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Hammer Horror

random73random73 Posts: 2,318
edited August 2012 in Off Topic - The Everything Else Room
Okay, seriously. I just watched Horror of Dracula (1958) Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee for the first time ever and there are so many bits from my favorite movies lifted whole cloth from that movie I can't stand it. Evil Ed's cross shaped burn from Fright Night almost perfectly matches Lucy's. The scene at The Slaughtered Lamb (where's the lamb, David?) from American Werewolf in London is eerily similar to a pub scene in Horror of Dracula. Even the closing shot of Ming's ring at the end of Flash Gordon comes straight from this movie. Why did nobody tell me what I was missing!?
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    dubbat138dubbat138 Posts: 3,200
    I have seen all of the major Hammer Horror films,and really besides Curse of the Werewolf and don't like them. Curse has the late Oliver Reed in it and he is great. But the Hammer films have had a huge influence on lots of writers and directors. That is one reason you see scenes from them turning up in modern horror films.
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    CalibanCaliban Posts: 1,358
    The TimeVault podcast looks at Hammer horror films as well as classic Doctor Who.

    On my own podcast project British Invaders we have just reviewed the Hammer House of Horror TV show from the early 1980s.
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    random73random73 Posts: 2,318
    The TimeVault podcast looks at Hammer horror films as well as classic Doctor Who.

    On my own podcast project British Invaders we have just reviewed the Hammer House of Horror TV show from the early 1980s.

    Yeah, I know! I just listened to that episode last week and that is why Hammer was in my mind. (good job by the way!)

    I have really enjoyed the modern Hammer releases: The Resident (you will never look at Jeffery Dean Morgan the same) and Wake Wood. And of course was familiar with Hammer anecdotally. I had even recorded copies of several old Hammer films to watch but never actually got around to doing it until last night.
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    CalibanCaliban Posts: 1,358
    @random73 thanks for listening. Glad you are enjoying the podcast
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    SolitaireRoseSolitaireRose Posts: 1,445
    I grew up on the Hammer Horror movies...they were all over TV in the 70's, and when I think of vampires, I think Hammer. I just wish that the rights were all with one or two companies so that we could get some decent DVD sets, rather than having to chase them down from different companies.

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    random73random73 Posts: 2,318
    When I was a kid I had a book on movie monsters and I loved the Universal Pictures monsters but the Hammer versions actually frightened me as a child so I seriously steered clear if them because I was intemidated.
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    random73random73 Posts: 2,318
    Today I plan on watching Bride of Dracula (1960).

    Oh! And another cool thing. My girlfriend, who typically only tolerates my...eccentricities, stayed up and a) watched and b) liked the whole movie. She said it kept her interest. Color me stunned!
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    John_SteedJohn_Steed Posts: 2,087
    I grew up with Hammer movies - German and Swiss TV showed them constantly (guess they bought them very cheap). I love me some Hammer.

    And I will check out those podcasts asap.
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    EarthGBillyEarthGBilly Posts: 362
    Ah, the late 70's/early 80's - Saturday Afternoon Chiller Theater. Every Saturday afternoon, as a young lad, my father and I would sit and watch, and the Hammer films were heavy in the rotation.

    Christopher Lee will always be my Dracula. I own most of those Dracula films on DVD.

    I recently bought the Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee statues that were released because of my love of those films and memories of Saturday afternoons with my father.
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    chriswchrisw Posts: 792
    I love the Hammer Horror films. For me, they're right up there with the classic Universal ones, but the color and effects make them a little more accessible for modern audiences. They were rerun endlessly on local stations when I was a kid, so I grew up with them.

    Last year, TCM ran a month long marathon of Hammer films for Halloween, and they often show them throughout the year. I believe Netflix has a number of them available to stream, or at least they did a few months ago.

    If you get a chance to check out some of the obscure ones, do so. The Gorgon, The Reptile, Plague of the Zombies, The Devil's Bride... those are a few of the lesser known films that turn up on TCM from time to time, and they're all worth checking out.
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    random73random73 Posts: 2,318
    Watched the Brides of Dracula (1960)last night. Not as good as Horror of Dracula but still entertaining. What I love about these movies I that they are far enough removed from the modern film cliches that I'm used to and since I skipped this entire realm of horror as a kid I genuinely am able to watch these with NO IDEA what is going to happen next. That is just a blast man! There were a couple of "holy shit, I didn't see that coming!" moments. It is really great getting to enjoy something for the very first time.
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