Your favourites from Hammer Films

245

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  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    As luck would have it Countess Dracula is on the horror channel now ! :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    edited September 2014
    Is it good?

    Just finished Frankenstein Created Woman, and it was creepy like I remembered, but the head looked so fake thanks to the pixel precision of DVD! :))
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 35,984Chief of Staff
    What of the Hammer House of Horror TV series? I have it on DVD but have yet to watch it though Pierce Brosnan appeared in an episode called "The Carpathian Eagle".

    I found the series pretty dreadful, with none of the charm of the Hammer movies.
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,613MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    What of the Hammer House of Horror TV series? I have it on DVD but have yet to watch it though Pierce Brosnan appeared in an episode called "The Carpathian Eagle".

    I found the series pretty dreadful, with none of the charm of the Hammer movies.

    Yes, I kind of got that impression.
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    Well, I just finished Legend Of The Seven Golden Vampires and I have to say it was a load of fun! Cushing lent a credibility to the whole bit of nonsense, and it was greatly appreciated.
    Three things though:
    1) As a lifetime martial artist my take on the fighting was that it was standard Shaw Brothers 'okay' stuff.
    2) I only ever saw this on TV, so... HOLY CRAP BATMAN, BOOBIE CITY!!!
    (Yes, I am an arrested adolescent in that way) :))
    3) John Forbes-Robertson was no Christopher Lee by any stretch.

    Still, I had a grand time of it.
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • GrindelwaldGrindelwald Posts: 1,294MI6 Agent
    Dracula PoD , great......Shelley and Latham are terrific guest roles
    Dracula HRFTG , pretty good
    TTBoD , good but the climax was disappointing.....expected more , Keen is pretty good as the strict father
    SoD , pretty good.....quite underrated
    D AD72 , flawed but kinda fun to watch due to Beacham and Cushing , Neame was cool as Alucard......they should've had Drac walking around London in a few scenes though
    SRoD , my least favorite
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 35,984Chief of Staff
    chrisisall wrote:
    Well, I just finished Legend Of The Seven Golden Vampires and I have to say it was a load of fun! Cushing lent a credibility to the whole bit of nonsense, and it was greatly appreciated.
    Three things though:
    1) As a lifetime martial artist my take on the fighting was that it was standard Shaw Brothers 'okay' stuff.
    2) I only ever saw this on TV, so... HOLY CRAP BATMAN, BOOBIE CITY!!!
    (Yes, I am an arrested adolescent in that way) :))
    3) John Forbes-Robertson was no Christopher Lee by any stretch.

    Still, I had a grand time of it.

    One of Peter Cushing's great strengths was his prowess at uttering line after line of 100% nonsense with complete and total conviction. His sincerity aided the audience in suspending their disbelief.
    Forbes-Robertson was certainly no Lee! Drac's role is very small here, though.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I remember watching a documentary on Peter Cushing, saying he was so
    Into which ever character he was playing. That he'd even keep props in his
    Pocket like a Stethoscope or something, even though it wouldn't be seen or
    Used in the scene, but because his character would have one .
    He was also fantastically funny on his Morecambe and Wise appearances,
    Where he was always trying to get paid ! :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 35,984Chief of Staff
    He was an excellent Sherlock Holmes too. I wonder if he was ever considered to play a Bond villain? By the time MR was made he had more or less retired, but a younger Cushing might have made a good Hugo Drax.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Yes, just remembered Hammer's the Hound of the Baskerville's {[] great
    Version and I think he did an old TV series of Holmes.
    Agreed he could be so charming as he set about torturing you :D
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,613MI6 Agent
    Yes, just remembered Hammer's the Hound of the Baskerville's {[] great
    Version and I think he did an old TV series of Holmes.
    Agreed he could be so charming as he set about torturing you :D

    Yes, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) is the one Hammer film that I am most familiar with and Peter Cushing was indeed excellent as Sherlock Holmes in it.
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    From the documentary on Peter Cushing, he told of when in Hollywood as a
    Young actor he'd do other jobs for the film unit, for extra cash. So he ended up
    One day making hundreds of tiny little Swastikas in his flat, when his landlord
    Who was a Jewish bloke called round !!! Luckily he laughed about it as there were
    Needed for a war film for moving around maps. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,613MI6 Agent
    From the documentary on Peter Cushing, he told of when in Hollywood as a
    Young actor he'd do other jobs for the film unit, for extra cash. So he ended up
    One day making hundreds of tiny little Swastikas in his flat, when his landlord
    Who was a Jewish bloke called round !!! Luckily he laughed about it as there were
    Needed for a war film for moving around maps. :))

    Sounds fascinating. Is that available on You Tube, TP? :)
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I don't know, I can't remember if it was on bbc2 or 4, but it was really interesting.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,613MI6 Agent
    I don't know, I can't remember if it was on bbc2 or 4, but it was really interesting.

    Thanks, my best friend is a big fan of Hammer and Peter Cushing in particular. He had a very proper way of pronouncing words and of speaking that I really admire. I found a copy of The Fortean Times dedicated to him on his Centenary in 2013 just recently.
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    In the world of make believe, imagine a Hammer production of Moonraker 1956
    http://iansadler.wordpress.com/2011/07/05/moonraker-the-forgotten-1956-james-bond-film/

    In case anyone, is unfamiliar with this story. It is a "Fake" but fun in a parallel world :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    I read some dogey things concerning Scars Of Dracula & Satanic Rites in my research, so I decided to check them out on Youtube.
    8-)
    Well... Scars looked extremely cheap, and Satanic just had the dumbest ending IMO.
    I don't think I will being persuing owning either on physical media. Still, Prince Of Darkness & 7 Golden Vampires were WELL worth the money! -{
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • GrindelwaldGrindelwald Posts: 1,294MI6 Agent
    I liked SRoD ending , remember Drac is satanic so I think it was fitting the way he died (it was spose to symbolize Jesus I think)
  • PolynikesPolynikes U.k.Posts: 276MI6 Agent
    I love the hound of the baskervilles too but my personal favourite is the devil rides out! I really enjoyed the Dennis Wheatley novel.
    "I'm motivated by my duty"

    1.SF 2.CR 3.OHMSS 4.DN 5.YOLT
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    For any horror fans ( UK) the brilliant Mark Gatiss series
    is on the history of horror films is on
    bbc4 tonight and I guess for the next couple of Sundays .
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 35,984Chief of Staff
    Great series, loved it.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    edited October 2014
    Also I remember years ago Jonathan Ross did a great
    Series on channel 4 on the smaller low budget/ video
    Nasty movies. Which was fantastic, sadly never repeated
    Unless it's out there on you tube somewhere. :)

    Just checked they seem to be showing all three episodes of the M Gatiss
    Series as one, it ends tonight around midnight.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,613MI6 Agent
    Just watched Hammer's classic The Devil Rides Out (1968) on DVD for the first time - brilliant film on the conquest of good over evil with great performances from all involved including Christopher Lee and Charles Gray.
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • chrisisallchrisisall Western Mass, USAPosts: 9,061MI6 Agent
    I shall have to see that one. I probably did in my teens but I don't remember.
    Dalton & Connery rule. Brozz was cool.
    #1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
  • Charmed & DangerousCharmed & Dangerous Posts: 7,358MI6 Agent
    That's one if the greats - still has the power to chill.

    And with two great Bond alumni and a hero clearly modelled on Connery-Bond (wearing the classic Goldfinger and Thunderball pale grey Prince of Wales check suit and navy knitted tie too) you can't go wrong! :))
    "How was your lamb?" "Skewered. One sympathises."
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    It seems to be on The Horror channel quite often. Charles Gray
    Is brilliant in it. Showing how he could have been a very menacing
    Blofeld ! -{
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 35,984Chief of Staff
    One of my all-time favourites.

    In the book, Chris Lee's character is an old guy in his 70s, hence the young sidekicks to take care of the physical action. Lee pushed Hammer to make the film, since he'd read the book and loved it, but was only in his mid-40s at the time. 30 years later he said he would have loved to remake the movie, being now the right age, and with improved special effects (one of the original's few weak points) but sadly it never came to pass.

    Charles Gray is superb in this film, as TP says, but I'd love to have seen Lee playing Mocata with Peter Cushing in the hero role.
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,382Chief of Staff
    It's a decent enough film, but I was disappointed with it as it can't hold a candle to the book -{
    YNWA 97
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 35,984Chief of Staff
    Well, Hammer didn't have the budget to make the film totally faithful to the book. Given their restrictions, they did a good job.
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 26,382Chief of Staff
    Which is pretty much true of any book to film conversion -{
    YNWA 97
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