version of Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black, which, from what I understand, is the definitive take on the story. But as it turns out, this most recent telling (co-produced by Hammer Studios) is a damn creepy ghost tale that, despite a few minor issues, is sure to give you nightmares.

The setting is England, in the early days of the 20th Century. For years, lawyer Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) has been mourning the death of his beloved wife (Sophie Stuckey), who died in childbirth while delivering their son, Joseph (Misha Handley). Hoping to get his career back on track, Arthur travels to the small village of Crythin Grifford, where he must arrange the sale of the Eel Marsh House, a decrepit mansion on the outskirts of town that’s been vacant ever since its owner passed away. Against the wishes of the local population, Arthur heads out to Eel Marsh House to review a mound of paperwork. But the appearance of a ghostly woman in black, which has been blamed for the sudden deaths of many children in town, transforms Arthur’s night of research into a terrifying encounter with the supernatural.

One of the first things I noticed while watching The Woman in Black was how far Daniel Radcliffe has come since his decade-long stint as boy-wizard Harry Potter. Perfectly convincing as a man in despair, Radcliffe shows some genuine range in the role, going from grieving widower to determined investigator without missing a beat. The mystery surrounding this small village is also quite intriguing, leaving us to wonder why so many of the town’s children have died violently [the movie opens with three young girls leaping to their deaths from an attic window]. And like the classic Hammer films of yesteryear, the period look and feel of The Woman in Black is exceptional. The house itself, a vine-covered mansion situated in the middle of nowhere, is eerie as hell, and the scenes in which Arthur is exploring it are incredibly tense.

One area where this recent The Woman in Black proved a disappointment was its over-reliance on jump scares, a few of which worked [as Arthur is touring the house, some of what he experiences is positively terrifying], while others fell short of the mark (a crow, letting out a loud “caw”, darts out of nowhere, not once, but twice). With its chilling tale of the supernatural, The Woman in Black didn’t even need these jump scares; simply put, the film was frightening enough without them!

#857. The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Francis Matthews, Eunice Gayson





Tag line: "New And Greatest Frankenstein Monsterpiece!!"

Trivia: This movie marked actor Michael Ripper's first appearance in a Hammer Horror film





Following the success of Hammer’s 1957 film, The Curse of Frankenstein, the studio would, over the course of the next 16 years, produce half a dozen sequels to the movie, the first of which was 1958’s The Revenge of Frankenstein. And though some of the subsequent pictures would fall short of the mark, The Revenge of Frankenstein is pretty darn entertaining.

Picking up where Curse left off, we join Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) on his way to the guillotine, ready to face the ultimate punishment for his crimes. But with the help of his deformed assistant, Karl (Oscar Quitak), the Baron manages to elude death and flee to the small town of Carlsbruck, where, living under the assumed name of “Dr. Stein”, he sets himself up as a first-class surgeon. After three years, Frankenstein has built quite a practice for himself, seeing to the needs of his upper-class clientele during the day while spending his nights tending to the poor and destitute, at a hospital he himself founded (which, as it turns out, is where he obtains the body parts required to continue his reanimation experiments). Assisted by an eager young doctor named Hans (Francis Matthews), Frankenstein also attempts to transplant Karl’s brain into a brand new “person” he’s created from scratch (Michael Gwynn). Unfortunately, the procedure doesn’t go according to plan, leaving Frankenstein to deal with yet another messy situation.

After delivering a stellar performance in The Curse of Frankenstein, Cushing once again shines in Revenge, only this time out we get to see two distinct sides of Baron Frankenstein’s complex personality. Having established himself in Carlsbruck, “Dr. Stein” proves an able physician who takes a keen interest in the well-being of his patients. He even uses the money he earns from his practice to set up a hospital for the needy and downtrodden. Of course, this facility is nothing more than a front, a place where he can harvest body parts for his research, sometimes going so far as to amputate a perfectly healthy limb just so he can use it for his newest “creation”.

In Curse, Baron Frankenstein came across as an arrogant genius whose sole purpose was to bring his ghastly experiment to life. Revenge allows us, albeit briefly, to see the Baron in a different light, namely a skilled doctor who has fallen, quite tragically, under the spell of his own ambitious goals.

#744. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1973) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Shane Briant, Madeline Smith





Tag line: "His brain came from a genius. His body came from a killer. His soul came from hell!"

Trivia: The role of Sarah was first offered to Caroline Munro

Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell was the final entry in Hammer’s Frankenstein series, which started way back in 1957 with The Curse of Frankenstein, and while I’ve been less than impressed with some of the studio’s later films (1973’s The Satanic Rites of Dracula was downright awful), I’m happy to report that Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell is a solid motion picture. 

We’re introduced once again to that renowned scientist, Baron Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing), who, for years, has been locked away in an asylum for the criminally insane (which is, ironically, the only place he can continue his ghastly experiments in peace). Still hoping to re-animate dead tissue, the Baron has just met the perfect assistant to aid him in his notorious research; Dr. Simon Helder (Shane Briant), himself an inmate, who was imprisoned for attempting to duplicate Frankenstein’s experiments. With Helder at his side, Frankenstein is hopeful that his latest ‘creation’, a Neanderthal-like creature (David Prowse, the man behind Darth Vader’s mask in Star Wars), will prove he’s not the lunatic everybody believes him to be. 

Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell offers an interesting answer to the age-old question of what happens when the inmates take over the asylum. Frankenstein has been given free reign of the entire sanitarium by its oft-nervous director (John Stratton), and in return, the good Baron helps out from time to time, serving as the facility’s resident physician. Of course, he has his reasons for doing so. While paying a visit to a patient known as the Professor (Charles Lloyd Pack), the Baron warns the man, a brilliant mathematician, to stop writing out math problems on the wall because doing so will only “tax” his brain. Now, why is Frankenstein so keen to protect his highly advanced brain? Why, indeed! 

But what I really liked about Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell was the introduction of Dr. Simon Helder as Frankenstein’s assistant, a man who shares his interest in reanimation and has the will and determination to see the project through to the end. As played by Briant, Dr. Helder is no mindless Igor; he’s a scientist with great intelligence and skill. In the opening scene, the soft-spoken Helder takes delivery of a corpse that’s just been stolen from its grave, only to be apprehended shortly after removing the dead man’s eye (going so far as to chastise the constable, played by Norman Mitchell, for dropping a jar of eyeballs, thus ruining some perfectly good specimens). Watching Frankenstein and Helder play off one another, each equal in their desire to create life, was a nice addition to the Frankenstein story, taking it in a fresh and exciting direction.

#565. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Hazel Court, Robert Urquhart




Tag line: "Not recommended for people of nervous disposition"

Trivia:  For many years this held the distinction of being the most profitable film to be produced in England by a British studio

This is the movie that started it all. The first in Hammer's long line of horror films, The Curse of Frankenstein kicked off a cinematic love affair between studio and genre that would last the better part of two decades. 

While in a prison cell awaiting execution, a frantic Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) tells a priest (Alex Gallier) what it was that brought him to this lowly state, how he ignored the warnings of his good friend and teacher Paul Krempe (Robert Urquhart) and assembled a man from body parts he had harvested from the dead. Victor even somehow managed to bring this new “man” of his (played  by Christopher Lee) to life! 

Frankenstein's ultimate objective was to construct the perfect human being, possessing both physical strength and a genius's intellect. He resorted to drastic measures to see this dream become a reality, at one point even murdering the aging Professor Bernstein (Paul Hardtmuth) to gain access to his superior brain. 

When Frankenstein's behavior became erratic, Paul tried to convince Elizabeth (Hazel Court), Victor's fiance, to flee the castle for her own safety. But the moment Victor's “creation” sprung to life, it was too late to save any of them from the horror the good doctor had unleashed on the world. 

Though not as iconic as the monster played by Boris Karloff in the 1931 classic, Christopher Lee's creature in The Curse of Frankenstein was more faithful to what Mary Shelley, the author of the original novel, had in mind. In her book, she described the monster as having “yellow skin” and hair that was “black and flowing”, which matches Lee's look in this film. But unlike its Universal counterpart, The Curse of Frankenstein isn't so much about the creation as it is the creator. 

Cushing shines as Victor Frankenstein, a man whose desire to create life has become an obsession. He argues with Paul over the moral dilemma of harvesting body parts from the dead, which Victor feels is perfectly acceptable, considering the scientific advances his “experiments” will bring about. In one scene, after the two have stolen the body of a freshly-hanged criminal, Paul points out that birds have already eaten away the man's face and eyes. Casually, Victor grabs a knife, and when a shocked Paul asks what he's doing, he replies he is going to cut the cadaver's head off. “ It’s no use to me anyway”, Victor says, removing the head and dropping it into a vat of acid. Victor’s unwavering dedication to the task at hand is apparent, and he won't allow anything - not decency or even the law - to distract him from his work. 

Boris Karloff's performance, coupled with Jack Pierce's makeup, made Universal's Frankenstein a movie that will forever be linked to its monster. In Hammer's The Curse of Frankenstein, it's the scientist who takes center stage. Lee, Urquhart, Court, and director Terence Fisher were all in top form, but The Curse of Frankenstein was - and is - the Peter Cushing show, and the great actor was more than up to the task.

#542. The Mummy (1959) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Yvonne Furneaux



Tag line: "Torn from the tomb to terrify the world!"

Trivia:  A door that Christopher Lee must crash through was accidentally bolted by a grip before the scene is shot. Lee's shoulder was dislocated when he broke down the door, but the shot remains in the movie

Having already tackled both Frankenstein (1957's The Curse of Frankenstein) and Dracula (Horror of Dracula in 1958), Hammer Studios took the next logical step by updating the 1932 Universal classic, The Mummy, and who better than their two most proficient actors, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, to take the helm, with Lee once again hidden behind layers of make-up, and Cushing doing whatever it takes to destroy him.

During an expedition to Egypt, archeologist John Banning (Cushing) inadvertently desecrates the tomb of an ancient Egyptian Princess named Ananka, an act that brings her mummified lover, Kharis (Lee), back to life, looking for revenge. To this end, Kharis follows Banning to England, but the appearance of Banning’s young wife, Isobel (Yvonne Furneaux), ignites the creature's passion, reminding him of a love he lost long ago. 

As you might expect (especially since it's a Hammer production), The Mummy looks great. What's more, director Terence Fisher also relies on a little creative lighting to enhance key moments in the film. When Banning’s father (Felix Aylmer) and uncle (Raymond Huntley) first enter the newly discovered burial chamber of Princess Ananka, the area is adorned with many of the usual Egyptian props, like a statue of the God Anubis, and hieroglyphics filling just about every inch of wall. Yet despite the ornate decoration, it all feels a bit sparse (especially when you consider it's supposed to be the final resting place of a Princess). So, to distract from the empty spaces, Fisher cast a green light over the sarcophagus, bright enough to draw our attention directly to it.

But the film's most striking scene is undoubtedly the flashback sequence, set thousands of years in the past, which reveals exactly how the mummy came to be. Once a High Priest, Kharis had fallen in love with the Princess, a love so strong that he broke sacred law by attempting to resurrect her from the dead. Aside from the sequence's impressive set pieces, Fisher also fills us in on a little history, giving the audience an insider’s view of the mummification process. The design team did a magnificent job making this scene, and others, look spectacular. Rarely do these individuals receive the recognition they deserve, so let me correct that now by mentioning Bernard Robinson, who handled the Production Design on The Mummy, and Don Mingaye, the Assistant Art Director. Charles Davis was the Master Carpenter, Molly Arbuthnot the Wardrobe Supervisor, and Andrew Low the resident Egyptologist. 

The combined talents of Cushing, Lee and Fisher may have made The Mummy an interesting film, but they didn't do it all by themselves.

#138. Vampire Circus (1972) - Hammer Horror Movies

DVD Synopsis: A little girl is brutally slain by a vampire in a tiny 19th century Austrian village. Seeking revenge, the townspeople invade the foreboding castle of Count Mitterhaus and kill him for the crime. As the Count dies, he curses the villagers and vows that their children will all die so that he may someday return to life. Fifteen years later, as the village is ravaged by the plague, a traveling circus comes to town and distracts the villagers from their current hardships.

Vampire Circus is yet another movie that caught me by surprise, a film I knew next to nothing about prior to watching it, but which was so well-made that I found myself completely drawn in. But then, I really shouldn't have been that surprised by Vampire Circus; it is, after all, a Hammer Film. 

It's the 19th century, and The citizens of a small Austrian town have had enough of their local vampire (Robert Tayman). So, they rise against him and finish him off with a well-placed stake to the heart. But before dying, the vampire puts a curse on the town, and vows that the blood of their children will one day be spilled so that he might live again. Fifteen years pass, and the town (which has never been the same since that fateful day) finds itself in the midst of dealing with a deadly plague. Cut off from the surrounding villages as a result of the disease, the townsfolk are pleasantly surprised when a traveling circus comes rolling in one day, offering a much-needed diversion from their daily misery. But these particular circus performers are interested in more than the town's money, and it isn't long before the residents learn the truth about their new "visitors". 

One of the things I've always admired about Hammer's horror films is the way they look, the perfectly realized set pieces and authentic costumes that really bring their worlds to life. With Vampire Circus, the designers took full advantage of the film's 19th century setting to produce an absolute masterpiece of set design, but like most good Hammer films, the beautiful world created for Vampire Circus is a sharp contrast to the bloody mayhem that occurs within it. The film's opening scenes take place in the vampire's exquisitely decorated castle, yet what transpires here is far from elegant; a young girl is lured in and murdered by the vampire, an action that leads to the initial bloody confrontation with the townsfolk. In the best Hammer films, such conflicting juxtapositions (unspeakable savagery played out against refined backdrops) are commonplace. 

And make no mistake, Vampire Circus is one of the studio's best.

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#81. Horror of Dracula (1958) - Hammer Horror Movies

Directed By: Terence Fisher

Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough




Tag line: "Who Will Be His Bride Tonight?"

Trivia:  Christopher Lee has only thirteen lines in this film

Horror of Dracula was Hammer Studio’s take on the world’s most famous creature of the night, Count Dracula. The title of this film was changed in the United States (in its native England, it was simply Dracula) to avoid confusion with Universal's classic 1931 Bela Lugosi film, which was still playing theatrically in select areas across the country. 

But after watching Hammer's take on the story, I admit that I don't quite get it. I mean, I understand Universal's trademark concerns, but the fact remains that any confusion between the two movies would have been unlikely. The regulations governing film production at the time prevented 1931’s Dracula from spilling a single drop of blood on-screen. In Horror of Dracula, the red stuff spatters all over the place in the opening credits!

Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen) travels to a remote region of Eastern Europe to do battle with the evil Count Dracula (Christopher Lee). But he never returns. 

Back in London, Harker’s good friend Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) informs Arthur Holmwood (Michael Gough), the brother of Harker’s fiancé Lucy (Carol Marsh), that Harker has died abroad, and will not be returning to marry his sister. 

Yet the story doesn't end there. When Lucy falls seriously ill, suffering from a strange case of anemia, all signs point to the fact that Count Dracula has made his way to London. Will the Count continue to build his army of the undead in England, or can Van Helsing end Dracula’s reign of terror once and for all?

Lee, like Lugosi before him, was born to play the infamous Count, successfully conveying Dracula’s sophistication as well as his savagery. We see both in the film's opening sequence, when Harker arrives at Dracula’s castle. During this initial meeting, the Count is ever so polite, and acts more like a butler than the Lord of the Undead. He even carries Harker’s luggage to his room. 

The next time we see Dracula, however, will be under more intense circumstances. That first night, after being lured out of his room by one of the Count’s wives (Valerie Gaunt), Harker finds himself cornered, and seconds away from receiving a bite on the neck. Suddenly, Dracula bursts into the room. With blood dripping from his teeth and wild, bloodshot eyes, The Count battles his deranged wife, quickly subduing her and carrying her off to another part of the castle.

Only two scenes in, and Horror of Dracula has set everything in motion, including Christopher Lee's performance - one for the ages - as Count Dracula.

#72. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) - Hammer Horror Movies

DVD Synopsis: A fiendish evil lurks beneath the mist-shrouded cliffs of England's fabled moors. In the form of a hellish hound, it feeds upon the trembling flesh of the heirs of Baskerville Hall. But before this savage beast can sink its teeth into the newest lord of the manor, it must pit its vicious fangs against the searing intellect of the most powerful foe it has ever encountered - the incomparable Sherlock Holmes.

In an effort to bring the appropriate atmosphere to Hammer Studio’s production of the classic Sherlock Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles, the film’s central location, Baskerville Hall, was surrounded on all sides by the most sinister-looking moors I’ve ever seen. In fact, they’re so creepy that they even managed to give Holmes himself the willies (while standing in the middle of them he confessed to Watson, “There is more evil around us here than I have ever encountered before”). Production Designer Bernard Robinson did a wonderful job laying out this spine-chilling locale, complete with fog, mist, and a hell of a lot of atmosphere. Each new scene set in these moors proves more disturbing than the last, culminating in a finale that’ll have your nerves hanging by a thread.