Hurray for Hammer Films

[lucretius1957]

I was lucky enough to see some of the 60s hammer films when they were in theaters, and caught others on tv, still others on video.

Horror of Dracula (1958) is a vampire movie so good it makes later movies of the same subject look sick. Compare its economy of plotting and effects with a baroque overstuffed film like Coppola's Dracula.

I am currently working on a critique of the deservedly lesser-known Hammer film ---- for a vampire. When it's finished, I'll figure out what to do with it.

Favorites: Old Universal horror films
Directors Paul Naschy, Jess Franco, Joseph Larraz, Jean Rollin, Michele Soavi.

Campy sixties crud like "The Corpse Grinders."

That's enough for a start.

[fringey]

lucretius1957 wrote: I was lucky enough to see some of the 60s hammer films when they were in theaters, and caught others on tv, still others on video.

Horror of Dracula (1958) is a vampire movie so good it makes later movies of the same subject look sick. Compare its economy of plotting and effects with a baroque overstuffed film like Coppola's Dracula.

I am currently working on a critique of the deservedly lesser-known Hammer film ---- for a vampire. When it's finished, I'll figure out what to do with it.

Favorites: Old Universal horror films
Directors Paul Naschy, Jess Franco, Joseph Larraz, Jean Rollin, Michele Soavi.

Campy sixties crud like "The Corpse Grinders."

That's enough for a start.



I, too, love Hammer films. The great news recently that Hammer is once again coming to life will be great, if it holds true. Hammer fans have heard it all before, and been disappointed.

Horror of Dracula (or just "DRacula" in the original U.K. title) is one of the best vampire movies ever, with no question. The fact is has been recently completely restored,a nd airing at Cannes, is very welcome news. Now maybe we can get a fantastic DVD out of it!

Patrick
a.k.a Fringey, The Fringe Element
"A life lived without passion is a life not lived."

[lucretius1957]

It's great to hear that Horror of Dracula is being restored. My old videotape of it is not that great in picture quality.

The critique I am working on is of ---- for a Vampire. it is precisely that it is one of Hammer's lesser efforts that gives me something to say about it.

I used to use my tape of it as video wallpaper. I would turn the sound down low, and I would know that whenever I glanced up from my book, I would see either pretty green scenery, or (that well known Hammer specialty) a girl in a low cut dress.

I recently saw Vampire Circus again. That movie is good but it's very violent. Also, it was made at a time when pre-credit sequences were getting ridiculously long.

I recently read Richard Dawkins new book and when he casually referrr3ed to his wife Lalla Ward I thought "Lalla Ward? If I weren't already an atheist I would sign up!"

[timidsoul]

`Hey, Fringey & lucretius1957! I, too, appreciate much of the early- wave Hammer (color or b/w). That, in addition to Universal, RKO, and the "poverty row" companies such as Monogram, PRC, Majestic, and later outfits such as Allied Artists ( some of Steve McQueen's earlier films were released by this company, which was later bought around 1978 by Lorimar Pictures, who gave us "S.O.B" and prime-time tv like "Dallas" & "Knot's Landing".)

Right now, I have a "jones" for late 50s- mid 70s offerings from Nikkatsu or Toei ( a good number of Quentin Tarantino's films refer to these, particularly Seijun Suzuki or Kenji ---usaku's works from that era.)

Since one of you mentioned Jess Franco, I liked his adaptation of "Dracula" even more than Coppola's, and the only other film I appreciated in which Christopher Lee portrayed The Count ("Horror of Dracula" being the first.)

Lalla Ward, eh? The first actress to play Romana during the Tom Baker era DOCTOR WHO. Oddly enough, Baker & Ward were briefly married sometime during his tenure as The Doctor.

Good Day to both of you gents!