This film is an absolute classic and really showed the class that Hammer could deliver on a miniscule budget. The film that made Christopher Lee a star and one that absolutely blew my mind as a kid...which started my entire infatuation with Hammer films.
The overall structure of the story is close to Stoker's story, but with some major deviations...the first of which takes you so off guard it shocks you. Here Lee gets the chance to balance the gracious host Dracula...with the shocking monster beneath. The initial entrance of him with fangs bared, blood shot eyes and blood running down his mouth scared the SHIT out of me when I was kid.
Cushing is the perfect Van Helsing, nobody else ever came close. He's the glue that holds the entire film together when Lee isn't front and center. Michael Gough would later become a pretty dependable character actor...but his performance here is dreadful...the one downside to the picture.
The final chase through Dracula's castle is a near-Hitchcockian sequence that's very impressive. Top all this off with beautiful Technicolor photography and James Bernard's memorable score...this one is a must-own.
Governer Tarkin I shouldve expected to find you holding Vader's leash, I thought I recognized your foul stench when i came aboard.
More you tighten your grip talk, the more star systems will slip thru your fingers.
Fat Freddy Stormtrooper Of Pabst
Posts : 1300 Join date : 2009-11-18 Age : 54 Location : West Milford, NJ
Subject: Re: Hammer Films Fri Nov 20, 2009 2:26 pm
Stender wrote:
Isnt cushing the guy that also played Moff Tarkin in Star wars "a new hope"?
Just call it "Star Wars," young'in. To hell with Lucas and that lame ass "Episode IV: A New Hope" subtitle.
Stender Delicious Vomit
Posts : 299 Join date : 2009-11-18 Age : 34 Location : Florence, OREGON
Subject: Re: Hammer Films Fri Nov 20, 2009 4:22 pm
Fat Freddy wrote:
Stender wrote:
Isnt cushing the guy that also played Moff Tarkin in Star wars "a new hope"?
Just call it "Star Wars," young'in. To hell with Lucas and that lame ass "Episode IV: A New Hope" subtitle.
Roger that, grandpa.
S.D. The Subhuman
Posts : 6538 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Los Angeles, CA
Subject: Re: Hammer Films Thu Feb 10, 2011 2:51 am
I saw a beautiful thing the other day. I was watching "Let Me In" and right at the opening credits was the new Hammer Films logo...and the film was billed as "A Hammer Films Production". Luckily the quality quotient was very high, thus deserving of the prestigious name attached to it.
WELCOME BACK HAMMER!
S.D. The Subhuman
Posts : 6538 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Los Angeles, CA
Subject: Re: Hammer Films Sun Nov 06, 2011 9:35 pm
Re-Watched the 1959 version of "The Hound Of The Baskervilles" with Peter Cushing as Holmes, pure enjoyment (even if it does take alot of liberties with the original story). Beautiful production values and use of color throughout.
Christopher Lee actually plays a rather wimpy, ordinary dude in this one, an interesting change of pace I must say.
Fat Freddy Stormtrooper Of Pabst
Posts : 1300 Join date : 2009-11-18 Age : 54 Location : West Milford, NJ
Subject: Re: Hammer Films Tue Nov 08, 2011 11:59 pm
S.D., ever seen 1972's "Horror Express?" It wasn't a Hammer Film (it was made in Spain), but it did star Lee & Cushing and it definitely tried to carry on the same look/vibe. Pretty fun stuff.
S.D. The Subhuman
Posts : 6538 Join date : 2009-11-16 Location : Los Angeles, CA
Subject: Re: Hammer Films Wed Nov 09, 2011 12:47 am
Horror Express is one of my favorites! There are many "public domain" versions of this one floating around, but if you can find the version from the 'Euroshock" collection it is the best print I've run across.
Crazy flick, I've seen it probably 5 or 6 times.
Fat Freddy Stormtrooper Of Pabst
Posts : 1300 Join date : 2009-11-18 Age : 54 Location : West Milford, NJ
Subject: Re: Hammer Films Wed Nov 09, 2011 1:26 pm
S.D. wrote:
Horror Express is one of my favorites! There are many "public domain" versions of this one floating around, but if you can find the version from the 'Euroshock" collection it is the best print I've run across.
Crazy flick, I've seen it probably 5 or 6 times.
Cool, man. I got a dollar-store DVD of it a few years ago that was pretty decent quality, I've watched it a couple of times. I understand that a new, deluxe soup-to-nuts DVD edition was recently released with a bunch of bonus features (vintage and new interviews, remastered pic & sound, etc.) but I haven't come across it yet.
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Subject: Hammer Films 
Mon Nov 16, 2009 8:51 pm
