Hammer Horror on BBC at Christmas
Peachy Keen
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BBC 2 is showing several Hammer horror films, old and new, over the Christmas period starting with the underrated 'Wake Wood' on this Saturday night and continuing with 'Dracula' on Boxing Day, 'The Mummy' (27th), 'The Curse of Frankenstein' (28th), 'The Abominable Snowman' (29th) and ending with 'The Resident' (New Year's Day).
Also in the BBC 2 schedule, there are a couple of non Hammer movies, the classic 'Witchfinder General' (23rd) and the recent chiller 'The Awakening' (24th).
Also in the BBC 2 schedule, there are a couple of non Hammer movies, the classic 'Witchfinder General' (23rd) and the recent chiller 'The Awakening' (24th).
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The Ghoul was on tv regularly in the early 80s............I think I read somewhere there are copyright problems or whatever involving the company who made them.............Legend of the Werewolf is another one.
A Hammer, Tigon, Amicus season would suit me fine.
Now how about a double bill
I wish they showed some Vincent price films like Comedy of terrors, Madhouse as well as Amicus anthology films like Asylum, Tales from the crypt. I also want to see The Creeping Flesh which has not been aired for many years like it used to on BBC.
1. Dracula seducing Mina before biting her
2. Dracula clawing away his face when he is disintegrating
I also love the old Universal horror movies from the 1950s featuring Frankenstein, Dracula, Mummy, Wolfman.
I especially liked the Abbott and Costello comedy version (Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein).
It really was a ripping yarn, quite a little gem not at all what expected.
I also forgot how scary Christopher Lee was as Frankenstein's monster.
I'd love to see regular late night Hammer horrors on BBC2 in 2014. Here's hoping
The Abominable Snowman
Nothing abominable about this cracker, back from the heady B/W days of Hammerscope. Handsome camerawork and a steady pace keep you engrossed, while the slew of creepy flourishes in Nigel Kneale's great script means it never gets predictable (cleverly swerving it towards science fiction territory, for instance). A gem indeed. 9/10
Dracula
Christopher Lee burns through the screen in this full-bloodied telling, the relentless pace of which nicely mirrors the Count's urgent bloodlust. Sumptuous, colourful sets offset the odd hokey moment, and it's perhaps a touch cramped in breadth, but it all belts along with gusto up to a fierce climax. Fangtastic! 8/10
The Curse of Frankenstein
As much smart, compact character study as horror to begin with. And it keeps you waiting for the monster. Luckily it's a horrible, memorably vile creation. Hammer's terse, fat-free approach again pays dividends. 8/10
The Mummy
Hmm. A stylish though oddly static and perhaps too studio-bound vision, and the script maybe lacks intrigue. But it's greatly enlivened by the Mummy itself of course, eerily rising from the swamp for some much needed chaos. 7/10
Wake Wood
Modern Hammer that suffers from being a tad too derivative. Some of it works, and it certainly doesn't hold back, but you can see the better ,subtler horror it could've been underneath. That said, this is often reminiscent of their edgy late seventies TV show, and it can't be faulted for ambition. New Hammer have still to find their feet, but this sort of approach is perhaps the best way forward. 6/10
The Resident
Modern Hammer play it safe with fairly standard stalker offering that boils down to the usual rather limp jump-scares. And the NY setting just doesn't sit with Hammer for me. Christopher Lee turns up, almost as a reminder that they should be doing more than this. 4/10
Btw - I'd forgotten what a fabulous actor/screen presence Peter Cushing was. Passing from virtuous, patriachal characters to the conniving Baron without missing a beat, always with such drive and conviction. No wonder he got to boss Darth Vader around. How cool was that, eh. What a star.
Good stuff......Dracula is made even more enjoyable for by the presence of Melissa Stribling ( what a name too )
When 'Let Me In' came out, Mark Kermode was a bit sniffy towards it and refused to give a proper review on his show with Simon Mayo as the original was one of his favourite films!
I do remember that 'Let Me In' was shown on Channel 4 sometime in the last couple of years, maybe someone could confirm this?