Topic: Horror.......Hammer Horror

[metaldams]

I thought the plot of Scars was pretty by-the-numbers (young people lured to Dracula's castle; terror ensues) but it still had a lot going for it.  Like you say, Lee was actually central to the story as opposed to being an afterthought.  It was a lot more graphic than the previous entries, which gave it a different kind of edge.  And Patrick Troughton's Clove character was great - a grubby little sado-masochist with a romantic streak.  Always wondered if he was supposed to be the same Clove from Prince of Darkness.  He really hit the skids if that's the case.

Maybe it was the by-the-numbers aspect I found so refreshing.  It was played pretty stratight.  I was entertained by the previous two, but more in a camp manner.  Almost every performance in DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE was over the top, especially the Priest who Dracula had under his command.  TASTE THE BLOOD......I think the scene I posted explains everything that is both right and wrong with that film.

Bottom line is I'm always entertained.  I've yet to find a "boring" Dracula Hammer, but SCARS was a bit more serious than I was expecting.

[Curly4444]

Maybe it was the by-the-numbers aspect I found so refreshing.  It was played pretty stratight.  I was entertained by the previous two, but more in a camp manner.  Almost every performance in DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE was over the top, especially the Priest who Dracula had under his command.  TASTE THE BLOOD......I think the scene I posted explains everything that is both right and wrong with that film.

Bottom line is I'm always entertained.  I've yet to find a "boring" Dracula Hammer, but SCARS was a bit more serious than I was expecting.

Where did you watch all these Hammer films from? Did you buy em? I guess ill have to get netflix again to see some of these. 

[metaldams]

Where did you watch all these Hammer films from? Did you buy em? I guess ill have to get netflix again to see some of these. 

I have them on DVD.  There are tons of Hammer films available.

[Curly4444]

I have them on DVD.  There are tons of Hammer films available.

After buying all the looney tunes golden collection, im broke.  Does a major studio make them, or are they el chepo sets?

[metaldams]

After buying all the looney tunes golden collection, im broke.  Does a major studio make them, or are they el chepo sets?

PLENTY of major studios sell them.  Hammer Studios was genius in that they were able to get just about every major studio to distribute their films back in the day.  The problem is in the DVD/Blu-Ray age, that means several different companies now own the rights to the films, so the distribution is real scattered.

The best place to start is the 6 DVD Warners set.  It's got the main 3 monster movies which started the cycle plus three more, one being FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, what I consider to be the best Hammer.

http://www.amazon.com/Classics-Collection-Frankenstein-Dracula-Destroyed/dp/B0001FVEAY/ref=sr_1_7?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1282762849&sr=1-7

Next would be the 8 film Universal set.

http://www.amazon.com/Werewolf-Paranoiac-Nightmare-Creatures-Frankenstein/dp/B0009X770O/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1282762849&sr=1-1

After that, you're on your own, but there are plenty of DVD's scattered out there.

[Curly4444]

PLENTY of major studios sell them.  Hammer Studios was genius in that they were able to get just about every major studio to distribute their films back in the day.  The problem is in the DVD/Blu-Ray age, that means several different companies now own the rights to the films, so the distribution is real scattered.

The best place to start is the 6 DVD Warners set.  It's got the main 3 monster movies which started the cycle plus three more, one being FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, what I consider to be the best Hammer.

http://www.amazon.com/Classics-Collection-Frankenstein-Dracula-Destroyed/dp/B0001FVEAY/ref=sr_1_7?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1282762849&sr=1-7

Next would be the 8 film Universal set.

http://www.amazon.com/Werewolf-Paranoiac-Nightmare-Creatures-Frankenstein/dp/B0009X770O/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1282762849&sr=1-1



After that, you're on your own, but there are plenty of DVD's scattered out there.

Well, its good to see them available form Warner & Universal and not some studio you never heard of. The first one looks the coolest, but $60? Thats a little steep. Amazon does have sales, so ill think ill wait.

[metaldams]

Well, its good to see them available form Warner & Universal and not some studio you never heard of. The first one looks the coolest, but $60? Thats a little steep. Amazon does have sales, so ill think ill wait.

Well, you can get four Hammer Dracula's for a tad cheaper.  Too bad this disc wasn't out when I was buying these sets!

http://www.amazon.com/Draculas-Favorites-Horror-Dracula-D/dp/B000U1ZV7G/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1282763725&sr=1-1

[BeAStooge]

The best place to start is the 6 DVD Warners set.  It's got the main 3 monster movies which started the cycle plus three more, one being FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, what I consider to be the best Hammer.

http://www.amazon.com/Classics-Collection-Frankenstein-Dracula-Destroyed/dp/B0001FVEAY/ref=sr_1_7?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1282762849&sr=1-7

September 7, four of those titles are repackaged from Warner as TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Hammer Horror...

HORROR OF DRACULA (1958)
DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE (1969)
THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957)
FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED (1970)

The "TCM Greatest" discs are Warner's bargain line of rereleases; general retail distribution, but primarily pushed thru discount mega-retailers like WalMart and Target. Priced at $28; Amazon carries them at $25 or less; Target carries most of them at $18.

Note - The "TCM Greatest" sets are 2-discs / double-sided.  To date, they've included the same bonus contents as the original release DVDs.

[Dunrobin]

Well, I don't even know what Anne Rice's rules are!  I at least know who she is, though.

Frankly, I'm a 31 year heterosexual male who likes old horror movies.  I'm not in the demographic of people who would like TWILIGHT or other similar type shows, but to each their own.

I've been following this discussion in my email today, and then I just saw this when I checked my news feeds.  How appropriate!   

[metaldams]

I've been following this discussion in my email today, and then I just saw this when I checked my news feeds.  How appropriate!   

"I'm a 31 year old heterosexual male who likes old horror movies."

I wonder what that would attract on a dating site?   

[Curly4444]

"I'm a 31 year old heterosexual male who likes old horror movies."

I wonder what that would attract on a dating site?   

Something like this:




Or this:

"¡Ay Carumba! "

[metaldams]

Rob: Now I finally get the joke!  At work, the picture you downloaded didn't show up.  That IS pretty funny.

[metaldams]

I swear to you all I'll try to make this conversation intelligent again, but in the meantime, let's get crazy so I can show you this girl who I think would respond to my above desrcription.

[Curly4444]

Man, and they say eating fast food will make you fat. 

[xraffle]

You guys are a riot!! 


 I think you're right. I just love everything vampire. Or maybe i watch it because Kirsten Stewards in it. 

Yeah, I don't get it. Why do us guys get stereotyped for watching a movie that girls like? I mean, there are hot girls are in it! Why can't I watch a movie like "Bring It On" so I can look at hot cheerleaders? Not that I watch that movie. No, really. I don't! Please believe me! 

[Seamus]

You guys are being too pessimistic.

"I'm a 31 year old heterosexual male who likes old horror movies."

"Oh hell yeah!  Tell me about the ironic examination of Victorian moral virtues in Taste the Blood of Dracula again baby...and say it slooooow....oh yeah...."

[metaldams]

You guys are being too pessimistic.


"Oh hell yeah!  Tell me about the ironic examination of Victorian moral virtues in Taste the Blood of Dracula again baby...and say it slooooow....oh yeah...."

That'll work.

[metaldams]

OK, while on the topic of girls and being in a Hammer thread, how 'bout best looking Hammer girls.  There were tons of them, but my picks:



Veronica Carlson



Hazel Court (R.I.P.)

...and the most famous



Raquel Welch

[Curly4444]

Yeah, I don't get it. Why do us guys get stereotyped for watching a movie that girls like? I mean, there are hot girls are in it! Why can't I watch a movie like "Bring It On" so I can look at hot cheerleaders? Not that I watch that movie. No, really. I don't! Please believe me! 

Ive seen Bring it on, can't remember what its really about. I was just watching Kirsten Dunst.  Whoo Whoo whoo....

[Bud_Jamison]

Some relics from deep storage...



[attachment deleted by admin]

[Curly4444]

Some relics from deep storage...

Wow, didnt even know they made action figures for those movies. Are they worth anything?


Check this out:

http://www.characters.com/Hammer-Horror-Count-Dracula-p/539249.htm

[Curly4444]

TMC is showing some hammer films tonight.

[Dog Hambone]

I don't see it mentioned, but TCM is showing movies from Hammer Films every Friday evening in October. On the 1st, they showed a series of Dracula movies. On the 8th, they started off with "Plague of the Zombies", following it with "The Devil's Bride" (Robert Osborne even mentioned a bit of trivia in his introduction, in that it was one of the very few, if not the only, times Christopher Lee played a good guy). I think they have a series of "Mummy" movies coming up on the 15th.

I've been enjoying the H E double hockey sticks out of this Hammer mini-festival! 

[Seamus]

I've been recording some of those TCM offerings to watch when I get time.  Quite a few I haven't seen (Plague of the Zombies, The Gorgon, etc).  I did watch Brides of Dracula when it aired a couple weeks ago.  It was maybe the third time I've seen it, and I can't deny it any longer - it might be the best of Hammer's Dracula movies, despite the fact that Dracula is completely absent.  The atmosphere is perfect, it looks beautiful, and there are so many great scenes - the Baroness's transformation at the hands of her son, the graveyard "birthing," Cushing's self-purification after being bitten, the clever way Van Helsing dispatches Meinster in the climax.  And Cushing is killing it in this one.  Watching him throw himself around the way he does in Brides is just great cinema.

[metaldams]

I've been recording some of those TCM offerings to watch when I get time.  Quite a few I haven't seen (Plague of the Zombies, The Gorgon, etc).  I did watch Brides of Dracula when it aired a couple weeks ago.  It was maybe the third time I've seen it, and I can't deny it any longer - it might be the best of Hammer's Dracula movies, despite the fact that Dracula is completely absent.  The atmosphere is perfect, it looks beautiful, and there are so many great scenes - the Baroness's transformation at the hands of her son, the graveyard "birthing," Cushing's self-purification after being bitten, the clever way Van Helsing dispatches Meinster in the climax.  And Cushing is killing it in this one.  Watching him throw himself around the way he does in Brides is just great cinema.

My problem with BRIDES OF DRACULA is that outisde of Peter Cushing, I find very few of the performances convincing, which is a shame, because like you mentioned, it does have a great atmosphere and some excellent scenes.