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During the studio’s heyday, Hammer ruled the world of horror, picking up where Universal left off and spinning the classic characters in a new direction of sexuality, violence, flamboyant actors and gothic set pieces that turned what had been stuffy and serious tales into the guilty pleasures of a changing social collective. Producing more than two dozen horror flicks (and some GREAT film noir material), Hammer was about more than just vampires and power-drunk scientists, but these movies have largely remained in the background and unknown to many fans. Until now. Collecting four of the highest quality examples of the Hammer Studio’s genius and stylistic flair, Sony is releasing the Icons of Horror collection not only in time for Halloween, but also at a time that finds message boards and horror-hound websites abuzz with renewed talks of a return of the studio itself. Having changed hands multiple times in the last decade, the Hammer Studio name has been dangling the carrot of new productions and more releases of the past works for many years now. One week before sitting down and writing this, a new film was announced (Wake Wood) and begins filming this week for a Fall 2009 release. So whether the release of these films is a coincidental good fortune or a calculated attempt to stir up new interest and give younger fans a chance to see the rich history of the new players on the block…well, it is okay by me either way! The four films that appear here are all making their DVD debut, making this an absolute must for those who hold the Hammer movies close at heart. To tell you the truth, I would have bought this set for one of the films alone, The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960); one of my favorite classic horror films period. Lucky for me, my film comes with The Gorgon (1964), Scream of Fear (1961) and The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb (1964) as a bonus! Fans of the dynamic duo of Hammer cinema will enjoy the fact that both Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing appear here, but I really must insist that it is the tragically underused Paul Massie in the dual role of Jekyll and Hyde that steals the spotlight of this whole collection. Chronologically, things get started with The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, which is interesting because it seems to be the most “modern” of the films in theme and subject matter. We all know the story by now; a scientist with a penchant for exploring the duality of man attempts to bring out his inner or other self. Upon doing so, he finds the version of himself unhindered by morality, respect for laws, or even the basic tenements of remorse…a combination which proves to be fatal to many, possibly even the good doctor himself. Without a doubt the most sexualized of the four, there is no end of debauchery, drug use, snake wrapped belly-dancers and themes of infidelity and promiscuity as the unfettered Dr. Hyde lets himself loose upon the seedy underbelly of London. Of course, this is all handled with the restraint of the times (nearly 50 years ago now) and as such may appear tame by today’s standards; but it stands out clearly against many of its contemporaries for risks taken and envelopes pushed. Paul Massie, a relative unknown as of today, played the roles of opposite personalities to perfection. In the makeup of an older man as Jeckyll and with his own handsomeness put to good use as the playboy Hyde, Massie portrays two completely different characters living inside one man. Each moves differently, sits differently, speaks with a different voice and even has a different glint in their eye…Jeckyll’s for a good scientific discovery and Hyde’s for vice and frivolity. I have long loved this film since I was young, and I realize now that I never even caught on to the fact that the same actor played both parts; and even knowing so today, it is hard to believe during most of the film. Next is Scream of Fear (originally Taste of Fear in the U.K.), in my opinion the least attractive of the entries. Most likely this is due to the fact that it feels the least like one of the glossy, stylish, and overtly gothic films I associate with Hammer. The only one of these four to appear in black and white, Scream of Fear falls much more into the category of psychological thriller than horror. When a paralyzed woman returns to her family’s estate to find her father has gone missing, she finds only a member of the hired help willing to help her through the trauma she is about to face. As she is alienated and mistreated by her vile stepmother, she begins to see her father around the grounds…dead. But each time she witnesses this grim site, the body turns up missing before she can substantiate it with anyone else. Fearful that she is going mad, and finding it nearly impossible to investigate her father’s whereabouts in her handicapped state, she begins to wonder if perhaps her insanity is the end goal of whomever has launched this diabolical plot. Riding the waves of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, released a year before, Scream of Fear is a thrill ride of twists, turns and misdirection, with a scene of abject terror that rivals anything seen in Hitch’s films and is obviously meant to be Scream’s version of Anthony Perkins shocking reveal. All in all, I would have had a much greater appreciation of this film (which I had not seen before this) if I had experienced it on its own. Truthfully a dark and tense little piece of filmmaking, it is a wonderful work…just not one that feels very “Hammer”. Following is The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, which stands as one of my favorite entries into the various “Mummy” franchises within classic horror for one reason and one reason only…the mummy deals out some harsh punishments. While the story is as old as time (people open tomb, people get cursed, mummy kills people, mummy is satisfied), there is a bit more to this version, including a backstory of 3,000 years and a King Kong-esque bit about an American showman who wants to exhibit and exploit the ancient treasures. But honestly, what sets this one apart, and made it a bit unbearable for those audience members back in 1964, is the fact that this mummy is a tad brutal. After so many arms-outstretched choking murders of past mummies, this undead Egyptian gets a little more angsty; finding time to bash a head in with a stone statue in long drawn out blows and crunching a pleading man’s head underfoot amongst his other killings. While the nature of these films was to have said violence predominately off-screen, we all know that sometimes that makes it even more frightening. I can’t imagine what some of these more heavy-handed death scenes did to the poor audiences of the early-sixties. Lastly is The Gorgon; a word familiar to me only because I loved Clash of the Titans as a child. When a rash of corpses begins to turn up with a very interesting and unarguably unsettling condition, it sends shivers of panic through the small European hamlet of Vandorf. The shivers turn into veritable spasms of terror, however as the village doctor fails to mention in his reports that the bodies are being found turned to solid stone. Soon, our cast of characters is wondering just what this doctor (Cushing) is hiding; not content with his stories of believing in science and not in myth and legends of a medusa living in a nearby castle. It will be up to the valiant and resolute Professor Meister (Lee) to unravel the mystery of this supernatural being as well as the secrets of the good doctor. This switching of roles comes as a refreshing change to those who are used to Christopher Lee playing the evildoer, while Peter Cushing vanquishes him film after film. Here, Cushing might not be a “villain” in every sense of the word, but he fulfills the role of foil to Lee’s brash hero. With a slightly hollow but sincere love story filling in the gaps between British actor’s monologues and a snake haired lady petrifying people, The Gorgon manages to keep its momentum throughout; leading eventually towards one heck of an ending! While I choose not to get in the middle of the Universal Monster versus Hammer Horror debate, I will definitely go on record to say that I adore the Hammer style. The fact that this studio could make films which looked so polished and managed to portray themselves so honestly and straightforwardly with such a small budget is beyond me. A combination of the hypnotic power of a British accent to lend credence and intelligence to any sort of dialog and some truly remarkable set design, Hammer films have a look all their own. And never has that look been better represented than in this set’s four films. This is the sort of collection that will pull in a guaranteed audience without any features other than the films themselves, which is good…because there are no extras included. Honestly though, I can’t say that I missed them. Each of these films is story enough, and I don’t feel the need to see the films nuances, genius and mistakes explained away for me. It all is delivered in such a way that a viewer is simply satisfied with a great viewing experience. Amongst the greatest filmmakers in horror history, Hammer Studios has been responsible for some heavyweight favorites over the years, but it is so nice to see some of the more unique and intriguing entries represented here. Before you see a great actor like
Christopher Lee waste his talents on another Star Wars
sequel/prequel/suck-fest and before you are subjected to any more
sub-par, inane horror remakes, I would encourage you to take a trip
back to a time when a handful of greats kept audiences entertained
and challenged and a smaller number of studios were hell-bent of
keeping the genre moving rapidly forward. The Hammer Films:
Icons of Horror collection is going to fulfill the longings of
long-time classic horror fans as well as act as a primer to
expanding new fans’ horizons. Regardless of which group you fall
into, I could not recommend this set any more sincerely.
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