Clockwise from top left: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Sony), Dracula (Universal), Only Lovers Left Alive (Sony), The Hunger (MGM/UA), Nosferatu The Vampyre (Shout Factory), Nosferatu (Kino Lorber) Graphic: AVClub
The vampire is cinema’s favorite monster. Ever since Nosferatu more than a century ago, bloodsuckers of every conceivable persuasion...
The vampire is cinema’s favorite monster. Ever since Nosferatu more than a century ago, bloodsuckers of every conceivable persuasion...
- 10/17/2023
- by Matthew Jackson
- avclub.com
Prepare to be enthralled by the wickedly wonderful world of Christopher Lee, the legendary actor whose name is synonymous with captivating horror performances. In this list, we’re shining a spotlight on the 10 best Christopher Lee movies that have sent chills down our spines and left us in awe of his mesmerizing talent.
From bloodsucking vampires to malevolent wizards, Lee’s enigmatic presence and magnetic performances have made him an icon in the genre. So, gather your garlic and sharpen your stakes as we delve into the dark depths of Christopher Lee’s most terrifying horror triumphs.
Warner Bros. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
In this Hammer Horror gem, Lee dons the iconic bolts and scars of Frankenstein’s creature, showcasing his monstrous acting skills in a way that would make Boris Karloff proud. It’s a role that set the stage for Lee’s reign as the king of horror.
From bloodsucking vampires to malevolent wizards, Lee’s enigmatic presence and magnetic performances have made him an icon in the genre. So, gather your garlic and sharpen your stakes as we delve into the dark depths of Christopher Lee’s most terrifying horror triumphs.
Warner Bros. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
In this Hammer Horror gem, Lee dons the iconic bolts and scars of Frankenstein’s creature, showcasing his monstrous acting skills in a way that would make Boris Karloff proud. It’s a role that set the stage for Lee’s reign as the king of horror.
- 5/28/2023
- by Jonathan Dehaan
Prepare to be enthralled by the wickedly wonderful world of Christopher Lee, the legendary actor whose name is synonymous with captivating horror performances. In this list, we’re shining a spotlight on the 10 best Christopher Lee movies that have sent chills down our spines and left us in awe of his mesmerizing talent.
From bloodsucking vampires to malevolent wizards, Lee’s enigmatic presence and magnetic performances have made him an icon in the genre. So, gather your garlic and sharpen your stakes as we delve into the dark depths of Christopher Lee’s most terrifying horror triumphs.
Warner Bros. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
In this Hammer Horror gem, Lee dons the iconic bolts and scars of Frankenstein’s creature, showcasing his monstrous acting skills in a way that would make Boris Karloff proud. It’s a role that set the stage for Lee’s reign as the king of horror.
From bloodsucking vampires to malevolent wizards, Lee’s enigmatic presence and magnetic performances have made him an icon in the genre. So, gather your garlic and sharpen your stakes as we delve into the dark depths of Christopher Lee’s most terrifying horror triumphs.
Warner Bros. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
In this Hammer Horror gem, Lee dons the iconic bolts and scars of Frankenstein’s creature, showcasing his monstrous acting skills in a way that would make Boris Karloff proud. It’s a role that set the stage for Lee’s reign as the king of horror.
- 5/28/2023
- by Jonathan Dehaan
It’s safe to say that the world is a bit weird right now. Much to some people’s surprise, horror movies can often be a way for fans to make sense of things and confront their fears in a safe space. Streaming service Shudder offers a large array of horror movies, TV shows, and even podcasts covering the full spectrum of the macabre. But how do you know where to start?
We’ve put together a guide to some of the best films the service has to offer. The Shudder catalogue is always growing and changing so we’ll keep this updated – head back for the latest additions and new suggestions.
(All entries are available in both UK and US unless stated otherwise!)
Hammer The Vampire Lovers (1970)
Only Available In The US
After literally decades in which the classic Hammer Films library of horror titles was often difficult to see,...
We’ve put together a guide to some of the best films the service has to offer. The Shudder catalogue is always growing and changing so we’ll keep this updated – head back for the latest additions and new suggestions.
(All entries are available in both UK and US unless stated otherwise!)
Hammer The Vampire Lovers (1970)
Only Available In The US
After literally decades in which the classic Hammer Films library of horror titles was often difficult to see,...
- 9/26/2020
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Probably the last creditable Dracula sequel and one of the better Hammer productions of the period, despite the fact that the vampire Count himself was a late addition to the mix. Ralph Bates as the fiendish Lord Courtley was intended to take over the reins from Christopher Lee as the continuing menace but the Us distributor insisted on Lee returning to star.
The post Taste the Blood of Dracula appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post Taste the Blood of Dracula appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 6/12/2020
- by TFH Team
- Trailers from Hell
When I was a kid, I somehow inherited an 8mm film projector and managed to convince my mom to buy me a handful of movies on the format. Now when I say “movies,” I mean these little spools of 8mm celluloid that basically took various motion pictures and condensed them down to silent 10-minute highlight reels, mostly in black and white.
They were in many ways the earliest precursor of home video, and one of the films I convinced my mom to purchase was Hammer Films’ Taste the Blood of Dracula. While the format really prevented me from making much sense of the narrative, certain imagery–Dracula’s face emerging from beneath a cracking caul of dust, two beautiful young women driving a stake into the heart of an older gentleman, a younger man drinking a cup of blood and choking as it poured out of his mouth–stayed firmly with me.
They were in many ways the earliest precursor of home video, and one of the films I convinced my mom to purchase was Hammer Films’ Taste the Blood of Dracula. While the format really prevented me from making much sense of the narrative, certain imagery–Dracula’s face emerging from beneath a cracking caul of dust, two beautiful young women driving a stake into the heart of an older gentleman, a younger man drinking a cup of blood and choking as it poured out of his mouth–stayed firmly with me.
- 6/8/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
I Want Your Blood
Pairing wine with movies! See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell. It seems we are still safer at home.
As we do every so often with the Trailers From Hell gang, we take a look at vampires. It’s right that someone should, since they can’t do it themselves. Have you ever seen a vampire in a mirror? Well, there ya go. Besides, a fang dripping blood is a great way to introduce a red wine pairing.
One of the films with which we are pairing wine this week is the first Iranian vampire western – I’ll let that sink in for a moment. The 2014 classic A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night was made by an Iranian-American woman and shot in the Kern County town of Taft, California. Taft has a history all its own,...
Pairing wine with movies! See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell. It seems we are still safer at home.
As we do every so often with the Trailers From Hell gang, we take a look at vampires. It’s right that someone should, since they can’t do it themselves. Have you ever seen a vampire in a mirror? Well, there ya go. Besides, a fang dripping blood is a great way to introduce a red wine pairing.
One of the films with which we are pairing wine this week is the first Iranian vampire western – I’ll let that sink in for a moment. The 2014 classic A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night was made by an Iranian-American woman and shot in the Kern County town of Taft, California. Taft has a history all its own,...
- 6/3/2020
- by Randy Fuller
- Trailers from Hell
5 random things that happened on this day in showbiz history...
1941 Citizen Kane has its world premiere in NYC
1969 Wes Anderson born in Houston, Texas
1970 Happy 50th anniversary to Hammer Horror's Taste the Blood of Dracula starring Christopher Lee which opened on this day.
1998 Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke get hitched, two days after Uma's 28th birthday and two months before the birth of their daughter Maya. They had co-starred in the previous year's sci-fi drama Gattaca and will make two more films together (Chelsea Walls and Tape) as well as a second child before separating in 2003 - a very big year for Uma, professionally. Yes Uma has been on our brains this week.
2000 Gladiator has its world premiere in Los Angeles before opening nationwide the following weekend and becoming an enormous hit. Later it competed for Best Picture at the big awards show and when the envelope was opened it was always.
1941 Citizen Kane has its world premiere in NYC
1969 Wes Anderson born in Houston, Texas
1970 Happy 50th anniversary to Hammer Horror's Taste the Blood of Dracula starring Christopher Lee which opened on this day.
1998 Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke get hitched, two days after Uma's 28th birthday and two months before the birth of their daughter Maya. They had co-starred in the previous year's sci-fi drama Gattaca and will make two more films together (Chelsea Walls and Tape) as well as a second child before separating in 2003 - a very big year for Uma, professionally. Yes Uma has been on our brains this week.
2000 Gladiator has its world premiere in Los Angeles before opening nationwide the following weekend and becoming an enormous hit. Later it competed for Best Picture at the big awards show and when the envelope was opened it was always.
- 5/1/2020
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from Season 1 of “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.”]
A love of horror runs in series creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s blood, and it comes out in “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” his dark take on the classic Archie Comics title “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” In adapting his comic book for Netflix, he discussed some of those horror influences with Lee Toland Krieger, who would be setting the tone of the series by directing the first two episodes.
“He arranged a screening of clips from some of our favorite movies,” Aguirre-Sacasa said. “The three great witch movies are ‘Rosemary’s Baby,’ Dario Argento’s ‘Suspiria,’ and Robert Eggers’ movie ‘The Witch,’ that came out a few years ago. And then even more recently, Ti West’s movie, ‘House of the Devil,’ and Oz Perkins’ ‘The Blackcoat’s Daughter,’ starring Kiernan [Shipka] actually. In terms of devil movies, we talked about ‘The Omen,’ we talked about ‘The Exorcist,’ the...
A love of horror runs in series creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s blood, and it comes out in “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” his dark take on the classic Archie Comics title “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” In adapting his comic book for Netflix, he discussed some of those horror influences with Lee Toland Krieger, who would be setting the tone of the series by directing the first two episodes.
“He arranged a screening of clips from some of our favorite movies,” Aguirre-Sacasa said. “The three great witch movies are ‘Rosemary’s Baby,’ Dario Argento’s ‘Suspiria,’ and Robert Eggers’ movie ‘The Witch,’ that came out a few years ago. And then even more recently, Ti West’s movie, ‘House of the Devil,’ and Oz Perkins’ ‘The Blackcoat’s Daughter,’ starring Kiernan [Shipka] actually. In terms of devil movies, we talked about ‘The Omen,’ we talked about ‘The Exorcist,’ the...
- 11/3/2018
- by Hanh Nguyen and Jamie Righetti
- Indiewire
Enter worlds filled with magic and terror in John Burr's fantasy horror film Muse that will see a U.S. digital release on August 21st. Also in today's Highlights: the Blu-ray debut for Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years, ScareHouse 2018 opening day details, and Hell House LLC, II: The Abbadon Hotel release details.
Muse Release Details: "TriCoast Entertainment’s horror division, DarkCoast, will finally release John Burr’s eight-time winning fantasy horror Muse onto U.S. digital streaming platforms on August 21st.
Written and directed by John Burr, Muse is described as a twisted, haunted fairytale that combines elements of a psychological thriller, the supernatural, and past Irish legends and mythological influences. Shot entirely in 15 days, Muse is a gripping, psychological thriller that ultimately examines how inspiration can be the downfall of any great artist. “If you have the opportunity, See. This. Movie.” - Nightmarish Conjurings
Muse credits its fantastic editing to longtime,...
Muse Release Details: "TriCoast Entertainment’s horror division, DarkCoast, will finally release John Burr’s eight-time winning fantasy horror Muse onto U.S. digital streaming platforms on August 21st.
Written and directed by John Burr, Muse is described as a twisted, haunted fairytale that combines elements of a psychological thriller, the supernatural, and past Irish legends and mythological influences. Shot entirely in 15 days, Muse is a gripping, psychological thriller that ultimately examines how inspiration can be the downfall of any great artist. “If you have the opportunity, See. This. Movie.” - Nightmarish Conjurings
Muse credits its fantastic editing to longtime,...
- 8/9/2018
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
(Aotn) Turner Classic Movies is bringing the horror next month. Starting on October 1st the channel will be bringing back movies such as the original Cat People and Dracula. Fan’s of classic movies will surely not want to miss this.
If you have ever wanted to know where the band White Zombie got there name be sure to tune in on Halloween morning at 8:30 Am. The Universal Monster’s are sprinkled throughout this marathon and will hopefully delight old school horror fans.
Complete Schedule Below:
Sunday October 1, 2017
8:00 Pm Dracula (1931) 9:30 Pm Dracula’s Daughter (1936) 11:00 Pm Son Of Dracula (1943)
Monday October 2, 2017
12:30 Am Nosferatu (1922)
Tuesday October 3, 2017
8:00 Pm Frankenstein (1931) 9:30 Pm Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) 11:00 Pm The Mummy (1932)
Wednesday October 4, 2017
12:30 Am The Wolf Man (1941) 2:00 Am Island Of Lost Souls (1933) 3:30 Am The Black Cat (1934) 4:45 Am The Invisible Man (1933)
Sunday October 8, 2017
2:00 Am Night...
If you have ever wanted to know where the band White Zombie got there name be sure to tune in on Halloween morning at 8:30 Am. The Universal Monster’s are sprinkled throughout this marathon and will hopefully delight old school horror fans.
Complete Schedule Below:
Sunday October 1, 2017
8:00 Pm Dracula (1931) 9:30 Pm Dracula’s Daughter (1936) 11:00 Pm Son Of Dracula (1943)
Monday October 2, 2017
12:30 Am Nosferatu (1922)
Tuesday October 3, 2017
8:00 Pm Frankenstein (1931) 9:30 Pm Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) 11:00 Pm The Mummy (1932)
Wednesday October 4, 2017
12:30 Am The Wolf Man (1941) 2:00 Am Island Of Lost Souls (1933) 3:30 Am The Black Cat (1934) 4:45 Am The Invisible Man (1933)
Sunday October 8, 2017
2:00 Am Night...
- 9/24/2017
- by Stephen Nepa
- Age of the Nerd
Horror and sci-fi fans have a big day of releases to look forward to on Tuesday, February 7th, as there over 20 titles coming home to Blu-ray and DVD. Paramount has put together the complete box set of the Penny Dreadful series on both formats, and the latest season of From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series arrives on both Blu-ray and DVD as well.
Scream Factory and IFC Midnight have teamed up for the release of Antibirth, which was an official selection of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, and Severin Films is resurrecting the cult classic Wild Beasts in HD, too.
Other notable releases for February 7th include Abattoir, The 9th Life of Louis Drax, Dead West, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Complete Series, Recovery and Dr. Orloff’s Monster.
Antibirth (Scream Factory/IFC Midnight, Blu/DVD Combo)
Hard-drinking, pill-popping, bong-ripping Lou (Natasha Lyonne, Orange In The New Black...
Scream Factory and IFC Midnight have teamed up for the release of Antibirth, which was an official selection of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, and Severin Films is resurrecting the cult classic Wild Beasts in HD, too.
Other notable releases for February 7th include Abattoir, The 9th Life of Louis Drax, Dead West, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Complete Series, Recovery and Dr. Orloff’s Monster.
Antibirth (Scream Factory/IFC Midnight, Blu/DVD Combo)
Hard-drinking, pill-popping, bong-ripping Lou (Natasha Lyonne, Orange In The New Black...
- 2/7/2017
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Donald Pleasence, Joan Collins, and Caroline Munro co-star in The Devil Within Her, aka Sharon's Baby and I Don't Want to Be Born, a 1975 horror film featuring a violent baby that is coming to Blu-ray from Scorpion Releasing.
Blu-ray.com reports that the folks at Scorpion Releasing are hard at work on a fresh 2K restoration of The Devil Within Her, and while an exact release date has yet to be revealed, the Blu-ray is expected to come out in early 2017.
We'll keep Daily Dead readers updated on special features announcements and release details. In the meantime, we have the official synopsis, trailer, and poster for the Peter Sasdy film:
Synopsis (via Blu-ray.com): "Hollywood legend Joan Collins teams up with cult stars Donald Pleasence and Caroline Munro in this terrifying tale of a demonic baby!
Lucy (Collins, Dynasty, Land Of The Pharoahs) is a former dancer, having moved...
Blu-ray.com reports that the folks at Scorpion Releasing are hard at work on a fresh 2K restoration of The Devil Within Her, and while an exact release date has yet to be revealed, the Blu-ray is expected to come out in early 2017.
We'll keep Daily Dead readers updated on special features announcements and release details. In the meantime, we have the official synopsis, trailer, and poster for the Peter Sasdy film:
Synopsis (via Blu-ray.com): "Hollywood legend Joan Collins teams up with cult stars Donald Pleasence and Caroline Munro in this terrifying tale of a demonic baby!
Lucy (Collins, Dynasty, Land Of The Pharoahs) is a former dancer, having moved...
- 9/20/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Since any New York cinephile has a nearly suffocating wealth of theatrical options, we figured it’d be best to compile some of the more worthwhile repertory showings into one handy list. Displayed below are a few of the city’s most reliable theaters and links to screenings of their weekend offerings — films you’re not likely to see in a theater again anytime soon, and many of which are, also, on 35mm. If you have a chance to attend any of these, we’re of the mind that it’s time extremely well-spent.
Anthology Film Archives
Friday sees the start of a weekend-long Nervous Magic Lantern Festival, a tribute to Ken Jacobs‘ device which, according to the site, “uses lightweight fans and an exterior spinning shutter – along with the hands and creative mind of an active projectionist – to fill the screen with moving 3D forms that can be seen from every possible angle,...
Anthology Film Archives
Friday sees the start of a weekend-long Nervous Magic Lantern Festival, a tribute to Ken Jacobs‘ device which, according to the site, “uses lightweight fans and an exterior spinning shutter – along with the hands and creative mind of an active projectionist – to fill the screen with moving 3D forms that can be seen from every possible angle,...
- 1/22/2016
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
or, Savant picks The Most Impressive Discs of 2015
This is the actual view from Savant Central, looking due North.
What a year! I was able to take one very nice trip back East too see Washington D.C. for the first time, or at least as much as two days' walking in the hot sun and then cool rain would allow. Back home in Los Angeles, we've had a year of extreme drought -- my lawn is looking patriotically ratty -- and we're expecting something called El Niño, that's supposed to be just shy of Old-Testament build-me-an-ark intensity. We withstood heat waves like those in Day the Earth Caught Fire, and now we'll get the storms part. This has been a wild year for DVD Savant, which is still a little unsettled. DVDtalk has been very patient and generous, and so have Stuart Galbraith & Joe Dante; so far everything...
This is the actual view from Savant Central, looking due North.
What a year! I was able to take one very nice trip back East too see Washington D.C. for the first time, or at least as much as two days' walking in the hot sun and then cool rain would allow. Back home in Los Angeles, we've had a year of extreme drought -- my lawn is looking patriotically ratty -- and we're expecting something called El Niño, that's supposed to be just shy of Old-Testament build-me-an-ark intensity. We withstood heat waves like those in Day the Earth Caught Fire, and now we'll get the storms part. This has been a wild year for DVD Savant, which is still a little unsettled. DVDtalk has been very patient and generous, and so have Stuart Galbraith & Joe Dante; so far everything...
- 12/15/2015
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Editor’s Note: Apologies to the readers of Dtb and to the author of all the Coffin Couture posts, Cherry Bombed for being tardy with this post. We hope that you still find it useful!
After this long, hot, horrible summer, Coffin Couture is Back on Destroy the Brain with our annual, fashionable recommendations for the coming Fall season.
This time around on Cc I decided to focus on the needs of incoming students who also happen to be horror film fanatics. From accessories that homage the great films of Hammer, to beautifully crafted eyeglass frames with an all over Ouija board pattern (yes, really), this year going back to school won’t be as painful as it was for those damn stupid kids that got carved up at the lake this summer and never made it to first period.
Curse of Frankenstein bag
As I can never get enough...
After this long, hot, horrible summer, Coffin Couture is Back on Destroy the Brain with our annual, fashionable recommendations for the coming Fall season.
This time around on Cc I decided to focus on the needs of incoming students who also happen to be horror film fanatics. From accessories that homage the great films of Hammer, to beautifully crafted eyeglass frames with an all over Ouija board pattern (yes, really), this year going back to school won’t be as painful as it was for those damn stupid kids that got carved up at the lake this summer and never made it to first period.
Curse of Frankenstein bag
As I can never get enough...
- 11/6/2015
- by Cherry Bombed
- Destroy the Brain
Curious about all those Region B Hammer Blu-rays from overseas, the ones requiring a region-free player? As a public service, Savant has solicited an expert opinion (you'll have to take my word for that) of a film restoration/transfer specialist who is also an informed fan of the filmic output of the little horror studio at Bray. I know, real Hammer fans buy first and worry about quality later, but this little guide might be of help to the rest of us budget-conscious collectors.
A 'Guest' article Written by a trusted Savant correspondent.
(Note: I receive plenty of emails asking for advice about the quality of Region B Blu-rays, most of which I don't see. I have access to industry people qualified to compare and judge the discs, but they stay off the record, because their employers forbid them to go online with their opinions. They must sometimes simmer in...
A 'Guest' article Written by a trusted Savant correspondent.
(Note: I receive plenty of emails asking for advice about the quality of Region B Blu-rays, most of which I don't see. I have access to industry people qualified to compare and judge the discs, but they stay off the record, because their employers forbid them to go online with their opinions. They must sometimes simmer in...
- 10/15/2015
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
This week on Off The Shelf, Ryan is joined by Brian Saur to take a look at the new DVD and Blu-ray releases for the week of October 6th, 2015, and chat about some follow-up and home video news.
Subscribe in iTunes or RSS.
Episode Links & Notes Follow-up Shirts Warner Archive October line-up Bram Stoker’s Dracula Blu-ray controversy
The improvements are easy to see, but so too is the fairly drastic alterations to the framing. As noted, screenshot captures have been selected to match, as identically as possible, the same shot from both versions. Even in shots where there’s absolutely no horizontal or vertical movement in the camera – stills, essentially – there’s a noticeable shift upwards and leftwards.
X-Files box sets Over The Garden Wall News Criterion Flash Sale New Roku box Nikkatsu Diamond Guys: Vol 1 Blu-ray Olive Films Announce November Titles Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Blu-ray...
Subscribe in iTunes or RSS.
Episode Links & Notes Follow-up Shirts Warner Archive October line-up Bram Stoker’s Dracula Blu-ray controversy
The improvements are easy to see, but so too is the fairly drastic alterations to the framing. As noted, screenshot captures have been selected to match, as identically as possible, the same shot from both versions. Even in shots where there’s absolutely no horizontal or vertical movement in the camera – stills, essentially – there’s a noticeable shift upwards and leftwards.
X-Files box sets Over The Garden Wall News Criterion Flash Sale New Roku box Nikkatsu Diamond Guys: Vol 1 Blu-ray Olive Films Announce November Titles Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Blu-ray...
- 10/7/2015
- by Ryan Gallagher
- CriterionCast
Warners answers the call for Hammer horror with four nifty thrillers starring the great Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. The transfers are immaculate -- Technicolor was never richer than this. The only drawback is that Chris Lee's Dracula has so few lines of dialogue. On hi-def, Cushing's Frankenstein movie is a major re-discovery as well. Horror Classics: Four Chilling Movies from Hammer Films Blu-ray The Mummy, Dracula has Risen from the Grave, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, Taste the Blood of Dracula Warner Home Video 1959-1970 / Color / 1:66 - 1:78 widescreen / 376 min. / Street Date October 6, 2015 / 54.96 Starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Yvonne Furneaux, George Pastell, Michael Ripper; Christopher Lee, Rupert Davies, Veronica Carlson, Barbara Ewing, Barry Andrews, Ewan Hooper, Michael Ripper; Peter Cushing, Veronica Carlson, Freddie Jones, Simon Ward, Thorley Walters, Maxine Audley; Christopher Lee, Geoffrey Keen, Linda Hayden, Isla Blair, John Carson, Ralph Bates, Roy Kinnear. <Cinematography Jack Asher; Arthur Grant; Arthur Grant; Arthur Grant.
- 10/6/2015
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
For the first week of October, genre fans should get those wallets ready because there are seemingly endless horror and sci-fi movies being released on both DVD and Blu-ray. Warner Bros. is keeping busy with the release of numerous Hammer Classics in HD including Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, The Mummy and Taste the Blood of Dracula, and we have the latest new release from Scream Factory, the cannibal comedy Gravy, to look forward to as well. Sony Pictures has also put together a stellar new release of Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Kino Lorber is showing the cult classic Burnt Offerings some love this week, too.
Other notable titles arriving on October 6th include We Are Still Here, Final Girl, Fire City: End of Days, Children of the Night, June, Pod, Cop Car, Alleluia, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! and the second season of Penny Dreadful.
Other notable titles arriving on October 6th include We Are Still Here, Final Girl, Fire City: End of Days, Children of the Night, June, Pod, Cop Car, Alleluia, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! and the second season of Penny Dreadful.
- 10/6/2015
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Warner Home Video has a nasty Halloween treat for all: the release of the Horror Classics Vol. 1 boxed Blu-ray set. The titles are smartly bound in a hardcover book format, complete with some cool graphics. Each of the films contains the original theatrical trailer as well. Here is the official press release:
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will scare the heck out of fans when Taste the Blood of Dracula; Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed; and The Mummy are released October 6 in the new Blu-ray Horror Classics Vol. 1 Collection, just in time for Halloween celebrations. All films in the collection are newly re-mastered in 1080p HD and packaged in elegant rigid pocketbook style ($54.96 Srp).
The quartet of classic horror films, featuring cinema monsters Dracula, Frankenstein and the Mummy, represent classic examples from Hammer Film Productions. Founded in 1934, the British company became best known for a series...
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will scare the heck out of fans when Taste the Blood of Dracula; Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed; and The Mummy are released October 6 in the new Blu-ray Horror Classics Vol. 1 Collection, just in time for Halloween celebrations. All films in the collection are newly re-mastered in 1080p HD and packaged in elegant rigid pocketbook style ($54.96 Srp).
The quartet of classic horror films, featuring cinema monsters Dracula, Frankenstein and the Mummy, represent classic examples from Hammer Film Productions. Founded in 1934, the British company became best known for a series...
- 9/30/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Though Sir Christopher Lee sadly passed away, his work will live on forever. In a new Blu-ray set, Warner Archive is preserving three Lee-starring Hammer horror movies: Dracula Has Risen From The Grave, The Mummy, and Taste the Blood of Dracula.
Blu-ray.com reports that Warner Archive's Horror Classics Volume One Blu-ray collection will hit shelves this fall (October 6th, according to Home Theater Forum). The collection includes four Hammer films: Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (1968), The Mummy (1959), Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970), and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969).
In addition to the Horror Classics Volume One, Warner Archive will also release the Special Effects Collection Volume One, a sci-fi / adventure Blu-ray set comprising Son of Kong, Mighty Joe Young, Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, and Them!
It's estimated that both collections will be priced at $54.96 apiece and released in early October, and it's even believed that the titles will be sold separately,...
Blu-ray.com reports that Warner Archive's Horror Classics Volume One Blu-ray collection will hit shelves this fall (October 6th, according to Home Theater Forum). The collection includes four Hammer films: Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (1968), The Mummy (1959), Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970), and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969).
In addition to the Horror Classics Volume One, Warner Archive will also release the Special Effects Collection Volume One, a sci-fi / adventure Blu-ray set comprising Son of Kong, Mighty Joe Young, Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, and Them!
It's estimated that both collections will be priced at $54.96 apiece and released in early October, and it's even believed that the titles will be sold separately,...
- 6/12/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The day monster kids have dreaded for some time has arrived. Mournful, nostalgic, and melancholy – it’s the end of an era for more than one generation of horror fans. It seemed like Christopher Lee would live through all eternity, but unlike some of the characters he played, there’s no bringing him back to life this time. He made it to 93 and went out on a high note, appearing in the final Hobbit film just this past winter. He had an amazing career of fantastic performances and remains the greatest villain actor in film history. Rip to the last classic horror star and thank you for all the monster memories.
Christopher Lee was married to his wife Birgit (Gitte) for 54 years.
Here, according to Movie Geeks Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Sam Moffitt, and myself, are Christopher Lee’s ten best roles.
10. Frankenstein
It’s only fitting that The Curse Of Frankenstein,...
Christopher Lee was married to his wife Birgit (Gitte) for 54 years.
Here, according to Movie Geeks Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Sam Moffitt, and myself, are Christopher Lee’s ten best roles.
10. Frankenstein
It’s only fitting that The Curse Of Frankenstein,...
- 6/11/2015
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Christopher Lee, an actor who brought dramatic gravitas and aristocratic bearing to screen villains from Dracula to James Bond enemy Scaramanga, has died at age 93.
Lee appeared in more than 250 movies, including memorable roles as the wicked wizard Saruman in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the evil Count Dooku in two of George Lucas' Star Wars prequels. But for many he will forever be known as the vampire Count Dracula in a slew of "Hammer Horror" movies - the gory, gothic thrillers churned out by the British studio in the 1950s and 1960s that became hugely popular.
He railed against the typecasting, however, and ultimately the sheer number and range of his roles - from Sherlock Holmes to the founder of Pakistan - secured his place in film history.
"I didn't have dreams of being a romantic leading man," Lee told The Associated Press in 2002. "But I...
Lee appeared in more than 250 movies, including memorable roles as the wicked wizard Saruman in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the evil Count Dooku in two of George Lucas' Star Wars prequels. But for many he will forever be known as the vampire Count Dracula in a slew of "Hammer Horror" movies - the gory, gothic thrillers churned out by the British studio in the 1950s and 1960s that became hugely popular.
He railed against the typecasting, however, and ultimately the sheer number and range of his roles - from Sherlock Holmes to the founder of Pakistan - secured his place in film history.
"I didn't have dreams of being a romantic leading man," Lee told The Associated Press in 2002. "But I...
- 6/11/2015
- by Cineplex.com and contributors
- Cineplex
Iconic Hammer actresses Martine Beswick, Veronica Carlson and Caroline Munro. (All photos copyright Adrian Smith. All rights reserved.)
Retro-active: The Best From Cinema Retro's Archives
(The following article was originally run in November, 2014)
By Adrian Smith
With around sixty special guests in attendance, the Westminster Central Hall on Saturday the 7th of November was packed to its domed roof with excited Hammer film fans.
Familiar faces including Caroline Munro, Valerie Leon, Madeline Smith and Martine Beswick were providing some glamour, but the organisers managed to make the event extra-memorable by securing the presence of Edina Ronay, George Cole, Freddie Jones and others who had not signed autographs at a fan event before. At times queues to meet them ran out of the building and down the street! Other rare UK appearances were made from Veronica Carlson and Linda Hayden, flown in from the Us to meet their fans. It was...
Retro-active: The Best From Cinema Retro's Archives
(The following article was originally run in November, 2014)
By Adrian Smith
With around sixty special guests in attendance, the Westminster Central Hall on Saturday the 7th of November was packed to its domed roof with excited Hammer film fans.
Familiar faces including Caroline Munro, Valerie Leon, Madeline Smith and Martine Beswick were providing some glamour, but the organisers managed to make the event extra-memorable by securing the presence of Edina Ronay, George Cole, Freddie Jones and others who had not signed autographs at a fan event before. At times queues to meet them ran out of the building and down the street! Other rare UK appearances were made from Veronica Carlson and Linda Hayden, flown in from the Us to meet their fans. It was...
- 3/4/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
tumblr
Mustache twirling aficionados of evil all know that when Hollywood wants ‘bad’ they go British, regardless of the characters actual nationality. Hollywood’s decision to cast Brits as bad guys started in the early days of cinema when American actors were reluctant to play villains so producers looked elsewhere.
They settled on the British because their accent was thought to represent sophistication and intelligence (clearly Hollywood producers have never been to Essex) and had anti-imperialistic connotations from the big, bad British Empire of yesteryear.
The British accent was to become a modern-day equivalent of the white hat/black hat stereotype of good and evil and was used to help audiences instantly recognize that one stereotype most people would never meet in real life; the evil genius. Almost a 100 years later and that tradition is still as strong as ever.
Join us as we take a look at some of...
Mustache twirling aficionados of evil all know that when Hollywood wants ‘bad’ they go British, regardless of the characters actual nationality. Hollywood’s decision to cast Brits as bad guys started in the early days of cinema when American actors were reluctant to play villains so producers looked elsewhere.
They settled on the British because their accent was thought to represent sophistication and intelligence (clearly Hollywood producers have never been to Essex) and had anti-imperialistic connotations from the big, bad British Empire of yesteryear.
The British accent was to become a modern-day equivalent of the white hat/black hat stereotype of good and evil and was used to help audiences instantly recognize that one stereotype most people would never meet in real life; the evil genius. Almost a 100 years later and that tradition is still as strong as ever.
Join us as we take a look at some of...
- 5/30/2014
- by Kristopher Powell
- Obsessed with Film
One of our favorite horror events of the year is Drive-In Super Monster-Rama, which takes place every September and shows eight classic horror movies over two nights on a huge drive-in screen. Last year, they dedicated the entire event to movies featuring Peter Cushing and this year they have another memorable lineup that classic horror fans should dig watching outdoors, including one night dedicated to the films of Italian horror director Mario Bava.
The tribute to Italian director Mario Bava takes place Friday night with screenings of four of his films: Planet of the Vampires, Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs, Kill Baby Kill, and The House of Exorcism.
Saturday night’s lineup includes Taste the Blood of Dracula, Dracula A.D. 1972, Trog, and The House That Screamed.
All films are presented in vintage style via 35mm prints, with old-school trailers, shorts, and intermission classics playing throughout the marathon that...
The tribute to Italian director Mario Bava takes place Friday night with screenings of four of his films: Planet of the Vampires, Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs, Kill Baby Kill, and The House of Exorcism.
Saturday night’s lineup includes Taste the Blood of Dracula, Dracula A.D. 1972, Trog, and The House That Screamed.
All films are presented in vintage style via 35mm prints, with old-school trailers, shorts, and intermission classics playing throughout the marathon that...
- 5/14/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
With Hugh Jackman currently negotiating to play Wolverine for a seventh and eighth time, Cinelinx takes a look at actors who’ve played the same role eight times or more. Who has played the same character most often? Come in and find out.
Hugh Jackman has already played Wolverine five times--x-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003) X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), and The Wolverine (2013)—as well as a cameo in X-Men:First Class (2011). Soon we’ll be seeing him fully clawed again on the big screen in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Recently, he told Collider that he might shoot Wolverine 3 and X-Men: Apocalypse “back-to-back”, which would make a total of eight times (9 times with the cameo) that he’ll portray the Canadian mutant.
You might be thinking “Wow! That’s amazing! I’ve never heard of anyone playing the same role so many times.” Well, for those who may not know it,...
Hugh Jackman has already played Wolverine five times--x-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003) X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), and The Wolverine (2013)—as well as a cameo in X-Men:First Class (2011). Soon we’ll be seeing him fully clawed again on the big screen in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Recently, he told Collider that he might shoot Wolverine 3 and X-Men: Apocalypse “back-to-back”, which would make a total of eight times (9 times with the cameo) that he’ll portray the Canadian mutant.
You might be thinking “Wow! That’s amazing! I’ve never heard of anyone playing the same role so many times.” Well, for those who may not know it,...
- 5/13/2014
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Rob Young)
- Cinelinx
It's not often we get to shout out and let our voices be heard, but Diabolique Magazine and DVD Drive-in have started a petition to help us do just that. If you're a fan of classic Hammer Horror films and want to see them on Blu-ray, read on. Your signature is desired.
Diabolique Magazine and DVD Drive-in have created a petition to help prove to Warner Bros. that there is indeed a demand for Hammer Horror titles on Blu-ray, and the group has confirmation that the page is currently being watched by WB so they want to deliver an impressive amount of digital John Hancocks.
If you'd like to help out, simply follow this link to the Diabolique website petition page and sign on the dotted line. In addition to the petition, there's tons of information as to why the group feels so strongly about the Hammer films and some...
Diabolique Magazine and DVD Drive-in have created a petition to help prove to Warner Bros. that there is indeed a demand for Hammer Horror titles on Blu-ray, and the group has confirmation that the page is currently being watched by WB so they want to deliver an impressive amount of digital John Hancocks.
If you'd like to help out, simply follow this link to the Diabolique website petition page and sign on the dotted line. In addition to the petition, there's tons of information as to why the group feels so strongly about the Hammer films and some...
- 3/11/2014
- by Scott Hallam
- DreadCentral.com
The Horror Channel has announced the return of the Hammer double features.
The season, which runs on Saturday nights from February 1 to 22 at 9pm, promises "vampire vixens, creepy castles, mouldy mummies, satanic sadists and Lee & Cushing on top show".
Hammer recently unveiled the trailer for The Quiet Ones, the studio's follow-up to its successful critical and commercial return with The Woman in Black.
The full schedule is below, complete with synopses from the Horror Channel (Sat 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138).
February 1 9pm - Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
This sequel to the 1958 The Horror of Dracula sees the supposedly dead Count Dracula back in bloody business once his trusty servant Klove entices the English Kents - Charles (Francis Matthews), brother Alan (Charles Tingwell) and their wives Diana (Suzan Farmer) and Helen (Barbara Shelley) - inside his welcoming castle. Directed by Terence Fisher, this is seen as the "quintessential Hammer horror".
February 1 10.45pm -...
The season, which runs on Saturday nights from February 1 to 22 at 9pm, promises "vampire vixens, creepy castles, mouldy mummies, satanic sadists and Lee & Cushing on top show".
Hammer recently unveiled the trailer for The Quiet Ones, the studio's follow-up to its successful critical and commercial return with The Woman in Black.
The full schedule is below, complete with synopses from the Horror Channel (Sat 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138).
February 1 9pm - Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
This sequel to the 1958 The Horror of Dracula sees the supposedly dead Count Dracula back in bloody business once his trusty servant Klove entices the English Kents - Charles (Francis Matthews), brother Alan (Charles Tingwell) and their wives Diana (Suzan Farmer) and Helen (Barbara Shelley) - inside his welcoming castle. Directed by Terence Fisher, this is seen as the "quintessential Hammer horror".
February 1 10.45pm -...
- 1/15/2014
- Digital Spy
The Horror Channel has announced the return of the Hammer double features.
The season, which runs on Saturday nights from February 1 to 22 at 9pm, promises "vampire vixens, creepy castles, mouldy mummies, satanic sadists and Lee & Cushing on top show".
Hammer recently unveiled the trailer for The Quiet Ones, the studio's follow-up to its successful critical and commercial return with The Woman in Black.
The full schedule is below, complete with synopses from the Horror Channel (Sat 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138).
February 1 9pm - Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
This sequel to the 1958 The Horror of Dracula sees the supposedly dead Count Dracula back in bloody business once his trusty servant Klove entices the English Kents - Charles (Francis Matthews), brother Alan (Charles Tingwell) and their wives Diana (Suzan Farmer) and Helen (Barbara Shelley) - inside his welcoming castle. Directed by Terence Fisher, this is seen as the "quintessential Hammer horror".
February 1 10.45pm -...
The season, which runs on Saturday nights from February 1 to 22 at 9pm, promises "vampire vixens, creepy castles, mouldy mummies, satanic sadists and Lee & Cushing on top show".
Hammer recently unveiled the trailer for The Quiet Ones, the studio's follow-up to its successful critical and commercial return with The Woman in Black.
The full schedule is below, complete with synopses from the Horror Channel (Sat 319 / Virgin 149 / Freesat 138).
February 1 9pm - Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)
This sequel to the 1958 The Horror of Dracula sees the supposedly dead Count Dracula back in bloody business once his trusty servant Klove entices the English Kents - Charles (Francis Matthews), brother Alan (Charles Tingwell) and their wives Diana (Suzan Farmer) and Helen (Barbara Shelley) - inside his welcoming castle. Directed by Terence Fisher, this is seen as the "quintessential Hammer horror".
February 1 10.45pm -...
- 1/15/2014
- Digital Spy
Hammer and Horror Film Day!
Saturday November the 9th ( 10am – 5pm )
Central Hall Westminster.
Storey’s Gate, Westminster, London SW1H 9Nh
UK’s longest running film fair and convention.
Now in it’s 40th year!
The Convention presents dealers from all over the UK, Europe, Us ,
Canada and South America.
Specialising in rare original film memorabilia and collectables.
Taking place six times a year these are truly unique events for anyone with an interest in films!
With actors and director’s signings, illustrated talks, retrospectives and film screenings taking place through out the day.
Items covering the history of cinema can be found. From the silents to the present.
From rare items of the 1920’s to new releases and the latest heart throb.
Among the many different field of cinema covered at the show is – Classic Hollywood, horror films, sci-fi, the best of British and European cinema as we as cult tv!
Saturday November the 9th ( 10am – 5pm )
Central Hall Westminster.
Storey’s Gate, Westminster, London SW1H 9Nh
UK’s longest running film fair and convention.
Now in it’s 40th year!
The Convention presents dealers from all over the UK, Europe, Us ,
Canada and South America.
Specialising in rare original film memorabilia and collectables.
Taking place six times a year these are truly unique events for anyone with an interest in films!
With actors and director’s signings, illustrated talks, retrospectives and film screenings taking place through out the day.
Items covering the history of cinema can be found. From the silents to the present.
From rare items of the 1920’s to new releases and the latest heart throb.
Among the many different field of cinema covered at the show is – Classic Hollywood, horror films, sci-fi, the best of British and European cinema as we as cult tv!
- 9/28/2013
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Sarah Dobbs Jun 21, 2017
As news arrives that Sherlock's creators are working on a Dracula adaptation, here are 10 screen versions of Bram Stoker's character...
Dracula is one of the classic monster stories. It’s the quintessential vampire tale; most of our ideas about what a vampire is, what a vampire does, and what a vampire can be killed by come from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. And while elements of the story have been woven into countless other vampire-themed books, films, and TV shows, it’s Dracula that we keep coming back to, over and over. Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are in talks about reviving the character once again for a BBC miniseries, but before that arrives, let’s take a look back at ten other versions of the world’s most famous vampire…
See related Kevin Feige on Black Panther, female superhero movie Thor: Ragnarok - Thor's roommate won't be in it Nosferatu (1922)
Who plays Dracula? Max Schreck.
What’s the story? It’s a pretty faithful, if pared down, version of the Dracula story: a clerk is sent out to meet a mysterious client in a spooky castle, realises he’s a monster, and tries to flee, only for his own wife to fall victim to the vampire’s spell. It’s silent, black and white, and gorgeous.
What makes it special? What’s kind of amazing about this film is that it almost didn’t survive. The production didn’t have the approval of Bram Stoker’s estate, and despite changing a few details – the vampire here is known as Count Orlok, not Dracula, and the other names and locations have also been altered – it’s close enough that when the Stokers sued, a court ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed.
Luckily for us, one survived. It’s incredibly creepy, all weird angles and lurking shadows, and Schrek plays the vampire as a proper monster. There’s nothing seductive about him, he’s just terrifying. Even now. Especially now, maybe, now that we’re jaded and cynical about special effects and CGI. Because this film looks scarier than anything created on a computer, and it’s all real.
Dracula (1931)
Who plays Dracula? Bela Lugosi.
What’s the story? Based on a popular stage adaptation of Dracula, this is another mostly faithful adaptation, though the characters have been shuffled a bit. Here, it’s Renfield, not Jonathan, who goes out to meet Dracula in his castle in Transylvania. Jonathan and Lucy get shunted off to the side of the story, with Mina taking centre stage, while Dr Seward, head of the lunatic asylum, is recast as her father. Lugosi is a much sexier Count than Schreck, and the subtext about Mina’s sexual awakening is, er, pretty much text here.
What makes it special? Oh, everything. It’s beautiful to look at, for one thing. It’s got a bit of a sense of humour, though not enough to stop it from being insanely creepy. Lugosi makes the role completely his own; when people think of Count Dracula, this is the version most of them imagine. Interestingly, this version also does a lot more with Renfield’s story than the original novel, and Dwight Frye is fantastic in that role. Even if you think you’ve seen too many Dracula parodies to enjoy Lugosi’s rendition of the Count, this film is worth watching for Dwight Frye alone.
Dracula (1958)
Who plays Dracula? Christopher Lee.
What’s the story? It’s Dracula, but slightly wonky. It starts with Jonathan Harker setting off to visit Castle Dracula – but this time, he knows what he’s in for, and is planning to kill the Count. He fails, leaving Van Helsing to take up the hunt. Most of the characters have been shuffled around: Jonathan is engaged to Lucy, who’s Arthur’s sister, and Arthur is married to Mina. It’s not obvious why that reshuffle had to happen, because it doesn’t make a huge amount of difference to how things play out. It’s still Mina who has to fight to extricate herself from Dracula’s clutches in the end.
What makes it special? Dracula was one of the first Hammer Horror films, and it was massively successful. It spawned eight sequels, including The Brides of Dracula, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, and Taste The Blood of Dracula, and it basically shaped the horror genre for a good couple of decades. But what’s special about it today is the cast. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are always good value, and here, as the evil Count and the scholarly vampire hunter determined to kill him off, they’re brilliant.
Count von Count, Sesame Street (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Originally Jerry Nelson, and now Matt Vogel.
What’s the story? Okay, this is kind of a cheat. Count von Count isn’t actually called Dracula, but he’s so clearly modelled on Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of the great vampire that I couldn’t just leave him out. The character appears to be based on the idea that vampires are obsessed with counting – folklore from all over the world has it that if a vampire encounters a pile of rice or other grains, they won’t be able to do anything until they’ve counted it all. The Count loves to, er, count.
What makes it special? The fact that Sesame Street included a vampire character is kind of amazing, and the fact that he speaks in a parody of Lugosi’s accent, and wears that cape, well, it’s just sort of brilliant. The earliest incarnations of the Count were a bit spooky, but apparently kids found his maniacal laughing and tendency to zap people who interfered with his counting a bit scary, so he was made cuter and goofier. He’s basically the most adorable incarnation of Dracula you’ll ever find.
Blacula (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Charles Macaulay.
What’s the story? This film is about one of Dracula’s protégés, rather than Dracula himself. After an African prince approaches Dracula for help dealing with the slave trade, he gets bitten and sealed in a coffin for centuries. Popping out in the 1970s, Mamuwalde – dubbed “Blacula” by the Count – sets about trying to win the heart of a woman he believes to be the reincarnation of his dead wife.
What makes it special? Isn’t the idea of a blaxploitation take on Dracula special enough for you? William H. Marshall plays the first ever black vampire in this movie, and since there haven’t been all that many since, that’s still pretty notable. The fashion is glorious, and the music is wonderful too. The plot is, well, kind of flimsy, and pretty slow, and it actually verges on being kind of boring, but there’s something pretty cool about it nonetheless.
Blood for Dracula (1974)
Who plays Dracula? Udo Kier.
What’s the story? A sickly Dracula is starving to death due to the lack of available virgins in Romania, so he travels to Italy in search of a bride. Unfortunately, the family of impoverished aristocrats he ends up staying with employs a rather rapey handyman, and there may not be any virgins left for him.
What makes it special? Produced by Andy Warhol, this is definitely one of the strangest takes on the Dracula story. Many of the established tropes are present – Dracula doesn’t have a reflection, and can’t stand garlic - but rather than being powerful and seductive, Kier’s Count is almost pitiable. He spends much of the film in a wheelchair, which is an oddly creepy image, and he’s kind of… whiny. It’s hard to know where your sympathies should lie, and it’s fun to see a mother actively throwing her daughters at Dracula rather than trying to save them from him. The accents are occasionally baffling (especially Joe Dallesandro’s Brooklyn drawl) but maybe that’s all part of the joke.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Who plays Dracula? Gary Oldman.
What’s the story? Back in the fifteenth century, Dracula’s wife kills herself after being told her husband has been killed in battle. Knowing suicide is a sin, Dracula figures she’s damned, and turns against God himself, becoming a vampire. After skulking in his castle for centuries, he decides to move to London, where he meets Mina Harker – a woman who looks exactly like his dead wife. The rest of the Dracula story is intact, but with a side of overly dramatic tragic romance.
What makes it special? It’s one of the most faithful adaptations around, in terms of how much of the book it conveys to the screen. Characters are shown writing letters and diary entries, as per the book, and Lucy’s three suitors are all present and correct, which is rare.
Unfortunately, some of the performances are pretty terrible (Keanu Reeves is an easy target, but he’s truly awful here, and Cary Elwes is in full smirk mode). There are so many famous people crammed in that it gets distracting, and the set design is too stagey to be effective. But it gets points for keeping all the characters in their places.
‘Buffy vs Dracula’, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Rudolf Martin.
What’s the story? To kick off the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy went up against the most famous vampire of all time. Yup, they actually wrote Dracula into an episode of Buffy. There’s no real messing with the character, apart from dropping him into modern day California, and he uses pretty much all of his tricks: he turns into a bat, he dissolves into mist, he uses mind control to turn Xander into a slavering minion, and he seduces Sunnydale’s women, including Buffy herself.
What makes it special? There’s something about crossovers that’s always oddly irresistible. Fitting the Scooby Gang into the Dracula story is fun because of the cognitive dissonance it causes: they’re all-American teenagers, and he’s a character from a gothic Victorian novel, so there’s no reason they should ever encounter one another, and the fallout is genuinely funny. (Spike’s indignation is a particular highlight.) There’s also a serious side to the story, as Dracula tells Buffy she’s a creature of darkness, but that’s something that really developed over the rest of the series. This episode is mostly just fun.
Dracula 2000 (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Gerard Butler.
What’s the story? Despite Van Helsing’s best efforts, someone has let Dracula out of his prison, and he’s determined to track down the one woman who might be able to stand up to him. (Who just happens to be Van Helsing’s daughter.) Bringing Van Helsing and Dracula into a modern day setting requires a bit of sleight of hand, but it just about works, and the film has an ace up its sleeve: an explanation for Dracula’s true identity that finally explains why he’s so averse to silver and crucifixes.
What makes it special? It kind of shouldn’t be, because it’s so silly. It’s got that self-aware, slightly camp late-90s horror thing going on, and it’s never actually scary. But it is a lot of fun, with some sharp dialogue (“I don’t drink… coffee”) and loads of geek-friendly faces popping up, including Jonny Lee Miller, Nathan Fillion, and Jeri Ryan.
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Who plays Dracula? Dominic Purcell
What’s the story? Dracula, or “Drake”, is an ancient vampire summoned by modern day vampires looking for an upgrade. Blade has been killing off too many of them, and they want to walk in daylight, which apparently Drake’s blood will let them do. Drake is a bit of a rubbish Dracula, as they go; he’s just a really old vampire, and none of the usual Dracula plot elements are present.
What makes it special? Let’s be clear about this, Blade Trinity is a pretty terrible film. It has two redeeming features, though: Ryan Reynolds and Parker Posey are fantastic, and every scene they have together is wonderful; and it includes a scene in which Drake wanders into a vampire-themed shop and terrorises the snarky goth assistants. Those things just about make it worth watching, but for Dracula super-fans, it hasn’t got much to offer. Purcell’s Dracula is apparently meant to be charismatic, but he just comes off dull and thuggish.
Other notable onscreen Draculas: Countess Dracula (Ingrid Pitt stars as Elizabeth Bathory, so not really Dracula at all, except in the title); Count Duckula (an 80s cartoon about a vampiric duck); Count Dracula (a low budget horror from 1979, directed by Jess Franco and starring Christopher Lee despite not being part of Lee’s Hammer Dracula franchise); Dracula: Dead And Loving It (Mel Brooks’s daft spoof); Dracula Ad 1972 (a reteaming of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing that brings Dracula into the 70s); Dracula Sucks (a hardcore porn adaptation); and Dario Argento’s Dracula 3D (which isn’t out yet, and will almost certainly be terrible.)
This feature was originally posted in October 2013.
As news arrives that Sherlock's creators are working on a Dracula adaptation, here are 10 screen versions of Bram Stoker's character...
Dracula is one of the classic monster stories. It’s the quintessential vampire tale; most of our ideas about what a vampire is, what a vampire does, and what a vampire can be killed by come from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. And while elements of the story have been woven into countless other vampire-themed books, films, and TV shows, it’s Dracula that we keep coming back to, over and over. Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are in talks about reviving the character once again for a BBC miniseries, but before that arrives, let’s take a look back at ten other versions of the world’s most famous vampire…
See related Kevin Feige on Black Panther, female superhero movie Thor: Ragnarok - Thor's roommate won't be in it Nosferatu (1922)
Who plays Dracula? Max Schreck.
What’s the story? It’s a pretty faithful, if pared down, version of the Dracula story: a clerk is sent out to meet a mysterious client in a spooky castle, realises he’s a monster, and tries to flee, only for his own wife to fall victim to the vampire’s spell. It’s silent, black and white, and gorgeous.
What makes it special? What’s kind of amazing about this film is that it almost didn’t survive. The production didn’t have the approval of Bram Stoker’s estate, and despite changing a few details – the vampire here is known as Count Orlok, not Dracula, and the other names and locations have also been altered – it’s close enough that when the Stokers sued, a court ordered all copies of the film to be destroyed.
Luckily for us, one survived. It’s incredibly creepy, all weird angles and lurking shadows, and Schrek plays the vampire as a proper monster. There’s nothing seductive about him, he’s just terrifying. Even now. Especially now, maybe, now that we’re jaded and cynical about special effects and CGI. Because this film looks scarier than anything created on a computer, and it’s all real.
Dracula (1931)
Who plays Dracula? Bela Lugosi.
What’s the story? Based on a popular stage adaptation of Dracula, this is another mostly faithful adaptation, though the characters have been shuffled a bit. Here, it’s Renfield, not Jonathan, who goes out to meet Dracula in his castle in Transylvania. Jonathan and Lucy get shunted off to the side of the story, with Mina taking centre stage, while Dr Seward, head of the lunatic asylum, is recast as her father. Lugosi is a much sexier Count than Schreck, and the subtext about Mina’s sexual awakening is, er, pretty much text here.
What makes it special? Oh, everything. It’s beautiful to look at, for one thing. It’s got a bit of a sense of humour, though not enough to stop it from being insanely creepy. Lugosi makes the role completely his own; when people think of Count Dracula, this is the version most of them imagine. Interestingly, this version also does a lot more with Renfield’s story than the original novel, and Dwight Frye is fantastic in that role. Even if you think you’ve seen too many Dracula parodies to enjoy Lugosi’s rendition of the Count, this film is worth watching for Dwight Frye alone.
Dracula (1958)
Who plays Dracula? Christopher Lee.
What’s the story? It’s Dracula, but slightly wonky. It starts with Jonathan Harker setting off to visit Castle Dracula – but this time, he knows what he’s in for, and is planning to kill the Count. He fails, leaving Van Helsing to take up the hunt. Most of the characters have been shuffled around: Jonathan is engaged to Lucy, who’s Arthur’s sister, and Arthur is married to Mina. It’s not obvious why that reshuffle had to happen, because it doesn’t make a huge amount of difference to how things play out. It’s still Mina who has to fight to extricate herself from Dracula’s clutches in the end.
What makes it special? Dracula was one of the first Hammer Horror films, and it was massively successful. It spawned eight sequels, including The Brides of Dracula, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, and Taste The Blood of Dracula, and it basically shaped the horror genre for a good couple of decades. But what’s special about it today is the cast. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are always good value, and here, as the evil Count and the scholarly vampire hunter determined to kill him off, they’re brilliant.
Count von Count, Sesame Street (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Originally Jerry Nelson, and now Matt Vogel.
What’s the story? Okay, this is kind of a cheat. Count von Count isn’t actually called Dracula, but he’s so clearly modelled on Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of the great vampire that I couldn’t just leave him out. The character appears to be based on the idea that vampires are obsessed with counting – folklore from all over the world has it that if a vampire encounters a pile of rice or other grains, they won’t be able to do anything until they’ve counted it all. The Count loves to, er, count.
What makes it special? The fact that Sesame Street included a vampire character is kind of amazing, and the fact that he speaks in a parody of Lugosi’s accent, and wears that cape, well, it’s just sort of brilliant. The earliest incarnations of the Count were a bit spooky, but apparently kids found his maniacal laughing and tendency to zap people who interfered with his counting a bit scary, so he was made cuter and goofier. He’s basically the most adorable incarnation of Dracula you’ll ever find.
Blacula (1972)
Who plays Dracula? Charles Macaulay.
What’s the story? This film is about one of Dracula’s protégés, rather than Dracula himself. After an African prince approaches Dracula for help dealing with the slave trade, he gets bitten and sealed in a coffin for centuries. Popping out in the 1970s, Mamuwalde – dubbed “Blacula” by the Count – sets about trying to win the heart of a woman he believes to be the reincarnation of his dead wife.
What makes it special? Isn’t the idea of a blaxploitation take on Dracula special enough for you? William H. Marshall plays the first ever black vampire in this movie, and since there haven’t been all that many since, that’s still pretty notable. The fashion is glorious, and the music is wonderful too. The plot is, well, kind of flimsy, and pretty slow, and it actually verges on being kind of boring, but there’s something pretty cool about it nonetheless.
Blood for Dracula (1974)
Who plays Dracula? Udo Kier.
What’s the story? A sickly Dracula is starving to death due to the lack of available virgins in Romania, so he travels to Italy in search of a bride. Unfortunately, the family of impoverished aristocrats he ends up staying with employs a rather rapey handyman, and there may not be any virgins left for him.
What makes it special? Produced by Andy Warhol, this is definitely one of the strangest takes on the Dracula story. Many of the established tropes are present – Dracula doesn’t have a reflection, and can’t stand garlic - but rather than being powerful and seductive, Kier’s Count is almost pitiable. He spends much of the film in a wheelchair, which is an oddly creepy image, and he’s kind of… whiny. It’s hard to know where your sympathies should lie, and it’s fun to see a mother actively throwing her daughters at Dracula rather than trying to save them from him. The accents are occasionally baffling (especially Joe Dallesandro’s Brooklyn drawl) but maybe that’s all part of the joke.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Who plays Dracula? Gary Oldman.
What’s the story? Back in the fifteenth century, Dracula’s wife kills herself after being told her husband has been killed in battle. Knowing suicide is a sin, Dracula figures she’s damned, and turns against God himself, becoming a vampire. After skulking in his castle for centuries, he decides to move to London, where he meets Mina Harker – a woman who looks exactly like his dead wife. The rest of the Dracula story is intact, but with a side of overly dramatic tragic romance.
What makes it special? It’s one of the most faithful adaptations around, in terms of how much of the book it conveys to the screen. Characters are shown writing letters and diary entries, as per the book, and Lucy’s three suitors are all present and correct, which is rare.
Unfortunately, some of the performances are pretty terrible (Keanu Reeves is an easy target, but he’s truly awful here, and Cary Elwes is in full smirk mode). There are so many famous people crammed in that it gets distracting, and the set design is too stagey to be effective. But it gets points for keeping all the characters in their places.
‘Buffy vs Dracula’, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Rudolf Martin.
What’s the story? To kick off the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy went up against the most famous vampire of all time. Yup, they actually wrote Dracula into an episode of Buffy. There’s no real messing with the character, apart from dropping him into modern day California, and he uses pretty much all of his tricks: he turns into a bat, he dissolves into mist, he uses mind control to turn Xander into a slavering minion, and he seduces Sunnydale’s women, including Buffy herself.
What makes it special? There’s something about crossovers that’s always oddly irresistible. Fitting the Scooby Gang into the Dracula story is fun because of the cognitive dissonance it causes: they’re all-American teenagers, and he’s a character from a gothic Victorian novel, so there’s no reason they should ever encounter one another, and the fallout is genuinely funny. (Spike’s indignation is a particular highlight.) There’s also a serious side to the story, as Dracula tells Buffy she’s a creature of darkness, but that’s something that really developed over the rest of the series. This episode is mostly just fun.
Dracula 2000 (2000)
Who plays Dracula? Gerard Butler.
What’s the story? Despite Van Helsing’s best efforts, someone has let Dracula out of his prison, and he’s determined to track down the one woman who might be able to stand up to him. (Who just happens to be Van Helsing’s daughter.) Bringing Van Helsing and Dracula into a modern day setting requires a bit of sleight of hand, but it just about works, and the film has an ace up its sleeve: an explanation for Dracula’s true identity that finally explains why he’s so averse to silver and crucifixes.
What makes it special? It kind of shouldn’t be, because it’s so silly. It’s got that self-aware, slightly camp late-90s horror thing going on, and it’s never actually scary. But it is a lot of fun, with some sharp dialogue (“I don’t drink… coffee”) and loads of geek-friendly faces popping up, including Jonny Lee Miller, Nathan Fillion, and Jeri Ryan.
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Who plays Dracula? Dominic Purcell
What’s the story? Dracula, or “Drake”, is an ancient vampire summoned by modern day vampires looking for an upgrade. Blade has been killing off too many of them, and they want to walk in daylight, which apparently Drake’s blood will let them do. Drake is a bit of a rubbish Dracula, as they go; he’s just a really old vampire, and none of the usual Dracula plot elements are present.
What makes it special? Let’s be clear about this, Blade Trinity is a pretty terrible film. It has two redeeming features, though: Ryan Reynolds and Parker Posey are fantastic, and every scene they have together is wonderful; and it includes a scene in which Drake wanders into a vampire-themed shop and terrorises the snarky goth assistants. Those things just about make it worth watching, but for Dracula super-fans, it hasn’t got much to offer. Purcell’s Dracula is apparently meant to be charismatic, but he just comes off dull and thuggish.
Other notable onscreen Draculas: Countess Dracula (Ingrid Pitt stars as Elizabeth Bathory, so not really Dracula at all, except in the title); Count Duckula (an 80s cartoon about a vampiric duck); Count Dracula (a low budget horror from 1979, directed by Jess Franco and starring Christopher Lee despite not being part of Lee’s Hammer Dracula franchise); Dracula: Dead And Loving It (Mel Brooks’s daft spoof); Dracula Ad 1972 (a reteaming of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing that brings Dracula into the 70s); Dracula Sucks (a hardcore porn adaptation); and Dario Argento’s Dracula 3D (which isn’t out yet, and will almost certainly be terrible.)
This feature was originally posted in October 2013.
- 8/19/2013
- Den of Geek
Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Sam Moffitt, and Tom Stockman
The film career of legendary English actor Sir Christopher Lee began in 1948 and continues to the present day. Lee is best known for his roles in horror films, especially the string of seven Dracula movies he starred in for Hammer Studios between 1958 and 1974, but be may be best known to younger audiences for his roles in the Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. Almost all of the roles that Lee has played have been villains and here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are his ten best.
10. Frankenstein
It’s only fitting that The Curse Of Frankenstein, the film that truly began England’s Hammer Studios’ theatrical run of full color gothic horror epics, should team (well, they’re both in the 1948 Hamlet, but have no scenes together) their greatest stars, Peter Cushing as Baron Victor Frankenstein...
The film career of legendary English actor Sir Christopher Lee began in 1948 and continues to the present day. Lee is best known for his roles in horror films, especially the string of seven Dracula movies he starred in for Hammer Studios between 1958 and 1974, but be may be best known to younger audiences for his roles in the Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. Almost all of the roles that Lee has played have been villains and here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are his ten best.
10. Frankenstein
It’s only fitting that The Curse Of Frankenstein, the film that truly began England’s Hammer Studios’ theatrical run of full color gothic horror epics, should team (well, they’re both in the 1948 Hamlet, but have no scenes together) their greatest stars, Peter Cushing as Baron Victor Frankenstein...
- 8/6/2013
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The film career of legendary English actor Sir Christopher Lee began in 1948 and continues to the present day. Lee is best known for his roles in horror films, especially the string of seven Dracula movies he starred in for Hammer Studios between 1958 and 1974. Super-8 Christopher Lee Movie Madness will be a great way to celebrate the career of Lee, who recently celebrated his 91st birthday. Admission is only Three Dollars.
Super-8 Christopher Lee Movie Madness will take place at The Way Out Club on August 6th beginning at 8pm. Condensed versions (average length: 15 minutes) of these great Christopher Lee films will be screened on a big screen on Super-8 sound film: Dracula Prince Of Darkness, Taste The Blood Of Dracula, Scars Of Dracula, The Gorgon (with Peter Cushing), To The Devil A Daughter, Curse Of The Crimson Cult (with Boris Karloff), and Return To Witch Mountain.
The non- Christopher Lee...
Super-8 Christopher Lee Movie Madness will take place at The Way Out Club on August 6th beginning at 8pm. Condensed versions (average length: 15 minutes) of these great Christopher Lee films will be screened on a big screen on Super-8 sound film: Dracula Prince Of Darkness, Taste The Blood Of Dracula, Scars Of Dracula, The Gorgon (with Peter Cushing), To The Devil A Daughter, Curse Of The Crimson Cult (with Boris Karloff), and Return To Witch Mountain.
The non- Christopher Lee...
- 8/2/2013
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Vampire Lovers came at a time of change for Hammer films. Due to a marketplace more saturated with violence and sex, not to mention a horror stage increasingly shared by classics, like Rosemary’S Baby and Night Of The Living Dead, Hammer was struggling financially. To combat it, Hammer, along with American International, adapted J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s novella Carmilla (1872), into the Karnstein Trilogy, of which The Vampire Lovers is the first entry. The film took the boobs and blood formula to new heights, by infusing the film with some of the most tawdry lesbian scenes that had ever taken place on celluloid (which, while fairly tame under today’s standards, is no less erotic).
The film looks beautiful, and the booming Hammer score is there, replete with ear splitting screams (watch out with volume control). But you’re here for one thing: The Extras; and for the most part,...
The film looks beautiful, and the booming Hammer score is there, replete with ear splitting screams (watch out with volume control). But you’re here for one thing: The Extras; and for the most part,...
- 4/30/2013
- by Andy Greene
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Severin Films will be releasing two cult horror films to Blu-ray and DVD on June 11th. Continue reading for more details and cover art for The House of Seven Corpses and House On Straw Hill:
The House of Seven Corpses: Hollywood legends John Ireland (Red River, Satan’s Cheerleaders), John Carradine (The Grapes of Wrath, Vampire Hookers) and Howard Hughes paramour Faith Domergue (Cult of the Cobra, This Island Earth) star in this much-loved 70s shocker about a film crew shooting an occult drama in a sinister manor (actually the former Utah Governor’s Mansion with its own grisly history of family bloodshed). Newly transferred in HD from original vault materials and featuring an exclusive archive interview with the legendary horror icon John Carradine as well as a revealing new audio commentary.
Bonus Features:
Exclusive Interview With Star John Carradine Audio Commentary With Associate Producer Gary Kent, Moderated...
The House of Seven Corpses: Hollywood legends John Ireland (Red River, Satan’s Cheerleaders), John Carradine (The Grapes of Wrath, Vampire Hookers) and Howard Hughes paramour Faith Domergue (Cult of the Cobra, This Island Earth) star in this much-loved 70s shocker about a film crew shooting an occult drama in a sinister manor (actually the former Utah Governor’s Mansion with its own grisly history of family bloodshed). Newly transferred in HD from original vault materials and featuring an exclusive archive interview with the legendary horror icon John Carradine as well as a revealing new audio commentary.
Bonus Features:
Exclusive Interview With Star John Carradine Audio Commentary With Associate Producer Gary Kent, Moderated...
- 3/29/2013
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
Around these parts if we had to pick what amounted to a hell of a decade for horror movies, it'd be easy to say that the Seventies were up there. Boundaries were pushed as well as the limits of what some would call good taste. Now two of that decade's weirdest films are back from the grave!
From the Press Release
Severin Films has announced the long awaited June 11th Blu-ray + DVD combo Us debut release of the controversial shocker House On Straw Hill and the creepy classic The House Of Seven Corpses.
House On Straw Hill: Banned in Britain as a Video Nasty for thirty years! A shockingly violent and erotic tale of seduction, brutality and revenge. Cult movie icon Udo Kier (Mark Of The Devil, Flesh For Frankenstein) stars as a successful novelist suffering from writer’s block, who rents a country cottage with his wife (British...
From the Press Release
Severin Films has announced the long awaited June 11th Blu-ray + DVD combo Us debut release of the controversial shocker House On Straw Hill and the creepy classic The House Of Seven Corpses.
House On Straw Hill: Banned in Britain as a Video Nasty for thirty years! A shockingly violent and erotic tale of seduction, brutality and revenge. Cult movie icon Udo Kier (Mark Of The Devil, Flesh For Frankenstein) stars as a successful novelist suffering from writer’s block, who rents a country cottage with his wife (British...
- 3/29/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Severin Films have announced the long-awaited June 11th Blu-ray/DVD combo Us debut release of the controversial shocker House on Straw Hill and House of Seven Corpses. Some details on both titles below!
House On Straw Hill: Banned in Britain as a Video Nasty for thirty years! A shockingly violent and erotic tale of seduction, brutality and revenge. Cult movie icon Udo Kier (Mark Of The Devil, Flesh For Frankenstein) stars as a successful novelist suffering from writer’s block, who rents a country cottage with his wife (British 70s sex sensation Fiona Richmond) in the hope of finding inspiration. But the arrival of a sensual secretary, played by Linda Hayden (Blood On Satan’S Claw, Taste The Blood Of Dracula) sets in motion a chain of events that culminate in an unrestrained explosion of sex and savagery. Film elements were long thought lost or destroyed on this sleazy...
House On Straw Hill: Banned in Britain as a Video Nasty for thirty years! A shockingly violent and erotic tale of seduction, brutality and revenge. Cult movie icon Udo Kier (Mark Of The Devil, Flesh For Frankenstein) stars as a successful novelist suffering from writer’s block, who rents a country cottage with his wife (British 70s sex sensation Fiona Richmond) in the hope of finding inspiration. But the arrival of a sensual secretary, played by Linda Hayden (Blood On Satan’S Claw, Taste The Blood Of Dracula) sets in motion a chain of events that culminate in an unrestrained explosion of sex and savagery. Film elements were long thought lost or destroyed on this sleazy...
- 3/29/2013
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Christopher Lee Halloween! week begins at Trailers from Hell with director and Tfh creator Joe Dante introducing the R-rated "Taste the Blood of Dracula," which may be "the last creditable 'Dracula' sequel." Probably the last creditable Dracula sequel and one of the better Hammer productions of the period, despite the fact that the vampire Count himself was a late addition to the mix. Ralph Bates as the fiendish Lord Courtley was intended to take over the reins from Christopher Lee as the continuing menace but the Us distributor insisted on Lee returning to star.
- 10/29/2012
- by Trailers From Hell
- Thompson on Hollywood
The astronomical success of The Avengers and its $200 Million worth of state-of-the-art CGI effects shows how far the Marvel Universe has evolved. Marvel Comics first foray into film was a 1966 syndicated package of cartoons called Marvel Superheroes that ran on local TV stations. Marvel comics announced the upcoming series in the “Marvel Bullpen Bulletins” of the November 1966 issues, stating “It won’t be long before our swingin’ super-heroes make their star-studded debut on TV, appearing five nights a week – that’s right, five – count ‘em -five nights a week, for a half-hour each night. So you’ve just got time to make sure your set’s in good working order – check your local paper for time and station – and prepare to have a ball!”
Featured in Marvel Superheroes were Iron Man, The Hulk, Sub-Mariner, Captain America, and Thor. The show was a collaboration between two TV companies: Krantz Films was...
Featured in Marvel Superheroes were Iron Man, The Hulk, Sub-Mariner, Captain America, and Thor. The show was a collaboration between two TV companies: Krantz Films was...
- 6/1/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Super-8 Movie Madness at the Way Out Club will be held on Tuesday June 5th from 8pm to Midnight. These are Super-8 Sound films condensed from features (they average 15 minutes in length) and will be projected on a large screen at the Way Out Club. Admission is only Three Bucks!!!!
The films on the June 5th are: An Avengers Triple Feature: The Hulk, Iron Man, and Thor (these are the 1960′s cartoons), The Day Of The Jackal, The Wizard Of Oz, Christopher Lee in Taste The Blood Of Dracula, It’S Not The Size That Counts, Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman, The Wasp Woman, Tora Tora Tora, a James Bond 007 Trailer Reel, The Who’s Tommy, The Guinness Book of World Records Volume 2, and Monty Python And The Holy Grail !
There will be lots of posters and T-Shirts and stuff given away. The Way Out Club is located at 2525 Jefferson Avenue in South St.
The films on the June 5th are: An Avengers Triple Feature: The Hulk, Iron Man, and Thor (these are the 1960′s cartoons), The Day Of The Jackal, The Wizard Of Oz, Christopher Lee in Taste The Blood Of Dracula, It’S Not The Size That Counts, Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman, The Wasp Woman, Tora Tora Tora, a James Bond 007 Trailer Reel, The Who’s Tommy, The Guinness Book of World Records Volume 2, and Monty Python And The Holy Grail !
There will be lots of posters and T-Shirts and stuff given away. The Way Out Club is located at 2525 Jefferson Avenue in South St.
- 5/31/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Chicago – The most important element to the opening of “The Woman in Black” is the Hammer Films logo that caused the legendary Roger Ebert to applaud when it appeared in the screening room here in Chicago. This is a Hammer Film through and through complete with unbelievable character action, loud sound effects, extreme shock scares, and other B-movie manipulations. It fits snugly in the filmography of the studio that revived Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Mummy for a new generation. And yet it is also surprisingly effective for modern audiences. There are some overdone elements and the script could have been a bit stronger, but the movie works on its own terms, sending a chill up your spine in effective ways.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Hammer Films have become known more for camp due to titles like “Taste the Blood of Dracula,” “Blood From the Mummy’s Tomb,” and “Creatures the World Forgot,” but...
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Hammer Films have become known more for camp due to titles like “Taste the Blood of Dracula,” “Blood From the Mummy’s Tomb,” and “Creatures the World Forgot,” but...
- 2/3/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The Woman in Black marks a comeback for the Hammer Films banner, as the new Daniel Radcliffe ghost story is a welcome return to Gothic form for the legendary British production company famous for its many horror films of the late '50s, '60s and '70s.
With their own take on the Dracula, Frankenstein, Werewolf and Mummy legends, the prolific brand implied that there would be plenty of blood, lust and gore, often in lacey Victorian style. Classic titles included Taste the Blood of Dracula, Frankenstein Must be Destroyed, The Curse of the Werewolf, The Plague of the Zombies, Dracula Has Risen From the Grave, Lust for a Vampire, Quatermass and the Pit, Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde, Dracula A.D. 1972 and so much more.
The Woman in Black: What Scares Daniel Radcliffe
Christopher Lee (later of Saruman/The Lord of the Rings fame) and Peter Cushing (later of Grand Moff Tarkin/Star Wars fame) were...
With their own take on the Dracula, Frankenstein, Werewolf and Mummy legends, the prolific brand implied that there would be plenty of blood, lust and gore, often in lacey Victorian style. Classic titles included Taste the Blood of Dracula, Frankenstein Must be Destroyed, The Curse of the Werewolf, The Plague of the Zombies, Dracula Has Risen From the Grave, Lust for a Vampire, Quatermass and the Pit, Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde, Dracula A.D. 1972 and so much more.
The Woman in Black: What Scares Daniel Radcliffe
Christopher Lee (later of Saruman/The Lord of the Rings fame) and Peter Cushing (later of Grand Moff Tarkin/Star Wars fame) were...
- 2/1/2012
- TheInsider.com
A merchant witnesses the death of Dracula and scoops up some of his remains, his cloak and an amulet for safe keeping. Years later a trio of respectable gentlemen who are fed up of their bourgeois lifestyle decide to indulge in a bit of black arts.
They meet up with Lord Courtley, one of Dracula’s disciples and together they set about resurrecting the Count. But during the ceremony the gentlemen lose their nerve and bottle it but are unaware that Count Dracula has been brought back to life anyway. Dracula sets out to get revenge on them by targeting their children.
The late 60′s and early 70′s was a testing time for Hammer. With 1968′s Night of the Living Dead bringing a more realistic and downright scary approach to horror, The Exorcist just around the corner and their own films becoming stagnant after hardly changing their formula since the late 50′s,...
They meet up with Lord Courtley, one of Dracula’s disciples and together they set about resurrecting the Count. But during the ceremony the gentlemen lose their nerve and bottle it but are unaware that Count Dracula has been brought back to life anyway. Dracula sets out to get revenge on them by targeting their children.
The late 60′s and early 70′s was a testing time for Hammer. With 1968′s Night of the Living Dead bringing a more realistic and downright scary approach to horror, The Exorcist just around the corner and their own films becoming stagnant after hardly changing their formula since the late 50′s,...
- 8/21/2011
- by Andrew Smith
- DailyDead
“My name is Bond - James Bond". That classic introduction to the cinema’s greatest secret agent is as famous as “I am Dracula, I bid you welcome.” When the box office success of Dr No (1962) turned the unknown Sean Connery into a movie legend, Hammer was never far away from the franchise. With their own films running parallel to the Bond series, Hammer and Eon Productions often made use of the same talent.
Dr No also marked the debuts of Bernard Lee (the first of 11 films as M) and Lois Maxwell (the first of 14 as Miss Moneypenny). Lee had a brief turn as Tarmut in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1973) and despite never starring in a Hammer horror, Maxwell turned up in their early fifties thrillers Lady in the Fog (1953) and Mantrap (1954).
As doomed double-agent Professor Dent, Anthony Dawson is best known as the vile Marquis in Curse...
Dr No also marked the debuts of Bernard Lee (the first of 11 films as M) and Lois Maxwell (the first of 14 as Miss Moneypenny). Lee had a brief turn as Tarmut in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1973) and despite never starring in a Hammer horror, Maxwell turned up in their early fifties thrillers Lady in the Fog (1953) and Mantrap (1954).
As doomed double-agent Professor Dent, Anthony Dawson is best known as the vile Marquis in Curse...
- 6/1/2011
- Shadowlocked
Super-8 Movie Madness at the Way Out Club will be held on Tuesday March 1 from 8pm to Midnight. These are Super-8 Sound films condensed from features (they average 15 minutes in length) and will be projected on a large screen at the Way Out Club. Admission is a measly Three Bucks!!!!
Condensed versions of the following films will be screened: Jack Nicholson in Chinatown, The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad, Robert Redford in The Great… Waldo Pepper, a ‘Black Lagoon’ Double-Feature of Revenge Of The Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us, The Marx Brothers in Duck Soup, Christopher Lee in Taste The Blood Of Dracula, Battle In Outer Space, A Chapter of the Buck Rogers Serial, Konga, The Mummy’S Tomb, Donald Duck in Soup’S On, an Episode of The Mickey Mouse Club and the Little Rascals in the Super-8 Movie Madness favorite The Kid From Borneo (Yum Yum Eat ‘Em Up!
Condensed versions of the following films will be screened: Jack Nicholson in Chinatown, The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad, Robert Redford in The Great… Waldo Pepper, a ‘Black Lagoon’ Double-Feature of Revenge Of The Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us, The Marx Brothers in Duck Soup, Christopher Lee in Taste The Blood Of Dracula, Battle In Outer Space, A Chapter of the Buck Rogers Serial, Konga, The Mummy’S Tomb, Donald Duck in Soup’S On, an Episode of The Mickey Mouse Club and the Little Rascals in the Super-8 Movie Madness favorite The Kid From Borneo (Yum Yum Eat ‘Em Up!
- 2/28/2011
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Hammer horror movie star Christopher "Dracula" Lee has been knighted in the UK for his many villainous screen performances. The 6' 5", 87-year-old actor, who has appeared in more than 250 film/TV productions, was honoured for his services to both drama and charity, receiving his knighthood from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace. Lee's first major acting role was as the 'Frankenstein Monster' in Hammer Films' Curse of Frankenstein (1957). More Hammer films followed including Horror Of Dracula, The Mummy and The Hound of the Baskervilles. In the 1970's, he continued working in genre films, including the role of 'Scaramanga' in the 'James Bond' film The Man with the Golden Gun, 'Rochefort' in The Three Musketeers, 'Lord Summerisle' in the original Wicker Man and the lead in Fu Manchu. Recently, he portrayed the wizard 'Saruman' in The Lord of the Rings and 'Jedi' villain 'Count Dooku' in Star Wars.
- 10/31/2009
- HollywoodNorthReport.com
Hi, Matt here with your weekly dose of Queer Cinema. With Halloween coming up, we turn our focus to horror.
Hammer Horror films are not truly part of the gay canon, and as a body of films they are conservative in their narrative arcs and messages. However, I've always been a huge fan. They are undeniably camp and always feature either subtle homoeroticism or full on Lesbian Vampires. For those unfamiliar with this horror subgenre, it is a collection of films produced by Hammer Film Studios from the late 50s to early 70s that mixed Gothic melodrama with exploitation horror. The studio was most famous for their vampire, mummy, Frankenstein, and cave girl pictures.
The vampire films stand head and shoulders above the rest. Hammer's Vampires went through two major cycles, the gothic Dracula films with Christopher Lee and the later sexploitation-y lesbian vampire films. The early Hammer films are the most respectable.
Hammer Horror films are not truly part of the gay canon, and as a body of films they are conservative in their narrative arcs and messages. However, I've always been a huge fan. They are undeniably camp and always feature either subtle homoeroticism or full on Lesbian Vampires. For those unfamiliar with this horror subgenre, it is a collection of films produced by Hammer Film Studios from the late 50s to early 70s that mixed Gothic melodrama with exploitation horror. The studio was most famous for their vampire, mummy, Frankenstein, and cave girl pictures.
The vampire films stand head and shoulders above the rest. Hammer's Vampires went through two major cycles, the gothic Dracula films with Christopher Lee and the later sexploitation-y lesbian vampire films. The early Hammer films are the most respectable.
- 10/24/2009
- by CanadaMatt
- FilmExperience
The UK’s longest-running genre event, the Festival of Fantastic Films, has added director Peter Sasdy to the guest lineup of its 2009 edition, running Friday-Sunday, October 16-18 in Manchester, England. Best known for his work with Hammer Films, Sasdy’s association with the iconic company stretches all the way from the 1969 TV anthology Journey To The Unknown to the company’s 1986 swansong, Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense, also encompassing the features Taste The Blood Of Dracula, Countess Dracula and Hands Of The Ripper.
Other Hammer veterans speaking and socializing at the weekend-long event include Twins Of Evil director John Hough and actors John Carson (from Plague Of The Zombies) and Scars Of Dracula’s Jenny Hanley. But there’s more to the British genre scene than Hammer; among the other actors attending are Burke And Hare’s Derren Nesbitt, The Ghoul (and Zombie) star Ian McCulloch and Evil Aliens’ Emily Booth.
Other Hammer veterans speaking and socializing at the weekend-long event include Twins Of Evil director John Hough and actors John Carson (from Plague Of The Zombies) and Scars Of Dracula’s Jenny Hanley. But there’s more to the British genre scene than Hammer; among the other actors attending are Burke And Hare’s Derren Nesbitt, The Ghoul (and Zombie) star Ian McCulloch and Evil Aliens’ Emily Booth.
- 9/24/2009
- by no-reply@fangoria.com (M.J. Simpson)
- Fangoria
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