Hammer Horror to Rise Again?
John Drake
On assignmentPosts: 2,564MI6 Agent
The Guardian is reporting that Hammer is going back into film production. Now I've been hearing stories like this for about 15 years, so until they actually put a project together, cast it and start filming, I'm going to take this with a pinch of salt.
http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2077294,00.html
Unholy lusts, depraved, thrilling passions and unspeakable acts of violence and terror - all in glorious, gothic Technicolor. When the legendary Hammer House of Horror group set out to scare the wits out of people in the 50s, 60s and 70s, it did it in style, leaving one British censor musing: "The curse of this thing is the Technicolor blood: why need vampires be messier eaters than anyone else?"
For three decades, Hammer Film Productions has lain dormant, with fans having to rely on special late night showings at cinemas or the occasional reissue of one of the more popular classics from its prodigious 295-item back catalogue on DVD.
But now the brand that defined the great British film alongside Ealing comedies and James Bond is back in business and plans to make more movies to terrify a new generation of fans.
Responsible for the classic horror series of Dracula, Frankenstein and Quatermass, alongside such gems as Blood from the Mummy's Tomb and the Sweet Scent of Death, the company will repackage some of these old favourites but also plans new productions, inspired by such modern horror movies as the just released 28 Weeks Later.
It is part of the renaissance of British movies that has also seen the revival of the Ealing Studio, which is currently making a new St Trinian's comedy, with Colin Firth and Rupert Everett.
Simon Oakes, chairman and CEO of Hammer Film Productions, said: "For most people, the Hammer group is held in great affection, like Disney. It is steeped in the history of the horror genre and reflects its literature and films. We don't plan to go down the 'gorenography' route of slasher films. What was really important was to get an acquisition together which would get Hammer back in production. We appreciate its legacy and we will be looking at the back catalogue to see what we can reimagine, but we also want to make new films - to redevelop its DNA for the 21st century."
Mr Oakes, formerly of the international cable operator Liberty Global Inc, has brought on board two of the founders of Los Angeles-based Spitfire Pictures, Guy East and Nigel Sinclair, as non-executive directors. Their long list of credits ranges through Sliding Doors, The Quiet American, Iris, and No Direction Home: Bob Dylan. Current projects include the biopic Keith Moon, starring Mike Myers as the Who's drummer.
But Mr Oakes is at pains to stress that the Hammer brand will not lose its British identity. "Being a British company, it's incredibly important to have a good relationship with Hollywood. Successful companies like Working Title have strong distribution links in Hollywood. Spitfire is an LA-based company, but the two UK principals are British. The sensibility of Spitfire is international as well as American, and if I feel that if the things they come up with fit into the Hammer DNA, then we will make it together."
Mr Oakes said he had been looking to break into the horror market for years. He has entered into a "first look" deal with Spitfire which ensures that it comes back with ideas and new writing but that he can simultaneously look elsewhere for ideas. "We want to go out and develop screenplays and find writers too. It is important that it's a British brand, but the most successful British brands are those that travel beyond the shores of Britain."
The resurgence of Hammer comes after it was acquired yesterday for an undisclosed sum by a European consortium headed by Dutch-based Cyrte Investments BV, the investment vehicle of Big Brother creator John de Mol.
Hammer Film Productions was founded in 1949 by William Hinds, a one-time comedian, whose stage name was Will Hammer. The films were initially distributed as Exclusive productions. By the late 50s, the company had hit upon a combination of lavish sets and psychological dramas which provided the Hammer horror ethos.
Between 1953 and 1983, the company was responsible for more than 250 film and television productions. Among them were the movies for which the company is best-known, including The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, To the Devil a Daughter, Curse of the Mummy's Tomb and The Devil Rides Out.
These and others established the careers of a number of stars, notably Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.
Despite their popularity, however, the movies were not universally acclaimed.
Audrey Fields, one of the censors given the task of passing X the Unknown for the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) before it went into production, said: "Well, no one can say the customers won't have had their money's worth by now. In fact, someone will almost certainly have been sick. We must have a great deal more restraint, and much more done by onlookers' reactions instead of by shots of 'pulsating obscenity', hideous scars, hideous sightless faces, etc, etc. They must take it away and prune."
http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2077294,00.html
Unholy lusts, depraved, thrilling passions and unspeakable acts of violence and terror - all in glorious, gothic Technicolor. When the legendary Hammer House of Horror group set out to scare the wits out of people in the 50s, 60s and 70s, it did it in style, leaving one British censor musing: "The curse of this thing is the Technicolor blood: why need vampires be messier eaters than anyone else?"
For three decades, Hammer Film Productions has lain dormant, with fans having to rely on special late night showings at cinemas or the occasional reissue of one of the more popular classics from its prodigious 295-item back catalogue on DVD.
But now the brand that defined the great British film alongside Ealing comedies and James Bond is back in business and plans to make more movies to terrify a new generation of fans.
Responsible for the classic horror series of Dracula, Frankenstein and Quatermass, alongside such gems as Blood from the Mummy's Tomb and the Sweet Scent of Death, the company will repackage some of these old favourites but also plans new productions, inspired by such modern horror movies as the just released 28 Weeks Later.
It is part of the renaissance of British movies that has also seen the revival of the Ealing Studio, which is currently making a new St Trinian's comedy, with Colin Firth and Rupert Everett.
Simon Oakes, chairman and CEO of Hammer Film Productions, said: "For most people, the Hammer group is held in great affection, like Disney. It is steeped in the history of the horror genre and reflects its literature and films. We don't plan to go down the 'gorenography' route of slasher films. What was really important was to get an acquisition together which would get Hammer back in production. We appreciate its legacy and we will be looking at the back catalogue to see what we can reimagine, but we also want to make new films - to redevelop its DNA for the 21st century."
Mr Oakes, formerly of the international cable operator Liberty Global Inc, has brought on board two of the founders of Los Angeles-based Spitfire Pictures, Guy East and Nigel Sinclair, as non-executive directors. Their long list of credits ranges through Sliding Doors, The Quiet American, Iris, and No Direction Home: Bob Dylan. Current projects include the biopic Keith Moon, starring Mike Myers as the Who's drummer.
But Mr Oakes is at pains to stress that the Hammer brand will not lose its British identity. "Being a British company, it's incredibly important to have a good relationship with Hollywood. Successful companies like Working Title have strong distribution links in Hollywood. Spitfire is an LA-based company, but the two UK principals are British. The sensibility of Spitfire is international as well as American, and if I feel that if the things they come up with fit into the Hammer DNA, then we will make it together."
Mr Oakes said he had been looking to break into the horror market for years. He has entered into a "first look" deal with Spitfire which ensures that it comes back with ideas and new writing but that he can simultaneously look elsewhere for ideas. "We want to go out and develop screenplays and find writers too. It is important that it's a British brand, but the most successful British brands are those that travel beyond the shores of Britain."
The resurgence of Hammer comes after it was acquired yesterday for an undisclosed sum by a European consortium headed by Dutch-based Cyrte Investments BV, the investment vehicle of Big Brother creator John de Mol.
Hammer Film Productions was founded in 1949 by William Hinds, a one-time comedian, whose stage name was Will Hammer. The films were initially distributed as Exclusive productions. By the late 50s, the company had hit upon a combination of lavish sets and psychological dramas which provided the Hammer horror ethos.
Between 1953 and 1983, the company was responsible for more than 250 film and television productions. Among them were the movies for which the company is best-known, including The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, To the Devil a Daughter, Curse of the Mummy's Tomb and The Devil Rides Out.
These and others established the careers of a number of stars, notably Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.
Despite their popularity, however, the movies were not universally acclaimed.
Audrey Fields, one of the censors given the task of passing X the Unknown for the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) before it went into production, said: "Well, no one can say the customers won't have had their money's worth by now. In fact, someone will almost certainly have been sick. We must have a great deal more restraint, and much more done by onlookers' reactions instead of by shots of 'pulsating obscenity', hideous scars, hideous sightless faces, etc, etc. They must take it away and prune."
Comments
The best thing about Hammer was the pairing of Cushing and Chris Lee - they really were fab together
I know. Don't ask why. ?:)
After all, who knows the secrets of the human heart?
'Saw' was Ok, but I loathed the sequel and I cannot abide 'Hostel.' I think Hammer could enter the modern age, but it would have to be done with the right talent.
Drake Man , you need some professional help, even 30 years on it's not too late - surely any other Clippie would have done. I always seem to remember her being preganant or wanting to get pregant and eating bolied eggs !
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7141984.stm
Hammer set for MySpace comeback
Cult British film company Hammer is to broadcast its latest horror venture on social networking site MySpace.
Beyond the Rave, described as Hammer's first horror movie in 30 years, will be shown as 20 'webisodes' in spring 2008 before being released in full on DVD.
It is billed as a vampire story set in the UK's underground rave scene.
"This is a bold venture creating horror for the 21st century through a variety of technologies," said Simon Oakes of Hammer Film Productions.
Sadie Frost, Ray Winstone's daughter Lois and horror veteran Ingrid Pitt feature in the cast.
Acquisition
Hammer Films was launched in 1934 but enjoyed its greatest success in the 1950s and 60s.
Its name became synonymous with the horror genre thanks to such titles as The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, and Quatermass and the Pit.
"For Hammer to make their first movie in 30 years specifically for the MySpace community is a phenomenal development," said James Fabricant of MySpace Europe.
The deal follows Hammer Film Productions' acquisition earlier this year by Dutch consortium Cyrte Investments.
"This is a bold venture creating horror for the 21st century through a variety of technologies," said Simon Oakes of Hammer Film Productions. In PR-speak this means "We have no money to make a real feature. The only actor we could afford is rubbish. We're putting this on our MySpace page so at least our friends will see it."
If we're lucky their next one will be on youtube
The sad thing is the Hammer name still carries weight. They are just going to demean that by making cheap amateur movies for the internet. I could be wrong. I shouldn't judge anything before I've seen it, but a vampire film set amongst the city's rave culture just sounds so 90's.
- Hammer has been bought by a company which is a "reality" tv giant and produced the first ever "reality" tv show, the Dutch Big Brother.
- They intend to do films for web and cell phone distribution.
- Their first film will be called "Beyond the Rave" and it will premiere on @#$%ing MySpace.
...
Christ, I don't believe anyone could defile more such a perfectly respectable horror film tradition.
I didn't realise it was the worthless Dutch tubes who gave the world Big Brother. Who is going to watch a cheap horror film on their cell-phone?
Let's round up the villagers. I think it's time to burn torches and chase the monster through the countryside. This is not Hammer reborn. This is a Frankenstein creation, a b****rdisation of what was once precious and unique. X-(
You're not kidding, John. This is a terrible letdown. Just the idea of setting the story in the rave scene is revolting to me. I always loved the atmospheric 19th-century European locales of the Hammer classics.
Sadly HH, this is what we're getting instead.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=e93QRO-J2r0
This is an on-set visit to Beyond the Rave, or Pish, as I prefer to call it. I despair of the British film industry. I really do.
http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/?storyID=6842
Did Beyond the Rave ever happen? The link appears to be dead, (or undead